Indie-folk singer-songwriter, Lauren Shera, has released the first single, "Endless Sea," from her upcoming album, Once I Was A Bird. She talked with Spinner and said this about the song: "'Endless Sea' is a song about distance and longing, a love song threaded with nostalgia. To express those feelings with music, we slowly introduced instrumental embellishments throughout the course of the song to lend to the emotion of each verse. I knew from the start that this would be the perfect opening song for the record, as it is a great introduction to the characters that go on to play a large role in the rest of the 'Once I Was a Bird' album.'"
In the past, Shera has performed with Billy Bragg, Jackie Greene and Ray LaMontagne. This year she will be performing with Wanda Jackson and making her first appearance at Bonnaroo.
Once I Was A Bird will be released June 7th, but, until then, you can download "Endless Sea" for free on Shera's website. And, "Like" her on Facebook to hear other songs from the new album.
Kites & Crows, an indie-folk trio, who met while performing with the country's largest theater, The Oregon Shakespeare Festival. The group began three years ago as a duo with Jesse Baldwin and Mysha Caruso adding Nancy Martin later.
Caruso, the band's main songwriter also plays guitar and sings. Baldwin brings his talents on the banjo, accordion, lap steel, mandolin, chord organ, and vocals, while Martin adds her cello expertise to the group as well as the vibraphonette and vocals.
The band's use of varied and eclectic instruments create unique and attractive arrangements like the staccato yet melodic flow in “Muddy Water.” And, the lovely melody and the smooth vocals on “Start Again” from the trio's newest effort and self-produced EP Golden Room released November 2010.
Formed with the help of Shakespeare, Kites & Crows took their name from a line in Coriolanus when the banished Coriolanus is asked where he has been hiding, he replies “ … Under the canopy … In the city of kites and crows.”
Holy shit! Who would have guessed that something this kick-ass could come from some baby-faced guy, who if it weren't for his tattoo sleeves, could pass for the tuba player in your high school marching band.
Indiana-born singer-songwriter, Austin Lucas is giving his audience something different and exciting on his fourth album, A New Home In The Old World. Known for his acoustic work, Lucas' new release is offering an energetic, full band sound with guitar anthems and acoustic ballads. The album is an exhibition of eloquent songwriting and excellent singing in which Lucas is always in control and pitch-perfect. Calling on his friends from Lucero as well as family, their contributions adds interest and enhances A New Home.
Opening with the rollicking “Run Around” the album starts full throttle. The drums, clawhammer banjo and fiddle grab your attention and perfectly complement Lucas' twangy vocals. On the next track, “Sit Down,” the classic country arrangement doesn't sugar coat the harsh character of a cheater. “Thunder Rail” is a song you'll be replay over and over again. A rockin' country anthem with crisp and agile guitar riffs making it as hard to ignore as a thundering train barreling down the track. “The Grain” is another guitar-driven song that is reminiscent of Neil Young and a bit more rock-influenced than the previous track mentioned.
“Nevada County Line” is a beautifully heartbreaking acoustic ballad. Lucas sings softly and in-sync with the gentle harmonies of his sister, Chloe. So, when combined with the subtle yet gorgeous guitar and yearning pedal steel it becomes a stunning love song. But, it's in the folk-bent acoustic song, “Keys” that Lucas' songwriting is at its best. The poignant and poetic lyrics about war are moving and thought provoking like, “My generation needed it some death/ You ain't a man he said until you've dealt some death.” It's memorable words stick with you long after listening.
Austin Lucas has what it takes to become a music legend and A New Home In The Old World is the kind of record that conceives such legends. If you have never listened to Austin Lucas, I beg you to do so now. Whether you're a country music fan or not, I guarantee you'll become his fan.
As a former member of the Drive-By Truckers, Jason Isbell has been haunted with comparisons between his past and his present. Critics have continually said that his solo work doesn't live up to his work with DBT and that he's still trying to find his voice. Well, I think that's pure bullshit. I love Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit's new album, Here We Rest. This is his second album with the 400 Unit, and Isbell's third since leaving DBT, and I was completely and immediately enamored with it. I honestly feel like Isbell has found his voice. Albeit, less Southern rock and more country, soul, and R & B but still damn good.
An Alabama native, Isbell proudly nods to his roots with the album's title, Here We Rest, which was Alabama's original motto, and with the way he has perfectly captured the sound of these roots in song. The opening track, “Alabama Pines,” exemplifies Isbell's pride. It's a folksy acoustic tune with an inflection of homesickness stressed by a lonesome fiddle. Then, the guitar gets cranked up on the hard rockin' “Go It Alone” while “We've Met” is a gentle heartache.
“Codeine,” the record's standard, tells of a failing relationship and an ex-lover who has moved on to someone with a pain reliever. Its country shuffle and fiddle flourishes could hide the sad lyrics, but Isbell's subtle tone reveals its tragic story. When Isbell sings, “There is one thing I can't take/ Is the sound that a woman makes/ About five seconds after her heart begins to break/ Well, that's one thing I can't take.” It's one of Isbell's many lyrics that have stuck with me since hearing it weeks ago.
Isbell's writing really shines in the raw and sympathetic “Stopping By.” Emotionally arresting, Isbell sings about a absentee dad who returns to see the family he abandoned years before. It's the best four minutes on the album, and that's saying a lot since the record is brimming with some of Isbell's best work.
And, a R & B country penetrates Isbell's version of Candi Stanton's “Heart On A String” bathing the track in soul. The track makes you want to grab a partner and dance.
Contrary to certain reviews, Jason Isbell's talents are not dormant. Instead, Isbell has grown, growing out of the Drive-By Trucker aesthetic without completely forgetting about his life and musical roots. Here We Rest is heartfelt, soulful and addictive. It is truly Isbell's benchmark record by which all others will be compared.
Georiga-born, Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Mary Bragg will release her new album, Tattoos & Bruises on June 7. Bragg wrote or co-wrote all of the songs on the album, co-writing four of the songs with Lee Alexander while Adam Levy (Norah Jones and Amos Lee), Colin McGrath, and Jimmy Sullivan, her bassist and husband, made co-writing contributions. Produced by Alexander (Amos Lee, Norah Jones), the album showcases Bragg's country/pop sensibility and attractive vocals.
"How and Why" is a lovely and vunerable ballad and the first single from Tattoos & Bruises.
Bragg will be touring the east coast this summer, including a show in June at her home venue, The Living Room. I've posted these dates below.
Tour Dates:
May 21 - Red Hook, Brooklyn @ Jalopy
June 3 - New York, NY @ The Living Room
June 10 - New York, NY @ The Living Room
June 17 - New York, NY @ The Living Room
June 24 -New York, NY @ The Living Room
June 26 - Philadelphia, PA @ Tin Angel
June 28 - Winston- Salem, NC @ The Garage
June 29 - Decatur, GA @ Eddie's Attic
June 30 - Athens, GA @ Hendershot's
July 1 - Swainsboro, GA @ The Cadle Barn
July 14 - Clinton, NJ @ The Black Potatoe Festival
With the youth of Sarah Jarosz and the easy smoothgrass sound of Alison Krauss and Rhonda Vincent, 19-year-old mandolin prodigy, Sierra Hull, released her album Daybreak in March via Rounder Records. Here is the new music video of her latest single, "Easy Come, Easy Go."
Nashville-based singer-songwriter Don Gallardo's newest release, When the Daylight Whispers Darling, is the follow-up to 2009's Sweetheart Radio Revolution, etc., which gained listeners and a fan-following nationwide with its folk-tinged song. But, with Neilson Hubbard (Kim Richey, The Apache Relay) at the helm producing and a new backing band, How Far West, the album's Music City inspiration makes When the Daylight Whispers Darling more country than his previous release.
Instantly, the album's country influence is obvious with the twangy opener, “Time Pass By” with a toe-tapping beat and Dobro that hooks you right away. Following the opener, Gallardo offers up another upbeat country-tinted track, “Home,” which is flooded with mandolin and words of wisdom, “Home is in your heart/ Everywhere you've been my friend is home.” This song is pure down-home goodness. Then, Gallardo slows things down with “Rosalee” and “Come Together, Fall Apart.” Two delightfully doleful ballads about lost love and a failed relationship. And, despite the sedate and stripped-down music in “Skin and Bones,” Gallardo's wise lyrics are somewhat encouraging. “Long Black Veil" is the only cover on When the Daylight Whispers Darling. Covered by many artists, most notably Dave Matthews and Johnny Cash, this track is a country tale about a man who has been wrongly accused of murder and executed because he refused to ruin the reputation of his mistress and best friend's wife. Closing the album is a sad tale of lost love in the wistful and haunting “Wichita.”
When the Daylight Whispers Darling is a charming and melodic album overflowing with wonderful country-influenced tunes. This may be Don Gallardo's best effort so far, proving he's a great songwriter with a great future ahead of him.
About a month ago, a friend told me that there was going to be a house concert on April 16 in Parkersburg, W.Va., so I did what I always do; I put it in my calendar and forgot about it. Then, last Saturday, the day I had forgotten about arrived. I got a text from this same friend inviting me to go and I replied that I wasn’t sure if I could. Well, after a couple of hours deliberating, I agreed. Now, I’m so glad that I went, because Peter Katz’s performance was excellent! But, not only was he an excellent performer, he’s a great guy.
Peter is one of the most promising singer-songwriters coming out of Canada. He has an uncanny ability to write songs that are more than just songs. Each word, each note, and each phrase are carefully and thoughtfully placed giving every second of his album, First of the Last to Know, meaning and emotion. And, the same could be said about his performance. An emotionally involved and musically mesmerizing experience, showing his intimate audience that a songwriter can sing and write about more than just angst-laden love, but love, life and sorrow on a grander scale.
While watching Peter sing, I was extremely impressed with the level of his performance. Even though he was only performing for a small group of people, he performed as if he were centerstage at Radio City Music Hall. I could just feel and see the joy emanating from every pore on his body. He’s obviously happy doing what he’s doing – singing and sharing his songs.
When the concert was over, Peter was kind enough to grant me an interview. That night, after interviewing him, I left with the clear impression of a friendly, down-to-earth yet charismatic guy who just happens to be an extremely bright and talented singer and songwriter.
AW:How did the opportunity to work with Glen Hansard, The Good Lovelies, and Melissa McClelland arise?
PK: The Good Lovelies are very close friends of mine, and they were all in individual projects prior to being in The Good Lovelies. I knew Caroline especially and she came to some of my shows and we played together. And, yeah, they’re just friends and I got to know Kerri and Sue more through Caroline, and became friends and asked them if they would sing on it, and, of course, now they have become hugely famous. I’m just lucky to know them personally and they agreed to sing on it.
With Melissa, we played some shows together and carpooled and did the inevitable singer-songwriter thing in Canada, you get to know people. But, I was actually a fan of hers. I had gone to her shows many times, we played a few shows together which was a big thrill for me and she agreed to sing on the album.
And with Glen, I saw The Frames opening for Damien Rice in Toronto about seven years ago and that was the night I decided to play music for the rest of my life. I was so inspired by the show. After the show, I was so emotional and Glen walked by and struck up a conversation and I poured my heart out to him and he invited me inside and introduced me to Damien Rice and the rest of the band, and then we went out for drinks later. The night I met him was the night I decided to do music forever, and, yeah, it was like coming full circle, especially when I got to open for him. That was the moment I dreamt of, when I first saw him seven years prior was to be up on stage, sharing the stage with him. The show that I did with him during their encore he called me out and I played “'Till You Come Home,” the whole band backed me up and that was sort of validating for me.
AW: I read that it took 4 months of meetings with Rob Szabo to fine tune First of the Last to Know, that preparation along with recording seemed like a long time. Can you tell me about it?
PK: Yeah, we started meeting in November of 2008 and didn’t start recording until April 2009 and that was just me and him and the guitar, nothing else. No production, just making sure every single lyric, everything was thought out and was meant to be there. And, that was a really amazing and intense process, but it meant that when it came time to sit down and record, all of that work was out of the way and then it was more of a free process, and, you know, you’re ready now, just do it. And, of course it takes all of the time to have written the song before you start that work.
AW: What kind of feelings did you have during this process?
PK: To me, it’s like a really clear image. First of all, it was actually my fourth record. Every time with my old records, I never ended up with something I was really, really happy with. I mean I did my best at the time and I’m proud of it, but it never sounded the way it was suppose to sound in my brain and in what I imagined. In First of the Last to Know, I knew I had a batch of songs that I could potentially be happy with, but I didn’t know I would end up on the other side. The image that kept coming to my mind was standing on one side of this river, and there’s this raging river, and on the other side you see where you want to end up, but there’s no guarantee that you’re going to make it to the other side where you have gotten that vocal take that you know you can do but haven’t done it yet, so are you going to do it? So, that was kind of the feeling and I had a lot of anxiety, like am I going to make it to the other side, am I going to be able to do this, is it going to sound the way I want it to sound? It was the first time that in the end, that I was like yes, I’m really happy with this, and, of course, I feel like I still can do better, but I feel like this is the best of that and now I’m ready to move on.
AW: What inspired you to write “Oliver’s Tune” and “The Fence”?
PK: “Oliver’s Tune,” I was a big fan of Oliver’s. For years before he passed away, I was a fan of his music. And, I heard him on the radio promoting this final concert that he was doing and talking about how when the doctors gave him the news that he would be dying very soon, how he had this feeling of peace all of a sudden because he realized he was living his life exactly the way he wanted to be living it. Part of the back story of why that can be so hard is, when I was 19 I was diagnosed with leukemia which was what Oliver was diagnosed with. In my case it was actually a misdiagnosis. So I had the diagnosis for many months, I wasn’t totally cleared of it the first couple of years. But, I had this experience when I was 19 years old of sitting in this hospital bed, like my body was very debilated and I remember thinking that I might not be anything else.
At the time I didn’t realize how that affected me, but I think it got more intense. Since that happened, I have an inability to plan ahead, because I really know that life can stop at any moment and it’s not like this flaky concept for me, it’s actually very real. In fact, when we were making First of the Last to Know, every step of the way when we would take a break for a week or whenever I would say to Rob, “Ok, Rob, in case I die, make sure you do...” Then he would say, “Why are you saying that to me?” and he was sort of annoyed with me, and I was being completely sincere. I was being really sincere. I was like, you know what, I really want to make this record and I really want it to end a certain way and you know if something happens to me today I want you to know how I want it, and I mean that, and I feel that way now. So, that’s why when Oliver said that it hit me, particularly since he was saying something I really know to be true.
With “The Fence,” I was in University and I was doing a production of the Laramie Project and the director asked me to write the music for the show. I loved the play so much, I just thought it was so amazing and I had seen it earlier and I was so thrilled that we were doing it, so I spent the summer writing that song. I just kept reading and re-reading. There’s this one passage in the play, and it’s a play but it’s all transcript, and there’s a transcript from the trial and the judge had deferred to Matthew’s father as to whether or not to ask for the death penalty of Aaron McKinney. And,the father makes this speech and he talks to Aaron directly and he said; you may think you left my son out there by himself, but he wasn’t by himself, he was with the Wyoming sky, looking at the city lights and in this place he grew up and knew. It was such a beautiful moment in the play. And, I was trying to find the angle, and I was like this is what I need to do, I need to be Matthew in Matt’s voice, in that scene, this is a key part. It’s kind of scary for something that people are going to listen to and you know is something that is really important to you, you just sometimes write a song and then at the end are like “Oh, wow, look at what I ended up with.” Then, that song and that play, after the show, the director said, maybe you should be doing this as a career and this was the same time I had seen Glen and Damien Rice, so that song and meeting Glen, was kind of like, ok, this is it.
AW: When and how did you first become interested in music?
PK: Well, music was always a part of my life. When I was four years old I started playing violin, and after that I started playing piano, and I played violin and piano most of my childhood. When I became a teenager, of course I wanted to play guitar because most of my heroes played guitar. It was always a part of my life, but I never thought I would be a musician. It wasn’t even really like a dream of mine, just wasn’t really a possibility. I thought I was going to be an engineer. I definitely wasn’t the kid who was like I’m going to be a musician, it sort of came to me late.
I think we’re all looking for a way to express ourselves in some capacity and when I honed in on songwriting, you can write this little thing, this little three minute thing, and it’s not so overwhelming like a novel or something like that, it’s this little thing, and it’s like me and I get to stand there as Peter, as me, and sing a song, my lyrics, and it doesn’t matter if I’m too tall or too big or whatever. I was really self-conscious about that stuff, but it was like I don’t have to be anybody other than me, that I get to present this little thing I wrote and I get to sing it, for me it’s the perfect way of expressing myself.
Under a Wasted Moon is a beautifully bleak and stark album with lyrically rich songs that spin tales of a hanging, love and leaving. Ben de la Cour, a twenty-something folk singer, echoes the aged and wisened music of Townes Van Zandt, Leonard Cohen, and Nick Cave.
De la Cour grew up in Brooklyn and has lived in London, Cuba and Paris. A former amateur boxer and self-taught guitarist, de la Cour fronted the London-based doom-metal band Dead Man's Roots with whom he released two critically acclaimed albums. Over time, he gave up the metal but kept the doom for a raw, bare bones acoustic folk and in 2009 he settled in New Orleans.
The poetically forlorn “Down in Babylon” leads the album with de la Cour gently singing of a leaving lover. “Sobriety and the Woman” is a sparse and soft lament imbued with Leonard Cohen. My favorite, “The Ballad of John Runner,” de la Cour leans heavily on a Townes Van Zandt style of phrasing and storytelling. A song about one of the first authorized hangings in the land that is now called Alberta, Canada. However, de la Cour does take artistic liberties but beautifully recreates the story of how a Cree guide Ka-Ki-Si-Kutchin (also called The Swift Runner) was convicted of killing and cannibalizing his family in the winter of 1878. And, although “The River” is lyrically awkward, there is a sincerity in de la Cour's naturally low voice that turns this song into melancholic loveliness. But, even with the instrumentally lean and trudging banjo-based track, “Rabbit Starvation,” Under a Wasted Moon deserves to be heard. A good debut full of dark, interesting, and captivating songs demonstrating that de la Cour has the substance of a great folk singer.
LA-based indie-roots rockers, Dawes, announces the release of their second album, Nothing Is Wrong, on June 7th via ATO Records. This new album is the follow-up to their 2009 critically accailmed debut, North Hills.
Dawes is offering the record's first single, "If I Wanted Someone," to download in exchange for an email address. The single showcases Taylor Goldsmith's distinctive voice, a harmonized chorus, rockin' piano and kickass electric guitar. It displays a great amount of growth while maintaining the memorable Dawes Laurel Canyon sound.
Long before teaming up with Heather McEntire of Bellafea, Jenks Miller of Horseback was in a band called Mount Moriah, but since coming together the two have been playing uniquely beautiful music.
Their self-titled debut album is an eight-song collection of experimental folk at its finest and features collaborations from members of Megafaun, Gayngs, St. Vincent, and Bowerbirds.
The album showcases simple but intelligent, well-written songs with great arrangements that allow McEntire’s voice shine. In the opening track, “Only Way Out,” the melancholy pedal steel guitar nicely compliments McEntire’s warm and slightly countrified vocals. The driving beat and infectious melody make “Social Wedding Rings” a likable standout just as the very catchy “Lament” grabs you in the beginning with every layer until the band completely captivates you with its hooky chorus. The album then takes a slower turn with the sparse, somber and sorrowful “Old Gowns” and closes on the same note with the emotionally naked and instrumentally stripped “Hail, Lightning.”
Despite the fact that the band hails from North Carolina and the audible Southern-influences, I wouldn’t exactly classify Mount Moriah’s eight-song offering as Southern music, but I would classify this record as a stunning and outstanding example of experimental folk. Mount Moriah’s unpretentious yet intelligent songs combined with their beautiful melodies, great hooks, and McEntire’s lovely vocals make this album one experiment that didn’t go awry.
For weeks now, I have been posting about Bon Iver's forthcoming, sophomore release. It was only a week ago that Bon Iver released a mysterious fifty-second video tease of the album hinting to its cover art and sound. But today, Justin Vernon and Bon Iver have made it official with the announcement of the date and title as well as unveiling the cover art and track list. The record entitled, Bon Iver, will be out on June 21st via Jagjaguwar.
Recorded and mixed over a three-year period at a former veterinarian's clinic in Wisonsin, Bon Iver will feature regulars Sean Carey, Mike Noyce, and Matt McCaughan who will contribute to the album. Volcano Choir members, Jim Schoenecker and Tom Wincek will also lend a helping hand with processing, while Rob Moose, who has worked with the National and Antony, assisted with string arrangements. The record also includes pedal steel player extraordinaire Greg Leisz and a horn section that features Mike Lewis, CJ Camerieri, and Colin Stetson. And, the beautiful cover art as seen above, is from Minnesota artist Gregory Euclide.
There’s a line from Peter Katz’s opening song on First of the Last to Know “Do you believe in what you do?”, and I think most people familiar with Peter or his work could answer a resounding “YES!" When talking with him you get a strong sense of this belief. He not only believes that singing and songwriting are great ways of self-expression, but that he has a sense of responsiblity to himself and his listeners to create music and songs that are better than the ones before.
A few years ago, Peter went to a Damien Rice show where The Frames opened which led to one of the most pivotal moments in his life and career – a chance meeting with Glen Hansard. Hansard invited him back, introduced him to everyone and they shared post-show drinks. That night, Peter’s fate was sealed.
Now, on Peter’s new album, First of the Last to Know, his friend, Hansard, added backing vocals to the title track. However, Hansard isn’t the only well-known contributor, The Good Lovelies lent their lovely harmonies to the beautifully forlorn “’Till You Come Home” and singer-songwriter, Melissa McClelland, provided vocals on “Let Me Go.”
But, it’s Peter’s thoughtfulness and sincerity on the poignant songs “Oliver’s Tune” and “The Fence” which transforms First of the Last to Know from great to amazing. “The Fence” is a profoundly touching and incredibly stirring impression of Matthew Shepard’s last earthly hours. With a palpable sadness and hints of confusion and innocence, every note and word is heart wrenching. Peter’s haunting vocals are the embodiment of Matthew. The inspiring “Oliver’s Tune” is about Oliver Schroer’s battle against leukemia and his final show, and, though it’s a sad story, there’s a feeling of joy and an air of celebration for life and music throughout the song.
First of the Last to Know is a beautiful album that impresses on the quality and integrity of its tracks. Each song is more than just a song; they’re fully realized feelings and thoughts in which Peter Katz conveys in an emotional and earnest way. And, for me, it’s the most rewarding listening experience I’ve had in recent memory.
Nashville indie-band, The Apache Relay, have just released their sophomore album, American Nomad, on April 12th under Thirty Tigers. Produced by Neilson Hubbard, the record is a collection of fresh and exuberant tunes that pay homage to the road, and suggests that the band will not be tied down – deftly moving from their folk rock base, to a Motown-inspired track, and a cover of Springsteen’s “State Trooper.”
American Nomad starts with a perfect road song, “Can’t Wake Up.” Its breezy vibe is as easy as a Sunday drive, so roll down those windows and let the ride begin. The next song, “Power Hungry Animals,” is a catchy little folk number with great harmonies which leads into the instrumentally lush and layered “Sets Me Free” and “Mission Bells.” A cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “State Trooper” builds with intensity until it reaches a blistering and badass electric guitar solo at the end of the track. And, the incredibly contagious chorus in “Lost Kids” naturally persuades you to sing along, while the band slows things down with “Watering Hole,” an impressively smooth Motown-inspired groove. The band then speeds things back up again with the lively title track, but calmly closes the album with “Some People Change.”
The Apache Relay couldn't have released American Nomad at a better time. With Spring in the air and the beginning of the roadtrip season, American Nomad is a collection of perfect sing-a-longs and open-road anthems.
City & Colour has offered up a teaser video for his new album, Little Hell, which is due out June 7th. Last month, Dallas Green released "Fragile Bird," a rather un-City & Colour song; however, this clip appears to feature another new track from the album -- one that sounds more like my beloved City & Colour.
This video is said to be a snippet from a larger documentary on the making of Little Hell. As of now, there are no details regarding its release.
Missouri quartet, Ha Ha Tonka, recently released their third album, Death of a Decade, on which they rock out with their mandolin out. A stunning and interesting record with a sense of urgency yet with a feeling of familiarity due to their blend of indie rock and roots, more specifically Southern rock and bluegrass. Recorded in a 200-year-old barn located in New Paltz, New York, the floor-board rattling and wall-shaking can clearly be heard throughout their songs, sounding like the Ozark’s answer to Arcade Fire.
Death of a Decade sees each band member contributing and relying less on Brett Anderson’s guitar and more on his lilting mandolin, but most of the raucousness derives from Lennon Bone’s pounding percussion and Luke Long’s driving bass. Also, on this record we find the band more united producing beautiful four part harmonies. The album’s opener, “Usual Suspects,” which propels Death of a Decade into another atmosphere with its soaring mandolin riffs. And, while hitting an up-tempo stride, the band seamlessly flows right into the next track, “Westward Bound,” which abounds with four part harmonies and more mandolin. “Made Example Of” has a flying mandolin and boisterous chorus while “Jesusita” starts softly then breaks into an enthusiastic chorus, but both contain an Arcade Fire quality. The album slows down with some delicate picking on the acoustic break, “Hide It Well,” and continues in a resting mode on “Dead Man’s Hand” and throughout the second half of Death of a Decade. The highlight of the second half is the mandolin melody and harmonies on the penultimate track, “No Great Harm.”
After listening to Death of a Decade, you will no longer look at or listen to the mandolin in the same way. And, by centering the songs around one of the most underutilized and under respected instruments in the rock world, Ha Ha Tonka has created one of their best albums, if not their best.
Yes, mandolin players, this is your record. Ha Ha Tonka is calling out to you, telling you that you’re not forgotten and you too can rock that mandolin. Hearken to their cry – Mandolin players of the world unite and start a rock revolution of your own.
Fax Holiday is a little known indie-folk band from the Boston area, who self-released their album Rope & Wine in February. A record with all of the hallmarks of dream-pop, indie-folk with touches of melodic and ambient noise from the guitar, violin, organ, harp, piano,and percussion. It's a good album to play when you need to chill out after a hard day.
Performing, recording and working hard to make a name for themselves, this little-indie-band-who-could has finally gained some recognition. On May 1st, Fax Holiday will be playing a show with an up-and-coming indie-folk artist, Haroula Rose at T.T. The Bears in Cambridge, Massachusetts. So if you can, go and support these great independent artists. Also, for a small contribution or nothing at all you can download Rope & Wine at bandcamp.
lo-fi and faded from Jellyspine Jenkins is a homemade production that was recorded around and outside of his house. It's a little folk, a bit of blues, a tad country and a whole lot of good. lo-fi and faded doesn't contain one bad song. It opens with a great bluesy track "dust and bones" and closes with a stripped down flok tune "color of the birds." This album is all meat and no fillers. So, check out lo-fi and faded, it's free to download on bandcamp.
Every Monday morning, I post a review for at least one ear-catching album submitted via ReviewShine and this week's album is a soon-to-be Southern favorite from an artist who is already a Texas favorite...
Mountain Home, Owen Temple’s sixth studio record, is my first encounter with Austin, Texas’ best kept secret. Set to release on April 26th, it’s a collection of ten incredible songs which tell the stories of uncommon and common folks living in small towns and on the fringes of life and the economy.
Recorded in Austin, the city’s influence and Temple’s love of folk, blues and bluegrass can be heard throughout the album. “I love traditional music – old songs that cross time and space to tell you what the people cared about…With my songs I’m trying to get down some of the stories of this place,” said Temple.
Produced by Gabriel Rhodes, the album’s live performance feel gives the songs on Mountain Home an authentic and straightforward quality that allows the natural storyteller in Temple to shine. A stellar songwriter, Temple co-wrote the record with some of the musicians who contributed – Adam Carroll, Scott Nolan, and Gordy Quist from The Band of Heathens. While other high-caliber musicians like Charlie Sexton (Bob Dylan) on baritone guitar and bass, Bukka Allen (The Bodeans) on keyboards, Tommy Spurlock (Delbert McClinton, Rodney Crowell) on pedal steel, and Rick Richards (Ray Wylie Hubbard, Hayes Carll) added their expertise bringing each song to life and giving each track its own individual spirit.
If you’re unfamiliar with Owen Temple like I was, Mountain Home is a great introduction to this remarkable songwriter’s work. It contains everything that makes a record timeless – terrific songwriting, excellent music, and the familiarity of traditional Southern comfort.
You can purchase Mountain Home at Owen Temple's website
Sarah Jarosz is sharing her new single, "Annabelle Lee," which will be featured on her upcoming release, Follow Me Down, due out May 17th on Sugar Hill Records.
To win a copy of the album go to Sarah's websitefor details.
Johanna Divine’s debut album, Mile High Rodeo, is an amazing adaptation of the comfortable sound of Southern music. It’s full of rich country and western sounds influenced by her home state of Tennessee and a Cajun nuance inspired by her current state of residence, Louisiana. The varied tempo and styles of song ranging from ballads to honky-tonk foot-stompers, Western swing and rockabilly are perfect vehicles for Johanna’s sultry vocals and outstanding songwriting.
With production assistance from master engineer and fiddle player, Dirk Powell, the record is heavily accented by a Cajun influence. Drawing from Southwest Louisiana’s Cajun roots bands like The Red Stick Ramblers and Balfa Toujours, the rich full band sound superbly supports Johanna’s warm and powerful voice creating songs that are as humid as a Louisiana summer night and as spicy as the local cuisine.
The album begins with a classic country track, “Done ‘em In,” recollecting the people and good times turned bad in a lonely bar room. Then, the fast and hard-driving country-rock of “Hijacked Again” gives way to “Been Gone Awhile” which has a unique sound that I can’t exactly put my finger on. It’s smoky tone has almost a bluesy vibe with a 60s pop-rock feel. The piano and fiddle driven “Lone Ranger” is a Western swing ballad, while Johanna gives a Patsy Cline-like performance on "Bright Side." And, “A Little Class” has a sound reminiscent of a New Orleans dive bar while the piano bar ode “Lulu Saint Marie” tells the tale of a hard-drinkin’ yet lovable lady who is “more woman than you can handle, and more man than you’ll ever be."
Mile High Rodeo is an eclectic and extraordinary example of the Southern music renaissance. Johanna's amazing songwriting talent and vocals combined with the album's toe-tapping and interesting blend of Americana plainly demonstrates that Johanna Divine is on the forefront of roots music.
Bon Iver will be releasing a follow-up to 2008s For Emma, Forever Ago in June. While there have been rumors about the new album, Bon Iver hasn't given us any more details, except for this 50-second video clip which has been posted on the band's website and I have reposted here. The preview is way too short, but from what tiny crumb Bon Iver has thrown us, the album sounds slightly awesome.
For the past six weeks, the My Morning Jacket has been offering a free download of a live track from their five-night gig at New York City's Terminal 5 to generate hype for their upcoming album, Circuital, which is due out May 31st on ATO Records. It will also be released as a Kentucky-Only 12" single on Record Store Day.
Circuital is available to pre-order through the band's website. Among the different packages available a limited edition deluxe package that includes an exclusive 30 minute documentary DVD, and high quality lithograph portrait taken by Danny Clinch is being offered. Ten of these deluxe packages will come with a "Golden Ticket" giving an opportunity to receive an original signed print by the band and Clinch.
Every Monday morning I feature one album submitted to me through ReviewShine, but, once again, my inbox is overflowing with submissions. So, this week I'm featuring a couple of albums that have caught my ear...
First, I would like to start with Brooklyn native, Rebecca Pronsky's second album, Viewfinder. The opening song, "Hard Times," is an instant attention-getter and country hit. It aptly introduces the album’s solid country influence and overall theme of lost innocence, cold reality, doubt and relationships. Its strong and rather menacing twangy opening guitar line and galloping rhythm intensifies the serious warning that could apply to a friend or as a smart and relevant allegory on the current economic situation. “Day of the Dead” continues the foreboding country influence while “Give Up Easily” gives a bubbly 80s vibe which could be attributed to her childhood. And, in spite of the seemingly sad tale of a woman who is neither someone’s wife nor someone’s daughter in “Mercury News” there is an upbeat tempo and powerful vocals. I should also note that in the past, Rebecca has been praised for her jazz-trained voice which is evident in the smoldering “The Wheel” and the sensitive yet strong “Fragile World.” Unquestionably, these are just a few songs that make Viewfinder one of the finest singer-songwriter records of 2011.
Minneapolis singer-songwriter, Delphia Blize, has self-released her debut album West River which features contributions from musicians like Jonathan Kingham (Shawn Colvin, David Wilcox), John Munson (Semisonic, Trip Shakespeare), Jacqueline Ultan (Jelloslave) and Darren Jackson (Kid Dakota). Raised in Boston and in a small town in Vermont, Delphia named the album for the West River in Vermont. After going to college in Minnesota, she settled down in Minneapolis where she found her musical niche and won an award for best song in 2009's Women in Music MN. West River is unrefined yet well-done with down-to-earth songs about love, loss, and faith that are wise, honest, and sometimes sad while its quiet and sparse instrumentation gently surrounds Delphia's delicate vocals. Its a great debut album from a folk musician with a lot of promise and heart.
It has been almost two years since Alela Diane’s sophomore album, To Be Still, but since then she has been touring and working on her most recent release, Alela Diane & Wild Divine, which she wrote while on the road. Produced and engineered by Scott Litt (REM, Nirvana), this is Alela’s first time working with a producer. It is also her first with a band, Wild Divine, which includes her father, Tom Menig, and her new husband Tom Bevitori. So, with these changes, it becomes obvious Alela Diane & Wild Divine is inherently different from her previous records.
On the new album, many of the songs were co-written by her husband who helped to create the slightly altered sound, forcing Alela to venture down a path she would never have taken otherwise. The good but unexciting melodies, minor-chord changes, and brighter textures are provided by light percussion and acoustic guitar as well as the scattered mandolin, steel guitar and piano embellishments. However, despite the sunnier sonic quality, the sparseness of the backing band doesn’t allow for Wild Divine to live up to their name. The band just doesn’t offer anything interesting to the album, and if it wasn’t for Alela’s natural and mesmerizing voice, the album would just bore the listener to sleep.
Regardless of Wild Divine’s blandness, the album’s sunnier sound and gorgeous vocals make Alela’s songs more accessible in spite of wandering, stream-of-consciousness lyrics. The record’s first track, “To Begin,” is the listener’s first and proper taste of its dream-like quality. Set to a 70s AM radio sound, Alela richly sings about a hypnotic journey of self-discovery and truth. Her delicate, ethereal vocals in the wistfully nostalgic “Suzanne” and haunting “The Wind” are quiet beauties, while the melody of “Of Many Colors” is possibly the best on the album. And, “Heartless Highway” interestingly changes rhymtically throughout the song whereas “White Horse” abruptly changes rhythm and styles halfway through the song from a bluesy quality to country character. Finally, “Rising Greatness” is a great way to close the album with subtle acoustic guitar runs and moments of pain with Alela’s yearning tone and breaking vocals in which at times she powerfully pulls together to demonstrate times of greatness and resilience.
So in closing, I would like to say that Alela Diane & WildDivine isn’t horrible, but instead a lackluster album that if played in the background could easily be forgotten. There just wasn’t an instance at any point in the record that moved me, stirred my soul, or excited me. It just left me wanting and if it wasn’t for Alela’s magnificent voice, the record would have fell flat and hard.
I must admit that I was unfamiliar with Baltimore troubadour, Caleb Stine, until I happened upon a post on slowcoustic, but, now, he’s my greatest find of the year. His fifth album, I Wasn’t Built for a Life Like This, is bare, intimate, simple and simply amazing! I was roped in by Caleb’s superb songwriting and stripped-down acoustic guitar. There is just something so beautiful and warm about these straightforward and candid confessionals about life on the road, substance abuse, sadness and loneliness. But, regardless of how bad things might have been or seemed, he wouldn't have lived it any other way -- doing what he loves and what he should.
His honest stories and thoughtful poetry places Caleb among some of the best songwriters of this time and could possibly make him the 21st Century's Townes Van Zandt. And, despite the titles of his title track, and other standouts like "My Service Isn't Needed Anymore" and "Last Curtain Call," his services are most certainly needed and there isn't any denying that he was built for a life like this.
City & Colour (a.k.a. Dallas Green) unveiled the newest single from his highly anticipated and long overdue album, Little Hell. "Fragile Bird" is slightly different than what we've heard on his previous albums -- Sometimes and Bring Me Your Love --but still possesses Dallas' great vocals. Honestly, I believe anything Dallas touches or sings turns to gold. He just oozes talent -- musical, vocal, and songwriting.
I could go on all day gushing about City & Colour, but I'll save you the time and torture and just remind you that Little Hell is due out on June 7th via Vagrant/Dine Alone Records. If you aren't familiar with City & Colour, I highly recommend you check out his past albums.
Track List:
We Found Each Other In The Dark
Natural Disaster
The Grand Optimist
Little Hell
Fragile Bird
Northern Wind
O' Sister
Weightless
Sorrowing Man
Silver And Gold
Hope For Now
I know that this isn't a music related topic, but I feel like I should post something in remembrance of the 29 coal miners who lost their lives on this day at the Upper Big Branch in Whitesville, West Virginia. At 3:01 PM many West Virginians will be observing the disaster and paying their respects with a moment of silence, so I ask that anyone reading this blog, whether you're from West Virginia or somewhere else in the world, to do the same. These are hard working men who live and die by a culture that may be alien to the majority of you who read this. Nevertheless, it is an old and dangerous job and lifestyle that has seen strikes, labor wars, and disasters, but has also led us through the World Wars with coal production and soldiers and into the present by providing the majority of our nation's power. So, regardless of your stance on coal, these men deserve your respect and the families need your compassion and positive thoughts.
Former Governor, Senator Joe Manchin, said this in a statement he made today:
West Virginia coal miners are the backbone of this country, providing power for the printing presses that put ink on this newsprint, the steel and machinery that built our country into the greatest industrial power in the world, the military that keeps us safe and free, and the switches that turn on the lights in homes and businesses all over this country. Our miners are the salt of the earth – patriotic, God-fearing, family-oriented and proud of their hard work.
At a time when our nation’s attention will again focus on coal miners because of the first anniversary of the worst mining accident in 40 years, we West Virginians want the world to know that we are proud of our coal mining heritage – and future. The miners of our state and their families are the heart and soul of West Virginia and an inspiration for me and all Americans. We should all draw strength and courage from theirs...
Michaela Anne's debut album, To Know Where, features songs influenced by her travels throughout the US as a child of the military. Always musically inclined, she picked up the musical influences of the different and diverse places she lived. Now, living in Brooklyn, she has found the perfect city and venues for her original Americana compositions and stylings.
Recorded by Jesse Lauter (The Low Anthem, Elvis Perkins), Diko Shoturma and Scott Kettner, To Know Where is an album with soul-searching songs that have a way of touching the spirit. These songs of hardships and pleasures are an effective blend of the genres that inspired her -- country, blues, and folk. The title track is a gospel influenced tribute to her family and upbringing which features backing vocals by Willie Nelson's Farm Aid regular Jesse Lenat, while the backing vocals and phenomenal guitar playing are provided by Michael Daves (Chris Thile, Steve Martin, Roseanne Cash) on "Taken Away." The sweet melancholy in "Willow Tree" later becomes a sorrowful yearning in "Pardon," and jazz and blues influences can be found in the ragtime "Carry On" and the sultry "When We're Alone." But, it's "That Winter" that stands out most to me, with its beautiful expansive sound, doleful pedal steel, and Michaela's emotional and angelic vocal delivery.
With To Know Where, Michaela Anne shows us that although she is relatively new, she is far from amateur. She has already shared the stage with great musicians like Daves and Danny Molad (Elizabeth and the Catapult), Kristin Andreassen (Uncle Earl), and many others as well as open for The Diamond Doves, Lady Lamb and the Beekeeper, and Frontier Ruckus.
To Know Where will be self-released April 5th with tour dates to follow.
And with Glen, I saw The Frames opening for Damien Rice in Toronto about seven years ago and that was the night I decided to play music for the rest of my life. I was so inspired by the show. After the show, I was so emotional and Glen walked by and struck up a conversation and I poured my heart out to him and he invited me inside and introduced me to Damien Rice and the rest of the band, and then we went out for drinks later. The night I met him was the night I decided to do music forever, and, yeah, it was like coming full circle, especially when I got to open for him. That was the moment I dreamt of, when I first saw him seven years prior was to be up on stage, sharing the stage with him. The show that I did with him during their encore he called me out and I played “'Till You Come Home,” the whole band backed me up and that was sort of validating for me. 
At the time I didn’t realize how that affected me, but I think it got more intense. Since that happened, I have an inability to plan ahead, because I really know that life can stop at any moment and it’s not like this flaky concept for me, it’s actually very real. In fact, when we were making First of the Last to Know, every step of the way when we would take a break for a week or whenever I would say to Rob, “Ok, Rob, in case I die, make sure you do...” Then he would say, “Why are you saying that to me?” and he was sort of annoyed with me, and I was being completely sincere. I was being really sincere. I was like, you know what, I really want to make this record and I really want it to end a certain way and you know if something happens to me today I want you to know how I want it, and I mean that, and I feel that way now. So, that’s why when Oliver said that it hit me, particularly since he was saying something I really know to be true.
