Give up yer cash early and then just try to forget about it...

I have made two pre-orders this week so far (and one Kickstarter donation, but that is for another post upcoming).  Who said the music industry was going down the shitter?

Today I would like to urge you all to purchase both the below pre-orders, or at the very least think about it and maybe get your friend to do it and then simply enjoy it with them when it arrives.  The two albums are JBM’s “Stray Ashes” from Western Vinyl and The Tallest Man On Earth’s “There’s No Leaving Now” from Dead Oceans.

First off JBM’s new album ‘Stray Ashes’, it is released very soon (May 22nd) so the pre-order is only for another few days but this is currently my must-have release as I type this.  This album from Jesse Marchant is spectacular and is going to be one of my favourite albums of 2012 for sure.  I know it.  It is very moody, ethereal at times, stunning, et al.  I can listen to the whole album together, which is a feat in itself these days, and it totally works.  There is not a weak track on this album.  The songs flex a bit in style while still falling under the JBM umbrella – listen to “Only Now” then listen to “Ferry” or “On Fire On A Tightrope” and you will understand.  I just can’t say enough about this album right now.  Listen to a few streams below.

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PRE-ORDER NOW: WESTERN VINYL SHOP

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 Next is the new album “There’s No Leaving Now” from The Tallest Man On Earth coming out on June 12th.  The internet was a buzz with the new single the other day when it was released to the hungry blogging world and it is for good reason.  While I haven’t heard the album yet, TTMOE has become one of the most consistent artists for music in my opinion – so it is a no brainer to pre-order this album to be quite honest.  If you appreciate Kristian Matsson’s musical style & vocal timbre in the first place, everything he has released has been top notch.

I also had to specifically mention the pre-order for this one as the bundle was too good to pass up (and I didn’t).  Secretly Canadian (the ever omnipotent overlord of the Dead Oceans label) is offering a smashing deal in my opinion.  Get the Vinyl album, the CD of the album, a 7″ single while quantities last and a couple posters.  For $21.99 USD!!  I run a small indie label as well and I can tell you that is a fantastic deal.  So go and pre-order this bad boy already!

“1904″ – The Tallest Man On Earth
from the upcoming “There’s No Leaving Now”

PRE-ORDER NOW – WESTERN VINYL/SECRETLY CANADIAN SHOP

Go.  Go now.

~Smansmith

The Church of the Good Thief Album Art

Courtesy of PropertyofZack (see their post here) we get the great news of the upcoming Andy Hull helmed Right Away, Great Captain! album.  This is news that warms the cockles as almost anything RAGC! is right up my alley and with the first streaming sample of the track Blame – this is going to be right in my driveway.  While the song has been circling with a demo style live recording for a while, this crisp and clean album cut really helps the song shine.

If you are familiar with Andy Hull (also of the band Manchester Orchestra) and his solo efforts, which tend to be more stripped down recordings as Right Away, Great Captain! you will not be disappointed.  His delivery is always spot on and the timber of his slightly just a bit higher pitched than you thought it would be voice just works.  It pierces right through me.  When Hull is “on”, the songs he sings just carry such an incredible weight and hit with a hammer.  This is great stuff.

The album, The Church of the Good Thief, will be out in in just over a month (June 12th) via Favorite Gentlemen Recordings and there should be a pre-order next week with a bunch of extras.  Oh, did I mention there will be a 4 x 4LP edition that includes the two previous albums?  I believe a ‘holy sheeeet’ is warranted, but that might just be me.

Find more on Right Away, Great Captain!: Facebook | Favorite Gentleman Recordings

~Smansmith

Sometimes a band name is so spot on and so accurate that it is not just the moniker of the musician(s) but speaks to what they are about, sound like and what the listener will feel when listening.  Well, Rural Ghosts is just such a band that finds itself in this position.

Rural Ghosts and the self titled 6 track EP (of course it is self titled, how could it not be?) is a recent listen for me and I am glad Erik Neilson (the man who we speak of when we say “Rural Ghosts) thought I would like a listen.   And like I do.

RG speak to what Slowcoustic might be really about.  If the description provided on the Facebook page is any indication how could they not be on this blog?

“Sparse ballads of death, love and regret, set against the thick & mysterious ambiance of Maine’s North Woods”

The songs are lo-fi and echo with intimacy.  I don’t want to assume the songs are at all autobiographical, but you always feel this way when someone rips out parts of themselves and plays music to it.  The songs are all completely acoustic and consist of guitar and voice with even the “air” around the recording adding to what is going on here.  Neilson creates songs that cause time to slip and people to slow down and listen.  While not overtly gothic sounding, the songs mix beauty and sombre like they were childhood friends reuniting after many years apart.  And they pick up exactly where they left off.  It is like the two were never apart at all.

“Bright Side” – Rural Ghosts

You can find Rural Ghosts on Facebook, Reverbnation and purchase on Etsy (yes, Etsy).

~Smansmith

Field Report (Christopher Porterfield, formerly of the band Conrad Plymouth) has a new album coming in July and I am very excited for it.  If you look for songs thick with emotion and sharp lyrics, than this is your guy.  I think “Fergus Falls” really clinched it for me from a while back that I would be watching this guy forever on what he is recording and releasing.  He has a few tracks streaming from Partisan Records (although a recent Pitchfork article indicated the album is “self released”) that you can sample below.  The latest song to emerge from what looks like a 9 track album is ‘Taking Alcatraz’ and it is my current favourite track easily.

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Visit Field Report on the new website or like on Facebook.

Next we have the new musical endeavor of Brian Borcherdt called Dusted (this is the place where I say “of the band Holy Fuck”).  The album is also staying true to the new name as it is called ‘Total Dust’ and will see a release on July 10th (maybe it will share a release day with Field Report!).  The new album has some teaser videos and a lead off track of hazey indie pop that is currently auditioning for my spring/summer “jam”.  It is a little more upbeat and layered than his previous solo work on the blow-your-mind-album ‘Coyotes’ from 2010 and I have faith it will be a worthy release at a minimum!  You can currently pre-order it over on Hand Drawn Dracula in Canada (here) & Polyvinyl in places that are not Canada (here).  Listen to the lead off track ‘(Into the) Atmosphere’ below!

Bonus Video Teaser for the new album below.

Dusted – Teaser 1 from Hand Drawn Dracula on Vimeo.

Visit Dusted on the new Website and like on Facebook.

~Smansmith

Kill County - February 2012 (courtesy of their Facebook page)

If you are a reader of this blog you know that one of the things I really, really, really enjoy is a heartfelt “country” song that has a bit of twang and southern heartland influence.  It also helps if it is acoustic and (more or less) akin to a sad bastard song.  Well, I was pleasantly surprised (re: totally stoked) when the good folks at Hear Nebraska led me to a recent performance from one of Kill County’s driving forces, Ringo over in Michigan at WCBN 88.3.  See Hear Nebraska’s post here with a bit more info on the band’s current situation and for the full SoundCloud stream of all 5 tracks.

As HN alludes and Ringo himself indicated to me, the follow up to 2010′s fantastic “The Year of Getting By” is well on its way for this year and will be another vinyl release!  If these songs are a sign of the new album, count yours truly in for a spot at the front of that line when it comes out.  Listen to a few tracks courtesy of Hear Nebraska’s SoundCloud account below.

Seek out more on Kill County: Bandcamp | Facebook

~Smansmith

Song of the Day is from the great new album “Post-Empire” from Will Stratton.  I actually had it as my song of the night last night in general, so why not have it “officially” posted on the blog?  Why the album has not had a peep on this blog yet is beyond me (re: all my lazy ass’ fault) – so let’s start talking Will Stratton’s latest shall we?

The new album has actually been spinning over here for a surprisingly long time (as has Will Stratton’s music in general) and I don’t want to say this new album is the crown jewel in his discography, but it is the crown jewel in his discography…so far.  While not removing himself from the musical style we have heard from him in the past, he comes in with arguably his best & most complete album to date.  ‘Post-Empire’ is part finger picking folk, part retrospective alt-pop and almost a classic 70′s psychedelia.  That last reference might scare some, but is definitely subdued, but there is something that sounds older than Stratton’s years but I am not one to be able to pin it down….no matter how hard I try.  I think part of his album overview hits the mark for this album and Stratton’s focus on music in general;

“While some music writers may talk themselves hoarse about the dueling narratives of hype and authenticity these days, there will always be artists quietly making music impervious to buzz, telling real stories of decline, romance, hope, regret, and renewal.”

I have chosen the track “The Relatively Fair” for my feature song of the day from the album as it is the one that speaks to me the most.  It displays incredibly infectious hooks (well for a folk – acoustic based song at least) and immediately causes me to nod my head.  While many might say having ‘infectious hooks’ means a song of less breadth, they would be off the mark for the track.  With it’s backing strings and style of acoustic guitar, it treats you to the perfect mix of a catchy song and quality song-crafting.  Do me a favour and also follow along to the lyrics via his Bandcamp page – smart, poignant and actually have the ability to speak to someone.  Try that in the bulk in the music industry these days.  Listen below.

If I were a betting man, I would say that as long as you find yourself on this site, you will want to find yourself listening to ‘The Relatively Fair’ and ‘Post-Empire’ as a whole.  So why don’t you?

Find Will Stratton: Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter

~Smansmith

Been looking forward to Jesse Marchant’s (JBM) new album ‘Stray Ashes’ since I heard about it.  As he only makes great albums – if he has a new one, by default I am looking forward to it.  So I have been meaning to mention it here on the blog and once Music Savage (see their post here) posted on the latest track ‘Winter Ghosts’, I am now VERY MUCH looking forward to it.

The first single was actually ‘Only Now’ that premiered over on Paste Magazine’s website (here) and it is a great piano laden song with Marchant building up the almost upbeat track till just past half way when it reaches its peak before returning to an almost ambient collection of pure JBM.  The ebb and flow of that track really works for it.  Now below we are posting the second single ‘Winter Ghosts’ which comes in at whole other speed than ‘Only Now’ and it is a doozy.  This is where JBM shines – the song is whisper quiet at times and also builds (but in a much much less subdued way – you might even need headphones to really get that impression).  The slight echo in the vocal track, the ghostly backing sounds and lightly picked electric guitar meld into the song perfectly.   A beautiful must-hear song that proves the new album, Stray Ashes, will be a must-have.

“Winter Ghosts” – JBM
from the album ‘Stray Ashes’ – due May 22nd on Western Vinyl

Visit JBM: Website | Facebook | Western Vinyl

~Smansmith

The new album from Cold Specks is due in May.  While being fairly familiar with Cold Specks and her previous works/monikers, the new album is looking (sounding) better and better…especially after hearing the production in Blank Maps below!  While I have always enjoyed her raw cathartic sounding ‘folk noir’ – I think it is really coming into its own with the added fine tuning for the full release.  While it does get a bit of a shinier coating, it still retains that gothic soul I have come to love from her.

The song is available to purchase in the UK, but I couldn’t find it here in Canada, so I will include some links below and hopefully you can all find the one you need!

Buy Blank Maps from iTunes: http://bit.ly/GQFtqe
Buy Blank Maps from Amazon (UK): http://amzn.to/GZy4Q3

Pre-order I Predict A Graceful Expulsion from Artist Shop: http://bit.ly/GZUpAv
Pre-order I Predict A Graceful Expulsion from Amazon (UK): http://amzn.to/GZydD5

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Visit Cold Specks: Website | Facebook | Arts & Crafts Label | Mute Label

~Smansmith

I mentioned this about a week ago and now here we are!  We will be giving away a copy of the 7″ split from Kill County and Good Saints to one of you fine blog readers.  I know it is 2012 and attention spans are getting shorter, but all I ask is you email me the name of the Kill County full length album from 2010 along with your address!  I will pick one email at random (no really, totally random) and send you a copy of the coloured vinyl!  Also included is a Kill County sticker and pin from the band aaaaand the cover is signed by the boys too!  So you know you want it – I know I am loving it (was going to give away 2 copies, but I just can’t part with one).

So now, email me the name of the Kill County album from 2010 to admin [at] slowcoustic [dot] com along with your mailing address and you may win this lovely prize.  So listen to “BrownLee” and “Texas Moan” below while formulating your email…

[UPDATE] – We have a winner – thank you to everyone who entered!

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Visit Kill County: Bandcamp <— you just might find the answer to win here | Facebook
Visit Good Saints: Bandcamp | Facebook

~Smansmith

Today sees the release of Kim Janssen’s album Ancient Crime from Snowstar Records over in the Netherlands.  It is a concept album and that concept might be stunningly gorgeous music…no really.  I have been looking forward to this album for a few months now and after more than a few listens it has become one to beat for best album of the year so far.

So when I mentioned my lame “concept album” reference above it is because it is in fact described as one in all honesty.  The album as outlined by artist and label as:

It is a album inspired by his years on boarding school in Asia. ‘Ancient Crime’ is a concept album that takes place in an old idyllic school, in a remote village in north-west England during the winter. A mixture of history, myth, memories, old and new verses and arrangements.

This is not lost on you when listening as it is extremely delicate, formal and hits a nice balance of instrumental band tracks with more traditional (yet just as grand) vocal tracks.  If I am not mistaken the album is 10 tracks and 5 are essentially instrumentals – this may immediately make many pause but the strong points in this album are so strong that they literally pull the entire album together.  I normally am not a huge fan of these interludes/ambient moments on albums and Ancient Crime has its fair share, but with tracks like ‘Drift’, ‘Tors’, ‘Casket’ and ‘Holmes’ Bonfire 1966′ being so stunning you just want more from this artist/album that the interludes fill that void left by what could effectively be an EP release if he so wanted.

The songs Drift and Tors have made appearances on Slowcoustic already and they lead the pack on the album as the truly top notch tracks.  Drift is currently my favourite track of 2012 so far…by a long shot.  Take a listen to it below:

And Janssen has recently performed it live, so let’s take a look at it as well!

There is a 10 second ad prior to the performance…just hold on!

The song Drift is a good measure of the sound and overall feel of the Ancient Crime album – it is a floating pensive moment put to a beautiful backdrop of acoustics, instruments, choirs and Janssen’s feather soft vocals.  It might be Janssen’s cadence and breathy delivery that makes you feel comfortable and at home in these songs…it just so happens he has crafted a beautiful pallet of music to coincide with.  Take a listen to ‘Tors’ below to get the full effect of the instrumentation of which I speak.

Again, the album from this co-member of the band The Black Atlantic (yes, that Kim Janssen!) is truly a “best new music” and comes highly recommended.

Find more on Kim Janssen: Facebook | Bandcamp
Purchase Ancient Crime: Bandcamp | Snowstar Records

~Smansmith

Today sees the release of one of my favourite releases of 2012 thus far in Zachary Lucky’s ‘Saskatchewan’!

While I have been listening to it for a couple of weeks now, I am still having a hard time putting words to this EP.  It is almost like trying to explain what/who is ‘Saskatchewan’ to someone who isn’t Canadian.  I dare say Saskatchewan is what being a traditional Canadian is really about but again, it is hard to describe.  Zachary Lucky’s home is the province in question and other than being Canada’s version of the American Heartland, it is the subject matter of this March 6th release in its entirety.  As his Bandcamp page says: “these songs are for Saskatchewan.“  And I believe him.

Lucky’s songs might always sound a bit pensive and almost longing at times and this is at the forefront here.  This may also be because Lucky is a never ending touring musician and this EP is about returning to ‘home’.  Just list the song titles and you know where this EP is going (and where it wants to be): Across The Ocean, Leaving, Back in the Fall, Leaves are Falling, Refrain and Saskatchewan.

Most notably there is a narrative of separation throughout all the songs.  Some reference a more personal relationship between two people like the track ‘Back in the Fall’.

Now listen to that song with it being even more about Lucky’s relationship with Saskatchewan itself.

Now the ‘title track’…this the pinnacle of the album with Lucky looking back fondly and pining for the past while still knowing it is just that.  Almost like that long lost Dear John letter that never made it to its rightful recipient, it is a lament of love for anything (in this case his home of Saskatchewan).  The letter than might not have ever needed to be sent but instead just repeated over and over to yourself.  It also just so happens to be a great venue to focus on some fantastic pedal steel along with Lucky’s patented strumming and vocal timbre.

Fans of Lucky’s previous work will be more than delighted with Saskatchewan and it will be required listening in many roots/folk homes.  Overall I rambled in this ‘review’ about the feeling that this album/EP has left me with – it may be just 18 ways to say the same thing but I think you get it.  The only fault of the EP is that is comes in at about 20 minutes total time due to the 8 track EP having 2 instrumental interludes and no track exceeding 3 1/2 minutes.  Despite this, they just might be the best 20 minutes you will spend on music today or any other day.

Find Zachary Lucky: Website | Bandcamp | Twitter | Facebook
Find Tour Dates for Zachary Lucky: 2012 Canadian Tour

~Smansmith

p.s.  Calgary on May 21st at the Ironwood Stage!

p.p.s.  Don’t forget the ever lovely touring partner of Lucky, Ms. Carly Maicher guesting on ‘Leaves are Falling’

I love the internet.  Forget penicillin, democracy and individually packaged mini donuts – the internet makes the world better.

Obviously I am thankful for the internet in my recent discovery of the band Good Saints out of Lexington, Kentucky.  The internet lead me to a favourite Nebraskan band Kill County due to a new split 7″ they did with some other band named…yes, you guessed it, Good Saints.  Well I obviously ordered me up some of this vinyl split, cuz you gotta and then I started listening to the Good Saints EP ‘Driftwood on the Fire’ as well.  Low and behold being a fan of Kill County has pretty much put me on the right path to find similar acts like GS to fawn over.

Good Saints can be considered ‘Country’ as much as any acoustic band can be called ‘Folk’ – it is the general vibe you get but it always seems like not enough of a word to describe it.  This is part bluesy banjo, part gothic South, part twang at 3/4 speed tossed around a skillet and served up with perfect presentation.  While I have been listening to the track from the aforementioned split 7″ entitled “Texas Moan” (and it is spectacular), there is another 5 tracks to the EP that carry on the “unique lyric focused 5 piece band”.  Multiple vocalists provide additional layers and facets of the music as well…which is saying something as sometimes having more than one singer in a band can cause a split in fans but not here – it works all around.  The songs all lament of hazy evenings, good times, hard times and drip with the timeless drawl of great southern music.  Best New Country.

So take a listen to a couple tracks below;

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So remember that sometime in the very near future (week or so) we will be giving away the split 7″ of Good Saints/Kill County to one of you Slowcoustic readers.  Stay tuned on getting your free copy of the below!

Good Saints / Kill County 7" Split

Find out more on Good Saints: Bandcamp | Facebook

~Smansmith

Brand new album from Pickering Pick has been released on his Bandcamp today!  The 11 track album is called ‘Prayer Flag’ and it once again show’s Pickering Pick’s prowess in the acoustic finger-picking folk crowd.

This album was recorded late last year in his home recording studio while he was literally just ‘getting used to’ his new gear.  As Sam indicated to me, when he gets to playing, often the flow of the music keeps coming and while not meant to be an official recording session for an album…it simply ended up being one.  While almost not moving ahead with the album, ultimately the songs continued to speak to him and hence, here we are.  If you are familiar with Sam Pickering Pick’s work (or if you are not) he creates a sound specific to him – I want to say it sounds of his homeland across the pond because I have nothing else to accurately describe it.  It sounds authentically and traditionally English despite Sam making his home in sunny California now.  That vibe is not overbearing but it floats around his music and is a welcome friend in my opinion.  His ease at creating this music is also astounding – despite not fully knowing his creative process – Pickering Pick can create stillness and beauty on almost anything he creates.  Prayer Flag is no exception.

Although having no official connection to this release, we did put out last year’s “Tiger Balm” from him on our Yer Bird Records label and I dare say this might come across as it’s companion piece.  You also might find a similarity in the artwork from Meghan Spurlock (visit) but I feel they might be joined by more than visuals.  Find a couple tracks to stream below and swing by his Bandcamp page to pick up a copy of the album digitally or one of the very limited CDs.

Enjoy and visit Pickering Pick: Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp | Yer Bird Records

~Smansmith

p.s.  Anybody in the Sacramento, CA area can find Pickering Pick tonight at The Naked Lounge (H Street venue) around 8:30pm!

Today’s song of the day is from Zachary Lucky and his track “Back in the Fall” from his upcoming album Saskatchewan (some say EP, some say LP, some say who the hell cares, just let us hear it already).

The song is simply fantastic.  Whether it is the lazy banjo, the pedal steel or the honest delivery (when his voice just starts to crack when he first sings “Back in the Fall” – it’s killer).  The song is seems like it is not necessarily a story about a past relationship rather than a mantra to himself about life moving on…and its okay.  It just also happens to be painfully gorgeous.

You can pre-order his album ‘Saskatchewan’ from his Bandcamp page HERE and find out if he is visiting your hometown via his tour dates on his website HERE.

Bonus for y’all is a live video I took of this song at a recent house show Zachary did here in Calgary about a month ago, enjoy.

~Smansmith

Today sees the release of the newest opus from Elephant Micah. Being big fans around Slowcoustic HQ, this is an even bigger day as we also have a quick interview with Joe O’Connell along with our post on the album!

The album is “Louder Than Thou” and is released from O’Connell’s own label Product of Palmyra in digital and vinyl formats. It is 6 tracks of what might be called a return to form if you thought that was even needed from this Indiana project. First off, it comes in at 6 songs and some of you might say that it is an EP and not an LP, but songs range from 4 1/2 to 7 1/2 minutes each so we can all agree this album while still being a touch short is definitely in the LP arena.

The songs are described as “Avant Americana” and include instrumentation some may find experimental in nature but still natural with the songs. Louder Than Thou fuses a feel for the music instead of arranging 10 x 3 minute tracks of acoustic guitar. Sure I say that flippantly, but it is actually true – the album isn’t straight forward but still includes the bones of what would be called a folk album. Tracks like (my favourite) ‘Airline Living’ has this floating aura with 70s influenced band elements and this bass line straight out of a Sofia Coppola movie soundtrack. As a stand alone track, this one has been a favourite for weeks now.

The lead off single (if that is what you would call it) is the song ‘If I Were a Surfer’ and it could be the beginning to ‘Airline Living’ and is simply a blanket of pure velvety folk goodness.

You might even get a bit of ‘upbeat’ in the track ‘My Cousin’s King’ and ambient instrumental-ism in ‘Rooster On the Loose’ but you always know you are listening to Louder Than Thou. While there is an ebb and flow to the album’s song crafting, it is still a full album and is one that fits into the incredibly deep back catalog of the band.

I had a chance to have Joe O’Connell talk about a few items on who “Elephant Micah” is and a bit about this new album.

~Interview with Joe O’Connell of Elephant Micah~

• For those in the know, they [for the most part] consider Joe O’Connell to be “Elephant Micah”. Who (or what) is Elephant Micah to Joe O’Connell?

I guess Elephant Micah is the name of a project, and I’m the person responsible for that project. The name is just a placeholder… just a title that ties together some series of performances and recordings over time. It’s supposed to be, ah, adaptable.

On this record, Justin and Nathan Vollmar (of the band Vollmar) helped me arrange and record basic tracks. Kate Long, Kyle Langvardt, and Michael Anderson each did overdubs.

• Your website indicates that Louder Than Thou is the “…clearest statement of the Elephant Micah sound”…what should someone take away from the new album if they hear it for the first time today?

This project has developed pretty slowly over time. I think it has only recently started to hit its stride. I would like this record to come across as the work of people who have been at it a long time, who are making their most compelling music in the present, and who are committed to continuing on that trajectory.

On Louder Than Thou – there is an ebb and flow on the album from the softer singer songwriter to the more experimental song crafting – how do you balance the traditional and non-traditional sounds?

On this record, it was less a matter of balancing two different styles and more a matter of creating the right, ah, stylistic contour (?) over the course of the recording. We just aimed to make decisions (in arranging, performing, mixing, etc.) that would allow the songs to hang together… within the overall scope of a record that is fun to listen to, and changes a lot over its course.

What I mean to say is, I was probably looking for a way to have changes in style without polarizing (?) style in terms of folk vs. rock, quiet vs. loud, experimental vs. “poppy,” or whatever.

How is it to be an artist and your own label? Does your label half push you to release more and then your artist side ask to slow down and enjoy the actual music?

Ooh, well, it is impossible. I just want to get this record out there and I don’t know a better way to do it.

• Would you release any other acts on your label? Any side projects that you feel shouldn’t fall under the moniker of Elephant Micah?

Sure, if I had unlimited resources, I would want to help release other people’s music. I can think of lots of great projects to do along those lines. As it stands, though, it takes all the time and money I can muster to get one Elephant Micah record out.

• As a songwriter – do you collaborate, write from experience, collect stories and combine to create an song/album?

I think the answer to this question might be “no.”

I do fool around with words, tunes, and guitar parts a lot. When I hit upon something that piques my interest, I pursue it and try to expand upon it. Sometimes my sense of an idea is strong enough that it will lead to other ideas. I try to string these ideas together into a set that I can record as an album.

My ideas come from playing with language, themes, genre rules… and maybe sometimes the starting point of an idea is something you could call experiential or real… something sort of observational. But that is mainly just a jumping off point for the rhetoric of the song. If I sing about the village of Rocky Ripple, Indiana, for example, it’s because I find it useful for staging a song with a certain aesthetic about “real places” and “real people.” I do like these genres that are take up real life (country, confessional, etc.), but I think that how they work and whether they work is purely a matter of good style, not a matter of true stories.

• Do you feel successful as an indie artist?

At first I wrote “no.” It’s a struggle to gather up all the resources I need to make a record. That’s why it’s been a while between this one and the last one.

But I’m going to go ahead and venture that I do feel successful. I’m managing to make really strong recordings, and get them out to people that derive some meaning from them. I don’t want to come across as anti-commercial in any simple way, or as being indifferent to whether more people hear my music. And I don’t want to claim some integrity or importance on the basis of being “marginal” to the indie music world. But I think I can say that I’m happy with what I’m doing, and I do see it as successful by my standards.

• Who are a few contemporaries that you would want to work with?

Will Oldham, Dark Dark Dark, the Cairo Gang, Small Sur, Hiss Golden Messenger, Vollmar, Pillars and Tongues, Magnolia Electric Company, Breathe Owl Breathe, Lougow, Bronze Float, Time and Temperature, the 1-2-3’s, the Flying Burrito Others, Scout Niblett, Thousand Arrows, Hurray for the Riff Raff, the Luddites, Bubbly Mommy Gun, the Blue River Music Association, Jon Kay, Grease Gravy, Century of Aeroplanes, Jandek, Califone, Little Wings, Aurora Nealand, Delay, For Barry Ray, Ben and Bruno, the Hollows, Open Sex, Norman Oak, Mary Oakie, Joe Manning, Nathan Salsburg and James Elkington, the Red Queen Hypothesis, Honey Radar, Canadian Rifle, Tammar, Uno Moss, June Panic, Alasdair Roberts, Cathy Irwin, Mark Kozelek, June Panic, and more.

• What was your main “New Year’s Resolution”?

“Keep going,” as they say.

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Swing by the Product of Palmyra Bandcamp page HERE to pick up a copy today. Digital is “Pay What You Want” and the vinyl is a limited version of 375 and it will sell out.

~Smansmith

I have been giving this album some serious spinning for the last month or so and it is indeed a seriously great listen.  The album officially saw its release on Jan. 24th (this past Tuesday) over on Crossroads of America.  The album is available on all your favourites; space age digital, retro CD and exclusive vinyl – of which I recommend the latter…but more on that below.

First off, let us get one thing straight, this album is a creeper.  This album, while seemingly an innocent folksy little collection of mellow singer songwriter jams, is just soo much more and you really realize it from repeated listening.  This album grows on you because it is something that you dig into instead of let play in the background…which all too many people do with “folk” music in general.  If this happens to you with albums, please return to “Baptist Girls” as it unfolds soo immensely that I can’t see anyone not enjoying it.  Well, those that come to a blog called Slowcoustic should all know what I mean.

The album has an eerie comfort attached it with what could be described as it’s honest laments and life observations that just so happen to be attached to music.  These songs are performed with sincerity and you know it – especially with lyrics chosen of self deprecating and inner moments that most of us only think to ourselves.  All sung over acoustic guitar and moody synth in the ether that surrounds you as the listener.  Even being an apparent “lo-fi” recording it sounds full but doesn’t lose the intimacy that is apparent in Bro. Stephen’s recordings.

Listen: “Tears on Tape” – Bro. Stephen

Okay, I said “more on that later” in regards to the vinyl.  I recommend the vinyl version of “Baptist Girls” as it is a phenomenal album in general, so there is that.  It also forces you to listen to the album outside what might traditionally be where you hear most albums these days…your computer.  Unless you have a nice set up, you want to hear this album in its fullness on a home stereo and vinyl usually makes this the only option.  Bro. Stephen provides a delicate folk(ish) album that you can play loud and immerse in… yes, honestly it does really work.  As a bonus, it is on lovely green vinyl, aaaaaaand it is where to get two bonus tracks:

Bonus, bonus, bonus tracks: 2 bonus tracks exclusive to the vinyl option!

So there you have it, best new music and a great album that I fully recommend.  So swing by Crossroads of America to pick up your copy by clicking HERE.

Find more on Bro. Stephen:  XRA Records | Facebook | Twitter | Website | Purchase at Bandcamp

~Smansmith

Today’s song of the day is a cover of the classic track ‘Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want’ from The Smiths as performed by Pickering Pick.  Gone is the dramatically mellow angst only to be replaced by sombre aching alongside the ambient acoustics.  While we are not comparing which song is better and both are the same lyrically but give total different listens despite being the ‘same’ song.  Pickering Pick removes himself from the persona of Morissey and The Smiths and simply creates a great version of a classic song.

“Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want (The Smiths Cover)” – Pickering Pick
As part of the Rate Our Music #08 compilation “See You on the Other Side”  (FREE DOWNLOAD)

Visit and listen to more from Pickering Pick on his Bandcamp Page.

~Smansmith

Tomorrow sees the CD Release Show for hometown troubadour Reuben Bullock over at the Arrata Opera House here in Calgary.  I believe there is still space but make sure you check into the Facebook event for more info.

The new album “Man Made Lakes” from Bullock sees an album growth from the previous “Pulling Up Arrows” (see our feature here).  The new album is 11 tracks and honestly shows a full range of performances from delicate introspective to punchy indie rock.  Well mostly it is to the softer side but there is always something about Bullock’s performance that lets you know there is something inside almost clawing to get out.  Whether it is the gothic “Burial” to the definitely epic sing a long “Bow and Arrow”.

Where the album soars is in the moody and hallow tracks like “How to Fight” and “Pray For You” and even the stunningly fragile “Once Upon a Time” or “Lullaby”.  I also must list the track “We Belong” as it seems like the epitome of a Reuben Bullock track; focused acoustics along with the back and forth of cadence in the songcrafting.  The type of song you know brings the house down at live shows.  Wait…if there was a live show to see him where would you go?  Tomorrow’s CD Release makes for the perfect moment to see the album, hear the artist and come away with a new favourite album in Man Made Lakes.

Take a listen to a couple of tracks below to get you started along with a recent Streaming Cafe performance of a earlier Slowcoustic favourite “The Rain”.

~

Find out more on Reuben Bullock: Facebook | Bandcamp | Website |

~Smansmith

Kim Janssen (photo snagged from Last.fm)

Today’s song of the day is a beauty from Kim Janssen’s upcoming album “Ancient Crime” due out soon.  Okay, I don’t really know when, but I predict it to be fairly soon!  Some of you might know him from his “day job” in the band The Black Atlantic and some of you may know him from his great 2009 album “The Truth is, I am Always Responsible” (we had a quick mention and track back in early 2010 here).   The new song “Tors” is very reminiscent of his previous album, which is a good thing, and hence I have high hopes for ‘Ancient Crime’.  Just take a listen to the delicate acoustics and tell me you are not as well…

Make sure you keep an eye out for this one (as I am) and I hope to update you with more on the release very soon!

Visit Kim Janssen: Facebook | iTunes

~Smansmith

Found this EP just the other day due to an invite to a local house show here in Calgary.  Wow, am I glad that I got that invite.

So the artist is Paul Stewart and to be honest, I have only been listening to this EP for about 4 days now…but it has been a glorious 4 days.  The 5 songs are available as a “name your price” download over on his Bandcamp page and I immediately dropped my $5 for it after about 48 seconds of total preview split between all 5 tracks.  Why do I note this?  I am noting this as I almost can’t put forward one song as the lead track or single from it – they are all frickin’ great.  He describes his sound as “Defeatist Folk” or as many readers of this blog might call it, “Sad Bastard Folk”.  The songs might be a bit down on their luck but at the same time bring such rich beauty and comfort that I almost miss that fact.

I am selecting 2 tracks to embed below and they are the opening and closing tracks: “Glass Skull” opens the EP with gentle sepia toned echoes of lost summers…you almost picture the song playing over silent video footage of a summer camp in the 50s…it sounds like it floats due to what could be a slide guitar/pedal steel in the background, then the piano hits for the last few moments – stunning.

~~

Next is the closing track “Crowd Cocoon” which comes in a bit more ominous but with many of the same elements of piano, acoustics, reverb…but used in a more late night solitary drinking binge sort of way.  As many sad bastards know, this can be some of the most stunning and wrecking moments…the same can be said about the song.  It kills me each time I hear it.

~~

As I mentioned, all tracks are worthy, so if you like the above 2 tracks then there are 3 more just waiting for you and they are just as good.  Highly recommended.

Calgary Concert Alert: Any Calgarians can find Paul Steward at ‘The White House’ next weekend – January 21st with Alex Wesley Cardinal on their Winter Tour.  See the Facebook event for more details.

Find Paul Stewart: Bandcamp | Facebook

~Smansmith

The Sumner Brothers - photo by Nate Lepp

Recently I received the December newsletter from The Sumner Brothers (sign up on their website here) and for the last bit they have been coming with a new cover song each month.  Well, to be honest they have been absolutely stellar.  Some Cash, some Haggard and even some Waits.  Well this December came a great track originally from Airon Dugas (or A.P. Dugas as he records under…I believe) called “Old Skin”.  It was recorded essentially solo from Brian Sumner and it has floored me lately, it is that good.  While I have been a fan of the Sumner Brothers for years, Dugas is new to me from the last month or so.

A.P. Dugas - photo by Kristin Dione Photography

So, after telling you that the most recent cover song is that good, I am not posting it.  I’m a bastard that way.  Sign up for the newsletter and get it free – I ain’t stealing music from musicians…I’m a blogger!  ;-)  No seriously – both A.P. Dugas and The Sumners have been on serious repeat lately after hearing that cover song, so I thought I would throw a few tracks at ya to get you on board.

Tomorrow Wendy by A.P. Dugas by Pluckluck Seattle
~
Lose Your Mind by Bob Sumner by Pluckluck Seattle
~
09 Ticket to Ride by thesumnerbrothers
~
A.P. Dugas – Old Skin by For The Sake Of The Song
~

Bonus is the video for Carolina from A.P. Dugas that I found about a week or so ago via The Sumner Brothers Facebook page.  Soo good.

So class, what are you listening to?  That is right – The Sumners and Airon Dugas.  Thank you.

Visit The Sumner Brothers: Website, Facebook & Twitter
Visit A.P. Dugas: MySpace (sorry, not too much on Dugas…yet)

~Smansmith

p.s.  If you haven’t heard the Sumner Brothers cover Townes Van Zandt’s “Colorado Girl” you are in for a treat.  Visit HearYa who posted it a while back right here.

Today is kind of a blast of 3 artists/songs that I have been listening to the past week due to recommendations and obvious discoveries.  Soo then, BAM, quick hitters!

~~

First off, Northcote is Matt Goud out of Victoria BC (that’s in Canada folks) and I discovered him as he is on the bill for the “Prairie Roots Revue” tour that Zachary Lucky updated me on as he is also part of this great roster of traveling musicians.  Then I discovered that Northcote has some free tracks from his website, so I think you all need to listed to a few of these acoustic demos/outtakes/alternate versions.  He has an album worth checking out called ‘Gather No Dust’ (iTunes) which includes the formal & less acoustic version of the track ‘Devils’ below:

“Devils (Acoustic)” – Northcote

~~

Next we have fellow Prairie Roots Review member Carly Maicher which was a combination Zach Lucky recommendation and April at Common Folk Music mentioning her…so obviously I had to look into it.  I had heard of her before but didn’t actually hear her prior – god dam, this is a great album that she has out now, “Hiding”.  She has a sultry and earthy vocal presentation over mostly sparse banjo laden tracks.  What else can a guy ask for really?  The album is one of my favourite end of year discoveries for sure.  Find it streaming on her Bandcamp page and find the absolutely gorgeous track “Worry” below.

~~

Finally we have a recommendation from Ben over at Vocal Nerd Rodeo who slapped the below track on my Facebook wall all casual and what not.  You know, no big deal just a guy from Denmark with some pretty damn decent acoustic jams and the below sad bastard track.  So I thought you could all check it out as well – he is offering the full WAV version for free download from his below linked Soundcloud page as well.  If you wanted to check out the whole album and offer up some pay what you want action, you can visit the Bandcamp Page as well.
December by TheWhiteAlbum

That is all.  Stick around tomorrow as there will be 2011′s Favourite albums by Slowcoustic making an appearance!

~Smansmith

The Black Atlantic’s new EP “Darkling, I Listen” is a step beyond their previous album “Reverence for Fallen Trees” as they are not sitting on their laurels and are moving into a larger more full sound.  The crew have been huddled together growing their acoustic roots into a more full band sound and brought ‘Darkling’ to life over a few months in spring/summer 2011.  This is not to say they were never a “full band” prior, it is just the music was more of an intimate folk experience while Darkling, I Listen incorporates splashes and bursts of pure indie pop & sonic soundscapes while remaining essentially folk at its core.  Some might compare to the transition of The Black Atlantic’s sound to something along the lines of Bon Iver’s “For Emma…” album to the new “Bon Iver, Bon Iver” album.  But I am just sayin’…

Overview of “Darkling, I Listen” lyrically:

” Lyrically the songs paint the psychological tensions and inward journey of a protagonist who, after an argument, finds himself going through an intense emotional/existential rollercoaster ride.  Over the course of his sleepless night, his past, his reality, and his future appear in a whole new light of day.”

The way the EP transcends the traditional smaller scale of an “Extended Play” release is almost in the way TBA weaves the many musical elements into the songs almost like chapters of a novel.  It builds upon itself and tell stories as well as entertains with songs.  Unabashed with stating influences such as ‘70’s psychedelic folk–rock, Phil Spector-esque orchestrated chamber pop and 60’s Motown soul‘ the songs really grow in scale.  Those that are long time fans and finding my comparison to the ‘new’ sound may be worried, but do not shy away from it, embrace it…as it will you.  You still have songs like the opening track (see below) and the final track “Quiet, Humble Man” that harken to the sombre beauty of earlier works.

Fans may embrace this new Black Atlantic and some may pine for the former…personally, not unlike the Bon Iver analogy I tend to follow the band and enjoy the musical paths they are taking.  Listen to the opening track “The Aftermath (Of This Unfortunate Event)” below.  Find more, stream more, purchase more on their Bandcamp Page.

01 The Aftermath (Of This Unfortunate Event) by Beep! Beep!

Full Track Listing:

The EP is officially released on January 13th, 2012, but a pre-order now gets you the digital files including artwork.  The artwork is quite extensive and adds to this as a full experience as a release.  A must have.

~Smansmith

Very happy to find in my twitter feed about a new release from Joel P West (frontman of The Tree Ring – see a post on them here) and I want to assure you right now that my excitement for new material was well warranted!

There is something about West’s voice that makes me want to join in (and utterly destroy what he has going on mind you) as his timbre just works for these rich textures of acoustic goodness.  The ‘Shoulder Seasons’ EP is 5 tracks recorded just last month and were officially released on his Bandcamp page on Nov. 24th.  As the EP is an acoustic affair, I don’t want you to think it is “stark” & “lonely”, but actually quite full of rich sounding layers of strings…and again that voice over it all.  West gets a bit of help from an outside string section for the closing track ‘We’ll Learn Them Soon’ that is featured below as a perfect closing song and to match it, the opening track ‘Desperate, Desperate’ is also included.  The EP is a must have for a measly $5.00.

So swing on by his Website for more info on Mr. West & Bandcamp Page HERE to pick up the new EP, check out his film Score for The Room Behind The Fireplace and do not forget his Dust Jacket project from a few years back.

~Smansmith

Lead off track from the soon to be released John Statz album has its official release today!  The track is ‘Distance’ from the album ‘Old Fashioned’ due for full release on January 24th, 2012.  If you are at all familiar with Statz, you will find the new material possibly a bit more refined and even a bit fuller than previous albums.  The album itself is gorgeous, full of lazy prairie folk with a soft edge of good ol’ Americana.  Dig into the FREE DOWNLOAD ‘Distance’ now via Bandcamp HERE.  If that is too much effort, always feel free to listen to the stream via our Yer Bird Records Soundcloud page below.

John Statz – “Distance” by Yer Bird Records

We seriously can’t wait for you to hear the whole album – expect another track to surface in December with the worldwide album release in January.  Damn that seems far away now doesn’t it?

~Smansmith

I don’t know Bry Webb.  I didn’t listen to his previous band The Constantines.

I now know Bry Webb and wonder what removed him from The Constantines.

aaaannyywayy…

The album ‘Provider’ from Webb comes in almost on a different planet (or different time in his life) than his previous material and to my ears this is a welcome thing.  Provider is hushed, subdued but powerful, heartfelt and just plain good.  As I mentioned my unfamiliarity with his full band effort in The Constantines (I mean I heard OF them of course, just didn’t listen TO them), I can’t help but think this guy was long overdue with this album.  Mostly recorded “off the floor” with just the basics to create immense but “simple” songs by the use of only a guitar, stand up bass, lap and pedal steel the result is something I wholeheartedly recommend.

Listen to “Undertaker” from the new album, get “Rivers of Gold” for free download HERE and when you pick up the album take “Zebra” and “Asa” for a long spin.

Undertaker by Idée Fixe Records
Visit Bry Webb on his website and on Idée Fixe Records (purchase)

~Smansmith

p.s.  I guess I would be remiss in not stating that Colin Stetson plays on Undertaker, so it is almost an indie Canadian must have!

Brought to you from the good folks at Crossroads of America – Bro. Stephen is a relatively ‘new’ discovery for me.  Bro. Stephen (Stephen Scott Kirkpatrick) has a brand new 7″ that found its way to me way up in the great white north of Canada, and I am very glad it did.  This limited to 300 vinyl offering brings 3 tracks including the title track “Patrons of the Arts” and two b-sides “The Truth” and “Previous Things”.

If you are reading this about Bro. Stephen and are not here by mistake, you will know that he is bringing his acoustic guitar along for the ride on this release and I have to say it works out for him (and the b-sides are hardly ‘b-sides’ if you know what I mean).  I don’t have any official listening options as currently the release is vinyl only, but I am sure we will see a digital offering soon once all those 7″ copies are snapped up…so get to snapping them up right here.  For now, listen to a YouTube embed for the track below:

And as this is “Artist” of the day and not just “Song” of the day, lets keep on with the sampling, shall we?  How about one of the tracks from the Bro. Stephen contribution to Flannelgraph Records “Laminar Excursion Monthly” series that was one of my best buys last year.  Enjoy “Telephone Two” below.

Aaaand to top it off, how about a “bedroom folk” demo?  Okay, I thought so.  The below is “Where The Ohio” that I found via Last.fm.  Very lo-fi, hushed, short and sweet.  Its good stuff.

“Where To Ohio” – Bro. Stephen

Just so you know, there is an expected full length release in 2012 that will include the first track above “Patrons of the Arts”, but my current recommendation is getting that 7″ as it also includes the 2 b-side exclusive tracks!

Find out more on Crossroads of America and his blog.

~Smansmith

Not too much actually connecting the 3 musicians in this post other than I have been listening and wanted to post on them.

First off, Bryan John Appleby stopped by the folks at I Am Fuel, You Are Friends blog to record a Chapel Session and recorded my favourite track of the new album (take a spin through the sessions and lose your shit).  The BJA track is ‘Noah’s Nameless Wife’ and you can watch/stream it below.

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Also, one of my friends passed on some albums from Mark Wynn out of the UK and I have been enjoying the country twinged folk it has been supplying.  Mark Wynn has a couple of new releases including the album ‘Stories, Rags & Stomps’ – so it plays pretty much the full gambit of this Slowcoustic friendly genre.  Take a swing by his Bandcamp Page to a listen or simply play ‘Sad Stoned (fallin in the street) below:

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Now Ryan Adams has a new album and for the most part all I have read is good things about it.  Don’t get me wrong here, I mean I like it because I feel it is a return to roots sound for him.  I think it is a more thought out album compared to some recent material and despite the guy himself (“honest, I’m quitting music”), he can make a good tune when he needs to.
Do I Wait by ryanadams
I Love You But I Don’t Know What To Say by ryanadams
~

That is all I got for now, but come on, it’s pretty good, no?

~Smansmith

If there is something I appreciate, it is a great sense of instrumentation, harmonies and use of acoustics in my “folk” music selections.  Small Houses (or Jeremy Quentin as the government knows him) includes all these things in his sound.  Quentin has recently been added to our ‘featured videos’ on the front page for a great session of Country Flowers from the new album and this is the official “you should listen to…” post on it.  So then, you know I am a fan of Small Houses and that I think this is a good record.  You should be counting down the days until October 6th.

The album ‘North’ is almost a combination of Small Houses songs that have been in the works for a while because if you follow this Michigan artist, you will see familiar songs titles…all have been reworked and sing anew.  The songs sound a bit more dense, you can dig into them and hear them all over again.  Songs like “Late July” now include crisp piano and pedal/lap steel that really makes all the difference. You have a couple of instrumental tracks and even an upbeat version of “In the Lawn” – which you know has come to be from the energy of live shows.

There is also a plethora of contributions throughout the record from fellow musicians like Chris Bathgate on mandolin, Samantha Crain joining in on vocals and even Phil D’Agostino (of Hezekiah Jones) on bass among numerous others.

Personal favourites include “Late July”, “The Ground, It’s Glass”, “North” and “Country Flowers”, so look out for them when you pick up the record.  So for now enjoy a full track-isting, video from the Small Houses Bridgehouse Session and the title track to the new album below;

1) The First Year After
2) Instrumental #1
3) Country Flowers
4) I and My Maker
5) Late July
6) In the Lawn
7) Instrumental #2
8) Tired and Twenty Cities
9) The Ground It’s Glass
10) North (mp3)

~

Small Houses Bridgehouse Session Pt. 3 (Late July) from Mostly Midwest on Vimeo.

Find more Small Houses: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Purchase Small Houses: iTunes | Bandcamp

Check the CD release shows for you Michigan folks below

MICHIGAN CD RELEASE SHOWS (w/ Paleo):

Oct. 5 – The Local Music Show (Radio) – Ann Arbor, MI
Oct. 6 – The Strutt – Kalamazoo, MI (w/ Paleo, Fiona D, and Gitis Baggs)
Oct. 7 – Scene Metrospace – Lansing, MI (w/ Paleo and Sacred Strays)
Oct. 8 – House Show – Albion, MI (w/Paleo and Reef Theory)
Oct. 9 – Dreamland Theater – Ypsilanti, MI

~Smansmith

South of Lincoln was ‘discovered’ via an innocent recommendation in the forums at AltCountryTab.ca and it wasn’t even directed at me.  Yet, it ended up being meant for me…I know it.  South of Lincoln (or Maxwell Holmquist) is, you guessed it, a singer-songwriter who plays slow and acoustic music for the most part.  Yet, he does it so incredibly well by creating moods and moments that you truly fall inside of.  Small slices of life via acoustic vignette.  Some of these moments are of places you don’t wish on anyone, but in turn many of these cathartic stories set to music are needed by everyone.  It may sound overplayed about a guy with a guitar singing of love and loss – but god damn if you can’t appreciate it when it is done this good.

South of Lincoln is coming out of his shell just now and I only hope to be able to help facilitate more fans of this style of music and this artist in particular.  Do yourself a favour, read an interview below and listen along with some music samples.  Best.  New.  Artist.

~~~Interview with Maxwell Holmquist~~~

With your recording moniker ‘South of Lincoln’ and involvement with Hear Nebraska – how is the area connected to you and your music?

I’ve always been sort of obsessed with place. The name of my first album is “Homes” and I actually spent time deciding between “Home” and “Homes”. I’m interested in the concept of home and where that place is and what it means.

Everything about where I grew up has influenced my writing. I think my nostalgic obsession with the folksy, early-1900’s aesthetic comes from growing up in a tiny, dying Midwestern town (Douglas, Nebraska: Population 250). Time has sort of stopped there and the buildings are snapshots of different periods of the last 100 years. Everything just moves slower there and it’s become a peaceful refuge for me.

I have a tattoo of the outline of Nebraska on the inside of my upper arm. I love this place. It’s full of inspiration in the way of beautiful scenery, rich culture and history and honest, heart-wrenching stories.

Hear Nebraska is working to show everyone that fact: that Nebraska is full of rich culture and that art is being created by multitudes of people across the state in various forms. It’s provided a community and an environment that is ideal for creating.

It hasn’t always been that way, but in the last year I’ve thought a lot about the value of a recording. Should a recording be a representation of what a musician is doing constantly on stages across the country, or should performances be built to represent something that was built in the studio, layer upon layer? The conclusion I came to, for myself at least and for the type of stripped down music I’m playing, was that the value of what I’m doing is in the performance itself. If I can move someone to come to some sort of emotional peak with a performance and the atmosphere of that evening and everything that’s going on at that place and time, both within the listener’s mind and externally, then I’ve accomplished what I hoped to accomplish. I want my recordings to capture that atmosphere and the surroundings. Half of the tracks on my most recent album were recorded to tape in the bathroom of a recording studio, the other half were recorded in the middle of a forest in a park outside of town. I’ll always remember that experience. You can hear the birds in the background of the recording and the setting almost becomes a part of the song.

LoveDrunk Studio, the group that shoots the one-take live videos that are hosted on Hear Nebraska, got me really thinking about the single-take philosophy. I think this combination of audio, video and live performance is something that will be seen more and more.

My earlier songs were all sappy love/heartbreak songs drawn from personal experiences. I needed to get those out of my system. In the last year, I’ve made a shift to writing songs that tell fictional stories or stories that draw loosely from the experiences of people I know or stories I’ve been told by people. I much prefer telling these types of stories.

It’s a strange experience, especially when people you don’t know start recognizing you and opening up to you, telling you that they connected with something you wrote. It’s a really strange feeling when somebody asks you to sign something. I feel like saying, “I would love to sign this when more than 40 people know who I am.” It’s easy to see how musicians at higher levels gain reputations as assholes. I don’t want people to think that I think I’m above signing something. It’s the exact opposite. It feels so odd having strangers talk to you and know who you are and people wanting you to sign something, it doesn’t feel like it should be happening. I don’t feel like I deserve that kind of flattery. Then I realize that it’s not about me and if somebody wants that then I should just do it and thank them for their support.

Nothing in-particular comes to mind. I try to write stories that come to my mind or are dropped in my lap so I think my natural filter would leave out anything that I may think is off-limits for me. I try to avoid being political in my music. There are only a few musicians who I think do it well. David Bazan is one of those. It’s all semi-veiled in his music and it’s done with tact and skill. I don’t know that I can do that so I typically avoid politics and religion in my music unless I can do it without being too obvious.

With record labels going where they are and the business model shifting towards DIY I think ‘singer-songwriters’ are in a good place. Recording costs are low and it’s relatively easy and cheap to put out a fairly high-quality album, especially when it’s just one person with a guitar and a voice. It’s easier to front the money yourself and the benefits of this are that more money goes back into the pocket of the musician when albums are sold. If a solo-musician can manage it, it’s the best way to do it. It takes a lot of work off state, outside of writing and performing music, but I think there hasn’t been a better time to be performing as a solo musician.

I also think the singer-songwriter/solo musician situation lends itself well to folk music. With the folk/alt. folk movement that has been building over the past decade or so it’s the perfect climate for someone to perform as a singer-songwriter.

It definitely takes a lot of work and can seem a bit lonely, but it’s a lot easier to manage one person and make decisions when you’re making those decisions for yourself.

In high school I sang in what I would call a butt-rock band. I wasn’t always into fantastic music and definitely have some albums that are probably hiding in a box somewhere at my parents’ house. I listened to a lot of my brother’s albums growing up: R.E.M.’s “Monster”, Soundgarden’s “Superunknown”, Sublime, etc. When I was about 16 I got the Garden State soundtrack and got really into Iron & Wine. That was the beginning of my love for alt. folk. Over the next few years I was introduced to David Bazan, Damien Jurado, Will Johnson, Two Gallants, Neko Case, Andrew Bird, Mason Jennings and the sort. They became the soundtrack to every long drive through the country to the house where I grew up. Folk music became synonymous with the nostalgia that I feel for all of the great experiences I had growing up in a small, not-quite-ghost-town.

I’ve been performing in bars since I was 16 so it’s hard to imagine anything else. I have a degree in English and really enjoy writing. If I had to set down the guitar I would be content writing copy in pretty much any capacity, but I also can’t imagine having to stop playing music. I suppose my real passion is my family and my friends, but they’re already my passion side-by-side with my music.

This is really all I want to do. I don’t want to get rich. I just want to pay my college loans and feed myself. I want people to hear my music and enjoy it. I want the experience of traveling far from home and being able to sing to a crowd of strangers who appreciate what I’m doing. I want to connect with all of these people.

As far as folk/folkish music goes: Manny Coon, Smith’s Cloud, It’s True/Adam Hawkins, Betsy Wells, Daniel Dorner, Orion Walsh, Kill County, The Amalgamators, The Mezcal Brothers, Bonehart Flannigan, The Betties and probably a bunch more I’m missing.

For non-folk, other amazing bands: Conduits, Masses, Dim Light, Nick Westra, The Machete Archive, and again, probably a bunch more that I’m missing.

Lincoln and Omaha have both provided and continue to provide so many amazing musicians.

Man, Pt. I by South of Lincoln

~~~

Find more on South of Lincoln: Facebook | Bandcamp | MySpace | Hear Nebraska | Twitter
Purchase South of Lincoln: iTunes | Bandcamp (all releases are ‘pay what you want’!!)

~Smansmith

Yesterday I was tweeting with Greg over at Captains Dead (yes, grown ass men tweet like they are 14 year old girls on an unlimited texting plan….no offense to 14 year old girls intended) and realized that this Mount Moriah band are pretty much kick ass.  But I digress…

Mount Moriah’s latest full length album is a 8 track self titled affair that was released earlier this year in April.  While it took me a couple months to really catch on to it, it has in turn really caught hold of me.  Now, with the August 30th release of a collection of live tracks, this band is creeping up my favourite new bands of 2011 list as well.  I did post earlier on the pretty damn awesome video for “Old Gowns” here, but with that song easily being a Slowcoustic favourite it doesn’t speak to the full sound of Mount Moriah.  This new live 6 track recording from last December is what I feel Mount Moriah ‘really sound like’.  They are a bit rock, a bit shoe-gazey and as you would expect on this blog, they have a touch of folk…if not only in the selection of some instruments as opposed to overall sound.  Its quite refreshing for me to listen to more of a full band album once and a while and this year’s releases from Mount Moriah are two of my favourites.

Listen to a couple of tracks;

And a bonus, here is a video I found late last night from an on air performance from Minnesota Public Radio’s 89.3 The Current.

The new “Live at Local 506″ is available for $4.00 at their Bandcamp page HERE – please swing by and pick up a copy.

Visit Mount Moriah: Website | Facebook | Bandcamp |

~Smansmith

I think the title of the post precludes what is happening on this post.  So let’s get on with it.

Brand new video for Dolorean’s “Black Hills Gold” premiered yesterday on IFC.  There is a whole backstory with the video in a way mirroring the life of Dennis Wilson (of the Beach Boys).  Check it out below.

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Next we have William Elliott Whitmore’s homage to the American Farm worker and title track to his latest album ‘Field Songs’.  I actually didn’t know this official video even existed until I saw it over on Common Folk Music yesterday (see here).  It even put me over the edge and I finally ordered the vinyl (and t-shirt) from the WEW online store.  Well worth it.  Watch the video below and don’t miss the money shot for the last 12 seconds.

There you have your video Thursday.  Both songs above are included in my ‘Favourite Albums of 2011′ at this point…and the year is running out of time for anyone to have the chance to push ‘em out.

Visit Dolorean on their website.
Visit William Elliott Whitmore on his website.

~Smansmith

Today’s song & video of the day came out of nowhere, but from a familiar place – always nice when that happens.  Creeping on music forums is one of the best ways to find music – you tend to get a lot of suggestions and the people tend to know what they are talking about.  Then, I look into it and I find a video via the good folks at Love Drunk Studios (where I first ‘saw’ the band Kill County – another winner in this category).  The song is “Man Pt. 1″ from the one man band ‘South of Lincoln’.

On a side note, I actually drove through Lincoln on my honeymoon road trip and both me and my wife felt that it was the type of place we would love to live in.  Albeit from the 20 minutes in downtown getting coffee to the small divey motel on the outskirts of the town – we had it all figured out & decided!  I guess we now have more reason to revisit that plan of moving a bit further south…

Aaaaaaannnnyyyywaaaayy, this song of the day gets double treatment with audio and video – this is a good thing as well because you get the more produced version in the Soundcloud stream below and then you get a great fully acoustic version via the video.  This one man band is made up of the talented Max Holmquist who brings an ease of creating music that instantly creates a connection – you have to immediately enjoy the stark honesty and harmony that is provided in spades.  The sound can be described as a modern day storytelling folk country troubadour (I tried to fit in more words but it just got out of hand) and by his own admission gives influences of Neko Case, Damien Jurado & M. Ward – pretty good models to hone your craft if I had to say.  As I have literally just started listening to the album I can’t really make full observation on the early 2011 release, but from what I have heard – it is sounding frickin’ good.

South of Lincoln has a new EP that was just released called “The Monsters/Bathroom Sessions” but I can’t really find anything on it…so if anyone wants to point me in the direction to a purchase, I would be much appreciated!!

Please take a moment, listen, fall in love with it and then swing by the good folks at Hear Nebraska for more information and ‘Like’ him on his Facebook page to show your support for great music.  You can pick up the ‘Homes’ album via iTunes by clicking HERE.

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Man, Pt. I by South of Lincoln
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South of Lincoln: Man Pt. 1 from Love Drunk on Vimeo.

~

EDIT: The Monsters/Bathrooom Sessions on iTunes!!

~Smansmith

Bryan John Appleby’s new album “Fire on the Vine” was released today via his Bandcamp page and I have just started listening and it is fantastic.  While I just heard this song performed live from over on the Sound on the Sound blog – the studio/album version of “Noah’s Nameless Wife” is just stunning.  It is your song of the day.

~~

The song is a classic pining singer songwriter lament with acoustic guitar over waning strings and Appleby’s steadfast vocals.  This is some great Slowcoustic-ness here folks.  Take a listen and swing by his Bandcamp page HERE to pick up a copy of ‘Fire on the Vine’.

Those of you in or around the Seattle area can head out tomorrow for the album release show at Columbia City Theater – info: Facebook | Tickets

~Smansmith

Happy go lucky dog enthusiasts The Black Atlantic have essentially premiered two new songs from an upcoming release via the Kapelsessies.nl video series.  Gone is the tip toeing through the fields here folks, we get a possible movement in what could have been the slower folkier sound of previous TBA – noticed especially in Lead Geert van der Velde’s vocals at least – there is new energy in these songs!  I am very excited to see what comes of the new material – it seems like the sound is growing, but not too fast as to leave any current fans behind.

Enjoy the tracks “Darkling, I Listen” and “The Flooded Road” followed up with a return to their Reverence For Fallen Trees album with the track “Heirloom“.

Kapelsessies: The Black Atlantic from Kapelsessies Gelderland on Vimeo.

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Just in case you don’t make it the entire way to the end of the video, find the track Heirloom (mp3) for your listening pleasure!

Find The Black Atlantic: Website, Facebook, MySpace and follow them on Twitter.

~Smansmith

• Today is the release of William Elliott Whitmore’s “Field Songs” over on Anti Records.  If you enjoy your music on the rootsy side, banjo side and the folk country side – then this album is a no brainer.  The songs of Whitmore can be at times a tad too ‘raucous crooner’ but it is almost like he is taking a moment to breathe and the music is both powerful, a bit gritty and a worthy listen.  The vocals of Whitmore are perfect for this mid tempo folk country and they just hit the spot soo much on this album – his patented twang and warble just damn work on Field Songs!!
  William Elliott Whitmore – Everything Gets Gone by antirecords
• 
  
• Brett Detar recently released a video of himself attempting a cover song.  And by ‘attempting’, he did a fantastic job.  Watch him covering a classic in the form of Townes Van Zandt’s ‘Waiting Around to Die’ below:
  
  
• And for one of the best deals in town right now, you gotta swing by Ondarock to pick up the latest compilation, One Way Ticket to Nowhere.  This one is based on their ‘Outlaw’ series where artists cover an outlaw country/folk artist.  It is 2CDs worth of tracks from folks like Great Lake Swimmers, Chris Kasper, Caleb Coy and The Sumner Brothers (among many, many others).  Oh, did I mention it was completely FREE?  Yeah, so what are you waiting for?
• Keep your eye on that Adult Swim “2011 Singles Club” thingy as I believe that track from The Tallest Man on Earth is being released as a free download today sometime as well.  The page for the current and upcoming tracks is right here.  For now, stream ‘Weather of a Killing Kind’ below:
  

That is all I have for now, hope you enjoy it all!

~Smansmith

Huge fan of the Baltimore based band Small Sur at Slowcoustic HQ, and hearing a couple of months back about the new album, Tones, I was very excited.  After listening for a little bit now and it finding a release on this very Tuesday, I have to say that this is one of the best albums of the year my friends.

Tones, a title taken from the song from the previous full length album We Live In Houses Made of Wood, is a perfect title for a Small Sur album and this one in particular.  The music created by Bob Keal with the help of Austin Stahl and Andy Abelow is layered, melodic and constantly unfolding.  You will hear new sounds melding into each other almost each time you hear it – headphones really bring this album alive.   While the album is definitely a slower affair, it is almost thick…what I mean is you simply dip a toe in and it encompasses any part of you and you want to just be inside it.  Outside of bizarre images you may be dreaming up in your head, know that the album is one that you truly fall into – it might be the incredible amount of instrumentation used on Tones that really kicks it up a notch.  The album is at its heart an acoustic project, but it is also soo much more – there are layers of strings, wind instruments and Keal’s ever present warming vocals to hold it all together.

Songs like ‘The Woods’ are absolutely stunning – backing “woos” and the molasses slow tempo almost makes you start swaying immediately.  Whether you think the woods are actual woods or your one true love – the song fits the sentiment and starts to fuse with you from the first lamented lyric.  Truly one of the better stand alone songs of 2011 in my opinion.

Another song I wanted to feature is the track written for Bob Keal’s home state of South Dakota – an homage to the rural life and the past that is in all of us.  What I think is an Oboe fits the bill so perfectly – not an instrument that one automatically thinks of, but the waning, aching tones creates the longing we might feel for ‘home’.

I can’t recommend this album enough.  Hell, I can’t recommend the previous EP “Bare Black” and the amazing “We Live In Houses Made of Wood” which holds one of my all time favourite songs, The Kelp.   Whether you are feeling blue and needed an album to be there with you or whether you simply feel like listening to an album that you can really connect to, this one is it.  Please swing by the Small Sur Bandcamp page HERE to pick up a copy of the album today!

You can follow Small Sur on Facebook and Twitter if you wish as well.  When you get a chance, visit their Tumblr page for all things Small Sur like videos, info and updates.

Also, don’t miss the upcoming shows as the crew are currently on tour in the NE of the US!  Dates are all HERE.  Shows include Slowcoustic friends, Conrad Plymouth, The Singleman Affair, Annie Palmer and Micah Blue Smaldone.  Damn, these guys know who to play with – always a great collection of folks at the shows.

There you have it, best new music – Small Sur, “Tones“.

~Smansmith

When you lay out the music that swings through the numerous channels here at Slowcoustic it can be overwhelming.  But you splay it all out and you pick a few things that catch your ear for one of many reasons.  So, this is simply a post to provide a few things that I thought you all might enjoy as my Slowcousticals.  Enjoy some Canadiana.

Canada has been impressing me lately, what with the Polaris Prize nominations and such.  And to show some love back to the fact that Frederick Squire made the long list (here we come short list!!) I have to pass on some of his newer magic.  Also, as not all things Slowcoustic and Canadian get to be soo lucky, I think they also need some singling out as sometimes it isn’t all about awards but just about good music as well.  So it is time to pass on some love for Canada (please, no Vancouver riot jokes, please..).

~

While this is the brand new FS (not the currently nominated Polaris Prize Long Lister – see some love for it here) it is once again proving that he is going to be one of my all time favourites very soon.  Like by this afternoon.  Whatever.  The new album was recorded a little while ago with a sparse arrangements of instruments and recording equipment…just the way I like it.  The result is a stunningly beautiful collection of forgiveness laments.  Not always warm and fuzzy when it comes to songwriting with Squire – but he always seems to find the beauty in the ugly moments and possibly assists in having them more acceptable and then to the listeners, empathy.  Highly recommended.  Recommended highly.  See a bit more information here.

UPDATE: Purchase the album at Zunior HERE.

“All Things Past Serve To Guide You On Your Way” – Frederick Squire
from Frederick Squire Sings Shenandoah and Other Popular Hits (2011, Blue Fog Recordings)

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The Bravest Ghost is more of the younger singer songwriter crowd emerging from Canada and I like what I am hearing.  Sean Craib-Petkau brings finger picking acoustics, atmospheric backgrounds and a voice beyond his days.  There is a new album on the way entitled Nicotine Hymns, but for now, please swing by and pick up the excellent Nicotine Hymns Demos on his Bandcamp page.  For now, watch and listen to a track from his ‘I Left Home’ album that is you all can grab for FREE RIGHT HERE.

The Bravest Ghost – Northline from Emily Kohlert on Vimeo.

Mp3: “North Line” – The Bravest Ghost, from 2010′s “I Life Home” (Self-Released)

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Another regular around these parts who also finds himself in the up and comer category of Canadian singer-songwriter folk types is The Mountains & The Trees.  TM&TT is the moniker of Jon Janes who hails from a much more Easterly location in this fair county than I.  Regardless of the distance, he creates true indie folk tunes that you can’t deny.  Sometimes a bit quirky, sometimes a bit heartbreaking and all around a great listen.  I have included a track that is currently unreleased but will most likely find a home on a new release by the end of the year.  Need to know more?  Please sign up for his mailing list here (to get treats like the below track) and find him via his website.

“Carry On” – The Mountains & The Trees

Swing by iTunes for more TM&TT here.

]]> http://slowcoustic.com/2011/06/18/saturday-grab-bag-with-frederick-squire-the-bravest-ghost-and-the-mountains-the-trees/feed/ 4 http://slowcoustic.com/2011/05/25/new-old-recommendations-via-bandcamp-puzzle-muteson-white-pines/ http://slowcoustic.com/2011/05/25/new-old-recommendations-via-bandcamp-puzzle-muteson-white-pines/#comments Wed, 25 May 2011 13:56:32 +0000 slowcoustic http://slowcoustic.com/?p=6042 Today I am showing some love for Bandcamp as the defacto music hub for new and emerging artists.  Two artists featured, one with an album so new it is actually a pre-order and one that is a favourite from a couple of years back.  Let’s start!

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“En Garde” is the new album from Puzzle Muteson via Bedroom Community.  I purchased yesterday (pre-order gets you the download immediately) already knowing this album would be good and so far it is not disappointing.   The songs are lullabyes, floating in and out with fragile and almost tentative vocals.  It would be redundant to say it is beautiful music – but know it is pensive and expansive beauty as opposed to strikingly stark beauty.  This album is has warmth in its songs and thoughtful arrangements.  Nico Muhly and Valgeir Sigurðsson joined in for the creation of the album alongside the music/lyrics of Terry Magson and they have created one stunning collection of songs.  I think the title track of “En Garde” could be one of my favourite songs for the year…

Listen to a couple of the Bandcamp streams below:

Find more, pre-order and visit Puzzle Muteson via the Bandcamp page and Bedroom Community.

~~~

Next we have an EP from good friend Joseph Scott aka White Pines.  In all transparency, our record label Yer Bird Records put out his debut full length album ‘The Falls’ late last year but this is his EP prior.  The EP is “A Face Made of Wood” and before I really knew Scott and worked with him, I had this album in my top 3 EPs for the year in 2009 (see here) and it still stands up.

Actually I can credit Mostly Midwest (follow them) for reminding me via one of their tweets about this EP the other day.  What is also great is that this fantastic acoustic, roots infused folk EP is available for FREE!  Yes, one of the best EPs in the last few years is a free download and I can’t recommend it enough.  Listen to a couple of tracks and then head over and download the 5 track EP immediately!

Find out more, visit and follow White Pines on the Bandcamp Page, Yer Bird Records Page and Twitter.

There you have it, two fantastic albums via Bandcamp – one more dreamy folk and one more guitar/roots folk – what else do you need?

~Smansmith

Tyler Butler is creating slowed down folky soundscapes from the city of champions, Edmonton.  Sometimes I find myself scouring the US and Europe for music and end up finding some of the best stuff right in my own backyard.  Figures.

Tyler has recently released his latest album ‘Winter King’ on OLD UGLY Recording Co and while I am just getting into this stripped down acoustic album, it is truly impressing.  Winter King was created to infuse ‘Winter Mythology’ with ‘Complex & Controlled Poetry’.  What I take from this is that the album brings stories melded into songs that make you fall deep into them and you also get lost in the fantastic tales themselves.  Butler indicates that the album has come out of the exploration of social and personal life experienced over the long dark Edmonton winter.  Something I am not totally unfamiliar with and as an analogy, I have to say it rings true.  When days are short, bleak and isolating one can come out with clarity and even more so, great music.  Sample one:

With comparisons to true singer songwriters like J. Tillman, Will Oldham and Bon Iver – you get an impression of a down trodden but musically driven person.  While many dismiss lo-fi or minimal sounding music, this is where ‘real’ music lives for me – in the quiet moments of a song between versus, audible finger slides on strings and slight whispers that an artist mutters to themselves.  Butler brings you inside his world, sits you down next to him and he sings to you and not at you.  Listen in headphones to catch it all, it is truly worth your time.  Sample two:

The new album “Winter King” is now out via his Bandcamp page HERE and while perusing you can catch his live performance on CJSR for a pay-at-your-own-risk download (re: free if you wish) that is also a must.  Take the time, tell your friends and slow down for a moment.

~Smansmith

P.S.  Bonus track: “Morana (Live at CJSR)” – Tyler Butler.  Studio version on “Winter King”.

What can be said about this album that hasn’t been said and you have already heard?  If you are at least remotely interested in country, Americana, folk music in 2011, you have most likely already read and heard of Josh T. Pearson and his album “Last of the Country Gentlemen”.  A simple yet soo complex you can’t even delve into it album from a man creating a masterpiece.  Dramatic?  Yes.  That is what this album is essentially.  Its soo tortured, slow, hushed, hurt and haunting that you are left in turn feeling like it is dramatically beautiful and immense.  Last of the Country Gentlemen, best album of the year?  Yes.

03 Woman When I’ve Raised Hell by joshtpearson

Okay, getting worked up about an album released in March as the album of the year before hearing even half of what is released in 2011 is kinda my style…  To be fair, I will wait to officially make my decision in about 6 months but one needs to think that this album has the legs that very few other albums have had lately.  Don’t believe me?  Listen:

02 Country Dumb (Piano Version) by joshtpearson

So while I am not going to ‘review’ the album as you already know I love it, thus I am not an objective observer on the weight this album holds but I thought I might quote from a friend of mine.  The friend is Morgan King who I have known for a while now (and he is the original owner of Yer Bird Records that I now run – so you know we are on the same page) and he writes things as they should be.  While I strain to provide this album with proper prose, I am going to quote from Morgan on a review he did on his ‘Rate Your Music’ account.

“A massive, intimate triumph of an album. Certainly not for those with a short attention span, and in many ways not even for old fans of Lift to Experience, as this trades in the bombast of that record for something stripped bare of arena rock trappings, focusing on the core of self-doubt and the sheer hell of living with yourself that has permeated Pearson’s limited recorded output. Pearson’s sprawling free-folk narratives are laced with heady imagery and wry humor – with the backing of Warren Ellis’s always-gorgeous strings – create a broad tapestry of tragedy, remorse and recurring meditations on the sheer terror that comes with responsibility.”

Yes, I agree with this overview – it can be an album that is lost on some while those that actually ‘find’ it, discover it.  Morgan is writing the words that fail to fall from my fingertips when listening to this album.  But it doesn’t stop there.

“This is an extremely masculine, barely repentant, full-on Id album – limp-wristed scarf-wearing indie-pop fans need not apply, at least not until they’ve lived long enough to have experienced being bitterly divorced, being a righteous bastard, or had to shake off the morning DTs with a shot of bourbon while you’re still sitting on the toilet. Or, put another way, imagine if Leonard Cohen was a shit-kicking Texas drunk instead of an effete NYC martini-sipper and you’re getting pretty close. It’s highly unlikely 2011 will produce a more unique or compelling record.”

I personally think one thing that really hits home about the above quote is that this album IS extremely masculine – and outside of “boys don’t cry” mentality, this is another facet of the album’s raw appeal.  While Leonard Cohen fans may not like the comparison, I don’t think it is unwarranted – in relation to this album at least.   At this point, after all the many reviews on the album (mostly very positive except for the one glaringly obvious one at a certain music website) I have nothing other to say than this album is one that I will hold onto for a while and for good reason.  Give it a chance, you might see the light via his darkness.

Sweetheart I Ain’t Your Christ (piano version with Dustin O’Halloran) by joshtpearson

Find JTP:

~Smansmith

P.S. remember to get the vinyl version of the album as it includes the non CD track “Last of the Country Gentlemen”.
P.P.S. You might also know Morgan King as the one responsible for the original story in the Strand of Oaks Vinyl album.  The story that ties all songs from the album into one surreal tale…check it out if you can!

Just a set of quick hitters today as I prepare for a busy day of avoiding my wife’s obsession of the Royal Wedding.  ;-)

I thought I would post a track from each of the bands mentioned above as they either have a new album, I have been listening more than normal or both.  Let’s be honest, it is probably both.  Firstly, Arborea has a new album out!
Arborea
“Careless Love” (mp3)
from “Red Planet”
(Strange Attractors Audio House)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at Amazon MP3
More On This Album
Arborea have been around the Slowcoustic HQ for a while now and if you have a hankering for almost other-worldly atmospheric folk, then you need not go any further.  With crushingly beautiful vocals from Shanti Curran and the arrangement of partner Buck Curran, you can’t go wrong with a lush soundscape created from the duo.  Check out the lead off track “Careless Love” above.

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Okay, I just posted on Kill County but I have really started listening and this album is blowing up for me.  I have a bit of a soft spot for down on your luck country and whether or not the subject matter matches, the album “The Year of Getting By” just hits that damn spot.  I actually ordered the vinyl album as I love that hand screened artwork as well (from doe-eyed design) – can’t wait to spin this album!   Listen to the absolutely killer “Western Town” below (free download on their bandcamp page).

~

Next we have a regular around these parts in Chris Bathgate.  He is just finishing up his Salt Year Michigan tour after releasing his album this past week – and it was well worth the multi year wait.  See our post on it earlier this week here.  I wanted to post again as the album ‘officially’ has 11 tracks, but if you purchase from his store (here) you get two additional bonus tracks and they just cap off this album with the slowed down beauty that it deserves.  Both the tracks “Holy Storm” and “Strawflower’s Waltz” deserve their time and hence you should pick up the album already!  Listen to Holy Storm below:

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Lastly we have Joel P West, or as you might know him, that lead singer guy from The Tree Ring.  Well, I was introduced to the Tree Ring for their amazing track “Wore it Deep” from their Generous Shadows album (see our post here).  Well, I take direction well so when a reader posted in the comments to look into Joel P West, I did and found his ‘Dust Jacket’ album/project and wanted to share a track from it that has been soundtracking my commute for a full week – picture me in traffic singing this song aloud…yes, when songs are this catchy you can’t not sing aloud to it.  Listen to the song below:

“28th & NE Davis” by Joel P West (Full Album on Bandcamp)
(original information about the ‘sharing’ project)

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There you have a quick hitters for this Friday – enjoy, pass it along and visit the artists!

~Smansmith

p.s.  What did ya think of the Bruce Lee ‘Quick Hitter’ reference…dude was kinda quick….I guess…

Today sees the release of an album that has been long in the making and heavy in the expectations.  Folks, Chris Bathgate’s “Salt Year” exceeds expectations and makes the wait seem trivial.  Yes, Slowcoustic loves this album.

As you probably already know, I am a huge fan of this Michigan artist (as you can see from the top right of this page, Mr. Bathgate is a ‘Slowcoustic Essential’).  As you also probably know, his new album drops today and folks it is a must-buy.  The album has 11 tracks officially (2 bonus tracks from the bandcamp/chrisbathgate.org page only) and essentially there is not a weak track among them.  If I had to describe the music, I would say it was Michigan Folk – but that doesn’t mean anything to a lot of you as it is my personal take.  Chris Bathgate was the first artist I truly connected a location with for some reason and his combination of strings, horns and vocal delivery just say Michigan to me now.  The sound is almost rock-a-billy at half speed, it is horns with piano, it is electric guitar played like acoustic and Bathgate’s ebb and flow delivery.  Kills me every time.

I think it is the combination of everything in these songs that make it sounds soo natural, you wonder why every band doesn’t combine horns with electric guitar and banjo!  The album has a mix of outright ballads (Salt Year, Poor Eliza, Fur Curled on the Sad Road) along with more upbeat tracks that flex a bit of the rousing live show he is known for (No Silver, Levee, In the City).   The album is described by Quite Scientific (Bathgate’s label) as “…his most beautifully bruised work to date” and I think this is a perfect description of the album.  It is not a light affair in anyway – but while being personal and about love lost and realization of how you loved it isn’t necessarily tears in your bear music.  This is music that knows of hurt, but isn’t afraid to confront it and come out the other side.

For a bit of scope, take the description of the term Salt Year itself to get an idea of the overall theme of this record:

Salt Year:

a. A song about seeing a person you were once in love with, and are no longer in love with, after not seeing them for a very long time.
b. (“The Salt Year”) roughly Sept 2008 to Sept 2010
c. An album about Love versus Time.

The listener fells like Bathgate is caught between wanting a somber affair and having to go through catharsis – this helps the album as while it is a down-tempo album overall, it chooses it’s moments to bombard you with it’s own power.  Like the above indication of Bathgate’s ‘ebb & flow’ vocals, his song-crafting does just the same.  You will be taken along, eased down with calming vocals and delicate acoustics and then thrust upward with full band to embrace the song before falling back into itself once again.  Songs like Levee, Eliza and Own Design really feature this style of his.

As I can fall short on flowery descriptions to describe the music as it deserves to be described, let’s just leave it at me not being able to recommend this album enough.  It has the chops to stand and deliver with the best of them and has some of the most poignant ballads around, the one-two punch as it seems.  This one is a must, Best New Music.

Chris Bathgate : Bridgehouse Session Pt. 2 (Poor Eliza) from Mostly Midwest on Vimeo.

Pick up this album via the Chris Bathgate Store

Find our more on everything Salt Year on the newly launched website

~Smansmith

Today sees the local release of Samantha Savage Smith’s “Tough Cookie”, and I think this is one of the most anticipated local albums in a long while.  I think this statement can’t be more true after a few listens (I admittedly have only listen 3 or 4 times) – the album travels generations and genres in the span of 49 minutes.

While many around the world are highly anticipating Calgary albums from artists like Chad VanGaalen and Women, they are going to need to start to share the world stage soon.  The album “Tough Cookie” has been in the making for some time, but songs have been circling for a while during the finalization of this album.  The songs below from her Bandcamp page just might not be the actual versions as the final album feels a bit more polished all around.  There are the classics I have been listening to for a couple of years (The Fight) and some that I have been listening to on a regular basis for at least 6 months (albeit without the final touches).

The album is immense, loud & a bit brash at times, then soft and soothing the next.  This 24 year old has put together songs that still connect while being diverse and I find each song can even stand alone in texture and feel…as they each glide through our Rocky Mountain air.  Don’t worry, non-Calgarians will also agree, that voice can’t be stopped by any location.  That leads me to something that often is the focal point of many overviews of Savage Smith and I won’t deny that I sometimes feel a bit dated saying it.  But now that I have been listening for a while, it really can’t be denied.  The voice of this woman is soo distinct & powerful it would be a shame to overlook the obviousness of it due to it being so, well…fantastic.  Her deep and powerful (almost out of body) vocals polish off all of these songs, it is the sometimes missing instrument in almost any other band.  Her voice sounds older than her 24 years on this earth could even possibly ever have hoped to have created.   It reaches back to classic crooners in smokey cabarets…albeit as long as those cabarets had a little bit of bite.

I admit I find myself almost partial to SSS…maybe because she is local, but it might be because she seems like such a great individual.  After seeing her perform 3 times last summer at the Calgary Folk Fest, as well as sitting down with her to talk to her a bit, she seems like such a down to earth person…except she is creating this immense and catchy music on the side.  So, please ignore any fawning, the album is good and not just getting the local shine.

Slowcousticals can enjoy songs like You Always Come To Mind, Devilman, The Fight & Good of Goodbyes.  For a bit of down tempo/summer pop, you can enjoy a song like 1000 days or The Hats.  Overall the album seems a bit gritty, at 3/4 speed and I dare say a bit sexy in a late night whiskey induced nightclub sort of way.  The album, not unlike Samantha Savage Smith is more than a little bit intoxicating.

The album really took off into becoming reality after local staple Lorrie Matheson (visit) started listening to some of the many demos from Savage Smith.  She was getting a bit of a well deserved buzz in the local scene and Matheson heard the potential immediately.  The album was completed in late 2010 and found the backing crew of Chris Dadge, Scott Munro and Brooker Buckingham (who have lent their talents to recordings and live shows by Chad VanGaalen, Rae Spoon, Ghostkeeper, Fake Cops and Woodpigeon).

Listen to a couple of tracks below:

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**The album gets it’s local release TONIGHT at The Palomino Club (see here) and you will even get to hear another local hero on the bill, SAVK (see a quick post on him here).  This is truly a great line up of local talent and you will even get a chance to purchase the new album at the show!  Unfortunately at the moment I only know of her Bandcamp to purchase the album or individual tracks, but hopefully that will expand very soon!

UPDATE: Locals can purchase the new CD here in Calgary at Hot Wax, Sloth Records and Melodiya and if you are not local, you can email me and I can pass on the information about ordering direct (PayPal required & $15.00 which includes shipping worldwide).  <— get on it!

Please visit Samantha Savage Smith on her Bandcamp Page & MySpace page.

~Smansmith

p.s.  Bonus video that I LOVE from the good folks at Shot At The Dark:

SHOT AT THE DARK – Samantha Savage from Shot at The Dark on Vimeo.

Our own Hezekiah Jones is featured in the “Shaking Through” series today – with an original piece “Borrowed Heart”.

Shaking Through is a chapter of Weathervane Music and they provide curated sessions for both local independent Philadelphia area artists as well as numerous worldwide acts & musicians – and this one is a doozey!  Hezekiah Jones performs the track Borrowed Heart that is not only a great track but it has a bit of a interesting fact – it completely syncs with part of the classic 1935 film “The Bride of Frankenstein”!  Huh?  Yeah, the Bride of Frankenstein.  Before you start thinking of cryptic images and gothic sounds – remember, the movie is essentially a love story and that is where Borrowed Heart comes in.

The song is a classic Raphael Cutrufello performance (the universal center of what is Hezekiah Jones) but we also find featured artists like Kiley Ryan and the regulars like Philip D’Agostino & Brad Hinton to bring more of the ‘Jones’” to the forefront.  Andrew Lipke (who also was a force involved with the recent Hezekiah Jones album) found himself also immersed with the Joneses – this truly is a family affair.  With session producer Brian McTear and Engineer Jon Low there is a cohesiveness to the troupe that is Hezekiah Jones and I know I have talked to Cutrufello about the scenario of his music as the soundtrack to the movie…now it is beginning to become a reality.  This is a phenomenal video insight into the creation of the song and become infused with the creative process behind “Borrowed Heart” – watch below.

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Shaking Through: Hezekiah Jones from Weathervane Music on Vimeo.

A bit on this particular project as an overview:

Curated by Bruce Warren of WXPN, Volume 2 Episode 4 features Hezekiah Jones, a collection of Philadelphia-area artists orbiting around the songwriting talents of one Raphael Cutrufello. Raph and company recorded “Borrowed Heart” over the course of a two-day recording session-a timeless and hauntingly beautiful song that syncs exactly with a scene from the 1935 classic, Bride of Frankenstein.

Take a moment to find out more about the project on http://www.shakingthrough.com/

~Smansmith

]]> http://slowcoustic.com/2011/04/19/hezekiah-jones-featured-in-shaking-through-vol-2-ep-4-video-and-free-mp3-for-all/feed/ 0 http://slowcoustic.com/2011/04/15/song-of-the-week-goodbye-steve-earle-cover-by-ryan-tanner/ http://slowcoustic.com/2011/04/15/song-of-the-week-goodbye-steve-earle-cover-by-ryan-tanner/#comments Fri, 15 Apr 2011 13:52:55 +0000 slowcoustic http://slowcoustic.com/?p=5925

This song has been on constant repeat at Slowcoustic HQ.  Why?  Because it is absolutely stunning.  I am not overly familiar with the original but I fear that I might prefer the cover…is that really so wrong?

Well it might be wrong if you ask Ryan Tanner due to Steve Earle figuring predominantly in the “hero” category around Ryan Tanner HQ.  Well, we agree to disagree on the immensely powerful cover of “Goodbye” performed here.  While I have heard some live versions of the song by Steve Earle back in the day, they are also damn good (and possibly with a bit more twang than Tanner provides) but I stand strong with the fact that this song can stand on its own.  That is really all you can ask for a cover/tribute song – that it stands on its own.  Ryan Tanner’s “Goodbye” stands taller than most.

I recommend you start keeping an eye on this award winning songwriter’s solo persona (he was formerly in the band Atherton who enjoyed their fair share of notability).  While he is new to me, I plan on listening to him as much as possible – new album is due this year, which is great news.

Best new find in my book.  The new find, once again, brought to me from Adrian (my web brother) from I Pick My Nose Blog – cheers Adrian.  Let’s listen to the song that started this ramble.

“Goodbye (Steve Earle Cover)” – Ryan Tanner

Find more on Ryan Tanner on his Website, Twitter and his blog!

~Smansmith

*All photos on this post by Jed Wells

]]> http://slowcoustic.com/2011/04/15/song-of-the-week-goodbye-steve-earle-cover-by-ryan-tanner/feed/ 2 http://slowcoustic.com/2011/04/13/toby-burke-returns-with-new-album-mexico-city/ http://slowcoustic.com/2011/04/13/toby-burke-returns-with-new-album-mexico-city/#comments Wed, 13 Apr 2011 14:00:44 +0000 slowcoustic http://slowcoustic.com/?p=5920

Always a sucker for a raw and down trodden sound, I was pleasantly surprised to find the new album from Toby Burke that he released on his label earlier this year.  Recommended to me from the good folks over at Quit Mumbling (see their post here) while we were having a “twitter convo” in regards to the new Josh T. Pearson album.  A rather successful recommendation in my books and brought Burke back into my daily listening.

While we shouldn’t compare Mexico City directly to Pearson’s Last of the Country Gentlemen it does share a feel, an aura and leaves an impression that one would consider familiar.  One feels like they have experienced something after listening – it’s hard to find a “single”, it’s hard to listen to a song and move along, it needs to breathe and play completely.  The album Mexico City was recorded in, you guessed it, Mexico City – but done old school in mono and using natural echo that helps create this overall impression when listening to it as a whole. It creaks, its ebbs and flows while still holding the listener close.

While I know Toby Burke from his ‘other band’ Horse Stories, this album recorded under his given name might be more representative of the artist…as an artist.  While I am familiar with Horse Stories, I am thinking that that moniker is meant for the indie-melancholy (which is another favourite – check out the November, November or Everyone’s a Photographer albums) this one seems more for the sad bastard troubadour in all of us.  Recommended listening.

“Cantina Crawl” – Toby Burke, from 2011′s ‘Mexico City’
(stream the entire album from his site)

Watch probably my favourite song (so far) of the album, “Sentimental Fools”;

Visit Toby Burke on his Website and Facebook.
Purchase via his store or find those Horse Stories albums via this store.

~Smansmith

]]> http://slowcoustic.com/2011/04/13/toby-burke-returns-with-new-album-mexico-city/feed/ 0 http://slowcoustic.com/2011/04/09/video-and-song-of-the-day-wore-it-deep-by-the-tree-ring/ http://slowcoustic.com/2011/04/09/video-and-song-of-the-day-wore-it-deep-by-the-tree-ring/#comments Sat, 09 Apr 2011 17:09:08 +0000 slowcoustic http://slowcoustic.com/?p=5911

I get a lot musical recommendations on a daily basis.  Honestly at least 60% of them are just that, a musical recommendation.  They are simple recommendations that are music – not necessarily something I will like or find soothing to my slowcoustical ears.  But sometimes you get recommendations from those that actually know you and hand pick something for you that they know you will enjoy.  And its beautiful.

The other day this happened to me from good friend Adrian who you may know from his blog “I Pick My Nose” that was formerly based out of San Francisco – always a great place to find music.  Well he was on a bit of a sabbatical from his blog and he is now back in North America (but you should see his photos of South Africa!) and he is firing over recommendations to me and The Tree Ring were one.  Adrian is good people.

Soooo, then Song AND Video of the day!  Yes, its true.  I actually watched the video first and then followed up with the album version of the song – while the video catches the magic of the song, the “studio” version is still a more than worthy listen.  It is a wide open song that is soft & sparse in feel but full of beautiful strings, xylophone and percussion.  At its heart the song is truly focused on the dance between the cello’s waning and the pining vocals of Joel P. West.  Simply stunning (if not a bit melodramatic…in a good way!).

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Enjoy this beautiful song and swing by the band’s website, Bandcamp and Facebook.

~Smansmith

Puzzle Muteson has his ‘debut’ album coming up from the fine folks at Bedroom Community.  The lead off single is currently a free download of the title track from the album and is absolutely stunning.  While Bedroom Community indicates that this is is debut album, it just might be his ‘official’ debut album as I seem to have a previous album of his from a few years back….maybe he didn’t actually release it as much as he gave it away…who knows.  Regardless, his new sound is definitely coming along with sweeping sound-capes and gorgeous arrangements.

This particular song is a fragile one and it features Muteson’s unique voice & delivery alongside some gorgeous finger picked acoustics.  It starts to build up about 3/4s of the way in, as if to say there is more behind this “enigmatic songwriter from the Isle of Wight”…I can’t wait to find out the entire picture this June when the full album is released.  I will be in line to purchase, how about you?

“En Garde” – Puzzle Muteson, from the single (May 23rd) & upcoming album (June 6th), En Garde

Visit Puzzle Muteson on Facebook, Bandcamp (grab the 320kbps version of the track here) and keep an eye on him at Bedroom Community.

~Smansmith

p.s.  Find an earlier post on Puzzle Muteson with a great video and earlier track HERE.

Brown Bird is a Rhode Island based band that has been on my radar for a while…and for good measure.  Well, they have a new EP that is now available on their shiny new Bandcamp page and we have a song of the day because of it!

While the official roster of Brown Bird has fluctuated over the course of the band, lead man Dave Lamb has settled in with partner in crime Morganeve Swain for this release.  Earlier BB work leaned toward the sparse & haunting while the ‘newer’ material is seeing Lamb & Swain coming out of the haze of previous half tempo folk.  The new EP “The Sound of Ghosts” is 4 tracks and our song of the day “Bilgewater” is the most reminiscent of the earlier days while the other 3 tracks find a bit more gothic folk rock with flecks of bluegrass and the sweet breezes of southern riverbanks.  Or something like that.  Let’s listen;

“Bilgewater” – Brown Bird, from the EP The Sound of Ghosts

Visit Brown Bird on their Website, Facebook, MySpace & Bandcamp
Purchase the new EP on Bandcamp (CD pre-order and immediate download)

~Smansmith

p.s.  They have a crap load of upcoming tour dates, so be sure to check them out.