Slaid Cleaves lives in Wimberley now, tucked into the folds of the Texas Hill Country, playing closer to home, keeping the circle small. The road that once stretched from Maine to Cork to Austin has narrowed. The songs, though, are still wide open. There was a time when he measured success in dollars and survival. […]
Rod Picott Has Left the Road—but Not the Work
For a quarter century, Rod Picott lived the life his songs describe. He drove the long miles, played the rooms that smelled of beer and dust, and wrote from the inside of working days that left their marks on the body. Now 61, Picott has stepped away from touring—not from music, and certainly not from […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Summer 2021
Foregone Conclusion, Zach Schmidt (from the Boss Dawg Records release Raise a Banner) Zach Schmidt has been waiting awhile for the release of his sophomore full length album. Not Chinese Democracy long, but long enough. Schmidt recorded the album, backed by producer Sadler Vadan and the 400 Unit (yes, that one), then saw the album […]
Rod Picott on The Decline of CD Sales and His Definition of Hell
Singer-songwriter Rod Picott on getting stranded in Scranton, PA, the benefit of breaking his Starbucks habit and why artists need to work twice as hard and then again.
Monday Morning Video – Rod Picott and Slaid Cleaves
Rod Picott and Slaid Cleaves have one of the more enjoyable – and long-standing – partnerships in Americana. The two are childhood friends who grew up (and played in bands) together in Southern Maine. In the years since they’ve collaborated on some wonderful songs that capture the blue-collar life with both charm and honesty. It’s […]
Mayer’s Playlist for Spring 2018, Part 1
The Fold, Brent Cowles (from the Dine Alone Records release How To Be OK Alone) One doesn’t need to tell Brent Cowles that life is a struggle. The Denver singer-songwriter isn’t afraid to bare his soul, a fact that is evident from the fervent opening moments of “The Fold” to the quiet closing moments of […]
Mayer’s Playlist for November 2015, Part 2
Life’s a Bell, Langhorne Slim (from the Dualtone Records release The Spirit Moves) The pride (at least I think) of Langhorne, PA is back with his best album yet. He still has one foot planted in the Americana realm – a banjo plays subtly yet persistently across many of songs here – yet his sound […]
Monday Morning Video: Rod Picott “Where No One Knows My Name”
Nashville singer-songwriter Rod Picott passed through Boston a few weeks ago. It was a special treat to hear him perform this song, one of my favorites from his 2013 release Hang Your Hopes on a Crooked Nail.
Mayer’s Picks: The Best of 2014, So Far (the Songs)
Rubicon, Chris Mills (from the Loud Romantic Records release Alexandria) Mills lulls you in with a lilting melody before unleashing the jaw-dropping emotion of lyrics and voice. The results are heartwrenching. Really Wanna See You, Lydia Loveless (from the Bloodshot Records release Somewhere Else) This is the way rock and roll is supposed to sound: […]
Mayer’s Playlist for January 2014, Part 2
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH Alexandria, by Chris Mills “I have wandered in the wild places,” sings Mills in the opening track of his latest release. It is a fitting line for a musician whose music continues to evolve in exquisite fashion. Mills has always impressed on many levels. His songwriting has always had a romantic […]