The Damnwells The Damnwells burst right out of the gate with the rocking “55 Pictures†from their exceptional new release. The set was electric as the band veered from brawny rockers to moody ballads. Almost as entertaining was the young girl – I’m guessing 4 years-old – who jumped on stage to join the band. […]
Mayer’s Playlist for January ’09, Part 1
ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Grandpa Walked a Picketline, by Otis Gibbs Otis Gibbs is an American original, a gruff musical journeyman who is unafraid to tell it like he see’s it. With a matter of fact lyrical style, he spins tales of the back roads and the folks that wander them. “Caroline,” for example, tells […]
Best Songs of 2008, Mayer’s Picks
It would be easy to mine my top album list for the best songs of the year. But why take the easy road? Here then are the top songs that aren’t represented on the top album list. The World Should Revolve Around Me, Little Jackie (from the S-Curve release The Stoop) This song is an […]
Mayer’s Playlist for December 2008
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: City Lights, by Javier Escovedo Ironically, we finish the year with an album that arrived at the year’s start. The Escovedo name may sound familiar. Brother Alejandro gets most of the attention but City Lights proves Javier to be equally talented. Escovedo is clearly a student of classic rock, filling his […]
Twangville Recommends: Paul Kelly in Song
A tour through Paul Kelly’s catalog is a musical journey filled with sharp themes, clever lyrics and engaging melodies. Here are a few choice selections. Everything is Turning to White (from 1989’s So Much Water So Close to Home) A woman’s spine-tingling tale of her husband finding a young woman’s brutally murdered body on a […]
Twangville Recommends: Paul Kelly
“I’m a legend not a star,†sang Australia’s Paul Kelly on 1998’s Words and Music. It is an apt description for one of the world’s most distinctive songwriters. With a career that dates back to the late 1970’s, Kelly displays a songwriting capacity that crosses numerous boundaries. His base is pop and rock but he […]