What happens when a “chance meeting” brings together a California gal (Joy Williams) and an Alabama guy (John Paul White)? Well, last Friday, let’s just say it took me all of three minutes and forty one seconds to decide that I have a new favorite duo: Williams and White of The Civil Wars. One listen … Read more
Feature interview by Jason Gonulsen “It was intentional on my part,” Joy Williams tells me via phone from Venice Beach, California, where she now lives part-time with her husband (and manager), Nate Yetton, and son, Miles. “I felt like it was important to start where I left off, and I’m glad that I did.” Williams … Read more
Photo by Rebecca Miller On Thursday, May 30th, Speakers in Code is proud to welcome The Staves back to St. Louis, this time for their first headlining gig in our fine city. The show is going down at Off Broadway, and tickets are only $10 ($12 day of show). You can RSVP to the show … Read more
I miss the way you wanted me Be careful what you wish for in love. The same sentiment applies to music. “The One That Got Away,” The Civil Wars’ new single from their upcoming sophomore self-titled album (due August 6th), is bittersweet because it builds beautifully, and Joy Williams’ voice has never sounded better. But … Read more
Joy Williams recently told the Associated Press, “If you want to know what happened to the band, listen to the album.” The album is The Civil Wars, the sophomore self-titled release by Williams and John Paul White, a duo, who, as you might have read, are not currently on speaking terms. The language used by … Read more
Photo by Allister Ann Let me in the walls you’ve built around We can light a match and burn them down NPR called it an “ode to the end,” but I’m not so sure about that. I like to think of it as a new beginning, one that happens in the moments after you realize … Read more
Well, another trip around the sun. And here we are. Again, we haven’t listened to every release. We haven’t listened to every genre. And we know many of you are probably tired of lists. But, like we mentioned last year, this is all about discovery. And again like last year, with discovery being the reason … Read more
Whatever happened to the dude on Nathaniel Rateliffe’s cover for Falling Faster Than You Can Run, well, we predict many sad bastard nights in his future. Folks, you know the image above well, and it can’t be good. She gone. However, there is hope for him to recover! (Sad drum roll…) Like we did last … Read more
Photo by Louis Kwok Go far away Staying vs. leaving. I understand both choices, or at least I think I do. In The Civil Wars’ case, we don’t really know what is up. But words like “internal discord” and “irreconcilable differences” usually don’t point to something healthy. That’s a lot of smoke. Whatever the case … Read more
Photo by LeAnn Mueller A year from now, things won’t be the same for ZZ Ward. The multifaceted and absurdly talented artist who grew up in Roseburg, Oregon should take a deep breath now, because those 1.1 million views for her video, “Put the Gun Down,” will soon seem ordinary. And the day is arriving … Read more
Joy Williams and John Paul White at The Pageant | Photo by Louis Kwok “How about a happy song?” John Paul White asked the sold-out Pageant audience before launching into “I’ve Got This Friend,” a stellar track off Barton Hollow. “We have one of those.” And although most of the songs played last night at … Read more
As we make our way into the second half of 2012, we want to take a minute to look back at what we saw, what we wrote, who we spoke to, and who we shot in January through June. In the coming days, we’ll also be posting our favorite songs of the first half of … Read more
Saturday, April 23rd marks The Civil Wars’ first appearance at The Old Rock House, and guess what? Yup, it’s sold out. Well, we can’t say we’re surprised, as the buzz has been steady around Joy Williams and John Paul White for quite awhile now (check out our interview with them here). Obviously, we’re pumped for … Read more
Every year, it happens. And every year, I’m still surprised. An artist like Matthew Mayfield will come out of seemingly nowhere and enrich my life, plunging me into a world where I only listen to his songs for a few days or weeks. I always think there will be a final time where I’ll feel … Read more
Welp, it’s 2011. And today, we’re proud to say, we’re celebrating our first birthday. It’s been a very fun year for us at Speakers in Code, but we’re extremely excited about what’s in store – musically, especially – for 2011. Here are the 25 upcoming albums we’re, like, totally psyched about, coming your way in … Read more
I don’t love you, but I always will. It’s the lyric that Joy Williams and John Paul White of The Civil Wars will never escape. The stabbing lyric at the heart of their breakthrough song, “Poison and Wine.” The one moment where truth bites beautifully and leaves an immediate scar. It’s the lyric that you … Read more