Van Wilks is a Texas-based blues rocker who plays a mean guitar. His newest release, 21st Century Blues, is a solid testament to Wilks’ blazing skills. A longtime fixture in the Austin, Texas music scene, the Galveston-born Wilks recorded his first solo album – Bombay Tears – in 1980. Â His straight-forward blues-rock echoes Texas musical […]
Brother Nothing – All In My Mind
As Mick sings, “you can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometime, you might find, you get what you need.” Â Turns out what I needed was Brother Nothing. Â I’ve been listening to a lot of bluegrass, old-timey, acoustic music lately. Then, a couple of weeks ago, the release from Austin-based Brother Nothing […]
Robert Earl Keen is Coming Home
Texas hill country singer-songwriter Robert Earl Keen has a tendency to mix humor, sometimes dark humor, into his songs. He plays it straight-up, however, on this tender love song “I’m Coming Home.” “Ain’t nothin’ better than your own backyard, I’m comin’ home to you.” Here is an early performance of the song taken from a […]
Readers’ Pick: Let Me Get By by Tedeschi Trucks Band
TEDESCHI TRUCKS BAND, Let Me Get By beats out BUDDY MILLER AND FRIENDS, Cayamo Sessions at Sea as your favorite for the week of January 29, 2016. Poll Results New Releases Did we miss something? If you feel a new release is missing from our current poll, please let us know in the comments. Readers’ […]
Dori Freeman – Dori Freeman
From purely a songwriting perspective, I sometimes feel like many an artist’s best work is their debut album. Â The songs have been crafted over years and found their voice right along with the artist. It’s also frequently the case that you get a broader range of styles before fans and personal preferences start driving to […]
Professor Louie & the Crowmatrix – Music From Hurley Mountain
Americana music encompasses many different strains of homegrown sounds. Professor Louie and the Crowmatrix have tapped into a number of those sounds on their compelling new album, Music From Hurley Mountain. Denizens of Woodstock, NY, the Crowmatrix, featuring Aaron Hurwitz – “Professor Louie” – and his songwriting partner “Miss Marie” Spinosa, grew together in the […]
Paul Burch Talks About Driving a Van with No Steering and the Qualities of a Good Rehearsal Spaces
Paul Burch discusses listening to something that’s covered in magic marker ink, finding the fast food place that leaves you with the greatest satisfaction and waiting for the callback from his first gig -45 years and counting.
Monday Morning Video – Patterson Hood “The Righteous Path”
The Drive-By Truckers put out a mighty fine live album late last year. Their guitars were a blazin’. We’re gonna take a quieter approach this week, however, with Patterson Hood’s solo acoustic take on “The Righteous Path.”
Readers’ Pick: You’re Dreaming by The Cactus Blossoms
THE CACTUS BLOSSOMS, You’re Dreaming beats out ERIC BRACE & PETER COOPER, C&O Canal as your favorite for the week of January 22, 2016. Poll Results New Releases Did we miss something? If you feel a new release is missing from our current poll, please let us know in the comments. Readers’ Tops Winter 2016 […]
Mayer’s Playlist for January 2016
ALBUM OF THE MONTH You’re Dreaming by The Cactus Blossoms There was a time when brotherly harmonies dominated the musical airwaves. From the Everly Brothers in pop to the Louvin Brothers in country, it was a sound that was both soothing and satisfying. Despite the fact that this music was a touchstone for many artists […]