Listening to Ray Bonneville’s spartan lyrics evokes images of freight yards, open prairies and empty dwellings. His masterful, moody songs on At King Electric embody the spirit of the North American continent he has wandered for decades. Born in Quebec, Bonneville learned English when his family moved to Boston when he was twelve. Though his […]
Mayer’s Picks – The Best of 2018 (So Far), the Songs
Here are some of my favorite songs this year. An eclectic lot to be sure. The Fold, Brent Cowles (from the Dine Alone Records release How To Be OK Alone) Easily my favorite song so far this year. Cowles confronts anxiety and self-doubt with a determined and uplifting anthem. Tough Folks, American Aquarium (from the […]
Speedbuggy USA – Kick Out the Twang
A friend and I were talking the other day about the irony of punk music being 30+ years old. Although I can’t claim to have been a punk rocker back in the day, I did like the country influence that some LA bands were putting on it, notably X, under the nom de plume of cowpunk. […]
Ray Wylie Hubbard – Live at Songbirds
At one point early in his set Ray Wylie Hubbard borrowed a line form one of his songs and said, “Any day my gratitude is above my expectations is a good day. Today has been a good dayâ€. It was indeed a good night. The event took place at Songbirds in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Songbirds is […]
Ry Cooder – The Prodigal Son
In a somber chat between Jesus Christ and Woody Guthrie, Jesus cautions Woody that the “engine of hate” that fueled Woody’s struggles last century was back again and “you good people better get together or you ain’t got a chance anymore.” That sums up how Ry Cooder paints today’s world in “Jesus and Woody,” one […]
2018 Old Settler’s Music Festival
For me, one of the surest indicators of spring is when I leave for my annual trip to Old Settler’s Music Festival. Â Now in its 31st year, and having moved into new digs near Lockhart, Texas, OSMF epitomizes the perfect festival mix of hot, new acts; crowd-pleasing old favorites; and a crowd size that lets […]
John Prine – The Tree of Forgiveness
If John Prine’s music seduced you back in the 1970s, you probably get it, and you’ll love The Tree of Forgiveness, his first album in 13 years presenting any new original music. He has released a collaboration with Mac Wiseman (Standard Songs for Average People), a couple of compilations of early music (including The Singing Mailman […]
Jeff Przech & The Outfit – Jeff Przech & The Outfit
When I was an impressionable youth, one of the things that drew me deeply into rock and roll was the twin guitar and Hammond B-3 combo popular with the southern rock crowd. Â Whether it was Dicky, Duane and Gregg, or the front line of Skynyrd, the sound went to the depth of my soul. Â When […]
Looking Back at the 2018 UK Americana Music Awards
Hackney Empire is one of those gorgeous spaces that hides in a city. Its exterior – completely deceiving, just another big, boxy building on a street of big, boxy buildings, but its interior – completely transporting. It’s one of those spectacular theaters that just seems to go up and up and up – shallow but […]
Folk Alliance 2018 – Mayer’s Picks, Part 2
Ruby BootsNashville by way of Australia singer-songwriter Ruby Boots was celebrating the release of her just released Bloodshot Records debut. She brought together an infectious enthusiasm with stellar songs, mostly about relationships, that matched catchy melodies with lyrical fervor. Una and Bob WalkenhorstThere aren’t many father-daughter duos in music. Then again, there aren’t many songwriters […]