Some years it’s easier than others to pick my favorite albums of the year. Â (I’ll refrain from calling them the best since I know there’s a lot of good music I didn’t hear.) Â This year wasn’t really one of them; the top 5-6 were still on top of my playlist, some of them for the […]
Mayer’s Picks: Best Songs of 2013
I posted a best songs list for the first half of 2013 back in July (here). Rather than replicate that list for my full year review, consider this the continuation — the best songs from the second half of the year. Closed Hand, Full of Friends, Foy Vance (from the Glassnote Records release Joy of […]
Mayer’s Picks: More Favorites from 2013
I had a tough time narrowing down my list of favorite albums to just ten. So here, in no particular order, are a few more favorites from 2013. Blunderstone RookeryStephen Kellogg Close to the FloorPatrick Sweany Stay RecklessAustin Lucas StudebakerMando Saenz The MooringsAndrew Duhon Truth Be SoldLeeroy Stagger ElectricRichard Thompson American RideWillie Nile Small Town […]
Mayer’s Picks: Best Albums of 2013, Boston Edition
This has been a great year for music in and around Boston. I hesitate to break these out into a separate regional list as they would all feature prominently on my overall Best of 2013. That said, taken together they make a great statement on the vibrancy of the Boston music scene. KINGSLEY FLOOD, Battles […]
Mayer’s Picks: Best Albums of 2013
This has been a great year in music, a feast for the ears but a challenge when it comes to picking my favorite albums for the year. A good problem to have, I suppose. Without further ado…. #1. JASON ISBELL, Southeastern The demons in these songs are no match for a songwriter of Isbell’s talent. […]
Photos that ROCK! Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds
Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds The Sinclair, Cambridge MA: December 2013 My friend Josh Myers started playing bass in a band that I had recently started hearing buzz about and he informed me that they were playing near by. I showed up at The Sinclair in Cambridge on a Friday night not knowing what […]
Best of 2013?
It’s that time of year we start our Readers’ Pick poll to let you tell us what your favorite album of the year is. This year, we’re going to do something a little different. We’ll get the poll started, but we want you to help us add to it. If you don’t see your favorite […]
Monday Morning Video: Charlie Chesterman
The Boston music scene recently lost one of our favorite sons. Charlie Chesterman earned his stripes in Scruffy the Cat back in the 1980’s before settling in as a solo artist, ably backed by a band known as the Legendary Motorbikes. His songs always had a classic 1950’s vintage rock sensibility, compact three minute pop […]
Win Big: Shonna Tucker Sends You Vinyl and a Case of Old Milwaukee
This ranks high on the list of the coolest give-aways that we’ve done. To celebrate the release of A Tell All, Shonna Tucker and Eye Candy are offering one lucky Twangville resident a special test pressing of the album on vinyl. Even better, the vinyl is packaged in an (empty) case of Old Milwaukee that […]
Monday Morning Video: Lou Reed
We lost a legend over the weekend. Lou Reed passed away on Sunday at the age of 71. From his early years with the Velvet Underground to his later solo career, Reed has inspired countless musicians and left a treasure trove of influential recordings. Here is a complete Reed performance from New York’s Bottom Line […]