TOM RUSSELL | BLOOD AND CANDLE SMOKE
With a career spanning four decades and a catalog of 20 albums, Tom Russell is one of the greatest living singer/songwriters. On Blood and Candle Smoke, Russell enlisted indie-rock band Calexico to back his lead vocals and guitar for a sound that combines folk, country, rock, desert blues, New Orleans-inspired jazz and waltzes. Instrumentally, this collaboration employs everything from mariachi and horns, reverb guitars, acoustic strings, and drums to hand percussion, marimba, accordion, organ, and piano. An accomplished storyteller, Russell’s vivid tales evoke an Americana experience with a south-of-the-border vibe. Blood and Candle Smoke is Russell’s most ambitious release to date and will introduce his music to a new generation of listeners. – Written by JFelton
SIMILAR | Dave Alvin, Calexico, Guy Clark, Alejandro Escovedo, Kevin Gordon, Los Lobos, Billy Joe Shaver
posted by JFelton, October 26, 2009
KYLE SWARTZWELDER | KYLE SWARTZWELDER
Delaware musician Kyle Swartzwelder’s self-titled full-length debut features thoroughly enjoyable country folk songs. Swartzwelder’s rich and expressive vocals complement his introspective lyrics and skillfully crafted arrangements, culminating in a polished indie folk gem. The tender songs on Kyle Swartzwelder are timeless and range from quiet contemplations to thoughtful testimonials that resonate with the listener, creating a connection that deepens with each listen. – Written by JFelton
SIMILAR | Ryan Adams, Jackson Browne, Iron and Wine, Lyle Lovett, Josh Ritter, White Pines, Neil Young
posted by JFelton, October 26, 2009
SEA WOLF | WHITE WAR, WHITE BLOOM
Los Angeles-based Sea Wolf, a.k.a. Alex Brown Church, is back with White War, White Bloom. It is the second full-length release from Church, who made a minor splash with his song “You’re a Wolf,” which came from 07’s Leaves In the River. Listeners new to Sea Wolf may feel a certain familiarity with the catchy melodies, chamber pop arrangements, and quivering, Conor Oberst-like vocals found on this album. Overall, White War, White Bloom benefits from the richer, more ambitious sound that it has developed with producer Mike Mogis from Bright Eyes. It’s hard to find a track on this album that doesn’t grab you with its folk-country charm. – Written by DBosket
SIMILAR | Bright Eyes, The Decemberists, Rogue Wave, Rooney, Sufjan Stevens, Wilco
posted by JFelton, October 26, 2009
OX | BURNOUT
Burnout – the third album from Ontario’s Ox – showcases the unique blend of indie rock, alt-country and Americana that garnered critical praise on their previous two albums American Lo Fi and Dust Bowl Revival. Burnout takes the band’s dusty soundscapes to the next level with a more textured and warmer sound that includes elements of psychedelia, drums and reverb soaked guitars, frontman Mark Browning’s distinctively warbled vocals and pop culture references. Burnout features only six new tracks and an older one, a reworking of “Miss Idaho,” but what the album lacks in quantity of tracks it more than makes up for in quality. – Written by JFelton
SIMILAR | Chris Bathgate, Califone, Dolorean, Jay Farrar, Uncle Tupelo, Neil Young
posted by JFelton, October 26, 2009
THE DUTCHESS AND THE DUKE | SUNSET/SUNRISE
Sunset/Sunrise, the second album by The Dutchess and the Duke, carries much of the same sound as their 08 debut. Their songs are simple, 60’s style folk rock tunes with beautiful harmonizing and heartfelt, yet dark lyrics. The Seattle duo is best when they find that perfect balance of upbeat instrumentation and moody vocals. With this album, Jesse Lortz and Kimberly Morrison have broadened their sound with the help of producer Greg Ashley of the Gris Gris. Sunset/Sunrise sees the welcome addition of some more lush sounds with occasional strings, organ, and added percussion. – Written by DBosket
SIMILAR | Arthur and Yu, Cave Singers, The Flying Dutchmen, Lightning Dust, The Sultans, Wye Oak
posted by JFelton, October 26, 2009
OHBIJOU | BEACONS
On their second release, Beacons, Toronto-based indie folk/pop seven-piece Ohbijou evolves their sound with an elegantly layered orchestral pop album centered upon the stunning, emotive vocals of Casey Mecija. Beacons expands upon Ohbijou’s debut LP Swift Feet for Troubling Times with more intricate compositions, stronger production and a tightly knit band. Unlike Swift Feet for Troubling Times, Beacons is more pop than folk and contains complex instrumentation utilizing everything from a glockenspiel to a trumpet. Beacons further establishes Ohbijou as one of Toronto’s premier indie music acts. – Written by JFelton
SIMILAR | The Bicycles, Canada, Fleet Foxes, Forest City Lovers, Midlake, Sufjan Stevens
posted by JFelton, October 26, 2009
MANRAYGUN | MISFORTUNE TELLING
Edmonton band Manraygun’s latest release, Misfortune Telling, is a confident set of songs that walk the line between roots rock and alt-country. The band, popular on Canadian college radio, has no problem moving from a gritty rock song and then following it up with a slow ballad. This back-and-forth is somewhat jarring. However, the skilled musicianship of Dennis and Steve Lenarduzzi, Everett LaRoi, Tom Murray, and Silas Grenis really comes through. These guys just sound comfortable playing together, which is something that pays off in their live performances. – Written by DBosket
SIMILAR | Calexico, Elvis Costello, Joe Henry , Tom Waits
posted by JFelton, October 26, 2009
INTRODUCING TOWNES VAN ZANDT VIA THE GREAT UNKNOWN
Introducing Townes Van Zandt via the Great Unknown is a tribute to the music of the late Townes Van Zandt from 19 international artists. Van Zandt’s introspective country-folk and driving blues were filled with honesty and beauty that swells from his soul and inspired many; some of his best known songs include “If I Needed You,” “To Live Is To Fly,” and “Pancho and Lefty.” This is a great compilation and clearly highlights Van Zandt’s influence on contemporary music with tracks by some of today’s tender-hearted troubadours like Thomas Denver Jonsson, J. Tillman (Fleet Foxes), Jad Fair, Anders Parker, Great Lake Swimmers, and the Be Good Tanyas. Releases on October 26th. – Written by JFelton
posted by JFelton, October 19, 2009
LE LOUP | FAMILY
Maryland band Le Loup is back with its sophomore album Family, two years after its 2007 debut, The Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations’ Millennium General Assembly. Since then, Le Loup has expanded from one to five members, all of who wrote the songs and added vocals. Listening to the album, instant associations to Animal Collective, Grizzly Bear, and Sufjan Stevens come to mind. But Le Loup earns a place among these bands and shows its own character, even if its influences are unmistakable. The songs on Family blend psychedelic washes of harmonies and tribal percussions that are both thoughtful and appealing. – Written by DBosket
SIMILAR | Animal Collective, Akron/Family, Fleet Foxes , Grizzly Bear, Panda Bear, Sufjan Stevens, Yeasayer
posted by JFelton, October 19, 2009
WHITE PINES | A FACE MADE OF WOOD EP
White Pines is the side - project of Michigan singer/songwriter Joseph Scott (Canada, That’s Him! That’s The Guy!). A Face Made of Wood EP, White Pines first release, was recorded in Scott’s apartment and features rich guitar arrangements, percussions and strings. Scott’s voice is sincere and optimistic, making the somber tracks seem more hopeful than heart heavy, yet the songs are rich with melodies and elaborate instrumentation recalling the best of the Michigan’s folk scene. White Pines is just getting started, with recording underway for a full-length album to be released this winter. – Written by JFelton
posted by JFelton, October 19, 2009
TALONS’ | SONGS FOR BABES
Talons’ is lo-fi folk singer/songwriter Mike Tolan (Six Parts Seven, Tusco Terror, Trouble Books) and his friends from other music projects. Originally released on Bark and Hiss, Songs for Babes is a folk gem soaked in reverb, ambient noises, field recordings, grainy tape recording, jangly guitars, and piano. The album features stories of fast food, drinking, working part-time, young mothers, and past girlfriends capture the anxiety of living in uneasy times. Songs for Babes is an intelligent, charming and intimate release that is at times wry, heavy hearted and holds a somewhat cynical worldview. Definitely keep an eye out for his forthcoming release Songs for Boats. – Written by JFelton
SIMILAR | Cains and Abels, Ghosts I’ve Met, Hayden, Will Oldham, Six Parts Seven, Trouble Books, Tusco Terror, M. Ward
posted by JFelton, October 19, 2009
VOLCANO CHOIR | UNMAP
Bon Iver’s debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago put Justin Vernon on the map with his much-feted folk album. So fans may be surprised to hear Volcano Choir, an experimental side project between Vernon and fellow Wisconsin band, Collections of Colonies of Bees. What they have created with Unmap may surprise Bon Iver fans, but hopefully they won’t be deterred from the sparse lyrics and lack of hooks. These songs – using Vernon’s vocals as a mood-setting component rather than the focus – are full of dreamy harmonies and disjointed sounds that slowly get under your skin. – Written by DBosket
posted by JFelton, October 19, 2009
SQUIRREL NUT ZIPPERS | LOST AT SEA
Hipster revivalists The Squirrel Nut Zippers return after nine years with a new live album Lost At Sea which perfectly captures the spirit of the Zippers and the eclectic fusion of Delta blues, gypsy jazz, 30’s era swing, klezmer, and other styles. Recorded live at Southpaw in Brooklyn, the Squirrel Nut Zippers perform many of their greatest hits and strongest material including “Danny Diamond,” “Put A Lid On It,” “Hell,” “Blue Angel.” Lost at Sea reminds us of all we’ve been missing and loved about the Squirrel Nut Zippers while capturing the energy of the band’s live performances! – Written by JFelton
posted by JFelton, October 19, 2009
FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS | SONGS FOR A BREAK–UP VOL. 1
Fitz and the Tantrums, a five-piece soul group based in L.A., recently released their EP, Songs for a Break-up – Vol. 1. Part soul, part Motown, and yes – part Hall & Oates (front man Fitz says they’re one of his favorite bands, and it shows), this EP is a promising debut that holds your attention from start to finish. First track, “Breakin’ the Chains of Love” is a rousing soul tune complete with catchy church organ and saxophone riffs. Recorded entirely in Fitz’s living room with a $50 organ and an old mic, Songs for a Break-up is hopefully just a taste of more to come. – Written By DBosket
SIMILAR | Duffy, Marvin Gaye, Mayer Hawthorne, John Legend, Jamie Lidell, Amy Winehouse
posted by JFelton, October 19, 2009
THE MOTHER HIPS | PACIFIC DUST
Seminal Bay Area psychedelic roots-rock band The Mother Hips release their seventh full-length studio album Pacific Dust on Oct.27th. Co-founders Tim Bluhm (vocals, guitar) and Greg Loiacono (guitar, vocals) have been playing music as The Mother Hips for nearly twenty years and as a result meticulously refined and honed their sound. Pacific Dust is The Hips most poignant album to date, combining excellent musicianship with bittersweet melodies and tales of travels, record company politics, reflections on life, a father/son relationship and the evolution of a rock band.
SIMILAR | Tim Bluhm, Dr. Dog, The Elected, The Jayhawks, Clem Snide, Wilco, Neil Young
posted by JFelton, October 12, 2009
THINGS ABOUT COMIN’ MY WAY – A TRIBUTE TO THE MISSISSIPPI SHEIKS
The Mississippi Sheiks recorded country and Delta blues throughout the 30’s and were one of the top selling groups of its time. Juno award winning musician Steve Dawson and longtime fan of the Sheiks gathered together an amazing set of musicians to record their renditions of Sheiks’ songs; contributors include The North Mississippi All-Stars, Jim Byrnes, The Sojourners, Ndidi Onukwulu, Bill Frisell, Madeleine Peyroux, The Carolina Chocolate Drops, Bruce Cockburn, and Kelly Joe Phelps. Things About Comin’ My Way – A Tribute to The Mississippi Sheiks is a stellar homage steeped in the blues yet drawing upon musicians from many different veins of Americana and other genres.
posted by JFelton, October 12, 2009
RED HEART THE TICKER | OH MY! MOUNTAINS BELOW
Red Heart the Ticker is the Vermont husband and wife duo Robin MacArthur and Tyler Gibbons and features a gorgeous mix of ethereal Americana and folk. After the death of MacArthur’s grandmother, singer and folklorist Margaret MacArthur, the pair began creating music on Margaret’s historical VT farm. On their second release, Oh My! Mountains Below they channel the wooded northeastern landscape with tight vocal harmonies, glockenspiels, wandering guitars, banjoes, and handclaps. Oh My! Mountains Below is melancholy with wispy melodies that create a somber mood with moments of optimism.
posted by JFelton, October 12, 2009
LANDS & PEOPLES | LANDS & PEOPLES
Baltimore three-piece Lands & Peoples self titled EP showcases indie rock that is texturally dense with lush arrangements, echoed vocals, reverb-soaked guitars, whirling synthesizers, layered harmonies and subtle studio effects. Lands & Peoples is truly collaborative band with members trading instruments and ideas in an effort to push the limits of the musical experimentation, arrangements and songwriting to its full potential. The Lands & Peoples EP – the second in their oeuvre – is a rich, warm and hazy record with distinct and intimate sounds. This is one of my favorite EPs this year; I can’t wait for a full-length.
SIMILAR | Beach House, Deerhunter, Grizzly Bear, Here We Go Magic, High Places
posted by JFelton, October 12, 2009
SOULSAVERS | BROKEN
Broken, the third release from UK electro-rock duo the Soulsavers (a.k.a. Rich Machin and Ian Glover) finds them once again collaborating with Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees, Queens of the Stone Age) on a gritty, brooding album that combines soul, gospel, rock, jazz and country with tales of jealousy, loss, grief, redemption and lost loves. The shift toward a more guitar focused sound in combination with Lanegan’s stirring baritone adds a richer, more organic quality to the album. Broken combines percussion, strings, guitars, and synthetic effects seamlessly for songs that range from emotive and uncompromising to delicate and gorgeous.
posted by JFelton, October 12, 2009
STARDEATH AND WHITE DWARFS | THE BIRTH
Oklahoma City’s Stardeath and White Dwarfs centers around lead singer Dennis Coyne, nephew of The Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne, and a backing band comprised of former Flaming Lips roadies. So it is no wonder the debut album The Birth from Stardeath and White Dwarfs is drawing comparisons to The Flaming Lips: Coyne applies his uncle’s fractured psychedelia to a heavier 70’s rock vibe, resulting in an album with solid musicianship and production but ultimately lacks a unique voice. All in all, it’s a great starting point for a band with lots of potential and I look forward to seeing where Stardeath and White Dwarfs take their music.
posted by JFelton, October 12, 2009
BLIND MAN’S COLOUR | SEASON DREAMING
St. Petersburg, FL 19-year-old duo, Kyle Wyss and Orhan Chettri, make-up the indie psychedelic/experimental band Blind Man’s Colour. Their debut album Season Dreaming intermixes upbeat melodies, hazy atmospherics, electronic sounds, analog effects, reverb soaked vocals, and a healthy dose of ’60s pop. Recalling the psychedelic indie pop of Deerhunter and Animal Collective, Season Dreaming is a strong debut from a great up-and-coming band with the potential for indie rock stardom.
SIMILAR | Animal Collective, Deerhunter, The Flaming Lips, Here We Go Magic, Islands, MGMT, Panda Bear
posted by JFelton, October 5, 2009
MEURSAULT | NOTHING BROKE
Scottish band Meursault’s EP Nothing Broke is a departure from their stellar electro pop debut Pissing on Bonfires/Kissing with Tongues. This release is sparse and expansive, featuring acoustic atmospherics with subtle piano, banjo, harmonium and handclaps. A highlight is the tender Withered Hand cover “Red Candle Bulb” which showcases the simple beauty of Neil Pennycook’s vocals. Nothing Broke is a stunning and introspective release right down to the album’s handcrafted, limited edition packaging of 300: a simple cardboard sleeve with a painted egg illustration, individually stamped and numbered.
SIMILAR | Forest Fire, Ghost Mice, Rosa, Trembling Bells, François Virot
posted by JFelton, October 5, 2009
JOHN WORT HANNAM | QUEENS HOTEL
John Wort Hannam spent years teaching English in one of Canada’s largest native reserves when he discovered the Loudon Wainwright III record that inspired him to learn guitar and take up music as a profession. Queen’s Hotel is Hannam’s fourth full-length with 11 tracks of authentic Canadian folk/roots music and features the interplay between Hannam’s warm emotive vocals and clean, distinctive guitar. Queen’s Hotel is an instantly enjoyable collection of narrative songs that are thoughtful, sweeping and genuine – it is definitely worth checking out.
SIMILAR | Bill Bourne, Fred Eaglesmith, Greg Keelor, Willie Nelson, Loudon Wainwright III
posted by JFelton, October 5, 2009
THE MOUNTAIN GOATS | THE LIFE OF THE WORLD TO COME
Indie rock veterans The Mountain Goats return with their sixteenth album The Life of the World to Come – twelve stunning songs of whispered folk about struggles, sin and neuroses. Inspired by the Bible as well as life lessons frontman John Darnielle has learned, the record captures Darnielle’s struggles and the peace he’s found in life. The Life of the World to Come is a great album that is heartbreaking, uplifting and a fine addition to The Mountain Goats catalogue – one that I’ve been thoroughly enjoying.
posted by JFelton, October 5, 2009
KENT MCALISTER AND THE IRON CHOIR | HOW I’LL REMAIN
Calgary-born, Vancouver-based songwriter Kent McAlister and The Iron Choir’s third album How I’ll Remain is raw and honest, featuring emotive songwriting, thoughtful arrangements, and superb musicianship. The band is compromised of Kent (vocals, guitars), Chris Herbst (dobro, lap steel, mandolin, electric guitar, vocals), Brendan Kreig (drums), and Jim Bennett (bass) who together combine elements of Spanish guitar, traditional country rockabilly, blues, back porch folk, and rock n’ roll into an excellent blend of Americana.
SIMILAR | Calexico, Los Lobos, Corb Lund, Magnolia Electric Co., Tom Russell, The Sojourners
posted by JFelton, October 5, 2009
RECORD LABLES
