Another year is winding down, leading us to the moment where we look back at all our favorite releases from 2015. Without further ado, here are my choices for the best albums of the year. #10. (tie) ANDERSON EAST, Delilah The Nashville by way of Alabama singer-songwriter is a welcome new talent whose songs are […]
Mayer’s Playlist for October 2015, Part 2
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH Didn’t He Ramble, by Glen Hansard Hansard’s latest album is a journey. Across the album’s ten tracks, Hansard takes the listener on a quest for happiness and contentment. Not surprisingly the journey is a meandering one, filled with hopes both realized and dashed. The album begins with a rather defiant tone […]
Readers’ Pick: The Winding Stream by Various Artists
VARIOUS ARTISTS, Soundtrack to The Winding Stream: The Carters, The Cashes & The Course of Country Music beats out JOSH RITTER, Sermon On The Rocks and JEFFREY FOUCAULT, Salt As Wolves as your favorite for the week of October 16, 2015. Poll Results New Releases Did we miss something? If you feel a new release […]
Readers’ Pick: In The Blazes by Aaron Lee Tasjan
AARON LEE TASJAN, In The Blazes beats out ISRAEL NASH, Israel Nash’s Silver Season as your favorite for the week of October 9, 2015. Poll Results New Releases Did we miss something? If you feel a new release is missing from our current poll, please let us know in the comments. Readers’ Tops – Fall […]
Americana 2015: The Sounds, Part 2
JOSH RITTER Ritter and his Royal City Band always put on energetic performances but they seemed particularly excitable as they celebrated the impending release of their new album. They won over the crowd right out of the gate by opening their set with the longtime fan favorite “Me and Jiggs.†DONNIE FRITTS Muscle Shoals legend […]
Monday Morning Video – Josh Ritter “Snow Is Gone”
So yesterday we broke the record for seasonal snowfall in Boston. That means we can transition to spring now, right? Well, we’re not quite there yet, but this classic from Josh Ritter seems appropriate. Or is it just wishful thinking?
Down by the Green River
It’s the best little festival you’ve never heard of. At least I hadn’t until this year. Who knew that over the span of 28 years the little known festival in central Massachusetts would host the likes of Gillian Wellch, Mavis Staples, Alison Kraus & Union Station, Buddy Guy, and Lucinda Williams to name a few. […]
Mayer’s Picks: Best Albums of 2013
This has been a great year in music, a feast for the ears but a challenge when it comes to picking my favorite albums for the year. A good problem to have, I suppose. Without further ado…. #1. JASON ISBELL, Southeastern The demons in these songs are no match for a songwriter of Isbell’s talent. […]
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 […]
Mayer’s Playlist for March/April 2013, Part 1
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH The Beast In Its Tracks, by Josh Ritter It’s easy to be angry after a break-up. You want to grab a bottle of whisky and crank some classic angry Bob Mould songs (Black Sheets of Rain, anyone?). I suppose that Josh Ritter had a few of those moments when his marriage […]