Who do you like most among these three artists: John Dee Graham, Freedy Johnston or Susan Cowsill? No matter. If you wait long enough you’ll hear a song you’ll love from one of these guys on the new record At Least We Have Each Other from the Americana supergroup The Hobart Brothers. Me, I’m a sucker for Freedy Johnston so I’m drawn to the song “I Am Sorry”.
The Hobart Brothers are part of a great lineup at the Dogfish IPA/Blurt Magazine Showcase on Saturday March 17 at the Ginger Man Pub. The new record is set for release on Feb. 28 on Freedom Records.
Tommy Womack has just released the followup (almost a sequel) to his last. It’s called NOW WHAT! and came out officially yesterday. I’ve been following Tommy for a couple years now – I missed the first go round when he was the in the band The Bis-quits and Government Cheese. But that’s ok I think I prefer the more mature – more thoughtful Tommy Womack.
Speaking of sequels the song “Wishes Do Come True” is a bit of a followup to the 2007 song “Nice Day”. As another reviewer stated this song and the record as a whole is a good example of Tommy’s heart-in-his-hands (vs. on his sleeve) style of songwriting. The new record is available now in all the regular places or you can buy it directly from Tommy here.
In my book there is no other band that compares to Frontier Ruckus; with that said Branches comes pretty close to a West Coast version of the band. First off the music is folk based (although on this record they have added ukulele, trombone, trumpet, violin, toy organ), the lyrics are flowery/poetic, and the band exudes a sense of community. But unlike Frontier Ruckus who seem to be writing about the barren and collapsing midwest, Branches writes about the open spaces and natural surroundings of Northern California. There’s no better example of this than the song “Helicopter” from the band’s just released record Thou Art The Dream with it’s allusions to pebbles, streams, and saplings.
Buy the band’s debut full length here via CD Baby.
Marvin Country is producer extraordinaire Marvin Etzioni and special guests. Friends like Lucinda Williams, John Doe, Richard Thompson, Buddy Miller and Maria McKee (he was one part of the band Lone Justice w/Maria) all join him on the new album. The song “You Possess Me” is a lush song which reminds me of Roy Orbison but with Phil Spector wall of sound production. Maria McKee makes an appearence on the song by adding sumptuous backing vocals. The new Marvin Country record is due out on April 17 on Nine Mile Records and Marvin Country will be playing the Nine Mile Records showcase (time and date tba).
You should know by now that I like me some Ramsay Midwood (here, here, here, and here). So it’ll be no surprise that I will be encamped at whichever jukejoint, bbq pit or pizza slice establishment Ramsay will be playing at during this year’s SXSW.
Buy the new record Larry Buys A Lighterhere via Amazon. Here’s another song off the new record that contains phrases like “wheel of hippie cheese”, “creek is getting muddy, got no horse to ride”, and “called you from her sensible bedside phone”. It pretty much encapsulates the loose as a caboose vibe that Ramsay gives off on record and live.
Ramsay Midwood will be appearing at SXSW but as of yet there’s no venue or date listed.
Today was going to be another in a series of posts previewing SXSW but I accidentally stumbled upon the new record from Philly singer-songwriter Carsie Blanton. Idiot Heart is the new record and it was released on Jann 31. Carsie combines multiple genres in her music. She is a fan of singer songwriters like Ani DiFranco and Anais Mitchell, as well as pop from the likes of Paul Simon (whom she has opened for) and Elvis Costello and jazz singers like Billie Holiday and Nina Simone.
The songs on Idiot Heart are well crafted, the music is eclectic yet accessible, and the production is tight (produced by Oliver Wood of Wood Brothers fame). The new album is available now as a digital download or as a name your own price cd – both are available here via Bandcamp. The song “Little Death” is a sad tale of a girl who dies the death of a thousand little cuts at the hands of a misogynistic hustler. The song is a great showcase for Carsie’s vocals as well as for the band’s (especially the organ and standup bass that are standouts) musicianship.
Here’s the first of what will hopefully be a bunch of SXSW previews. These will not be for the bands that you already know and love; what would be the point of me trying to preach to the converted. Instead here are some of the out of the way artists (who will no doubt be playing some out of the way places!) that I suggest you check out when you are down in Austin.
Shaky Graves is a perfect first post in this series. The band is really a one man band based in Austin. His debut record, the 2011 release Roll The Bones, has been praised by the Austin Chronicle as well as influential LA based music blog Rollo & Grady. “Built to Roam” is a forlorn farewell song; an ode to leaving places like L.A. and N.Y.C. It’s these types of songs where Shaky Graves shines. His high pitched voice (similar to the great Tom Brosseau) is perfectly suited for this type of song. Here’s “Built To Roam” song that 2011 release:
Shaky Graves has just released a followup ep titled The State Of Texas Vs. Alejandro Rose-Garcia (available free via Bandcamp). Here’s “Halloween” off that new ep:
Jacob Furr is a Texan who spent some time in the Pacific Northwest. As a result of his travels and time spent on the coast you get these songs of “shorelines, leaving, and discovery”. I’m linking to the song “Voices on the Sea” since it lyrically seems to sum up the themes of the ep. While the song is propelled by a a simple strummed guitar it is also accented with pedal steel, drums and what sound like accordion.
There used to be a time in college radio in the late 80′s and early nineties that a Golden Palominos record was a big deal. REM were usually involved in some way and of course so was drummer Anton Fier – also folks like Syd Straw, Richard Thompson, Peter Holsapple, Bob Mould, and NYC improvers like John Zorn, Bill Laswell, Arto Lindsey and Fred Firth. The Palomino records that were produced with varying guests over a decade were eclectic ranging from rock to industrial.
It’s been awhile since I heard from the group but I just learned Anton Fier has teamed up with Drivin n Cryin alum Kevn Kinney to record a new Palomino record called A Good Country Mile. In fact there is a song called “A Good Country Mile” on here and it’s one of my favorite Kinney tunes. But here is “Challenge” from the new record. It’s more muscular than a typical Kinney solo outing but this is no ordinary Kinney solo outing. This will appeal to fans of Drivin n Cryin.
I started this review with a little trepidation. While I love Anaïs Mitchell and am practically an Anaïs completest/stalker, I was worried that this record might be a letdown. See I’ve been disappointed before when my hopes were so high. Sometimes it’s that 5th (or 4th or 6th) record where you might notice a dropoff. Maybe an artist has said all she needs to say, or becomes musically stagnant or unnecessarily experimental. That’s often the time an artist puts out the special guest record or the duets record or the inevitable children’s lullabies record or the covers project (I could go on and on). But I worried for naught.
That faint bit of anxiety was probably silly really, especially considering Anais broke the mold of what a folk artist can accomplish on her last record: the folk-rock opera Hadestown. The new record is called Young Man In America and is due out on Feb 21. This is a more independent release than past records (the last couple cds were released on Ani DiFrancos’ label Righteous Babe) but the production gives no indication of any expense being spared. There are orchestral moments, experimental jazz sounds, ambient echos, and dischordant fractured guitars. All these sounds fit in the context of each song and rarely overshadow Anaïs voice and her lyrics.
One of the songs with the most soaring, epic instrumentation is “Ships”; on it Anaïs matches the dynamics of the music with her powerful voice. On the standout track “Tailor” (performed here live on YouTube) Anais describes a character who goes through a litany of changes both physical and mental brought about by a lover’s remarks. The song is performed on a bed of accordion giving it a bit of a ramshackle, gypsy sound. Every nuance of Anais’ voice is present, every whispered phrase, every sigh, all the resentment and all the disappointment. On the song “Shepherd” Anaïs explores a relationship between a shepherd and his wife pregnant with child. Both have their wants and needs and responsibilities and even in the moments before an imminent birth the work of the shepherd takes precedent leading to a tragic result.
“Shepherd” is being given away free to those who sign up for Anaïs’ newsletter so you can go here (scroll down to the bottom of the page) to sign up for the newsletter. Or you can preview the song below (plus there’s a nice live video of it here).
Anaïs has an extensive touring schedule with a April 20 release show here in Chicago at SPACE. Here’s some important upcoming dates:
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 Westminster, London, UK – SOLD OUT @ Westminster Reference Library
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 Newmarket, NH @ The Stone Church on Zion Hill
Thursday, February 23, 2012 Cambridge, MA @ Club Passim
Friday, February 24, 2012 Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
Saturday, February 25, 2012 Peacedale, RI @ Music at Lily Pads
Monday, February 27, 2012 Northampton, MA @ Iron Horse Music Hall
Tuesday, February 28, 2012 New York, NYC @ Joe’s Pub
Wednesday, February 29, 2012 Annapolis, MD @ Rams Head On Stage
Thursday, March 1, 2012 Philadelphia, PA @ Tin Angel
Young Man In America can be preordered now through Amazon here. This is a great chance to support independent music and come away with what will surely be one of the great records of 2012.
Cooper Thompson sounds a bit like someone from an earlier time. You don’t have to go back too far though. He get’s compared to Springsteen, Waits, and I’d add Buddy Holly to the list. His recording process is simple, organic and analog. As a result his songs are warm and have a glow about them.
The new record is called Outlaw For A Year and was produced by Kevin Augunas. The songs were recorded over 8 days and nights with the help of Richard Swift at his studio.
You can pick up the cd or the digital download here or through iTunes:
This is a pretty apt record cover for the band Mad Buffalo’s new release wilderness since the record is a throwback both lyrically and musically to an earlier time. Nowhere is this more evident than in the song “Big Joe Walker” which recounts some of the tall tails about this western mountain man.
While I haven’t heard the whole record it also addresses contemporary American problems.
I stumbled upon the upcoming record by James Low a couple of times in the last few weeks. The latest time was on an indie radio country chart. This Portland based artist has a low key country sound that borders on folk. If you are a fan of artists that straddle those two genres than you should check The James Low Western Front out. You can pre-order the album now here. Catch James Low tonight in Portland with Lewi Longmire (wrote about him here) at the Press Club or tomorrow at Al’s Den with Matt Brown.
Here’s the song “Words” from the new record; it’s got the most lovely pedal steel on it…
PS I’m a sucker for songs about states of the union. Particularly songs about California. Here’s a video off the new record for a song called “Thinking California”.
Marlowe and The Sea is basically one dude from Jackson, Ms. His label and bio claim he plays folk music with bite. That might be catchy but I don’t think it’s true. However the failure to market Marlowe and the Sea as anything but sad sack indie folk doesn’t have any effect on the quality of the tunes and the performances. And in this case both are high.
The production is a bit rough on this ep – the hiss is almost distracting. But the roughness works and the tune “A Second-Chance Love Song” is better for it – makes it seem more intimate like he was burned by some girl and retreated right to the attic to record this take. There’s plans for a debut lp out in 2012 on Elegant Trainwreck Records but until then you can stream/download this ep here via Bandcamp.
Walter Spencer is best known as the bassist of the Water Towert Bucket Boys. While I like the hard country/string band sounds of the bucket boys, I really like the odd timey blend of folk, string band, and country that Walter Spencer brings to his solo efforts (wrote about his debut here). The new record is called Red Romance and is available at iTunes and Amazon.
“Weed” is just what you expect, a song extolling the virtues of pot. It’s funny and surprisingly convincing on the medicinal and psychological benefits of marijuana.
Finding a record like Josiennne Clarke’sThe Seas Are Deep makes me realize I should continue this music blog. Here is something (and someone) that is completely breathtaking and yet is not all over the blogosphere and deserves to be. This new record is a collection of covers of traditional folk songs. She is once again accompanied by Ben Walker on guitar.
Snake Wagon’s bio is much like their music. Half funny, half serious. The problem is that in both cases it’s hard to figure out which half is which. As far as I can tell the band is composed of members of The Barr Brothers and maybe a couple of the guys from The Low Anthem. The record is called Have Fun With Snake Wagon. Here’s a few excerpts from various bios:
“What is Snake Wagon, again? A bunch of jokesters, pranksters, parodists, specialty obscurantist antique humorists, and satirical ironical songsmiths who blasted the sheet rock off the Pasta Sauce Factory walls in a quick, but fruitful, session last year.”
“Born out of twistedness and raised in revelation, the band takes its love of Christmas Caroling, Wall Drug, South Dakota, and Chinese astronomy, and transforms it daily into a truly unique and innovative sound that recalls early Motorhead having a coffee, no cream, with Linda McCartney. As the son of a Wal-Mart Greeter and Youngstown’s first female chair of the Libertarian Committee, Thom Jefferson, along with his childhood friend/violinist Ulf Zarkanius, rebelled against their fore-bearers and formed Snake Wagon in 1985, as a vehicle to spread their anarchistic belief system. In 1986, Daniel Johnston notably stated, “They’re alright.”"
“Snake Wagon is a virus. H14D2S. It came originally from Africa, and is poised to take over all living bodies in a post-DNA era. symptoms of arrest: trance, anxiety, prophylactic shock, reptilian ancestral awareness, defamation of character, certitude, unabashed desire to replicate.”
You’ll draw your own conclusions but I imagine you’ll hear a bit of Daniel Johnston, a little of the wacky solo stuff of Alex Chilton, and a fair share of whatever 60′s era garage psychedelia you became infatuated with in your early twenties. The record is available free via Bandcamp here.
I asked Charlie Parr’s people (yes, he has people!!) for a song from his new record. I haven’t heard a lick of it but told them to send any song they wished. Why? Because at this point any song by Charlie Parr is better than almost anything out there.
The “new” record is produced in acssociation with House of Mercy baptist church in St Paul, Minn. and and features Emily Parr, Four Mile Portage, Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker. It was recorded at Sacred Heart Music Center in Duluth on 2″ tape by Tom Herbers and will be released on both cd and vinyl. “Gospel Plow is the title track and is notable for both Charlie’s guitar playing and the call and response gospel vocals of him and the choir. Buy the new record here via Charlie Parr’s website.
It’s very rare that I write about an artist that is also then written about by other blogs. I’m a bit of an island in that sense. But with Mount Moriah my review was quickly followed up by lots of praise in the music blogosphere. Here’s what I wrote back in March:
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I’ve been checking out the moody americana rock of Mount Moriah. The band’s self titled debut record is due out April 12 on Holiday for Quince Records. The band is from North Carolina and seems to relish it’s connection to rural America. Yet on record the band is not simply acting out some retro fantasy or worse yet becoming some kind of mealy mouthed freak folk outfit (even if the beard suggests otherwise). In fact I hear much more Rilo Kiley in the lead singer’s vocals than say Gilian Welch. And musically the guitars are stiff, the keyboards awash in reverb, and the drumming taught.
Here’s the song “Lament” and below that the video for the song “Old Gowns”.
While I was poking around looking for new Christmas tunes I thought I’d check in on Caleb Groh who released some of my favorite Christmas music of the last couple years and see if he had added a vol. 3 to his carol collection (Vol. 1 and Vol.2 can be found for free here). No such luck but I did notice on his Facebook that The Boston Phoenix released a new song from his forthcoming record Bottomless Coffee. It’s the full band rocker “Catastrophic Culprit”.
I believe Caleb (along with Jeff Pianki, Nathan K, and a few of their mutual friends) is on the cusp of being the next generation of artists to achieve success along the lines of Bright Eyes, Sufjan Stevens, Jens Lekman, etc.
Glad you found me at my new url. Songs:Illinois is committed to writing about music that is under-appreciated and unique. I've found that the music I write about shares a couple of traits. And they are: lyrical integrity, musically diverse, and written/performed by compelling characters.
Most songs found here are free and legal and have been provided by either the artist or label. If for some reason you'd like to have a song removed, please email me at cbonnell (at) gmail.com.
