Devil in Me, Anderson East (from the Low Country Sound/Elektra Records release Delilah) There’s something special about that old-school soul sound. It’s all the more impressive when it is created by a young whippersnapper like Anderson East. The Nashville by way of Alabama singer-songwriter serves up an exhilarating debut album that is steeped in Muscle […]
Peace, Love and Twang at the Philadelphia Folk Festival
The Philadelphia Folk Festival, which has been around for 54 years, isn’t your grandfather’s folk festival. While there is still a smattering of venerable acoustic solo folksingers on its program like Arlo Guthrie, Bruce Cockburn and Tom Paxton, the festival has become a great platform for Americana artists of all flavors as well as for […]
Mea Culpa! A Special Summer Playlist, Part 1
Mea culpa! So last year I made a commitment to myself to write a monthly playlist and publish it within the month for which it was named. I gave myself a hearty pat on the back when I met that goal. Thankfully, I didn’t set the same goal this year as I would have failed […]
Monday Morning Video – An Evening with The Clash
Some weeks need to be started with a full-on rock show. This is one of those weeks. Ladies and gentlemen, here is the Clash, live from Passaic, NJ in 1980
Monday Morning Video – Del Amitri Rain on Some Other Sucker’s Parade
This song is filled with lyrical gems, several of which I’ve shared on our social media #rockwisdom series. Here’s the song in all its glory, performed back in 1997. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to enjoy a new #rockwisdom lyric each week.
Tweed River Talk – A Few Words with Smith & Weeden
Emerging Providence-based rockers Smith & Weeden are not only making their Tweed debut, they will be making their first-ever festival appearance. Guitarists Jesse Emmanuel Smith and Seamus Weeden, joined by bassist Ollie Williams and drummer Dylan Sevey, are a bar-band in the best sense of the word. Live and on record, they play straight-up rock […]
Tweed River Talk – A Few Words with Jonas Parmelee of the Silks
Our latest interview is with Jonas Parmelee, bassist with the Providence, RI-based rock trio the Silks. Last American Band, the band’s 2013 debut was produced by Paul Westerberg and recalls the best qualities of 1970’s rock-and-roll — filled with songs as raucous as they are melodic. Parmelee talked with us about the psychedelic side of […]
Mayer’s Picks: The Best of 2015 (So Far) the Songs Part 2
Everybody Talkin’ ’bout the All American, JD McPherson (from the Rounder Records release Let The Good Times Roll) Let’s just call this the dance hit of the year. One listen and you’ll know what I mean. You Got To Me, James McMurtry (from the Complicated Game Records release Complicated Game) On a given day I’d […]
Monday Morning Video – Ike Reilly
While a good portion of Boston converged on a Somerville club on the off chance that U2 would make an appearance, I did the opposite and went into Boston to catch Ike Reilly. Damn glad that I did (and it has nothing to do with the fact that U2 didn”t show up in Somerville). Reilly […]
Mayer’s Picks: The Best of 2015 (So Far), the Songs Part 1
For me, at least, this year has been more about songs than albums. Here are just a few of my favorites from the first half of 2015. If Still It Can’t Be Found, Joe Pug (from the Lightning Rod Records release Windfall) A melancholy ode to perseverance and pursuing one’s dreams. Simply magical. Don’t Let […]