Gospel According to Billy Joe Shaver
Approaching 75, one of country’s finest songwriters and resident philosopher is at the top of his game—and still on the move. BY DON MCLEESE
Review: Old 97’s & Waylon Jennings
A curiosity for fans of Ole Hoss and the younger upstarts, but a worthwhile one. The two finished studio tracks (produced by John Croslin)...
Review: The Jones Family Singers – The Spirit Speaks
The biggest challenge for a gospel recording is to take the call-and-response dynamic that can blow the roof off a church and transfer that intensity to the comparative sterility of the studio.
Review: Wiretree – Get Up
Wiretree’s fourth release is pure power-pop pleasure: clean harmonies, crisp acoustic guitars, shimmering synths and infinitely hummable choruses. It’s light fare, to be sure,...
Q & A: Gary P. Nunn
The former Cosmic Cowboy — and the man responsible for the Austin City Limits theme song — is turning his attention to Western Swing.
BY COY PRATHER
Review: Emile Millar
There are a lot of Emile Millars out there, versatile guys on the working-class end of the music business, grinding it out on the road between production gigs, landing their songs on TV shows and movies in Hollywood and occasionally making it back to Austin to knock out an EP as good as Millar’s latest solo project.
Review: The Reynolds Number
Some bands are much more Beatles than Stones, and then much more McCartney than Lennon. It’s a long line of heart-on-the-sleeve nice-guy rock that runs through Coldplay and the Fray and doesn’t lose much steam in the hands of young Austin band the Reynolds Number.
Spotlight On… Wild Moccasins
The Post-punk pop rockers have conquered Houston. Next stop, the world.
by WILLIAM MICHAEL SMITH
Hip-Hop By Numbers
A LEGENDARY TEXAS rapper — and Rice University guest lecturer — has scored his most unlikely hit yet, not with a new single or mixtape but with a coloring book we reported was in the works a year ago.
There Goes the Blues
THE HOUSTON BLUES COMMUNITY was shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of Texas Johnny (John Riley) Brown on July 1. Brown, 85, succumbed to lung and liver cancer complications.