Todd Mathis is a Twangville posse member and front man of the up and coming alt-country band American Gun, along with friend and fellow songwriter Donald Merckle. I guess that would make them the official house band here at Twangville. Based on their new CD, that is a good thing. They recently released The Means […]
Win Big: Dennis Brennan and Stonehoney
Be the envy of all your friends with this impressive bi-coastal prize pack featuring signed cds from Boston’s Dennis Brennan and LA’s Stonehoney. Every Wednesday Brennan delivers a master-class in American music at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, Massachusetts. One minute it is a rockin’ Brennan original, the next minute a Merle Haggard cover rounded […]
Mayer’s Playlist for January 2008
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: Lurch, by Mike Viola Whether recording under his own name or his Candy Butchers moniker, Viola is a master musical alchemist, building each song around varied instruments pulled from his bag of musical sounds. From the Fisher Price piano that kicks off “Maybe, Maybe Not” to the fuzzy bass of “It […]
Twangville Mailbox
New music is created in studios, bedrooms and studios every day. We at Twangville are fortunate and honored that many emerging artists chose to share their music with us. Join us below and in future installments to see what we find in the Twangville mailbox. Potlatch, The Bean Pickers Union (self-released) If music is at […]
Mayer’s Picks from 2007: The Video Companion
Before we get too far into 2008, here’s a quick trip down (recent) memory lane with some of my favorites from 2007. Among them: Jason Isbell (“Dress Blues”), Josh Ritter (“Right Moves”), Justin Currie (“If I Ever Loved You”), Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova (“Falling Slowly” plus a bonus “Into the Mystic”), Brandi Carlile (“The […]
Mayer’s Picks for 2008
As 2007 fades from memory, there’s a wealth of great music on the horizon in 2008. I’ve listed a few of my most eagerly awaited arrivals below, ordered by expected release date. Most of the artists have preview tracks available via MySpace; click on the artist name to link there. Check the Twangville Release Calendar […]
Mayer’s Picks from 2007: The Songs
Dress Blues, Jason Isbell Potent in its simplicity, Isbell reflects on the loss of a high school friend in the Iraqi War. Even after hundreds of listens, I still get a chill in my spine when Isbell sings “You never planned on the bombs in the sand, or sleeping in your dress blues.” If I […]
Mayer’s Picks from 2007: The Albums
With the passing of one year and the start of another, we at Twangville relish the opportunity to reflect on our favorite music of the past year. Over the next week I’ll be highlighting my favorite albums and songs from 2007, culminating with a preview of some highly anticipated 2008 releases. We start with the […]
Mayer’s Playlist for November/December (part 2), a Video Companion
The second party of our November/December video companion is chock full of live performances. Bettye Lavette kicks us off, Jason Anderson kicks it up a notch and Ben Arnold just kicks it. Other performances include Band of Horses, Brother Ali, the Redwalls, Joe Purdy, Mark Ronson and Chris Mills.
Mayer’s Playlist for November/December, part 2
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: The Scene of the Crime, by Bettye Lavette Detroit’s Bettye LaVette wastes no time in making a statement on her latest release. “I’ve been this way too long to change now,” she declares with a voice that leaves no room for negotiation, “you’re going to have to take me like I […]