A Monday night may not be the best night to go out drinking and dancing in Columbia, South Carolina, but that didn’t stop over 200 people from heading out to Headliner’s for some old-time string music courtesy of Old Crow Medicine Show. The band had just gotten finished playing the Bonnaroo Festival and had a […]
Hackensaw Boys – Look Out!
After the first listen to The Hackensaw Boys Look Out!, which is to be released on June 19th by Nettwerk Records, I felt the album could be summed up in one word, Wow!! This is their best album to date. After years of relentless touring with such diverse acts as Modest Mouse, Camper Van Beethoven, […]
Last Train Home’s “Last Good Kiss”, Reviewed
The planets have aligned for Last Train Home. Bolstered by the additions of Steve Wedemeyer and Jen Gunderman (The Jayhawks, Dag, Caitlin Cary) and a recent move to Nashville, Last Train Home entered 2007 with the world as their oyster. Marking a decade of making music this year, the band celebrated with a February release […]
Brett Dennen – So Much More
I’ve reached a significant conclusion in my life. I need to quit my day job. What made me realize that was that even though Bret Dennen’s album So Much More was released in late 2006, I am just now getting around to listening to it as he is releasing his follow up EP, More So […]
Konichiwa, Twangville!
My name is Matt Smith, and as of today I’ve joined the Twangville community as a Vigilante. I’ve been a fan of Twangville since it’s inception, and I’d like to thank Tom for welcoming me aboard. My favorite genre is Alternative or Indie Guitar Rock, and I often have electronica, breakbeat or old-skool hip-hop in […]
Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter
The amazing atmospherics of “Like Love Lust and the Open Halls of the Soul†are apparent from the outset of the album. The ambience of the album is due as much to the subdued jazzy vocals of Jesse Sykes as it is to the instrumentation. At times, Sykes sounds like a more throaty Billie Holiday. […]
Elizabet Cook Live @ Workplay Theater Birmingham, AL. June 1st
Three songs into her set at the Workplay Theatre in Birmingham Elizabeth Cook broke into the Merle Haggard tune “Today I Started Loving You Again.†Somehow she took this Haggard composition and channeled Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynne simultaneously. There is no doubt in seeing her live that she is every bit as authentic as […]
Jennie Arnau/Mt. Pleasant
When I first saw the title to Jennie Arnau’s new album, Mt. Pleasant, I instinctively thought of the little town in South Carolina of the same name, but assumed that Arnau meant something different…she didn’t. The album was in fact named for that town. And although she’s based in New York these days, she’s originally […]
Rocky Votolato – “The Brag & Cuss”
Rocky Votolato has come full circle. Prior to going solo he was in a post-punk/emo band called Waxwing. On his new album Brag & Cuss, set to be released on June 19th by Barsuk, the influencesof his Texas childhood are more apparent. Votolato was born in and spent his early childhood in rural Texas. His […]
Nathan
“I feel a podium under my feet†says Keri Latimer on “Scarecrow†from the new album Key Principles by the Winnipeg based Americana quartet Nathan. With a voice as enthralling and Charming as hers, she can stand on the podium and say whatever she has to say. The album starts with “John Paul’s Deliveries†about […]