I’ll just come right out and say it: As far as I’m concerned, the eponymous debut album from these Scots is the album of the year so far. (Yes, yes, I know it was released in the UK last year. I don’t live in the UK, OK?) Brilliant songwriting by frontman James Allan, who crafts […]
John’s SXSW ’09 Highlights: I Wanna Be Where the Bands Are
The South-by countdown clock reset around 2 a.m. on the morning of Monday, March 23, as the last chords of Alejandro Escovedo’s traditional closing night South-by show at the Continental Club rang out. The wake concluded with a typically majestic reading of “Sway” (a song that Al stole from the Rolling Stones many years ago […]
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 […]