A piano echoes. A string section sweeps in, falls and then rises again. Then Justin Ringle’s voice emerges from the fog and dances with the lush instrumentation. This is how the title and first track of Horse Feathers’ new album Thistled Spring begins. The band specializes in a gorgeous, atmospheric brand of folk music that, […]
Mayer’s Playlist from August 2010, a Video Companion
The video companion returns with a short but potent set from August’s playlist. We kick things off with Rich Pagano and SugarCane Cups ripping it up on “Change Your Mind.” Luke Doucet takes the baton with a solo performance of “Dirty Dirty Blonde” that rivals the recorded version. Paul Thorn slows us down a bit […]
Marty Stuart-Ghost Train, The Studio B Sessions
The new Marty Stuart release, Ghost Train , The Studio B Sessions, has everything a real Country album should have. The album was recorded at the famed RCA Studio B in Nashville. The studio was designed in the 50’s by Chet Atkins and quickly became the Country Capital’s premier recording venue. In fact, It would be easier […]
Mayer’s Playlist for August 2010, Part 2
ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Pimps and Preachers, by Paul Thorn Paul Thorn is the Mark Twain of Americana. Possessing an endearing folksy charm, he fills his songs with a potent and intelligent wit. Thorn’s lyrics are typically self-depreciating yet hopeful. A fine example is “I Hope I’m Doing This Right.” After several verses of reflection […]
Ryan Bingham – Junky Star
Although I’d heard his name before, my first real lasting impression of Ryan Bingham was his cameo and composition for Crazy Heart. He truly embodied the western swing cowboy image of a cowboy. His crackly voice sounds like it could’ve been recorded in the 1850s by a prospecting frontiersman. In actual fact, Bingham spent some […]
The Rubber Knife Gang – Drivin’ On
It’s hard to beat a warm, sunny summer day, outside with a cold beer, some BBQ, and bluegrass in the MP3 player. It’s Labor Day as I’m writing this and I scored big in the music side of that equation as I’m reviewing the last effort from The Rubber Knife Gang, Drivin’ On. I just […]
Hans Chew – Tennessee & Other Stories…
Most people drink corn whisky for one of two reasons; to forget their troubles or to start some new ones. But there’s a third path, a fine line, where the bourbon serves to focus an artistic endeavor and provide the fuel for an emotional fire. Hans Chew’s debut album, Tennessee & Other Stories, seems to […]
Mayer’s Playlist for August 2010, Part 1
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: You Go Your Way, by Amy Correia It’s hard not to get lost in Amy Correia’s latest release, You Go Your Way. The story-telling quality of her songwriting, matched with some diverse and engaging instrumentation, conjures up images of a musical from the classic age of Broadway. “Love Changes Everything” is […]
The Giving Tree – The Joke, The Threat & The Obvious
To hear about a band being “green†in today’s society seems like another gimmick. We have whole foods, organic produce, carbon footprints and alternative energy bombarding us from all action. As a music fan, I like to listen to my music to unplug and hear the “organic†side for a while. But Todd and Eric […]
Green Corn Revival – Say You’re A Sinner
Never underestimate the imagery a good audio track can create. Fifteen seconds into the opening song of Green Corn Revival’s first full length effort, Say You’re A Sinner, all I could think about were Sergio Leone’s spaghetti westerns. Part One, as the track is called, is an avant garde country number with soaring background harmonies […]