Here, in no particular order, are more favorites from 2023.
Mayer’s Picks – The Best of 2023 (So Far), the Songs
Suicide of Town, Ben de la Cour (from the Julian Records release Sweet Anhedonia) Amidst an album of dark and sobering ballads, de la Cour proves that he can rock with the best of ‘em. Simple Things, The Band of Heathens (from the BOH Records release Simple Things) Getting by on simple things, letting go […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Spring, Part 3
Broken Heart of Mine, William Prince (from the Six Shooter Records release Stand in the Joy) “Is the moon shining bright where you are? Is it even shining at all?,” asks William Prince at the start of the outstanding “When You Miss Someone”, the lead track from his latest album. The song wistfully chronicles the […]
Matthew Logan Vasquez on the Hobo Day Spa and the Importance of Keeping Busy
Matthew Logan Vasquez recalls losing the Delta Spirit band gear in Hurricane Sandy, time spent working with special needs students and the time he extinguished a van fire with Red Bull.
Newport Folk Fest 2018: New Arrivals
At Newport Folk Fest 2018, the lineup included both established artists and up-and-coming artists. The up-and-comers were particularly compelling this year. Brand new artists, those coming together as a new band, and those with a totally new sound. This year’s committee did a great job of finding acts coming into their own and all of […]
A Twangville Premiere: Celebrating Father’s Day with Matthew Logan Vasquez
I don’t have any kids of my own but, from what I’ve heard from those that do, there’s a certain irony to the title of Matthew Logan Vasquez’s new album entitled Does What He Wants. The idea that a new-ish parent, rock musician or not, can do what he or she wants when there is […]
Monday Morning Video – Matthew Logan Vasquez and Nathaniel Rateliff
Here’s a fun one to start the week. Matthew Logan Vasquez and Nathaniel Rateliff and friends hanging out singing a song. The song is “Redfish,” from Vasquez’s new album Does What He Wants. It looks like at least a few wine bottles were harmed, or at least emptied, during the making of this video.
SXSW 2017, The Sounds – Part 3
MATTHEW LOGAN VASQUEZ The former (?) Delta Spirit frontman sure likes to rock. I caught him a few times over the week and it he fired up the crowd each time. He suffered from poor sound at one show, but the energy carried him through. Like many an artist, he was showcasing songs from the […]
Mayer’s Playlist for May 2016, Part 1
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH Between the Moon and the Midwest by Austin Lucas Austin Lucas wears his heart on his sleeve. He writes from a personal place, revealing – if not quite reveling in – tales of his adventures in love and music. “I look around and at 35 all I’ve got are songs,” he […]
SXSW 2016 – The Sounds, Part 3
And yet more favorites from SXSW 2016… Matthew Logan Vasquez It may have been just past noon, but the Delta Spirit front-man came to rock. Vasquez prowled around the stage while he and What Made Milwaukee Famous guitarist Michael Kingcaid traded some snarling guitar solos. His set leaned heavily on songs from Solicitor Returns, his […]