Ryan Adams. Gillian Welch & David Rawlings. Conor Oberst. Cory Branan. These are names that are thrown around a lot when you are talking about modern day singer-songwriters. What if I told you there may be someone not just like them, but better? Anthony DaCosta might just be. About 3 hours ago, my brother handed […]
Dan Israel – Turning
A late release in 2007 that I almost overlooked is Dan Israel’s Turning. In fact this albume has become a late year Twangville fave. Israel has been around a while from the Midwest to Austin and back again. He has opened for acts as diverse as Morissey, Spoon and Peter Himmelman. He has won songwriter […]
Mayer’s Playlist for October 2007
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: What Is Love For, by Justin Currie Justin Currie sets the tone for his long-awaited solo debut with his opening line, “What is love for?” Over twelve intense tracks, Currie explores broken relationships with a studied but captivating eye. Lyrics filled with tinges of regret and resignation abound, often with an […]
Deadstring Brothers – Live @ Zydeco Birmingham, AL
I always thought how inspiring it must be for a musician to walk on stage in fromt of 12,000 screaming fans. But what about when it is 12 fans? How inspiring is that? Pretty damn inspiring if the Deadstring Brothers are any example. In reality there were more than 12 people at Zydeco two nights […]
Twangville Recommends: Will Kimbrough
I look to Fortune Magazine for a lot of things, but music has never been one of them. Hence my surprise to be flipping through the magazine several years back and finding a snippet about Will Kimbrough’s debut solo release, This. I’d known about Kimbrough for several years, most notably through his work slinging guitar […]
Mayer’s Playlist for August 2007
THE ALBUM OF THE MONTH: The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter, by Josh Ritter Josh Ritter bounces back from his label’s bankruptcy in fine fashion. Quickly (and smartly) picked up by Victor/Sony, Ritter releases his second masterpiece in as many years. Historical Conquests may not have the lyrical gravity of last year’s breathtaking Animal Years, […]
Sam Mellon and The Skylarks, Debut Album Giveaway
**NOTE: Contest is now closed. You can still participate but will no longer be eligible for the giveaway.** Something’s been going on in the golden state. Lately, it seems there’s been a handful of Alt-country/Americana bands making a dent in the California music scene. The sound is markedly different than what we hear coming out […]
Readers’ Pick: Jason Isbell, “Sirens of the Ditch”
Splitting 58% of the votes with Spoon’s “Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga”, you chose the Jason Isbell‘s Sirends of the Ditch as your favorite new album in a recent Twangville poll. Help us celebrate by enjoying these Jason Isbell videos. Don’t forget to vote in this week’s poll!
Mayer’s Playlist for June 2007
THE ALBUM OF THE MONTH: It was a tough month for the Album of the Month… in a positive way. I couldn’t decide on a single album so this month we get two! A Year in the Wilderness, by John Doe John Doe may be one of the most under-appreciated songwriters of the day. Musically […]
Mayer’s Playlist for May 2007
THE ALBUM OF THE MONTH: The Stax 50th Anniversary Celebration The Stax sound is one of American music’s greatest legacies. one of the greatest legacy’s in American music. With Booker T & the MGs — a house-band so good that they could score a #1 song on their own (with the instrumental “Green Onions”) as […]