By Paul T. Mueller If you’re looking for revelations, Troubadour Blues may leave you disappointed. There’s not too much in the way of new truths in Tom Weber’s independent documentary about singer-songwriters. Most of it comes down to (A) these folks do what they do because they love it, not for money or fame, and (B) what really counts is…
Tag: Dave Alvin
Americana music 2011: No Depression’s 50 favorites
No Depression has released its list of the Top 50 favorite albums of 2011, as voted by its fan community. It’s an interesting mix, with Gillian Welch’s The Harrow and the Harvest at the top, followed by a remarkable range of artists, genres, styles and ages. Some have complained that it’s a surprisingingly mainstream list for an alt-country site, but…
Dave Alvin: Eleven Eleven
What’s the deal with Johnny Ace? A modest figure in R&B history (“Pledging My Love”), Ace achieved some level of pop immortality due to his untimely death in a gun accident on Christmas Day 1954. Nonetheless, he’s inspired two outstanding songs about his demise: Paul Simon’s “The Late Great Johnny Ace” and now Dave Alvin’s “Johnny Ace is Dead.” Alvin’s…