Twangville

A music blog featuring Alt-Country, Americana, Indie, Rock, Folk & Blues. Est. 2005.

Dr. John – Locked Down

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Dr. John is an institution.  With his characteristic mystical groovy-gumbo-voodoo schtick and funky keyboard playing, he has been a force in American music since his groundbreaking Gris-Gris in 1968.  His early 1970s work, including Dr. John’s Gumbo and In the Right Place were instant classics.   A gifted piano (and occasional guitar) player, Mac Rebennack, or Dr. John, […]

Robert Francis – Before Nightfall

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E pluribus unum. It’s on our dollar bill. From the many, one. Robert Francis, at the age of 22, has seemingly melded many disparate facets of American rock/folk/country into a tasty music stew. Pedal steel, piano, guitar, and vocals (to name a few) come together in classic fashion. Francis’ hooks are like that delicious secret […]

Peter Bradley Adams – Traces

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If you recognize the name, you probably think you’ve heard this one before. Heartbreaking melodies and a girl who left you blah blah blah. The same sad tone seems prevalent from the first notes of adult alternative single “You Dance” (Adams’ collaboration with Kat Maslich) to the lead single “For You” and throughout Adams’ work. But you […]

Anthony DaCosta-Abbie Gardner “Better Nights-Better Days”

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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 […]

Old Settler’s Music Festival Highlights

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I’m from northern California where “layering” your clothing is a mantra more than a conscious thought. Sure came in handy this year for Old Settler’s Music Festival in Driftwood (Austin), Texas, where there was driving rain, freezing cold (at least it felt that way), and warm, late-spring sunshine. Oh, and lots of good music, which […]

Bill Williams, Artist Discovery (and Giveaway!)

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**NOTE: Contest is now closed. You can still participate but will no longer be eligible for the giveaway.** DC area artist Bill Williams, whom you may have previously seen in the capitol area with such bands as Last Train Home, Kevin Johnson and the Linemen and The Grandsons, recently released his first solo effort. The […]

Twangville Recommends: Will Kimbrough

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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 […]

Sam Mellon and The Skylarks, Debut Album Giveaway

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**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 […]