I’ve heard about Gibson’s MAGIC guitar for sometime now. It’s a digital Les Paul essentially that uses standard ethernet cabling to send a digitized signal to a processor on its way to an amp. The claim has been that it makes the Les Paul sound more authentic.
Well today, Wired is running a piece [...]
I heard from a friend that Robert Earl Keen has been catching a little heat over his last album, Farm Fresh Onions. I’ve read some reviews of the album that hint that people feel Keen has lost his songwriting ability. Some come right out and annouce that sentiment.
To be fair, Farm Fresh Onions [...]
I don’t watch music videos much but when I caught the intro to Rodney Crowell’s “Earthbound” from his latest CD Fate’s Right Hand I stopped. Not only is a great song but it’s about time that good Americana music gets the due and promotion it deserves.
On a side note, Crowell guitarist and songwriter-extraordinaire, Will [...]
In case my parents or in-laws are reading this I don’t mean we’re having a baby. No–it’s my new iPod. That’s right. My lovely wife has broken down and started giving Christmas presents. My new toy is a 20 GB iPod on which thousands of my favorite songs will now travel.
Here’s [...]
Recent events in my life as well as the lives of others have precipitated a period of reflection on the year in music. While I’ve published a list of my favorite albums, I have some holiday wishes:
A happy and fruitful holiday season for Todd and Melita Snider
Health and success for Tommy Womack
A sneak preview [...]
As I’m staggering around looking for my first cup of coffee this morning I noticed that the iTunes Music Store has granted me my fondest Christmas wish–OhBoy artists available for download!
Most of you who read this know I’m a huge Todd Snider, John Prine, and Kris Kristofferson fan. The fine folks at OhBoy from [...]
Walking through the streets of my town Christmas shopping I came across two consecutive singers plying their talents at local pubs. The first was singing Steve Goodman and the next stop brought me John Prine. Kind of funny hearing those two songwriters within about 30 seconds. If I had passed another place [...]
I’m not sure how I missed this but last month it was announced that the long-planned biographic film about Billy Joe Shaver would be released early next year. The film by Luciana Pedraza is a documentary recounting the life of the thrice-married and always talented Texan songwriter.
Given Shaver’s hard-luck road over a career that [...]
With all the other top ten lists flooding my mailbox, I’d like to offer my ten favorite albums of 2003 in the world of Americana.
10: Robert Earl Keen - Farm Fresh Onions
By far this is Keen’s most experimental and daring album. His work continually amazes me in both it’s depth and range.
9: [...]
Jimmy Buffett’s latest album, the country-inspired Conchy Tonk, has been recorded. I just got word from Key West that 17 tracks were cut in 5 days in Buffett’s studio. From the info I have, the lineup is stellar, the cuts are grade-A, and only the details are left. I don’t know if [...]
