Kevin Russell is an enigma. Â As lead singer and songwriter for The Gourds, he led one of the biggest party bands in Texas history. Â Just try to find someone in central Texas who doesn’t know the words to Gin & Juice (written by Snoop Dogg: a good example of why you shouldn’t get locked into […]
Monday Morning Video: The Gourds with Rhett Miller
Did everyone hear that David Bowie has a new album coming out this year? Well, this ain’t him. It’s Austin’s favorite sons the Gourds (joined by Rhett Miller) performing the Bowie-penned “All the Young Dudes.”
Shawn’s Favorite Live Sets Of 2011
By now you’ve seen what most of us were listening to on our MP3 or CD players last year. Â So I thought I’d add my favorite live sets from last year. Â 1) Roger Waters: I got a chance to see The Wall at the HP Pavilion in San Jose. Â Holy cow. Â As far as I’m […]
Mayer’s Playlist for September 2011
ALBUMS OF THE MONTH: Old Mad Joy, by The Gourds The Gourds latest is a bit deceiving. The band has built a reputation as a bluegrass and backporch country band, but things aren’t always what they seem. The album open as one would expect. “I Want You So Bad” is built around an accordion and […]
Fall 2011 Release Preview
It is hard to believe that summer is nearly over. How do I know this? I was at a music club on Saturday that had changed over their Sam Adams tap from Summer to Octoberfest. Talk about jumping the gun! Anyway, the next few weeks will unleash an abundance of great new music just in […]
Shinyribs – Well After Awhile
“I’m a little bit crazy, but I ain’t no fool.” Â Although that’s the chorus for Country Cool, off the Shinyribs debut, Well After Awhile, one suspects it’s a little bit of an autobiographical statement by the driving force of the Shinyribs, Kevin Russell. Â Russell is more known as the front man for The Gourds, one […]
Twangville Best So Far ’09: The Songs
Sometimes it is the song that really matters, as illustrated by these Twangville pick songs so far in 2009. Mayer’s Pick: “Good” by Jason Isbell (from the Lightning Rod Records release Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit) It’s hard to escape the onslaught of guitars in this furious rocker. They are the musical equivalent of […]
The Gourds – Live at Visulite Charlotte January 22nd
Some things never change. The sun rises and sets every day, The Earth spins on its’ axis, Amy Winehouse gets wasted, Britney parties with no panties, Congress pisses away taxpayer dollars and The Gourds rock. From the first time I saw them years ago at SXSW until I saw them on January 22nd at Visulite […]
Mayer’s Playlist for January ’09, a Video Companion
What’s a playlist without a video companion? We kick things off with Otis Gibbs and Miranda Lee Richards, our featured artists this month. From there we’ve got live clips from the Gourds, Gary Louris & Mark Olson, Joe Ely and A.C. Newman, plus videos from Frank Turner and Bruce Springsteen. We close out this month […]