1. Langhorne Slim- The Way We Move The #1 record of the year is traditionally an easy pick for me to make. This year was no exception. The Way We Move is Langhorne Slim’s definitive statement. The band rollicks from stumbling soul music to acoustic folk rock anthems and finally captures the insane energy of […]
Photos that ROCK! Best of 2012
Photos that ROCK! Best of 2012 I am crazy lucky that I get to show up at concerts and take photos of musicians. Here are some of my favorite shoots from 2012, all around Boston. Happy new year! Love Canon @ Club Passim, January 2012 (See my review of their second album here) Mojo Kick […]
Monday Morning Video: Josh Ritter
Josh Ritter is gearing up to release a new album this coming March. While we wait with anticipation, here’s one from the archives. This performance of “Empty Heart” took place in Belfast back in 2009 with an accompanying string trio billed as the “Love Cannon String Band.” It’s hard to tell who was having more […]
Miscellaneous Gems
Over the last 6 months or so I’ve come across a few albums or EP’s that I enjoyed, but for one reason or another didn’t do a full review. Â As the year winds down I figured it’s a good time to collect a few of those into a single post. Wasabi – Wide Open An […]
Mayer’s Picks: Best Songs of 2012
I posted a best songs list for the first half of 2012 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. Love Changes Everything, Session Americana (from the self-released Love and Dirt) Session Americana wrap […]
Mayer’s Picks: Best of Boston 2012
It’s been a great year of music in Boston. I’ve been fortunate to see lots of great local favorites live, from Todd Thibaud to Old Jack to Dennis Brennan to the Rationales. It was also a great year for new Boston music, as evidenced by the fine, fine releases below. SESSION AMERICANA, Love and Dirt […]
Bonus Morning Video: Paul Kelly’s “How To Make Gravy”
This video would be worthy of posting based on the song’s merit alone. Paul Kelly’s melancholy ode to Christmas is a masterpiece. Hearing Kelly tell the story behind the song is a bonus worthy of sharing. “I’ve got a Christmas song, but it doesn’t have a chorus and it’s set in prison.”
Monday Morning Video: The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl
I looked around to find a good cover of this song but finally came to my senses. There’s no replacing the original. Here’s Kirsty MacColl and the Pogues performing “Fairytale of New York.”
Mayer’s Picks: Best EPs of 2012
Several of my favorite releases from this year were 5-6 song sets rather than 8-10+ song full-length releases. Here, in no particular order, are a few favorite EPs from 2012. THE VANSADERS, The Vansaders If you like your rock-and-roll raucous and whiskey-soaked, you’ll be hard-pressed to find music better than the Vansaders. I’ll take mine […]
Mayer’s Picks: Best Albums of 2012
Most years there is one record that stands head and shoulders above the rest. Things were different this year as three albums vied for the top of my favorites list. I gave up trying to pick one – I’m declaring it a tie. #1 (tie). BRANDI CARLILE, Bear Creek Carlile recorded her latest release in […]