Here, in no particular order, are my favorite songs from 2005. Washed by the Water, Will Hoge (available for download at Hoge’s web site) In a song as inspiring as it is inspired, Will Hoge leads a gospel revival for New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. “Down here we are washed by the water, the […]
Mayer’s 2005 Picks: The Albums (pt. 2)
The countdown to the #1 album of 2005 continues… 7. Mr. Hollywood, Jr., 1947, Michael Penn It’s hard to decide which is more impressive, Michael Penn’s intelligent lyrics or his pop music sensibilities. On his first album in five years, Penn leaves little doubt that both are in peak form and that the combination is […]
Mayer’s 2005 Picks: The Albums (pt. 1)
With another year behind us, we at Twangville poured through our cd players and iPods to pick our favorites of 2005. Over the next week I’ll be highlighting my favorite albums and songs from 2005, culminating with a preview of some highly anticipated 2006 releases. 14. Den of Thieves , The Trews This was a […]
“Fresh” Picks for ’06
“They call me the seeker…” because I search low and high for great music. If your New Year’s resolution is to find that elusive gem — the undiscovered album that you won’t know how you lived without — the Discman’s Top 100 Albums can help. It has plenty of Twang, a little bang, and k.d. […]
Live Review: Will Hoge and the Trews
The tale is legendary: a young Jon Landau saw a young Bruce Springsteen perform live and proclaimed the future of rock and roll. Based on his performance this past Saturday in Boston, Will Hoge is staking his claim as the successor to the throne. Over the course of a two hour show, Hoge demonstrated the […]
Album Review: Big Sweet Life: The Songs of Jon Dee Graham
“Then Scrappy said, well, we’ll have a benefit. And I said no. I said a bunch of stuff about self-sufficiency and those-more-in-need and so on. Scrappy said, okay, then asked how many benefits did I think I had played in the last 25 years.†If you buy one album this year, consider Big Sweet Life […]
Album Review: Marah, If You Didn’t Laugh, You’d Cry
If You Didn’t Laugh, You’d Cry Marah release date 10/18/2005 Yep Roc Records Twangville Rating: 4.0 stars out of five “Folk-punk”, that’s the way Marah describes their new album. Two seemingly diametrically opposed terms to describe music, though somehow it seems to work. These Philly-based rockers must have had a fun time creating this album […]
Album Review: Randy Travis, Glory Train
At its roots, Glory Train is a positive and emotional recording that many will enjoy.
Album Review: Susan Tedeschi, Hope and Desire
Hope and Desire Susan Tedeschi release date 10/11/2005 Verve Forecast Twangville Rating: 4 out of 5 stars These days we find Tedeschi busy raising her young children (I wonder if they’ll inherit her voice? No pressure!). Thankfully, she’s found the time to release a new album albeit not all the material is original. Her fourth […]