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.

~~~

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.

~~~

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:

~~~

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.

~
Man, Pt. I by South of Lincoln
~

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

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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.

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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).

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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.

Disclaimer: My label, Yer Bird Records, put out this album so not only is it awesome, it is something I am proud to be a part of and bring to your attention.  So to avoid an obviously partial review/post, I thought I would simply put our press info below with some extra (and new) info along with some music.  Novel idea, right?

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“Have You Seen Our New Fort?” is a collection of new and re-worked songs from the last few years of Hezekiah Jones.  On this new album, listeners will find out why the Philadelphia folk scene can’t get enough of Hezekiah Jones’ depth of instrumentation and contagious beat with songs like Mind Malaise, Drawing Pictures and  Airplane Window.  You can then follow that up with Raphael Cutrufello’s signature ballads like the haunting Lift the Shadow From This Heart and two new takes on 2009 “Bread of Teeth” EP’s laments; Traffic to the Sea and I Love my Family.

“New Fort” also sees the resurfacing of Cannonball (I’ve Got a Little Room) that was originally released on a split 7″ with Chris Bathgate and released by our friends at Quite Scientific Records.  The Fort version brings the addition of contemporary and producer Andrew Lipke’s horn arrangements – the song sings anew.  We also see another appearance from Chris Bathgate in the form of the Hezekiah Jones’ cover of The Last Parade on Ann St. from Bathgate’s 2007 album A Cork Tale Wake.

With the production and ear of previously mentioned Philly artist Andrew Lipke at the helm, the songs  of this album become the “new fort” and home of where leader Raphael Cutrufell and the rest of the Jones’ currently find themselves.  With peaks and valley’s of true song-crafting, a complete album is felt through both sides of this vinyl release – a Yer Bird Records’ inaugural vinyl offering.

In a recent interview with WXPN’s Bruce Warren, Cutrufello described ‘New Fort’ as “…the record I’ve been dreaming of making for the last ten years and we are very happy with it.”  That is saying something.

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That is the blurb about the album to get an idea of what HJ are bringing to the table with their second full length album.  Admittedly leaning towards the slower side (what?  Me?), songs like “Last Parade on Ann St.”, “Lift the Shadow From This Heart” and the reworked “Travel to the Sea” and “I Love My Family” absolutely blow me away.  Mixed in with something a bit more upbeat like Dean Helm and Airplane Window and even the infectious Mind Malaise you get a full spectrum of what Hezekiah Jones brings to the table.  Let’s stop and listen:

Hezekiah Jones – “The Last Parade on Ann St. (Chris Bathgate Cover)” by Yer Bird Records
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Hezekiah Jones – “Mind Malaise” by Yer Bird Records
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And watch the haunting video from Morgan King of the track “Lift the Shadow From This Heart”:

“Lift the Shadow From This Heart” – Hezekiah Jones from Yer Bird Records on Vimeo.

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There will also be a great new track and session from Hezekiah Jones from their Shaking Through / Weathervane Music (visit them) session.  The song is called ‘Borrowed Heart’ and from the current mix I have heard is another beautiful song from this Philadelphia initiative.  The song actually is part of a project that Raphael Cutrufello of Hezekiah Jones has been working towards for a while now – getting music to soundtrack the movie “The Bride of Frankenstein”!  The song that will be dropping on April 19th completely syncs with a scene from the movie….now this is getting interesting, right??  We can thanks Bruce Warren of WXPN (and you may know him from his music blog Some Velvet Blog) for nominating the Jones’ for a featured artist on Weathervane – Cheers Bruce!!

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Also, while Hezekiah Jones had their official album release in Philly for the album about a month ago, if you missed the performance and you are in the Michigan area (or are willing to travel) there are upcoming live shows.  Now, we know I am a fan of Hezekiah Jones, but the crew are joining in with other Slowcoustic favourites Chris Bathgate and Samantha Crain on Bathgate’s “Salt Year Album Release Tour’ starting mid April.  Wow, stellar line up!  See the tour poster below for info:

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Well that is a long ass post – hope you have a chance to listen and enjoy the new album from HJ.  Please consider a purchase on the below outlets.

Purchase ‘Have You Seen Our New Fort?’: iTunes, Amazon, eMusic and Yer Bird Records
Stream on Rdio or Spotify

~Smansmith

]]> http://slowcoustic.com/2011/03/29/new-release-of-note-have-you-seen-our-new-fort-by-hezekiah-jones/feed/ 3 http://slowcoustic.com/2011/03/25/small-sur-preps-new-album-tones-starts-kickstarter-and-streams-songs/ http://slowcoustic.com/2011/03/25/small-sur-preps-new-album-tones-starts-kickstarter-and-streams-songs/#comments Fri, 25 Mar 2011 13:56:53 +0000 slowcoustic http://slowcoustic.com/?p=5857

Small Sur has an album coming up called “Tones”!  Small Sur has a just launched Kickstarter campaign for said album!  Small Sur is streaming 2 songs from the upcoming album on their new Bandcamp page!  This, my friends, is a great Friday.

Small Sur (or Bob Keal front and centre, along with co-horts Andy Abelow & Austin Stahl) provide that music that is both majestic in it’s simply beauty and heartbreaking in its sound.  I have enjoyed the music of Small Sur for a few years and honestly everything they release is solid, the band doesn’t make below par tunes, plain and simple.  I did know the album was circling, but just recently official word has become to the forefront with the start of both a Kickstarter and the band’s Bandcamp page (with 2 new songs)!  First, let’s listen to a song to get you in the giving mood.

So that track is phenomenal and a favourite of all the individual songs I have heard this year so far (this is starting out to be a pretty good year, as an aside).  So the album looks to have a June 28th release date and a month long Kickstarter to assist in the release.  Bob discussed with me and mentions it on the album campaign that this isn’t fundraising, it is simply an option to help out the band release the album with your pre-order (and more if you should choose).  They are releasing it and simply are looking to ensure a successful launch, plain and simple.  So please consider a donation to the cause, as its a good one.

*Donate to the Small Sur Kickstarter*

Visit Small Sur on Facebook, Bandcamp (stream another song “Pretty Boy” as well) and their Website.

~Smansmith

*Also, any purchases for the rest of this weekend for this EP will have 50% of their purchase price donated for the relief efforts for the Japanese disaster.

Stream the album below:

Bonus track: “I am Hungry (Alternate Version)” – from the I Left Home album.

~Smansmith

Just a teaser post today featuring the teaser track from the upcoming album from The Bravest Ghost.  If this is just the beginning, we just might be salivating for the remainder of this feast of an album on its way.

The upcoming album entitled “The Nicotine Hymns Demos” from The Bravest Ghost (or Sean Craib-Petkau) sounds, in title alone, like it is something Slowcoustic would be very interested in and then I listened to Soul to Sell and I’m officially hooked.  Sean is a Saskatchewan native who now resides in London, Ontario and came to me via recommendation from another artist, Zachary Lucky.  If you read Slowcoustic on at least a semi regular basis, you know that I am a huge fan of Lucky and if he is vouching for The Bravest Ghost, I am listening.  And listening I am doing…and I want to do more.

For now, listen to the slightly haunting, hushed beauty in Soul to Sell below:

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Find out more on The Bravest Ghost on Facebook, MySpace and his Bandcamp page!

~Smansmith

Holcombe Waller’s new album “Into the Dark Unknown” is another beautiful acoustic tale from Waller.  Known for creating gorgeous folk infused arrangements alongside a slight performance art facet, he is a staple around Slowcoustic HQ.

Recently he was featured on the WNYC “Live on Soundcheck” program and played a stunning and stripped down version of the title track “Into the Dark Unknown”.  Check it below (find the session with full studio session download here):

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Find the new album on Amazon, iTunes, CD Baby and Bandcamp!

~Smansmith

I missed the official release of the album yesterday, but I actually didn’t post anything yesterday, so that makes it better?  Okay, okay, I really wanted to post and tell you about one of my favourite new albums of the Slowcoustic variety in Andy Berkhout’s “Love Without Fear”.  Andy is no stranger to Slowcoustic with his spot on acoustic takes on life, relationships and makes almost any subject matter sound good.

The new album is 10 tracks that don’t fall far from what we hold dear – acoustic, melody, harmonica and a bit of drawl.  While I don’t classify Andy as an Americana artist, there seems to be a bit of it hiding underneath his singer songwriter exterior.  You might hear a bit in songs like “So Patiently” and “It Takes Two” – just something there.  Then he will turn about and knock you over with stunning beauty in the delicate “Empty Room, Heavy Heart” and combine both Americana and the delicate in “Love’s Deep Embrace” (two of my current favourite tracks).

A little about the album from Andy’s Website:

“The album was recorded at R&R Music Labs, a young studio in St. Louis’ Dogtown neighborhood.  Engineers Ryan Albritton and Ryan Lewis (The Northwoods, Messy Jiverson) experimented with a variety of different room arrangements to capture the acoustic subtleties of the songs.  Much of the album was recorded live with no overdubs.  “I really wanted to make a record that would represent my natural sound, and knew this was the right way to do it,” says Berkhout.”

Andy cut his music making chops with a recent foray into releasing a song every week for a year.  Sounds daunting to say the least and if you followed it on his website you were privy to the growing talent of Andy as a songwriter and performer.  The series included better songs than most albums these days and it was a treat to get soo much music and so often – (see a post on one of those stellar songs here).  So essentially I am saying that you know this album wasn’t just thrown together, it grew out of crafting numerous tracks over time and it shows in the pretty darn solid collection of finger-picking, folk tinged beauties.  Definitely a recommended release.  Stream a few tracks below:

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Find more on Andy at his Website, Facebook and Bandcamp and follow him on Twitter!
Purchase on Bandcamp (and get a real copy of the new CD here), iTunes, eMusic.

~Smansmith

Don’t even ask how I found out about this album.  I admit I wasn’t up to speed in knowing about it in the first place (and by the sounds of it, I should have been) and it has been quite a great find I have to say!

Without looking into the album too much, I started listening because I found a Soundcloud stream somewhere that was off of a forum thread, etc, etc, etc.  So let’s start there – this is the song that first caught me.

Balthazar’s Song – Hiss Golden Messenger by blackmaps

So it’s essentially a fully acoustic lament on life.  The lyrics are honest, the sound of guitar strumming is familiar, frontman Michael C. Taylor (or Jai ‘Slim’ Diamond as he often is known) sings with a voice that is restrained and just cracks a little under the melody.  Then I listened to the next track from the Black Maps release.

No Lord Is Free – Hiss Golden Messenger by blackmaps

At this point, I was pretty much sold on this lo-fi album and there was no turning back, so I picked it up on eMusic.  I mean songs that sound to be single track and come off this easy to listen to is something that just doesn’t happen that often.  In fact I do tend to obsess over an album I like and over listen immediately  (which is currently happening at this point) but it is holding strong.  The sounds are essentially folky-bluesy-lofi and of the sad bastard variety, so what’s not to like?  Some might be put off by the un-production (or production to sound like the album is not overly produced), but that is what makes it work – it’s scratchy, unpolished and sounds like real life.  You know Taylor created these songs, plays these songs and possibly even lives them.  I am in debt to “Bad Debt” you could say.

RIYL: Early Phosphorescent & Elephant Micah

Find more on Hiss Golden Messenger on Blackmaps, Facebook and website.
Purchase Bad Debt on iTunes, eMusic, Amazon & Picadilly Records.

~Smansmith

Timber Timbre has always intrigued me with his cryptic unique sound.  And once again, he brings it with the new lead off single to his upcoming album.  At least we do know (so far) that more of his signature gothic folk is on its way.  This makes me happy and looking forward to the April 5th release date.

If you’re Canadian you will most likely be familiar with Taylor Kirk & company’s music for a few years now and with his albums starting to be released (and re-released) globally, more people are finding this gem of a local hero.  His music brings in an aura that is hard to describe, but you know it immediately – almost as if your hearing became equivalent to watching grainy black & white movies from the 1940s.  There is a bit of gothic mixed with “folk” and even jazz and blues – and that voice coming out of the unassuming Kirk is something else.

Listen above with me as we wait or you can grab a copy to download with your PRE-ORDER.  Check out the package options on that pre-order link as well, it all looks very tempting.

Check out the artwork – this is very much Timber Timbre!

~Smansmith

Mp3: “Woman, When I’ve Raised Hell (FD Acoustic Session)” – Josh T. Pearson

Josh T. Pearson’s upcoming album “Last of the Country Gentlemen” is a gut wrenching experience of an album.  It is hard to describe, but this is “essentially” a country album that sways into deep dark corners, digs out remnants of things not to be spoken of and delicately splays everything in front of you.  The album is stellar…dark…slow…straining…rambling and it’s going to be a contender for album of the year.

The song of the day today is “Woman, When I’ve Raised Hell” and I cannot stop listening to it.  The video and above mp3 is the FD Acoustic Session (audio is simply just a rip of the video, sorry for quality) and it is a great representation of the album as a whole.  Please join me in waiting in line to purchase this album this spring (March 14th in the UK at least).

You can sign up on his website mailing list right now (here) and receive the piano version of the first single “Country Dumb” that will be released Sunday Feb. 20th.

Find more about Josh and the upcoming album via Mute Records UK:

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~Smansmith

“Lift the Shadow From This Heart” – Hezekiah Jones from Yer Bird Records on Vimeo.

The video is a great slowed down black and white clip with the song almost floating above the visuals.  Not that the visuals necessarily have anything to do with the song per se, but they are just a great background to the song.  The video was put together by Morgan King (former owner of Yer Bird Records and good friend) and the track is from the upcoming album “Have You Seen Our New Fort?” we are releasing over on Yer Bird Records.  Speaking of, there will be a release party in Philadelphia at World Cafe Live this Thursday in part for this album.

There is a couple of reasons you should be going to the show on Thursday, Feb. 17th and it includes an exclusive pre-release purchase of the “Have You Seen Our New Fort?” (vinyl with download code)!  While HJ is truly a staple of the Philly folk scene, it is only fitting that guests of this release show get the chance to purchase their copy of the new album early.  After this show the album then goes into hiding until the full release on March 29th, 2011.  The release show is actually a TRIPLE release party for Hezekiah Jones, Joe D’Amico (see previous post on Joe) and Up The Chain – so seriously…three new albums in one night – a must see.

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Bonus:
Hezekiah Jones
“Mind Malaise” (mp3)
from “Have You Seen Our New Fort?”
(Yer Bird Records)

More On This Album, More on label artist page

Enjoy your Valentine’s Day!

~Smansmith

A little bit of everything for your Saturday today.  I haven’t done one of these “round ups” in a while, so I thought I would put one up as I wanted to get votes tell you some happenings around Slowcoustic HQ and ramble on…more or less….

Site News

• First off, do you ever feel like you really need to vote for us here at Slowcoustic?  Okay, fine.  Well, how about you listen to me ask you to vote for Slowcoustic?  Better.  We have been nominated for CBC Radio 3′s Searchlight Poll where they are looking for the “Best Canadian Website”.  Its a little vague, but essentially, if it is a website and it is about music in some way then which one is your favourite.  There are actually a massive amount of great sites to vote for, so if you get a chance you should visit to vote for someone at least (and if it is Slowcoustic, then we thank you).  VOTE HERE.

• Slowcoustic (or rather me, Sandy) has been asked to be a juror for the 2011 Polaris Prize!  Yeah, me!  So I will be voting as part of Canadian media on what album released by a Canadian from June 1, 2010 – May 31, 2011 is really doing something for me.  If you are in the UK, it is essentially like the Mercury Prize there.  Have a couple of albums I really like but there are a couple open slots….are you listening Canadian bands?

Upcoming Albums

I thought I would post a couple of tracks from upcoming albums that I recommend.  I was also going to call this feature albums that leaked and I now can’t wait to buy them, but then that sounded like an admission of some sort of guilt.  ;-)

• The Low Anthem – “Smart Flesh” – Feb. 22nd (Pre-Order).  This album seems familiar but worlds away from Charlie Darwin and I dare say it works.  While I still think Charlie Darwin had one of my all time favourite tracks in its title track, the new album brings Americana (Hey, All You Hippies, Apothecary Love), Indie-Rock(Boeing 737) and their great mixture of strings, piano, harmonica and great delivery of lyrics together for an album to look forward to.  There is even a contender for that slow, pining song that makes an album for me in the track “Love and Altar”.  Recommended.

Listen: “Ghost Woman Blues”

• The Rural Alberta Advantage – “Departing” – March 1st (Pre-Order).  This album was surprisingly not as “upbeat” as I thought it was going to be.  And maybe “upbeat” isn’t the word I should say, but maybe not as driving of a record.  This suits a sad bastard like me just fine.  While there are fantastic “get out of your chair” tracks like Stamp, there are some great slowed down tracks that still hold on to that signature sound of The RAA…like Coldest Days, Two Lovers and Under the Knife.  Now that I am actually typing it, maybe it is more like 50/50 in the rocking vs. listening tracks…that Tornado ’87 and Barnes’ Yard have some crazy good hooks.  Okay, this album is great and I am sure a lot of fellow bloggers are having a collective sigh of relief in the fact that the follow up to Hometowns is worthy.   Recommended.

Listen: “Stamp”

• Oh, and that new PJ Harvey album ‘Let England Shake’ is killing.  I think this will be an album like The National’s “High Violet” – it is all around good and is going to stand up to many ears.  Just sayin.

Just Stuff

“Just Stuff” is a little misleading for the below as it makes it sound like it is lesser?!?  This stuff is stuff that I have been listening to and I have to share as it is just too good.

• Conrad Plymouth who’s self-titled release was one of my favourite EPs of 2010 are said to have their debut full length coming out this spring.  Details are still a bit light, but I am very much looking forward to it.  CP are the type of band that I always sing to, it just makes me want to join in – the songs pull me in, the melodies and harmonies can’t be denied and it just sticks with you.  If you follow Conrad Plymouth on Twitter (follow them) you would have been privy to a tweet with a collection of 3 live tracks from a WMSE fundraiser show last May.  I mention this as one of the tracks “Tapes” is stellar and will be on the new album.  This makes me want it even more.

“Tapes (Live on WMSE)” – Conrad Plymouth (purchase their Vinyl EP at Ten Atoms)

• If you know me, you know I am a fan of Jason Molina and the things he does (well, mainly his solo or Songs:Ohia stuff) and I wanted to recommend an artist who has a release with a few songs that give me the same type of chills as some of the earlier Molina stuff.  The band is Psalmships who is essentially Joshua Britton from Philadelphia and he creates moody pieces of music that like I said, give me shivers.  Listen to 2 tracks of his Kronotsky album now.

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Find more on Psalmships and 5 releases worth of music on his Bandcamp page.

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Enjoy your Saturday updates.

~Smansmith

On my list of albums to look forward to in 2011 is “Outside” from the band O’Death which is due this April.  Just last week they started on the promotion of the album and the lead off track for promotion and the album itself is Bugs and it is actually on the lighter side for O’Death, but damn it, it is just soo good.  (Thanks to Love Shack, Baby, where I first heard the song!) While I reserve O’Death to be of the slightly cryptic, off centre and a bit darker side of folk, they now show that they are reaching some next level shit.  One might think that they have this whole music thing down pat.  Ernest Jenning Record Co will be at the helm of the new album so keep an eye out as this one will be something to purchase.  A side note is that EJRC also release the O’Death ‘side project’ Blood Warrior – something to check into if you find the sounds of O’Death pleasing to the ear.

Outside will be released on vinyl as well, so you have to purchase it as a 12″ record with that cover art…I think that is a perfect cover for an O’Death album, I’m sold.  Once again, damn it that is good.  Listen to Bugs below:

“Bugs” – O’Death, from the upcoming “Outside”
due April 19th (US/CAN), April 29th (DE) & May 2nd (Europe)

Find more O’Death: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Ernest Jenning Record Co
Purchase: iTunes, eMusic, Amazon, Ernest Jenning Record Co

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Next we have something from Philadelphia aritst “Sweet Lights” (or Shai Halperin as he is known to those that know him…ya know).  I completely missed the song on its first push through the tubes of the internet, but alas I had good friend Raphael Cutrufello (of Hezekiah Jones) bring it to my attention…and I am more complete due to it.  I ended up checking it out over on one of Philly’s best spots to find great music – WXPN’s The Key which also comes highly recommended.  See there post on it here and the new “old school” video here.

I just want to touch on this cover because the subject matter and original from Sharon Van Etten is fantastic and one always worries that a cover might not give justice to the original.  Well, I don’t think we need to worry about that here – the main thing about Van Etten’s music is that it is sound that you can feel, it’s raw, emotional and you immerse it her music.  Halperin provides you with a similar experience by keeping it fairly lo-fi and with his overly sombre delivery it very much works.  Well done.  Listen below;

“One Day (Sharon Van Etten Cover)” – Sweet Lights, free single

Find more Sweet Lights on Bandcamp, Tumblr and Twitter
Purchase on Bandcamp

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~Smansmith

photo by Mostly Midwest (see more here)

Chris Bathgate recently had a chance to record a Bridgehouse Session for the crew at Mostly Midwest.  I just want to say that if you haven’t seen it, you are in for a treat – this is great music with a fantastic video capture.  In fact, the video for the lead off track (from Bathgate’s new album “Salt Year – due April 26th, 2011) of No Silver is brilliant – cut shots, overlapped videos, excellent recording and you get a whole new take on what is already the most impressive song of the year so far.

The sessions include No Silver and Poor Eliza from the upcoming album with the final track We Die from what is probably my favourite Bathgate album, “Throatsleep” from a few years back.  Dig in below.

Chris Bathgate : Bridgehouse Session Pt. 1 – “No Silver” from Mostly Midwest on Vimeo.

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Chris Bathgate : Bridgehouse Session Pt. 2 – “Poor Eliza” from Mostly Midwest on Vimeo.

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Chris Bathgate : Bridgehouse Session Pt. 3 – “We Die” from Mostly Midwest on Vimeo.

~
Bonus track also from “Throatsleep”: “Buffalo Girl”

Swing by Quite Scientific for more Chris Bathgate.  Visit the new ChrisBathgate.org site for a free download of No Silver along with info on his current tour.
Visit Mostly Midwest for more videos, music and overall Midwest-ian coverage.

~Smansmith

Kyle Swartzwelder is one of those guys you always feel is flying under the radar with consistently great music.  While “country folk” isn’t the genre of music you really go into to become famous, it just seems like some people deserve a bit more.  Kyle is one of these people.

Kyle has quietly set forth his 3rd release in a 4 track EP of Neil Young trubutes and while it isn’t always “Slow and ‘coustic” as he noted to me, it still has phenomenal moments.  The EP has probably one of my current favourite songs in the epic seven and a half minute “Cortez the Killer” – just great.  It is a modern laid back country-fied version and just hits the spot.  I instantly felt the track and I knew this as there isn’t even vocals until over 2 minutes into the song and it isn’t out of place – the song is just a great listen.

Some people are wary of Neil Young “covers” as they have been done numerous times all over the world due to Young’s influence in this style of music – sometimes they work, sometimes you are just people singing other people’s music.  In this instance it really works and you must listen to Cortez the Killer right now, see below!

“Cortez the Killer” – Kyle Swartzwelder, from 2011′s “The Songs of Neil Young” EP

Please swing by and visit Kyle on his Website HERE, and purchase it HERE.
Visit Kyle on his Facebook, MySpace and Reverbnation pages.

~Smansmith

p.s.  If you enjoy covers, please check out his previous EP that has a vicious Springsteen cover of Thunder Road.  Also…tell me you have heard his Kathleen Edward’s “Away” cover too?