I thought that I’d do something different this year and, with one exception, focus this list on songs that aren’t from my list of favorite 2017 albums (so far). Each of those releases, of course, could contribute songs to this list but let’s highlight some other faves of the year. Hope the High Road, Jason […]
Mayer’s Picks – the Best of 2017 (So Far), the Albums
It’s been a good year for music so far this year (and the rest of the year is looking quite nice, too). Here, in no particular order, are some of my favorite releases from the first half of 2017. BIG BAD LUV by JOHN MORELAND It’s not too late to get on the Moreland train […]
Emerging Artist – Courtney Marie Andrews’ Honest Life
Catching up on missed music is not what I thought that a newborn would allow me to do this summer. But the late nights, and the missed sleep between feedings, seemed only like a time when I would just wish I could sleep through the night. But there I was, 3:30 AM on a Tuesday, […]
SXSW 2017 – Say What?!
One of my favorite things about SXSW (well, after the music) are the crazy comments that you hear along the way. Here are a few choice selections from SXSW 2017. I hope your life has meaning after SXSW. Har Mar Superstar There’s a fine line between radical folk, punk rock and kumbaya. Otis Gibbs This […]
SXSW 2017, The Sounds – Part 3
MATTHEW LOGAN VASQUEZ The former (?) Delta Spirit frontman sure likes to rock. I caught him a few times over the week and it he fired up the crowd each time. He suffered from poor sound at one show, but the energy carried him through. Like many an artist, he was showcasing songs from the […]
SXSW 2017 – The Sounds, Part 2
AUSTIN LUCAS Lucas snuck into Austin to play a single afternoon solo acoustic show. To say that he attacked his guitar wouldn’t be an overstatement. He alternated between channeling Johnny Cash in his fiery moments and Blaze Foley’s mellow stylings. It was a powerful performance from start to finish. RON GALLO Gallo was a contender […]
SXSW 2017 – The Sounds, Part 1
LANGHORNE SLIM This was the best of the best, my favorite musical moment of the week. Langhorne Slim sitting in a chair on the floor, the audience arrayed cross-legged on the floor around him. A campfire festival without the campfire. His late-night performance was a freewheeling gem that included a few impromptu requests, all delivered […]
SXSW 2017 – The Scene
For me, the true harbinger of spring is the arrival of the SXSW Music and Media Conference in Austin, Texas. Or rather, spring begins for me when I arrive in Austin for SXSW. With upwards of 2,200 bands and more than 20,000 attendees from around the world, SXSW is the world’s premiere music conference. Even […]
Monday Morning Video – Chuck Berry
Count me among the many whose earliest experience with music was courtesy of Chuck Berry. I think it was “Roll Over Beethoven.” Perhaps it was my personal rebellion against the symphony performances that my parents dragged me to attend. I’ve come to enjoy the symphony in the years since but, at the time, the lyric […]
2017 Folk Alliance International – Favorite Sets
Having given a bit of flavor on the overall vibe of the annual Folk Alliance International conference, it’s time to rewind through some of my favorite sets of the week. Setting A High Bar A lot of performers at FAI have been making a living playing music for decades.  They’re not lucky, they’re just good.  Trout Fishing […]