Even after leaving the Drive-by Truckers, Jason Isbell has continued to wow and amaze. Â His literary songs and rockin” guitar licks accentuate catchy and heartbreaking melodies. I saw Isbell and Shires a year ago in Hartford in an acoustic setting. It fit so perfectly in the at the Wadsworth Atheneum Art Gallery that I wasn”t […]
Mayer’s Picks: The Best of 2013, So Far (the Songs)
Elephant and Super 8, Jason Isbell (from the Southeastern Records release Southeastern) This list wouldn’t ordinarily include two tracks from the same artist but I’m gonna make an exception. These two tracks exemplify the range of Isbell’s songwriting talent, from the somber beauty of “Elephant” to the boisterous rock of “Super 8.” Alphabet City, Todd […]
Mayer’s Picks: The Best of 2013, So Far (the Albums)
This has been a great musical year and we’ve still got several months — and some highly anticipated releases — to go before it ends. Here, in no particular order, are some of my favorite releases from the first half of 2013. You’ll see that I’ve listed my favorite Boston releases as a group. Each […]
Monday Morning Video: Jason Isbell’s “Elephant”
In last week’s Twangville team review of Jason Isbell’s Southeastern, several of us wrote about “Elephant.” The emotional song describes a man watching a friend die from cancer. Here’s Isbell, with his new wife Amanda Shires, performing the song a few weeks ago in New York City. The song will undoubtedly leave you slack-jawed and […]
Jason Isbell’s “Southeastern” — the Twangville Team Take
Every once in awhile, there is an artist whose album is so anticipated by everyone in the Twangville Posse that we all pile on for a team review. Put Jason Isbell’s Southeastern in that category. SUZANNE’S TAKE Sobriety looks good on Jason Isbell. Sounds good, too. I remember watching him in May of 2011, chugging […]
Monday Morning Video: Jason Isbell “Dress Blues”
Our Monday Morning Video, Memorial Day edition, arrives courtesy of Jason Isbell. Here’s the emotional story behind the song, written for a high school friend of Isbell’s.
SXSW 2013: The Sounds, Part 1
Patty Griffin One listen to a Patty Griffin song and you’ll understand why she has developed an almost cultish following. She is, quite simply, an extraordinary songwriter. New West Records, her new record label, arranged a private showcase at a South Austin mansion called the Castle to celebrate her forthcoming release. It was an event […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Fall 2012, Part 3
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH In the Dusk of Everything, by Matthew Ryan There are many artists who are ambitious. Some pursue the thrill of live performances, others strive for financial success. While I can’t say that Matthew Ryan doesn’t harbor some of those motivations, he possesses a more powerful quality – ambition for his music. […]
Monday Morning Video: 2012 Americana Music Conference Highlights
As we wrap up our 2012 AMA coverage, here is a playlist highlighting some of the official showcases. We kick things off with a special treat — Richard Thompson telling an amusing story about Robert Plant. We move quickly into the tunes with Hayes Carll, Jason Isbell and Patterson Hood paying tribute to Levon Helm […]
Americana 2012: The Sounds, Part Two
Every fall, The Americana Music Association gathers members and artists together in Nashville for its annual conference. Starting with the annual Americana Music Awards and continuing through four days of showcases and panel discussions, it is a tremendous celebration of Americana music. Songs of Big Star As soon as Richard Thompson finished his official showcase, […]