Breaking a Heart/The Wind’s Just Gonna Blow, Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert, and Jon Randall (from the Sony Music Nashville release The Marfa Tapes) If you thought their song “Tin Man” was achingly beautiful, they’ve got a few more from their time in Marfa that just might make your eyes a little misty. I couldn’t decide […]
Mayer’s Picks – the Best of 2021 (So Far), the Albums
J.T. by Steve Earle & The Dukes Steve Earle’s moving tribute to his late son Justin Townes Earle is an emotional gut punch. Yet beyond the tragedy of the younger Earle’s passing, the elder Earle’s performances of his son’s songs highlight their shared gift of songwriting and storytelling mastery. Be warned, though, that the closing […]
Monday Morning Video – True Believers
The feels like a week that calls out for rock and roll. One of the great shoulda been huge rock purveyors were Austin, Texas’s True Believers. Three singer-songwriters, three guitars, and a pounding rhythm section – it doesn’t get much better. Here’s a vintage clip of the group performing “The Rain Won’t Help You When […]
Quit Breaking My Heart – A Premiere from Chris J. Norwood
Chris J. Norwood has been known to tackle some serious and personal topics in his songs. He takes a slightly different tack on the latest single from his forthcoming I Am Not Cool. Well, sort of. “I Need You (To Quit Breaking My Heart)â€, a duet with his wife Carrie, captures the back and forth […]
Rosie Flores on Touring in a VW Bus and Her Rock and Roll Retirement Plan
Rosie Flores talks about her first band (whose name was inspired by Greek mythology), her first original composition (written on her toy piano at age 5), and the mission that the Twangville interview inspired.
Jeremy James Meyer – Alive & OK
Listening to the new album from Jeremy James Meyer, Alive & OK, I realized that not only have I missed live music, but I’ve missed the sound of an entire band in a studio. During the pandemic, when bands recorded material, everyone did their own piece and then software assembled it all together. It sounds […]
“Don’t See The Light” – A Premiere from Kevin Daniel
After a number of years spent living in New York City, singer-songwriter Kevin Daniel decamped for Asheville last year. One listen to his forthcoming album Been Here Before and one can hear the influence of both locations. The collection of songs combines the rootsy mountain air of Asheville with the gritty edge of NYC, with […]
Tommy Dunbar of the Rubinoos on The Blue Whale and the Importance of Pre-Production
Rubinoos guitarist Tommy Dunbar talks about empty Dannon yogurt containers and dissects the first song that he wrote.
The Williamson Brothers on Making Custom Draperies and Enjoying Regional Cuisine
Adam and Blake Williamson of The Williamson Brothers and Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires talk about the sound of old dirty bass strings, broken drum sticks, and the wild time capsule where the band rehearses.
Monday Morning Video – Hothouse Flowers “Give It Up”
Long-time readers may recall that I like to listen to my iPod on shuffle. I love the surprise when it randomly reminds me of a favorite song from years gone by. Last week it pulled out this gem from Ireland’s Hothouse Flowers. I’m particularly enamored with this live version circa 2014, complete with a horn […]