Amy Black is a personal friend and favorite here at Casa Twang, She’s a fantastic singer/songwriter with a sound that harkens back to country music’s soulful golden age and a smart and savvy self-promoter.
Black was named by Alternate Route as one of the top 30 Female vocalists and her local paper The Boston Globe described her latest album, “One Time†as “Americana in its broadest definition. It’s rooted in folk and country but with tinges of Southern soul and blues.” Oh yes, she’s all that and more.
TN is proud to present an EXCLUSIVE first listen of her upcoming live album.
The release was recorded on January 4th, 2013 at a packed Johnny D’s Uptown, a historic live music space in Somerville, MA, that started as a Country/Western honky-tonk in 1969. The historic venue plays host to performers such as Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis, Hayes Carll, Eileen Jewell, Junior Brown and many others when they pass through town.
The recording features songs from Black’s most recent studio album plus three new originals, Make Me an Angel, Brick by Brick and Other Side of Heartache.
Out March 23, pre-order CDs purchased before noon ET on Friday will be signed.
It looks like Jack White;s adopted home of Nashville is starting to reflect in the music being released by his Third Man Records label.
The latest is from Charleston indie-folk duo Shovels and Rope. The 7-inch will be released on April 2nd and features a jaunty cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Johnny 99” (off the extraordinary Nebraska, hear it below) on the A side, with a version of Tom Waits’ “Bad As Me” on the B.
The release is on on Third Man’s Blue Series, where singers and bands traveling through Nashville are invited to stop by to record one or two songs at Third Man Studio produced by White. The songs are then, as soon as possible, made available on 7†vinyl and digitally on itunes. The series also includes releases by Brittany Howard and Ruby Amanfu, Seasick Steve, Chris Thile with Micheal Daves , The Secret Sisters, Wanda Jackson and others.
The release will be available on iTunes and vinyl. It;s a measly $6 and you can pre-order here.
Some musicians sound like they are moving Americana music, into new directions, and David Mayfield is one of them. Mayfield paid his dues playing bass for his family’s bluegrass band, alongside his younger sister, the singer/songwriter, Jessica Lea Mayfield. He handled bass on her debut record, Blasphemy So Heartfelt and performed same in her touring band.
Mayfield was also been a “gun-for-hire†for pick-up gigs in the tourist filled honky-tonks on Nashville’s lower Broadway and was also the lead guitarist and contributing songwriter for roots band Cadillac Sky, currently on indefinite hiatus.
He has also toured with The Avett Brothers, Mumford & Songs and Willie Nelson.
Mayfield’s self-titled debut was pretty much unremarkable, straight-ahead bluegrass fair. His upcoming Kickstarter funded release Good Man Down things get a bit more daring.
Mayfield said in a recent press release. “I feel like this record is more mature. Now that I’ve been touring so much I have had the chance to try new songs live and see how they are accepted, and to construct an album that is more of a cohesive thought.â€
On the song Human Cannonball (below) Mayfield’s high-tenor meshes well with the melancholy, love-lost theme and the bluegrass influenced sound that are steeped in country music tradition. But the arrangement, and soaring chorus, shifts the song into the pop-folk territory of R.E.M, the Avetts and Mumford and Co.
It speaks well of that maturity Mayfield spoke of that he doesn’t get trapped in the saccharine mechanizations of the last two and comes closer to the best of the former.
Good Man Down is will be released April 1 on Beautywood Records.
Consequence of Sound reports that Ryan Adams has announced his first show backed by a full band since The Cardinals split up in 2009. The show will take place March 19th at London’s Royal Albert Hall and is part of the Noel Gallagher-curated Teenage Cancer Trust benefit concert series.
COS has done some on-line sleuthing and posts “…the Royal Albert Hall ticketing site describes Adams’ “The show will feature the debut of new songs from his as-yet-untitled new album due for release in the autumn alongside classics from his extensive catalogue.â€
So, if the program’s details of “new songs†and “new album†correct there appears to be a new album on the horizon. The record reportedly has Adams reuniting with 2011′s Ashes & Fire producer/legend Glyn Johns (The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Clash), and COS reports that the band accompanying him on March 19th is expected to be the same as in the studio.
Check Adams’ recent appearance on Conan, sporting Buck Owen’s red, white and blue acoustic guitar, below.
With her newly released single, Bulletproof, Amanda Shires continues to explore a variety of musical influences – folk, blues and jazz -she began in her last release “Carrying Lightening.”
The song sets Shires warm-honey vibrato and fine fiddling against a Tom Waits-like junkyard orchestral accompaniment. The song details potential supernatural impenetrability against a litany of physical and emotional armaments. Like a whimsical protective talisman set to a cha-cha beat
No word on an upcoming album title or release date came with the press release. but when I know , you’ll know
Bulletproof was released to coincide with Shires showcases at South-By-Southwest. Catch her at one of the performances below:
THURS MARCH 14 @ 11 PM
St. David’s Episcopal Church
Historic Sanctuary
hosted by Utne and Thirty Tigers
official SXSW showcase!
FRI MARCH 15 @ 7 PM
Wyndam Garden Hotel
on the patio @ the bar area!
3401 IH 35 Austin, TX 78741
free! open to the public!!
SAT MARCH 16th 6 PM
Omni Austin Hotel Downtown
700 San Jacinto & 8th Street
lobby lounge located @ the atrium!
free! open to the public!!
Singer/songwriter and 3 Girls & Their Buddy , Band of Joy band member, Patty Griffin will release a new album of original material titled American Kid on May 7 through New West Records.
The follow up to 2007’s Children Running Through was written to honor her father, whose exceptional life included working as a high school science teacher, fighting in World War II, raising seven children and living in a Trappist Monastery.
This will be the first album of Griffin’s that’s completely rooted in the Americana sound. “It was recorded in Memphis,†Griffin said. “Part of the reason was the chance to get away from what I’d been doing.â€
The album includes appearances from the North Mississippi Allstars’ guitarist Luther Dickinson and drummer Cody Dickinson, and was co-produced by Craig Ross.
You can take a look at American Kid’s track list below.
1 – Go Wherever You Want To Go
2 – Don’t Let Me Die In Florida
3 – Ohio
4 – Wild Old Dog (See video below)
5 – Mom & Dad’s Waltz
6 – Faithful Son
7 – Highway Son
8 – That Kind of Lonely
9 – Irish Boy
10 – Get Ready Marie
11 – Not A Bad Man
12 – Gonna Miss You When You’re Gone
From the ashes of one of the pivotal harbingers of the late 80’s alt.country movement, Uncle Tupelo, Jay Farrar’s Son Volt has continued to carry the torch of classic country and rock music for seven albums now. Each album blending, progressing, and sometime faltering, but always staying true to course. This time around, Farrar seems content to ease off of the rock influence and focus in classic country nuance. Picking up the pedal steel in his spare time he’s uses ot deftly spanning 11 songs that display economy (clocking in at just over 36 minutes) as well as expansiveness in influence.
This incarnation of Son Volt appears well suited to provide the Honky Tonk of the album title and theme. The band sets a welcome tone with the 3/4 Waltz of “Hearts and Minds.” Brick Walls is straight from the Lefty Frizzell book of song-craft and heartache. The nightlife lament of “Wild Side” is Farrar’s subtler and more tender take on a theme Hank Thompson tackled with “Wild Side Of Life.”
“Every road is a story to tell, of dreams that have soared and dreams that have fell.” starts off the lovely Celtic-tinged “Down the Highway” that blends the road with life, or perhaps it’s all just life on the road. “Bakersfield” flirts with jukebox fair to compel a dust-bowl migrant to drop a dime to hear it. Languidly paced atmospheric and shimmery electric guitars makes Angel of the Blues’ and “Shine On” gives the album a contemporary conclusion.
Honky Tonk doesn’t slap you in the face with some aural revelation. it’s not a furious album or one trying to prove itself. It lays it out and really couldn’t care what the world thinks. That’s the beauty in it. There is no overt commercial aspirations, just love of music and a celebration of it’s timeless nature. Farrar has always been true to his vision never chasing stylistic trends to broaden his demographic appeal. He’s cultivated and harvesting country music gold throughout his career and with the excellent Honky Tonk, he sounds right at home.
First off, no this is not the Beatles tune. NYC-based Folk/Bluegrass/Americana music trio Red Molly‘s original is a jaunty tune playing on the ups and downs of relationships. The tune offers cracker jack musicianship and crystal-stream harmonies beautifully performed by members Laurie MacAllister (bass), Abbie Gardner (dobro, banjo) and Molly Venter (guitar).
Abbie wrote “Hello Goodbye” with her father Herb Gardner, a swing jazz and stride pianist and dixieland trombonist who has played with Wynton Marsalis, Roy Eldridge, Henry “Red” Allen, Jimmy Rushing, and Doc Cheatham.
The video was shot at the Cape Cod Carousel Funhouse Arcade. A fitting place for a song abut love I think.
The band has scored #3 on Folk DJ’s Top Album list of 2012 with Light in the Sky, and reached #10 on the Americana Music Association’s Top 40 radio chart. They’ve appeared on NPR’s Mountain Stage, MerleFest, RockyGrass, and about 100 other venues per year since their start in in 2004. In 2013, they’ll head to Australia for four major music festivals, and are booked to perform at Denmark’s Tønder Festival. (See full schedule below)
The name Red Molly is taken from a character in the Richard Thompson song “1952 Vincent Black Lightning.”
RED MOLLY TOUR SCHEDULE
March 8-11, 2013: Port Fairy Folk Festival, Port Fairy VIC AUSTRALIA
March 12, 2013: Community Hall, Valencia Creek VIC AUSTRALIA
March 14, 2013: Private Concert, Cadgee NSW AUSTRALIA
March 15-17, 2013: Blue Mountains Music Festival, Katoomba NSW AUSTRALIA
March 18, 2013: Private Concert, Nowra NSW AUSTRALIA
March 19, 2013: Private Concert, Moruya NSW AUSTRALIA
March 21, 2013: Groove Factory, Wagga Wagga NSW AUSTRALIA
March 22-24, 2013:Yackandandah Folk Festival, Yackandandah VIC AUSTRALIA
March 25, 2013: Yea Music Group, Alexandra VIC AUSTRALIA
March 26, 2013: Bendigo Folk Club, Bendigo VIC AUSTRALIA
March 28, 2013: The Quarterdeck, Narooma NSW AUSTRALIA
March 29-April 1, 2013: The National Folk Festival, Canberra ACT AUSTRALIA
April 19, 2013: Irvington Town Hall Theater, Irvington NY
April 20, 2013: Sounding Board, West Hartford CT
April 25-27, 2013: MerleFest, Wilkesboro NC
April 28, 2013: The Hamilton, Washington DC
May 10, 2013: Catherine Cummings Theatre, Cazenovia NY
May 11, 2013: Golden Link Folk Society, Penfield NY
May 17, 2013: Center for Arts at Natick, Natick MA
May 18, 2013: Landmark on Main St., Port Washington NY
May 19, 2013: Susquehanna Folk Music Society, Harrisburg PA
May 31, 2013: Narrows Center for the Arts, Fall River MA
June 1, 2013: Hurdy Gurdy, Fair Lawn NJ
June 29, 2013: Kate Wolf Music Festival, Laytonville CA
July 10, 2013: Lakewood Cultural Center, Lakewood CO
July 11-13, 2013: High Mountain Hay Fever Festival, Westcliffe CO
July 14, 2013: Aspen Bluegrass Series, Aspen CO
July 21, 2013: Bartlett Arboretum, Stamford CT
July 23, 2013: Meeting House Park Summer Music Series, Hampstead NH
July 30, 2013: Boathouse Theater, Schroon Lake NY
August 22-25, 2013: Tønder Festival, Tønder, DENMARK
September 20, 2013: CenterStage, Reston VA
September 22, 2013: Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion, Bristol VA/TN
October 4, 2013: BlackRock Center for the Arts, Germantown MD
October 5, 2013: Sanctuary Concerts, Chatham NJ
October 12, 2013: Chenango Arts, Norwich NY
October 18, 2013: Me & Thee Coffeehouse, Marblehead MA
October 19, 2013: Circle of Friends, Franklin MA
October 25, 2013: Naked Soul at The Rubin, New York NY
October 26, 2013: St. Paul’s Church, Elkins Park PA
November 3, 2013: University of FL Performing Arts, Gainesville FL
November 4, 2013: Straz Center for the Arts, Tampa FL
November 8, 2013: Riverhawk Music Festival, Brooksville FL
November 9, 2013: Labyrinth Cafe, Fort Lauderdale FL
November 22, 2013: Whiskey Tasting Fundraiser, Fredericksburg TX
November 24, 2013: Winter Wind Concerts, Norman OK
January 25, 2014: Randolph County Community Arts Center, Elkins WV
February 13, 2014: Weinberg Center for the Arts, Frederick MD
March 8, 2014: Music in Corrales, Corrales NM
March 22, 2014: Emelin Theater, Mamaroneck NY
March 29, 2014: Steinman Hall at The Ware Center, Lancaster PA
April 29, 2014: VA Arts Festival, Richmond VA
April 30, 2014: Salisbury University, Salisbury MD
May 9, 2014: River Club Music Hall, Scituate MA
May 10, 2014: Sounding Board, West Hartford CT
May 11, 2014: New Hope Winery, New Hope PA
June 13, 2014: Livermore Valley PAC, Livermore CA
August 30, 2014: Weis Center for the Performing Arts, Lewisburg PA
Sometimes hype is deserved. Nashville by way of Austin band The Wild Feathers have been all over my Facebook feed for the last few weeks and for that reason I’ve avoided them like a friend s request from Blake Shelton. Then people I respect started to “like ” them. I folded and gave ’em a listen. I’m glade I did.
Ricky Young, Joel King, Taylor Burns and Preston Wimberly fuse their influences –
Petty, Dylan, Cash, The Band, Allman Bros, Neil Young and Willie Nelson – into a taunt and furious sound. This has been galvanized by a heavy touring scheduled that has landed them alongside Delta Spirit, Surfer Blood and The Heavy, and even an opening spot on Paul Simon’s 2011 fall tour.
the videos, both directed by Gus Black, prove the broad range of the band. “Backwoods Company” proves the band’s live heat and offers a menacing Southern outlaw theme reminiscent of early Drive-By Truckers.
“The Ceiling” has a mellower, front-porch ramble that swells into a Mumford & Sons-style song-a-long chorus tailor made for audience participation.
If they stay consistent the The Wild Feathers could be Americana and roots music’s next breakout band. We’ll know more when their Interscope comes out later this year.
SXSW goers check out the band at the Nikon Warner Sound Showcase at SXSW on March 14.
Pick up both cuts for an email address at thewildfeathers.com
Shooter Jennings and Scott H. Biram rip it up on the Steve Young song White Trash Song. The song can be found on Shooter’s upcoming release The Other Life (March 12th)
