July 15, 2010 by Jeff Giddens
Andrew Bird – “Fitz and the Dizzyspells” American musician, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird’s 2009 release, Noble Beast, contains many of the elements fans have come to love about the solo artist (think hand clapping, whistling and a Mensa vocabulary). But Bird seems a bit more subdued on this go-around, with a sparer sound than… Read more »
July 14, 2010 by Jeff Giddens
Bjork – “Unravel” Never one to shy away from pushing the envelope artistically, Bjork (Icelandic singer-songwriter, actress, music producer and composer) is ever-evolving. “Unravel,” the third track on 1997’s Homogenic, is a sparse song with a slow, pulsating beat. But the star of “Unravel,” as with most of her songs, is Bjork’s unique, bold voice.… Read more »
July 13, 2010 by Jeff Giddens
Sarah Jarosz – “I Can’t Love You Now” Austin native Sarah Jarosz, not yet 20 years old, is a multi-instrumentalist (mandolin, clawhammer banjo, guitar) whose voice and overall sound have been compared to Gillian Welch. She made quite a splash in 2009 with the release of her bluegrass-tinged debut, Song Up In Her Head, from… Read more »
July 9, 2010 by Jeff Giddens
Shinyribs – Who Built The Moon Shinyribs – “Who Built The Moon” This song comes from Gourds frontman Kevin Russell’s latest project under his nickname, Shinyribs. Though the Gourds are one of Texas’ most popular (and raucous) party bands, Russell keeps it a little more mellow on Well After Awhile, though his signature laid back… Read more »
July 8, 2010 by Jeff Giddens
Ray LaMontagne – “You Are The Best Thing” When Ray LaMontagne awoke to Stephen Stills’ “Treetop Flyer” on his clock radio one morning, he decided to quit his job at a shoe factory and pursue music full time. We can all thank Stephen Stills, then for this gem, from his latest release Gossip in the… Read more »
July 7, 2010 by Jeff Giddens
Sarah McLachlan – “Loving You Is Easy” This song, from the brand new Laws of Illusion, shows Sarah McLachlan using all of her old tricks, with a bit of soul backbeat thrown in. McLachlan’s unmistakeable voice and piano have been a staple for AAA fans since her breakthrough Fumbling Towards Ecstasy and the bombshell followup… Read more »
July 6, 2010 by Jeff Giddens
Justin Townes Earle – Can’t Hardly Wait Justin Townes Earle – “Can’t Hardly Wait” This killer track from Earle’s 2009 release Midnight at the Movies finds him covering Paul Westerberg’s Replacements classic, albeit with a woozy mandolin-fueled arrangement. Not content to merely follow the paths of his namesakes, Earle has blazed his own trail that… Read more »
July 2, 2010 by Jeff Giddens
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss – Nothin’ Robert Plant & Alison Krauss – “Nothin’” This song, from the heralded Raising Sand record, has more than one Texas connection. Produced by Fort Worth native T-Bone Burnett, it is also a cover of a song by Townes Van Zandt, with the wonderful blend of Krauss and Plant’s… Read more »
July 1, 2010 by Jeff Giddens
Feist – “Sea Lion Woman” From her 2007 release The Reminder, Canadian artist Leslie Feist provides this update of a song that was first recorded by field folklore archivist Herbert Halpert in 1939. Though interpretations have ranged from “C-Line Woman” to “See Lyin’ Woman”, this version carries the stomping energy of that field recording, updated… Read more »
June 30, 2010 by Jeff Giddens
Ryan Adams – Answering Bell Ryan Adams – “Answering Bell” This song, from Adams’ sophomore solo record Gold features Adam Duritz of the Counting Crows on background vocals. After his debut solo record Heartbreaker caught critics’ ears with its folk-rock sound, Adams expanded his sound to include a distinct rock and roll references, emphasized here… Read more »
