Tyler Butler joins the crew over at our label Yer Bird Records and re-releases ‘Winter King’ on March 20th, 2012!

If you are reading Slowcoustic on a regular basis, you already know of Mr. Butler from Edmonton and we are very excited to bring one of our favourite albums of last year home to us over at Yer Bird Records.  We are re-releasing it with a couple of ‘bonus tracks’ as well!  The bonus tracks are a newly recorded version of “Feral Horse” from his previous EP Feral Horse plus the previously unheard title track ‘Winter King’.  All in all we couldn’t be happier here at Slowcoustic/Yer Bird Records with having Tyler on board as this album is simply amazing.  See a quick teaser trailer below plus the track listing.

Tyler Butler :: Winter King (March 20, 2012) from Yer Bird Records on Vimeo.

1) Barghest*
2) Morana*
3) Child-Ghost*
4) House Painter*
5) Waxwing
6) Kingfisher
7) Plover
8) Sparrow
9) Feral Horse (Winter King Version)
10) Winter King (previously un-released)

(*Re-Mastered for the 2012 release)

You also might want to check out a new video for Plover recorded in conjunction with this re-release over on the new Winter King website.  We will be uploading a video performance of all 8 of the original tracks on this site over the next few weeks!  For now also enjoy the newly remastered ‘Morana’ below.

~Smansmith

Small Sur – photo by Henn Pict

Today has been excellent so far.  Really excellent.

Small Sur posted on their Facebook wall this morning about a recent live recording that was up for a free download.  Apparently the long time in the making session for Mobtown Studios came to fruition and we now have 13 tracks to download from the “Microshow: Live in Baltimore” session!  Wrapped up in this set are some new tracks, old tracks (like a personal favourite ‘The Kelp’), mostly new tracks (like the personal favourite ‘The Woods’) and a few covers (like the personal favourite ‘Still Life Blues’ from Elephant Micah).  God damn it is an excellent day so far.

Oh, did I mention that Small Sur also said they are also recording a new album today?  Told you it was an excellent day.

Small Sur – “Still Life Blues (Elephant Micah Cover)” – Microshow Session
(this is just a taster at 192kbps – visit Mobtown for the full session at 320kbps)

Find out more on Small Sur: Website | Facebook | Bandcamp

~Smansmith

P.S.  Does Bob Keal’s vocals on this cover actually sound like Joe O’Connell from Elephant Micah?  I thought so too!

Andrew Sisk (Photo by Scott Munn)

Today’s song of the day is from one Andrew Sisk, who was passed on to me from Matt over at Pigeon Row (see them & their full list of clients here) and I am greatfull this brooding singer songwriter’s newest album is now with me.

The album, Treelines, was released on January 31st and is nine thick-with-character songs recorded “…in his apartment in Montreal with his son Elliott sleeping on his lap during vocal takes, and quietly watching him record classical guitar parts“.  The song “I Whispered It” is a stunning example of what what you would think from that last sentence.  It is a layered but still stripped down beauty – vocals just scratchy enough to feel worn in and echoing guitars in the distance causing texture.  The song both floats and digs into you at first listen.  My only ‘complaint’ is that it ends to soon.  So then, stop and listen for at least two minutes and seventeen seconds today.

Find the full album from Andrew Sisk over on his Bandcamp page.

~Smansmith

Canadian Matt Paxton has a new single from the good folks at Other Songs Music and it is a free download from their Bandcamp page.  The song was finalized late last year with the help from Scott Orr (of Other Songs Music) and features guest vocals by Allison Geleynse.  Its a beauty and I look forward to more from Paxton (you can catch a previous album on his own bandcamp here).

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Next we have another look into what we can expect from the upcoming Kim Janssen album Ancient Crime that should see a release from Snowstar Records on March 9th, 2012 (despite their website saying Jan. 26th…typo?).  We previously posted on the stunning lead off single “Tors” (see here) and with the new live performance of ‘Drift’ via InDeKringloop.nl, I have to say I am getting very excited about the album!

Enjoy your hump day by relaxing to these two new tracks already!

~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

I know I have posted many times on this album and I am releasing it on my label over at Yer Bird Records, so I can’t really get into it anymore without making y’all upset.  So then, here is a track to listen to and let’s pretend that this is the first you have heard of this discovery and are ready to purchase and send me personal thanks for bringing it to your attention.

Find out more from our Label page or Bandcamp page.
Purchase: Label | iTunes | Amazon

~Smansmith

Today’s (free) Song of the Day is from Noah Gundersen’s “B-Sides” one track release over on his Bandcamp page.  The track is Avalanche and is a recommendation for the hurt lover that pines from afar in all of us.  The song kind of makes you think that some of the most intense love affairs can happen between people that have never met.  Oh, and it’s an extremely pretty song as well.

You can find the above track as a free download (with email address) via his bandcamp page here.   If ‘Avalanche’ above does something for you, make sure you look into his most recent album “Family” as well as you will not be disappointed.

Find more on Noah Gundersen: Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp

~Smansmith

Water Liars (formerly ‘Phantom Limb’) are Andrew Bryant and Justin Kinkel-Schuster and they have an album coming up on Misra Records in March.  Just found out and just started to pine for it.  Just saying.

Both musicians have been featured on Slowcoustic prior (Andrew Bryant | Justin Kinkel-Schuster) and so this has to be a good thing…right?  You might also know of Justin as the singer for the band Theodore, so there is that as well to entice you.  So far I have only heard the below acoustic videos of a couple of tracks and admittedly the word is that the album versions are a bit different, but these sound soo good.  So consider this fair warning.  Water Liars – March 5th, 2012 on Misra Records.

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Remember, don’t get confused with the name change – they are Water Liars and the album is Phantom Limb (it was formerly going to be a self titled album….make sense?).

Find out more on Water Liars: Misra Records | Facebook | Twitter (I assume the name change will happen here at some point)

~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

Message To Bears - Photo by Luke Doyle

I love the original song (it is actually one of my all time favourite tracks) but there is something about a cover track not sounding like a carbon copy, ya know?  For this cover songs, ‘Wolves’ while originally also a beautiful and sparse acoustic number in its own sense, Message To Bears takes the acoustic song forward with layers of his own that almost make the song a different beast all together.  While the cover finds the song becoming less tortured and aching than the original, it is still a great homage to the song in my opinion.

Find Message To Bears: Bandcamp (new album is stunning) | Facebook | Twitter
Find Phosphorescent’s album “Pride”: Dead Oceans Label

Enjoy your Sunday!

~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.

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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.

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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

We/Or/Me - Photo by Bobby Aazami

Today is a quick post on a repeat offender around here in a song & video of the day from Bahhaj Taherzadeh (or We/Or/Me).  His most recent album is called Sleeping City and it came out midway through last year.  As you can expect it comes with great slowed down harmonies and almost lullabye infused folk.  Sounds about right for a man who now has twin girls at home…

Listen to “Sun Came Up” from We/Or/Me below:

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Sun Came Up by we/or/me from Ramin Eshraghi Yazdi on Vimeo.

You can find more from Bahhaj over on his Website as well as his Bandcamp Page (I recommend the CD bundle for Sleeping City with Ghostwriter!).

~Smansmith

p.s.  Ramin Eshraghi Yazdi who made the video above also did a more recent video from the same album “Across the Country” and he is apparently from right here in Calgary!  Nice.

Quick Sunday post for all you looking for some great mellow tunes over coffee.  And it is completely free!

Found via my twitter feed (I love when others do all the ground work – thanks Leentje!) and I have to say, it is incredibly beautiful to listen to and if possible use headphones.  While it is halfway between acoustic folk and shoegaze pop it can find a home with lovers of both.  Tracks like “Winter’s Wall” that opens the album has a pseudo electro start that yields to a piano/acoustic ballad with a bit of electro pop drumming.   More true Slowcousticals will enjoy the tracks “Gold” and “A Heart You Can’t Find” especially – so I will include both below and make sure you head over to their website to download the 7 track FREE album (and in better quality 320 kbps files).

RIYL: Melodramatic Pop Songs – but in a good way.

“Gold”
“A Heart You Can’t Find”

Visit Wise Children: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr

~Smansmith

Zachary Lucky and Carly Maicher (two of my current favourite Canadian acts) are going to be here in Calgary tomorrow.  The show is at the House of Commons which is literally 3 blocks from where I am typing this.  So I don’t really have an excuse, right?

Zachary Lucky

Lucky has just finished mixing his new album “Saskatchewan”, so we can hope to expect some new material with addition to his stellar back catalog including his amazing 2010 album “Come and Gone”.  Speaking of which, you can swing by his Bandcamp page to purchase a recent live performance that will benefit the printing/promotion of the new album by visiting that release here.

~~~

Carly Maicher

This week I also received my hand silk screened CD copy of Carly Maicher’s album “Hiding” – a nice little post holiday gift to myself!  This album is another folk, singer-songwriter gem from the prairies and was a surprise/out of nowhere late year find.  This album is absolutely stunning and comes very highly recommended.

Lucky assists on Maicher’s album and Maicher assists on the new live recording from Lucky as well.  So what could be better than both playing together here in Calgary tomorrow.  I would say just about nothing.

Facebook Event
(House of Commons – 6435-Bow Crescent NW)

Zachary Lucky: Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter
Carly Maicher: Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter

~Smansmith

May your pace be lessened and your guitar be unplugged.Have a Slowcoustic 2012 everyone!

— Slowcoustic (@Slowcoustic) January 1, 2012

Sean Hayes
“New Years Day” (mp3)
from “Outtakes & Alternatives”
(Sean Hayes)

Buy at Amazon MP3
More On This Album

Quick hitter today from Slowcoustic Favourite Lotte Kestner in the form of a new cover project that includes a beautiful homage to Ghosts I’ve Met!

Anna-Lynne Williams (Lotte Kestner and 1/2 of Trespassers William) emailed me to give me the heads up while I was away on holidays last week and with my sporadic internet it was almost painful to not be able to listen.  Well, I have now been listening to the cover and it was worth the wait.  If you are familiar with Williams, she can add a stillness and beauty to almost any song…even if that song is already a stunner.  The original track from Sam Watts (Ghosts I’ve Met) is the title track from his own debut EP from a few years back and he and Williams have now connected in Seattle and what could be better than one covering the other?  Enjoy.

Find out more from Lotte Kestners new covers EP HERE.  Find the original by Ghosts I’ve Met HERE.

~Smansmith

Robert Deeble has a new single from his upcoming album “Heart Like Feathers” that found its way into my inbox yesterday.  So then, today’s song of the day is actually the “B-side” from that single/title track with the acoustic version of the song!  Surprised that I picked it, right?

The track is a great little finger picked number that really puts the focus on the Seattle singer-songwriters laid back vocals intermingled with the creaks and twangs of the guitar.  Its a beauty!  The new album is due out on February 7th, 2012 from Dead Letter Records.  For a bonus you can check out another track “Undertow” that also includes Slowcoustic favourite Lotte Kestner assisting on vocals here.

Robert Deeble – Heart Like Feathers (Acoustic Demo) by fanaticpro

Find out more on the album and Deeble in general by visiting him on his Website, Facebook, Twitter and Bandcamp!

~Smansmith

I did this the other year and it went over pretty well I have to say.

One thing about putting up a list of music that you are saying is your “best”, “favourite” or “Top 12 of the year” is that your actual opinion is involved.  What?!?  Who needs opinion as it is rarely not swayed by what you think is good or what you might think fits your persona or what your readers want you to like.  Well let’s get rid of that elephant in the room and go with our iTunes play counts for tracks released in 2011 with the most plays in my music library.  This is my top 25 with 2 missing tracks that I dis-qualified as they are 2012 releases and still “unreleased” at this point, so there.

Slowcoustic’s 25 23 most played songs of 2011 up till the morning of December 11th, 2011

1. “Mary’s Gone” – The Deep Dark Woods
2. “All Things Past Serve To Guide You On Your Way” – Frederick Squire
3. “Holocene” – Bon Iver
4. “Lotus Flower” – Radiohead
5. “Big City Nights” – The Deep Dark Woods
6. “Goners Most” – Jeffrey Foucault
7. “Circle Drive” – Conrad Plymouth
   
8. “Anti-Pioneer” – Feist
9. “Passerines” – Jeffrey Foucault
10. “Everything to Me (Budapest Session) – John Statz
11. “The Woods” – Small Sur
    
12. “Never Prove False” – The Deep Dark Woods
13. “Barghest” – Tyler Butler
14. “December 25″ – South of Lincoln (now Great American Desert)
    
15. “Wore It Deep” – The Tree Ring
16. “Man, Part 1″ – South of Lincoln (now Great American Desert)
17. “White Clay” – South of Lincoln
18. “Poor Eliza (Bridgehouse Session)” – Chris Bathgate (Free D/L via Mostly Midwest)
19. “Little Raider” – Will Johnson
20. “Corsicana” – The Antlers
21. “Caught a Long Wind” – Feist
22. “True Faith (New Order Cover)” – Lotte Kestner
23. “Albuquerque (Neil Young Cover)” – Jeffrey Foucault

There you have it, my most listened to tracks!  They pretty accurately measure my listening I believe…you will find that my top album of 2011 does not have any tracks on this list, but that is due to the Josh T. Pearson album tracks being soo long that each play is worth 3-4 regular song plays…yeah, that is the reason.

~Smansmith

The numbering (as most year end list makers will indicate) is pretty accurate but each album had definitely fluctuated over the course of the year but overall they can easily settle at a +/- 3 spots.  So let’s get started!

~Slowcoustic’s Favourite Albums of 2011~

12.  Mount Moriah – Mount Moriah

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11.  South of Lincoln (now Great American Desert) – Homes

Man, Pt. I by South of Lincoln

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10.  Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – Wolfroy Goes To Town

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9.  Bon Iver, Bon Iver

“Calgary”

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8.  William Elliott Whitmore – Field Songs

William Elliott Whitmore – Field Song by antirecords

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7.  Chris Bathgate – Salt Year

“Salt Year”

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6.  Frederick Squire – Sings Shenandoah and Other Popular Hits

“All Things Past Serve To Guide You On Your Way”

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5.  Tyler Butler – Winter King

“Morana”

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4.  Dolorean – The Unfazed

Dolorean – Country Clutter by Fargo Records

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3.  The Deep Dark Woods – The Place I Left Behind

West Side Street by The Deep Dark Woods

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2.  Jeffrey Foucault – Horse Latitudes

“Goners Most”

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1.  Josh T. Pearson – Last of the Country Gentlemen

Josh T. Pearson – Woman, When I’ve Raised Hell (Alternative Version) by Mute UK

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There you have it.  Now…discuss!

~Smansmith

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!

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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

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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.

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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

Seattle based singer songwriter Sam Watts (Ghosts I’ve Met) has a new EP he has available at his live shows.  The EP “The Light Opera” has just started in rotation over at Local legend/radio station KEXP as well, so keep an ear out there as well.  The collection of tracks can be purchased from Sam directly if you are not able to make a local show (please email us and we can get you in touch if you were looking to pick up a copy) and it is still so new that it has no artwork!

The EP was recorded earlier this year at a Lakehouse in Leavenworth, Washington with Ghosts I’ve Met recording/live performance regulars Bill Patton (yes that Bill Patton) and Faustine Hudson.

We do have a track to share with you courtesy of Mr. Watts and it is true to form with his airy acoustic performance but with one addition…there is some percussion working its way into the mix here…not out of the question for this particular “folk” artist but GIM has traditionally gone light or without the element.  I like the sense of purpose it gives the track, if not a small jolt of gravitas if I had to say!  Enjoy.

“Dark Blue Sound”  – Ghosts I’ve Met, from the EP ‘The Light Opera’

Find more Ghosts I’ve Met on Bandcamp and over on Yer Bird Records.

~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

Today’s song of the day is from Balto and is from the UK version of the October’s Road album with the track ‘Gravestones‘.  Well, I am not sure it is actually part of the album proper but it is included as a demo/bonus track with their recent foray into releasing the album in the UK.

As Balto has shown with numerous examples from the October’s Road album, once again, we get great acoustics, melody and hooks that almost anyone could be proud of!   I recommend looking into song ‘The Railyard‘ via the Bandcamp link below as well (my favourite from the album).  ’Gravestones‘ as a song is essentially Daniel Sheron playing all instruments and it was even produced by Hip Hatchet (yes, that Hip Hatchet) so you know it is going to be Slowcoustic goodness!

Balto – “Gravestones (Demo)”

Find out more on Balto via the band Website, Bandcamp and Facebook!

~Smansmith

Today we have the honour of premiering a track from the soundtrack of the upcoming film “Brunswick” set for limited release next week.  But before we get into the music created by Matthew Carefully for the film, you will need a bit of back story of what Brunswick is.

Synopsis:

Brunswick is a film about landscape change, told through the personal story of a farmer’s lifelong connection to his now-threatened land. The film weaves together the plight of Sanford Bonesteel, an aging farmer in his 90s, with the dynamics of small-town politics as a residential development is planned on Sanford’s former land.

The film takes place in Brunswick, New York, a small country town facing the challenge of balancing economic growth with the preservation of its rural character. It is a story both specific to Brunswick and yet recognizable to rural communities all over the United States.

So now you see the title of the track ‘Farm Prayer’ really makes sense here – both a beautiful full song in acoustics and meaning.  Before I say I have a strong connection to the American Farmer, you have to know I am Canadian, but from a small town with numerous farms and I see the nature of today’s world reflected in what today’s farmers are experiencing.  Some say that the future can’t be stopped and today’s (re: the future’s) world isn’t meant to be slow & meandering, lazy walks through wheat fields, the life that you live from and of the earth…if I was to say.  Sure there are pockets of the true rural communities around today, but I fear they are becoming a different beast now.  Sometimes progress can be needed and sometimes it is just painful in the transition.  Ahhh me, always one to be living in the city while always having a mind steeped in a rural state of mind.  But enough about it, watch the trailer below:

The Soundtrack

The soundtrack from Matthew Carefully (Bandcamp page) is as you would expect it would be.  Full of acoustic performances – 6 of which are instrumental and 4 that provide lyrics over layers of strings.  All have been written specifically for the project over the last 5 years and aren’t just sounds that looked good and happened to match with visuals.  These songs reflect the heart of a movie like Brunswick – I can only assume that the way you feel listening to the album would be the way you would experience the film.

Carefully provides a truly rural aura that flows throughout the album – it isn’t always a sombre affair with songs that truly make you think of the country lifestyle ‘Homestead Farm Bustle‘ to the heartbreaking instrumental ‘Well-Wished Waltz‘ through the banjo laden duet with Carefully and Katie Hammon on the opening track ‘Walks With Purpose‘.  I don’t know how the movie ends, but with one listen to the last track from the album in the instrumental ‘He Walks Away, Sincere’ it leaves you with a sense of hope and almost peace…probably one of the most beautiful tracks on the whole album.

The song below is my favourite on the soundtrack as I think it sums up the subject matter and the overall feel for the music on this movie.  ‘Farm Prayer’ brings the power of an instrumental but with Carefully’s pining lyrics of remembering what was is no longer.  Listen to just over 2 minutes what rural/country/farm living used to mean.

“Farm Prayer” – from the Soundtrack to Brunswick, by Matthew Carefully

For more information on the Movie from film maker Nate Simms, visit www.BrunswickFilm.com.

For more information on Matthew Carefully (and a full back catalog info) visit him on his Website and read about the experience of making the album from his blog space HERE.

~Smansmith

I have had some real great stuff float across my inbox, twitter feed, facebook timeline and overall discovered from my never-ending scouring of the world wide web.  Thought I would share as some of this stuff is just soo damn good that we all need to be listening (if you aren’t already – you Slowcoustic readers tend to be ahead of the curve in the first place…let’s be honest here).

• Lotte Kestner is more than a musician, she is an “official” poet now!  She has a book of poems entitled ‘In the Night I Go Sailing’ and you can purchase HERE.  I also mention this as her words were recently put to the test as lyrics sung by none other than Damien Jurado.  Please swing by her Tumblr page and listen to the demo for “Blind Accidents” HERE.
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• Samantha Crain covered a Slowcoustic favourite Chris Bathgate earlier this year and it has turned up on her Halfway House Music Session.  Catch/Download her version of “Salt Year” over at Halfway House Music HERE.  Watch the video for it below:
  
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• Just a reminder that John Statz is releasing his next full length album with us at Yer Bird Records in January – check out the lead off track “Distance” from our Bandcamp page!
  
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• You have to watch one of the “Notes From Home” videos that features Trespassers William, Joshua Morrison and Tomo Nakayama (of Grand Hallway).  TW even cover The National’s ‘Fake Empire’!
  
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• As I was so impressed with the video above, I checked out both Joshua Morrison (find him here) and Grand Hallway (find them here) that I thought I should share some tracks from them as well!  The Grand Hallway track is the one that Nakayama performs in the video above called “Little Sister” and the Joshua Morrison track is “Bastille Day” from the benefit album Songs for Japan: A benefit for Red Cross (that Grand Hallway has contributed to as well)
  
  
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• Matt Arbogast, or The Gunshy has some new material in the form of a one track sampling that is classic Gunshy.  Listen/Download via Bandcamp embed below:
  
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• Just thought I would post a live track from Ryan Adams as it made it into regular listening this week.  The classic ‘A Bar is a Beautiful Place’ from a 2001 performance: ‘The Bar is a Beautiful Place’ – Ryan Adams
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That is all I got for now, hope you find something in there to enjoy!

~Smansmith

Today’s song of the day is the stunning ‘To Find This Home’ from the upcoming EP from Paul Otteson called “Fall Where They May”.  Well to be honest, it is available now for digital download, the actual physical EP will see its release in early December, so by saying upcoming, I mean that in the old school music enthusiast way…the CD is upcoming!

To say that Paul brings a calming sombre aura to song-crafting is an understatement.  His songs enjoy banjo laden acoustic gems, sometimes more “indie-pop” like the track ‘The Full Spectrum’, have a bit of edge like in ‘Nothing We Could Do’ and then stop you in your tracks with a stunning piano beauty ‘To Find This Home’ and a lullaby induced opening track like ‘Never Knight’.  This little 4 track EP has it all – for fans of a less ethereal Justin Vernon or even a less eccentric Sufjan Stevens…you can make your own decision.

Find more to listen to and purchase at his Bandcamp page HERE or you can swing by his website HERE.

~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

This young respectable folk artist pictured above is Mr. Tyler Butler.  He is playing a show tomorrow night at Wunderbar in Edmonton – or as it is also known, The New Wunderbar Hofbrauhaus.  Other than the obvious reason I am bringing this to your attention in order to go and see him play music, is he is also selling an EP of demos and cover tracks in support of the venue itself.  Tyler is a big proponent of local music and here he is doing his part by providing all proceeds of the sales of this EP to the Wunderbar itself.

So bottom line here, if you are in the Edmonton area, check out Wunderbar tomorrow night for a full line up of great music including Sheree Plett (new album now out), Tyler Butler, Jordan Norman, James Rockliff and an apparent surprise performance from Johnathan Inc.  The whole night was put together from the good folks at Old Ugly Co. and you can check out a bit more on the Facebook event for full address, etc.

For now, let’s listen to one of those covers from Tyler Butler, here is Lionel Ritchie’s “Hello”;

~Smansmith

Sorry couldn’t resist the Patrick Bateman in headphones photo when looking for an “HQ” & “Music/Headphones” image.  If you have read the book American Psycho, you will know that when they get into describing music (regardless of style) you will know what it is like to be a music junkie.  But I digress…

Thought I would simply grab whatever is kinda new and playing around here up for perusal, listening and mocking.  You know, a Saturday playlist!

First off, the band responsible for one of my favourite albums in the last few years has a new song out.  Yes, The Black Atlantic has new material out from Beep! Beep! Back up the Truck over yonder!  While it has a new feel for the band, it is beautiful and brings a new facet of the band in my opinion.  There is a new EP, “Darkling, I Listen” that is practically done, so there is more to come.  Take a listen below to the first track;

The Black Atlantic – The Flooded Road by Beep! Beep!

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I have also been listening to the upcoming album from Rob St. John via Song, by Toad Records over in Scotland.  The album is called Weald and is in a word haunting and in another word intoxicating.  There is just something that hits you square in the face and drags you inside.  I get such a strong Ian Curtis (of Joy Division) vibe from St. John’s vocals on songs like “Domino” & “Sargasso Sea” but it eases up on more traditional singer songwriter cuts like “Acid Test”.  Maybe the Ian Curtis comparison is where I get the haunting impression from…so it may be misplaced, you tell me.

Rob St. John – Sargasso Sea by Song, by Toad
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Lately I have also been listening non-stop to the Chris Bathgate Kickstarter Reward Downloads.  One of the great things about getting all these songs (I think there was almost 40 of them in total!) was rediscovering the album “Silence is for Suckers”.  This album was always either my favourite or hovering in a close race for top spot the whole time, but listening to the Kickstarter remastered version brought it all back.  If you have it in your back catalog, please listen to “Cinder” in headphones right now.  Let’s help you, shall we:

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You might also want to check out Conrad Plymouth covering Strand of Oaks’ track “Two Kids”.  A little retro with the drum machine, but sooo good.  Visit the Conrad Plymouth Tumblr page HERE.

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Just to let you know that I can switch speeds and I am not a one trick pony, if you were looking for a great indie-folk-pop album from Canada (and I know you are) – check out the new album ‘The Hunting Party’ from Corey Isenor (see his bandcamp page here, that also includes his awesome “Frost” album).  There is also a nice infusion of banjo in it, so it has to be good right?  Take a listen to the first track (and one that has some of that nice finger picking banjo) now;

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Now go forth and listen this Saturday!

~Smansmith

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

Well look at this…we just announced our next release over on Yer Bird Records and it is with all around Slowcoustic friend John Statz!  Having been listening to John’s music for years, when the opportunity presented itself we thought it would be a perfect fit.  The music of Statz comes in as an almost modern day prairie country tinged folk.  I know that encompasses a lot of genres but his music can span them and hold the ear of die hard fans of all of those styles.

For now, you can listen to his back catalog (highly recommended) over on his Bandcamp page HERE and like him on the ol’ Facebook HERE.  Also, stream one of my all time favourite tracks from Statz in his “Budapest Session” version of Everything To Me from his Ghost Towns album from 2010.

~Smansmith

Re-found this stellar compilation album after re-finding a Heather Woods Broderick album the other day (and actually purchasing on eMusic again before noticing that I already had it…).  Kind of appropriate since this album was essentially curated by her, so I thought I needed to feature something on it for the blog!

This compilation album from late 2009 features multiple artists that would definitely be considered ‘up my alley’….notably Kele Goodwin, Sarah Winchester and the aforementioned Heather Wood Broderick.  So those are the three tracks/chapters I have included below…makes sense, no?
Kele Goodwin – Kite Strings by sonic pieces

Sarah Winchester – Northeast Kingdom by sonic pieces

You might remember another track from Sarah Winchester from my gushing post on her EP where the above track is from (see my post on The Northeast Kingdom Demos) and this one is a live, layered version of the song on the EP.

Heather Woods Broderick – Behind Doors by sonic pieces

Zip over to the Sonic Pieces site for more information on the album HERE.

~Smansmith

The other day Elephant Micah put out word of the upcoming album Louder Than Thou on his updated website.  Despite there being no formal date (but early 2012), the news included the fact that there will be a limited LP (yes!) and a pay-what-you-want digital offering (I assume through Bandcamp).  This is great news.  Why?  Because after hearing the new song ‘If I Was a Surfer’ I am refueling on Elephant Micah!

The new track below brings more of Joe O’Connell’s signature guitar strumming alongside his warm vocals and, and…a female vocalist!  This isn’t unheard of but a new facet of his sound, she comes in around the 1:50 mark to bring in a stunning chorus and she also helps end off the track with even more goodness.  If you are a regular of Slowcoustic you know all I will say is good things about Elephant Micah, so there isn’t really anything else to say/type at this point.  You can just listen to the new track below.

If I Were a Surfer by Elephant Micah

Keep an eye on his Website and his Bandcamp Page for any new stuff and why not find out/listen to more while you are there?

~Smansmith

Just listening once again to this album this morning.  A stark, acoustic morning.  It’s quiet, understated and meant to curl around you, clutch onto you and become part of you.

I know there is a new album out from Brown Bird (Salt for Salt – see here) – but this previous album, along with earlier albums such as Tautology, Such Unrest and even the Split EP with Annie Palmer always bring a certain sound out of this artist for me.  The sound that I adore, the sound that calms and brings the performer and listener close.  This is my Brown Bird.

Released in mid 2008 and including 14 tracks sequenced on the album in the order they were written, it comes in as one of my favourite albums of 2008 and the last decade.  This is something that should be in your collection at a minimum.  Check out that aforementioned track listing and a little sample.

1. my daddy’s a preacher
2. lioness
3. coward
4. david and bethsheba
5. colfax
6. the brokedown palace of my head
7. a ghost of myself
8. mama made a man out of daddy
9. i knew you were evil
10. black rivers
11. amelia earhart
12. the ice and snow haunt me still (mp3)
13. black sea
14. i was blind

Feature tracks are #s 2, 9, 12, 13 but overall it is a complete album listen for full effect.  Purchase it today via Peapod Recordings HERE.

~Smansmith

p.s.  Bonus track from a live session back in early 2007 with Folk The System! – “Such Unrest (Live on Folk the System!)”  <—THIS IS AWESOME

Thought I would post on my top LAST.FM artists of the last 6 months for your perusal and judgment.  While not completely accurate of my listening as there is still my listening to music non-stop during my commute to work (2 hours daily) and my sad basement day job that don’t get scrobbled to Last.fm for these charts.  Overall I feel they reflect what I am listening to, but some artists may be up or down a spot or two.  Let’s get on with it!

~Slowcoustic’s Last 6 months of top artists playlist~

1.) Dolorean
Listen: Ghost of David (Damien Jurado Cover)

2.) South of Lincoln

3.) Jeffrey Foucault
Listen: Goners Most

4.) The Deep Dark Woods
Listen: West Side Street

5.) Pickering Pick
Listen: Like a River

6.) J. Tillman
Listen: Three Sisters

7.) Tyler Butler
Listen: Morana

8.) Frederick Squire
Listen: All Things Past Serve to Guide You on Your Way

9.) Bryan John Appleby

10.) William Elliott Whitmore
Listen: Old Devils

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There you have it, what I have been listening to the most in the last 6 months.  What about you?

~Smansmith

Mid 2010 found Tyler Butler recording a new-to-me session (I actually just found it the other day) for his Feral Horse EP that was released in January 2010.  I wanted to touch on this release as I tend to get wrapped up in his newer album Winter King and forget the amazing debut by this Edmonton singer songwriter.

I wanted to post these two videos because they are great songs and let’s face it, they are still new to me so I am in the honeymoon phase of ‘new’ things.  As I tend to enjoy the stripped down fully acoustic versions of songs, these live solo videos do this in fine fashion and almost comes across as an alternate version.  Currently my favourite of the two is the title track Feral Horse as it is truly a finger picking sombre track – so then, right up my alley.  Check both videos and a stream below.

The Edmo Sessions Vol 6 – Tyler Butler – Feral Horse from Daelan Wood on Vimeo.

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The Edmo Sessions Vol 6 – Tyler Butler – Maythorn from Daelan Wood on Vimeo.

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Tell me that isn’t great?  Well thanks to The Edmo Sessions for providing these great videos and an early look into Tyler Butler’s excruciating talent.  Find them online here and the Tyler Butler session here.

Find more songs by Tyler Butler: Bandcamp

~Smansmith

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

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

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

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

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

~Smansmith

I am kind of having a Gregory Alan Isakov moment.  Okay, I am fully having a moment.  Always been a fan of this guy (why isn’t he famous anyway) and after receiving my vinyl copy of “That Empty Northern Hemisphere”, I just can’t get enough.  God damn…the combination of his voice and perfect harmonies is almost overwhelming at times.  He has pitch perfect delivery to go alongside his ever pining acoustic ballads – even if they aren’t all really ballads per se.  I thought you all needed to be immersed in Isakov today as well, so to be sure you are aware, he did a great FRUK session a couple of months back during is UK tour.  Every track recorded below proves the weight he carries as a top tier singer songwriter.

Gregory Alan Isakov – The Stable Song (Folk Radio UK Session) by Folk Radio UK
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Gregory Alan Isakov – Virginia May (Folk Radio UK Session) by Folk Radio UK
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Gregory Alan Isakov – evelyn (Folk Radio UK Session) by Folk Radio UK
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Gregory Alan Isakov – that moon song (Folk Radio UK Session) by Folk Radio UK

~ and a new track ~
Gregory Alan Isakov – second chances (Folk Radio UK Session) by Folk Radio UK
~

Also, you have to hear his track performed at Miss Peapods in Cornwall during the aforementioned tour (love the vocals in this one).

Gregory Alan Isakov, The Universe from before the winter fires on Vimeo.

Visit Gregory Alan Isakov: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Purchase albums/shirts at his online store

~Smansmith

Rabbit Island : Chris Bathgate : Everything (Overture) from Mostly Midwest on Vimeo.

Nuff said.

~Smansmith

p.s.  How about that Upper Peninsula area in the video??  Makes a Canadian proud to see that kind of landscape!

Ever since one of my mates (I can say mate as he is from the UK, so there) turned me onto Stripmall Ballads I have been wanting to post something over here on Slowcoustic. There is a great interview post over on You Crazy Dreamers HERE with Phillips Saylor who is the man they call Stripmall Ballads.

Not unlike his moniker, I find the music Saylor creates can have a bit of everything in an unassuming package – there is country, folk, noise, rock all mixed into a lo-fi package that really works. The one “piece of work” that I have really enjoyed is “Since Jimmy Died” which was released last year and is 10 tracks of a man singing his very heart out. Not in the sense that he can sing no longer, but in a sense that he leaves everything out there for you to ingest. Let yourself take it all in and you will realize that this tragic sounding album is one of the most beautiful things you will hear. I swear that this album breaks my heart just a little each time I listen to it and it isn’t entirely due to subject matter but the overall atmosphere the album creates. If I was more aware of the album, it would have been placed quite predominantly in my best of 2008 collection. Why he isn’t more well known is beyond me.

Saylor’s voice has just a little bit of the south peaking through, just enough cracking (or actually the straddling of a natural break between his higher and lower singing voice) to draw you in. It isn’t polished and it isn’t supposed to be. Polish wouldn’t work on Stripmall Ballads as this is one of those stripmalls in the industrial area of town that doesn’t have the flash and glitz but has everything you will ever need. I know bad analogy but this acoustic folk album is just too good for you to let slip by. Do yourself a favour and swing by and pick up a copy – to entice you, here are two stand out tracks below to get you moving.

“So Romantic”
“Freeloader”
~from 2008′s “Since Jimmy Died”

Visit & Purchase Stripmall Ballads

~Smansmith

p.s. You can pick up another track from Stripmall Ballads alongside another interview over on Microphone Memory Emotion Blog.

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

photo by Bobby Aazami

Just a quick post of a Daniel Johnston cover from Bahhaj Taherzadeh (We/Or/Me) that was just completed for a lost friend. Songs mean many things to many people and some are shared specifically among friends. I don’t pretend to know the whole story behind the recording, but it is a great song, done well for a good reason.

From the Soundcloud page:

I recorded this song for my friend Gavin Welch a few days after he passed away. This week Marie helped me finish it up so that it could be shared with his friends today. It’s a song by the great Daniel Johnston–an artist that Gavin and I had many conversations about. It’s not a sad song. It’s a song of gratitude and of acknowledgment that the time we spend with those we love, is time that will be with us always.

Find the original via the Soundcloud link above (or here) and enjoy a nice big uncompressed download of the track.

Visit We/Or/Me: Website | Facebook | Bandcamp (he has a great new album).

~Smansmith

Now playing the newest Scott Orr album Where I Lived, And What I Lived For this Sunday.  If you are looking for a great acoustic album that brings some slow burners and even a few not so slow burners (for those mid-tempo-coustic types) this just might be your next album.

I apparently thought I was listening to this album for a few months but in turn I found out I wasn’t listening to it at all until about 3 weeks ago when Scott called me on it.  For shame.  It was quickly remedied by Other Songs Music Co. and I had a copy of the album almost instantly.  Good folks over there.  So I started listening and the album starts out on a high note with what most are calling “THE song” on the album “In the Belly of a Whale”.  The song is getting a fair amount of warranted buzz for the pitch perfect delivery and soothing acoustics that it brings to the listener.  It is weird, the song has no real percussion for the most part but you feel the ebb and flow as it plays…almost like breathing.  A clear winner for the album.

I warn you not to stop and keep this track as “The Song” as there are more that can stand just as tall in this singer songwriter’s bag of acoustic goodness.  Currently songs like “Knots”, “Who Loves You” and “Nobody’s Someone” are just as compelling and warrant the same amount of love as the lead off track.  Take a listen to Nobody’s Someone below and tell me it doesn’t hit the same mark?

Overall the album should be part of your Sunday listening (regardless if your Sunday happens 7 days a week) and you should take the time to find out what Scott Orr lives for.

Visit Scott Orr:  Website | Other Songs Music Co. | Facebook
Purchase Scott Orr:  Other Songs Music Co. Bandcamp

~Smansmith

Just letting y’all know that Philadelphia’s Hezekiah Jones is now fully up on Bandcamp for all 4 releases from Yer Bird Records.  You can now stream two of my favourite songs from 2011 – see below for “Lift the Shadow From This Heart” and “Last Parade on Ann St. (Chris Bathgate cover)” from the latest album, Have You Seen Our New Fort?.

~

If you are in the Philly area, make sure you don’t miss the Sept. 23rd show with Sharon Van Etten, Marissa Nadler & Hezekiah Jones at World Cafe Live for the Philadelphia F/M Festival, Weathervane Music and 88.5 WXPN show!  Get info on it here.

Find more on Hezekiah Jones: Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter
Purchase: Bandcamp | Yer Bird Records | iTunes

Iron and Wine perform ‘He Lays in the Reins’ on Sound Opinions from WBEZ on Vimeo.

Just a track that I have always liked since the collaboration between Iron & Wine and Calexico some years ago.  This track has just always been a favourite for some reason.  I have a couple versions that have circulated around for a while and thought I would make a stab at it being a favourite for you as well.

“He Lays in the Reins (Home Sessions)” – Iron & Wine
“He Lays in the Reins (live at the Triple Door)” – Iron & Wine with Calexico

Tell me that isn’t a great tune?

~Smansmith

Just pre-ordered my vinyl & T-Shirt combo for the new album via their Bandcamp – go here and get it too!

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This Owen track is EXACTLY how I hear his music.  This is like a greatest hits for Owen turned into a one-track anthem.

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Triggertown’s “TT” album is a FREE download via their Bandcamp page (here) and it includes some great tracks – I specifically love the waning violin matched to the pedal steel  in this track.  Soo good.

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You’re Almost There by Lanterns on the Lake

Lanterns on the Lake are about to release their new album on Sept. 19th and I have always kind of been partial to the spacey mellowed out beauty in their sound.  The new album is no different and provides it in spades.  MP3 download: “You’re Almost There”

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So enjoy your Saturday with a cross section of some music that could quite neatly fit into one corner of the box that is Slowcoustic.

~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

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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

Meursault are due for an album and I think it just might be around in the next bit – but who knows with these band types.  HA, just kidding (not really), but Matthew at Song, by Toad brought to my attention a new Location Music TV session with Neil Pennycook from Meursault…and it was real good.  Real good.  Neil has been on Location Music TV before and we had that video up previously (here) – so you can see by that post in April, the album is still in the works.  As I mention in the previous post linked, the songs are most likely not going to be these acoustic versions, but god damn I had to post them anyway.   Watch both of them below.

Now, did I not say ‘god damn’?  Visit Meursault and pick up the newly mastered red vinyl release of their newest album “All Creatures Will Make Merry” at Song, by Toad Records here.  You can also catch a recent performance via our good friends over at The Waiting Room here.

~Smansmith

p.s.  Large banner image from front page obtained from Stereokill.net (see their post here)

Re-post from way back in January 2009 with the final track to the President’s project from Christian Kiefer/Jefferson Pitcher/J. Matthew Gerken and released from Standard Recording Co.  The package came to be via the FAWM (February Album Writing Month) and included many contributions…including Will Johnson below.  Enjoy.

Update to the post below and the Songs for Presidents and the “Of Great and Mortal Men: 43 Songs for 43 U.S. Presidencies” project. NPR debuted the 44th track, that isn’t included on the original 3 disc set as it was released prior to the US Presidential election last November.

Well here it is – Barack Obama (Someone To Wake) as performed by Will Johnson. Check the original post here and take a listen below.

Will Johnson’s “Barack Obama (Someone to Wake)” – from the “Of Great and Mortal Men” album.

~Smansmith