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!

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

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

So the other day my close personal friends The Deep Dark Woods (don’t you know all Canadians know each other?) posted on their website and social outlets about a live download they are giving away.  Well after I feigned hipster nonchalance I casually grabbed a copy of it…I mean whatever…might as well…

Okay, so honestly I was excited and rightfully so.  The download is 8 tracks and does a great job of spanning their discography and shows a range from uptempo jams (of which their live show is known for) and their amazing downtempo balladeer tracks.  The recording is from the Birchmere out in Alexandria, Virginia from January 19, 2012.  I thought I would do you all the favour and send you in their direction to pick it up and give you some sampling below.  You can find it on their website HERE and it is also where the photo atop this post and the banner image on the front page is from.

I have chosen 3 tracks for y’all to sample as each one is from a different album and all stand out.  I have also done you the favour of giving them a slight gain in volume and ever so slight cropping of the tracks with fades…because I love you all.  Now listen and go and grab the whole set from these good ol’ Saskatchewan folks.

“Hang Me, Oh Hang Me (Live at the Birchmere)”
~from ‘Hang Me, Oh Hang Me (2007)’ – Purchase
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“All the Money I Had is Gone (Live at the Birchmere)”
~from ‘Winter Hours (2009)’ – Purchase
~
“The Place I Left Behind (Live at the Birchmere)”
~from ‘The Place I Left Behind (2011)’ – Purchase

Enjoy your Saturday and simply pretend you are ‘Live at the Birchmere’ out in Virginia if even for a few minutes.

~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

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

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.

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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

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

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

Possibly the one song to sum up Ryan Adams to me is “Come Pick Me Up” when it is done solo acoustic. The song is a total sad bastard song done the way I like it.  Mostly because it has:

•  A poor bastard getting fucked over as subject matter
• Harmonica
• Uncontrollably catchy hooks (but in a good way)
• Hushed acoustic /strummed acoustic guitar
• Harmonica
• A chorus that endears the singer/protagonist while embarrassing anyone around you as you sing it aloud in public.
• Harmonica

Well I thought I would share a recent discovery from his current/recent tour to promote his new album Ashes & Fire.  The recording is from a stop in Denver this past September and the good folks at ‘That’s The Thing About That’ Blog had recorded and offered the complete show for a free download.  It is a fantastic recording and Adams did not disappoint – he played & sounded great and actually played a perfect selection of tracks.  See the original post HERE with links to download in mp3 and FLAC formats.

I actually found this recording via ‘I Am Fuel, You Are Friends’ blog as she conveniently uploaded each track individually and is also hosting the complete show if you have any problems with the original downloads linked above.  See her post HERE.

Without further adieu, your song of the day;

“Come Pick Me Up (Live in Denver)” – Ryan Adams, Live in Denver, CO 2011-09-15

~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

Thanks to my co-horts over at Knox Road, I have had the pleasure of listening to the new 3 track EP “The Bastards: Volume One” from Radical Face! (see their post here)

The new (Free) digital EP is almost a teaser to the full length being released on October 4th and if this is an actual hint at what is upcoming, this should be a fantastic album.  Radical Face has been around for a while consistently putting out music, but keeping a bit of a low profile…or maybe people don’t appreciate a good thing…either/or.   Anyway, the three tracker is a very easy listen which might be half the battle to get Radical Face (or Ben Cooper as he might be known to family and friends) in the ears of more listeners.  I seem like I am harping on this, but someone like RF deserves a larger audience and I think these new tracks are going to work in his favour.  The songs are moody, piano laden and instantly catchy…in a good way.  A perfect example of this is the use of hand-claps that tend to follow many Radical Face albums…it can be something I absolutely hate when bands inject this clapping to music in order to try to show energy in songs.  But when Cooper does it in ‘We’re on Our Way’, it fits and works and you feel like joining in (which is the point I presume).   This EP is reminiscent of his ‘Ghost’ album from a few years back – an example is a song like one of my favourites “Winter is Coming” (a must listen for those of you who have read this far) – so if this EP gives you the yearning for more, definitely check out the album.

Overall, ‘The Bastards: Volume One’ does the two things it is supposed to:

1) provide good music
2) leave you wanting Volume Two.

Find out more on Radical Face: Website | Facebook | Soundcloud

~Smansmith

Chris Kiehne has just released his newest album ‘A Widower’s Kind’ via his Bandcamp page and as eluded to in the title of this post he is using material from the great Hank Williams.  By his own admission he describes the project below:

“A Widower’s Kind” is a collection of significantly-to-slightly modified Hank Williams songs. Some of my favorite Hank songs, and some of his most morbid. Mark de Wilde (http://markdewilde.tumblr.com/) created the beautiful cover art. Hank supplied everything else. God rest his soul.

If you are familiar with the originals you do know that these are more of a modern day stark singer songwriter version of the country tunes, but they do work for the most part.  I have selected a couple of tracks that stuck out as some good listenin’.

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Enjoy your Friday.  Oh, did I mention this album is available for free?  You can download it via his Bandcamp Page HERE and find a link to a Mediafire upload link to grab a copy or simply chip in $1.00 or more for the Bandcamp copy (more format options than the mediafire copy).

You can also check out a previous post with Chris Kiehne here and also find him with his fantastic previous band The National Lights on iTunes here.

~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

The other day I picked up (after waiting much too long) the Mostly Midwest Sampler Mixtape #1 (find it here with a ‘pay what you want option’).  They were doing a push to raise funds for all things Midwest and it simply prompted me to get off my ass and actually “donate” with a purchase.  I had been aware of it for a while and also aware of Jeremiah Nelson as well, but I found another little gem of a track from the mixtape in a 2008 recording from Nelson, “Favorite Chair”.  The song originally was part of his album ‘Take Me Down the Interstate’.

The song is fantastic.  It’s a slow summer morning, with sunlight picking out the dust lazily floating in the air…caught in each of the light’s streams through the window.  It is a piano meshed acoustic ballad and begs for simpler times when you can just sit down and listen – plain and simple, its great and you should listen to.

~~

Find more from Jeremiah on his website and Bandcamp page.

Check out the great duet with the amazing Heidi Spencer off his new album that was previously on Slowcoustic (via 5 Score Pachyderm) HERE.

~Smansmith

~~~

NEW stuff from The Deep Dark Woods’ upcoming album The Place I Left Behind:
(album due August 2nd on Six Shooter Records)

“Westside Street”
(see more info on the new album and tour dates via Exclaim.ca)

~~

Herohill vs. Gordon Lightfoot: Turning Back The Pages Of My Sweet Shattered Dreams

In an homage to the great Canadian Singer Songwriters Herohill is feeling like Gordon Lightfoot can be taken, well, lightly.  Not true says the crew on the hill (among almost all of Canada) and they show you 36 reasons why Mr. Lightfoot is a legend in the great white north.  Visit the epic post on Herohill HERE.  Also, we have a song from this massive compilation (that is a fully free download folks) that hits home with local Cam Penner!

“Alberta Bound (Gordon Lightfoot Cover)” – Cam Penner (with Jon Wood)

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Also, as I really had nothing to do with or coverage of NXNE this year, I really needed to show some love to one of Canada’s largest musical events.  Yesterday I noticed one of my Saskatchewan favs Zachary Lucky linked to an ‘in the park’ performance he had while in T.O. for the event.  The video is below along with new favourite Bellewoods that I found from the same afternoon performance (see them all at The Humble Empire YouTube Channel)!

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There you have some Canucks for your Canada Day. Please enjoy!

~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)

~

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

This is a collection of things that I am simply posting as they are frickin’ good and I think more people need to join in on the fun.  These artists aren’t related in any way (as far as I know), but I tend to put them in the same boat or for you mix-tapers, they would make good artists for the same playlist.  Some of this is new, some isn’t but its some good ‘alt-country’/singer songwriter/troubadour type stuff.  I said it was good right?

• Theodore has a new EP “Blood Signs” that kinda came in under the radar as I had absolutely no idea.  See their artist page and purchase on Misra Records here.  For a sample, visit the “I Went To A Show” blog for an interview with the band and the free track “All I Ask” from the EP – its a slow burning to full on rock ballad, and its fantastic.  Listen to a stream of “Abilene” from the EP on a recent trip to KDHX in St. Louis as well below.
  Theodore “Abilene” Live at KDHX 5/18/11 by KDHX
• One of my favourite bands in the last few months is Kill County and their amazing 2010 album “The Year of Getting By” (see a quick post here).  This album would have been on my best of list in 2010 if I had actually known about it then – yes, I’m kicking myself now.  I thought you might need a quick push to listen to these guys with a couple of tracks from their previous album State Line (which is a free download on their Bandcamp page here).  This is some of the best slowed down, torch song country tunes you will find.
  ~ “Three Bullets”
  ~ “Of Roads and Streets”
• Will Johnson (of Centro-matic and South San Gabriel fame) has a new acoustic EP out on Undertow Records called “Little Raider” and it is a great listen.  It is the kind of release that will easily be a favourite EP of 2011 and would easily fall onto a favourite album of this year list with 4-5 more songs as simply filler.   Admittedly I do like the slower side of Johnson with SSG more than CM but when he does that solo thing, it is just punch yourself in the face good.  You can purchase it here (only 56 more copies left as I type this sentence).  I don’t know of any promo track from this EP but there is a free 24 track CM/SSG sampler on their Centro-matic website, so let’s listen to a couple of SSG songs to get you in the mood and coax you into picking up one of those 56 copies of Little Raider.
  ~ “Charred Resentment the Same”
  ~ “Alabama Crusade”
• Willy Vlautin of Richmond Fontaine had a couple of videos from his recent stop at NoAlibis.  The new album is called The High Country and I am looking forward to it very much.  The below video is presumably from the new album (from the title alone), so it kinda kicks it up a notch in the needing-to-hear-this-new-album-now category.  Thanks to ‘Tabbedout’ in the AltCountryTab forums for the heads up!  Watch & listen:
  

That is all I have for now, but what is everybody else listening to?

~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”.

Arthur Alligood emailed me about his new album (just out March 2011) and I have to say I have been pleasantly surprised with the album. It is a cross between singer songwriter, pop, folk and even a bit of folky country rock. ‘What’ you say? Surprisingly enough yes, it is all here in one 10 track package.

Admittedly I find the slowed down acoustic numbers from Alligood is where he excels and where I enjoy the release the most. Songs like ‘Turn It Over’ have a restrained story telling aura and the album ending ‘Come On Something’ has a letting go feel – but not in a sombre way, but as if one is looking almost reluctantly looking forward to bigger and better. This is one thing that might come for Alligood with the clarity and polished sound on a lot of these songs. A personal favourite is the opening track “Show Some Heart”, listen below:

A simple yet gorgeous song with acoustics, light keyboards and a honesty that only a good singer songwriter can pull off. Not heard enough of that style? How about another with a bit of waning lap steel (I think it is lap or pedal steel…)? Try this one on.

This one is probably the most sparse with the hint of country. Stunning in my opinion and probably the stand out for Slowcoustic fans I think. Nothing beats the feeling that a song like this creates, early evening, quiet times, light breeze and a open landscape view – the classic back porch with warming whisky in a mason jar. Tasty, right?

So the two songs above make the album worthwhile, but for those not sold on a one trick pony, you still get a more upbeat facet of Alligood with tracks like ‘Keep Your Head Up” & “Make Her Smile”, good for kickin’ up the heels me thinks. So why don’t you swing by his Bandcamp page to stream the full album (here) and you can even pick up an earlier EP ‘Full Circle’ as a free download (here). Let’s play you out with the title track:

For more information – find Arthur Alligood on his Website, Bandcamp, Facebook and Twitter.

~Smansmith

Quick hitter today with a new album from Philadelphia’s Psalmships.  We have featured Joshua Britton (& crew) on the blog before and his eerie sense of ambient folk and he once again pulls out the stops with his new live album release “Baby, I’m Wild” due out next week as a free download!

I think the facebook page description sums up what you can expect upon first listen before you submerge in it and make your own call.

“Psalmships creates ghost folk, reeling in the minimal with atmospheric restraint.”

Today you can listen to 2 streams from the album (out on Bandcamp now and for free download next week) that cover two highly respected and covered artists in Jason Molina and Jeff Mangum:

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~

The covers have the delivery and timbre of each original artist and that is what is kind of chilling…listen for yourself and catch the entire thing on his bandcamp page now.

Visit Psalmships: Facebook | Website | Bandcamp

~Smansmith

The Civil Wars were recommended to me recently and I like them.  Male/Female duo singing acoustic-ish folk-ish tunes, I mean why wouldn’t I like them.  Well my buddy Laura recommended them with a side note of a video cover they had of the Smashing Pumpkins song “Disarm”.  This intrigued me as I loved that song “back in the day” and while many people might have discovered it and gone back to listen – I heard it when it came out and it blew me away.  Sure I was younger and not as refined in my mellow music days, but this is one of the songs that started the push to the mellow side….that and getting older…but I digress.

Watch this great video from the Paste Studios – the song starts around 30 seconds in:

~

The new album “Barton Hollow” by the Civil Wars is still just starting to grow on me but they are also nice enough to offer up a great live set for any of you on the fence about getting into the band.  To my surprise (or not to my surprise) I found a demo for the song “Falling” that is incredible and I have been listening to it for the last few days since I downloaded the full free set HERE.  Listen below:

“Falling (demo) [Bonus Track]“ – The Civil Wars, Live at Eddie’s Attic

Visit The Civil Wars on their website for more info: The Civil Wars.

~Smansmith

An album I am very much looking forward to seeing a release is the upcoming Hezekiah Jones album “Have You Seen Our New Fort?”.  I am excited as it is a fantastic album and we are releasing it over on our label Yer Bird Records (his 4th release with us)!

And while this post isn’t about the new album (I’ll post on it next week with the release on March 29th), but we are uploading a track a day to the Yer Bird site of a live performance recorded in 2009.  2009, you say?  Yes, it is a great collection of the soundboard tracks that were recorded and mixed by Kyle Graham at Fresh Produce Studios and it includes some favourites alongside some covers the band has done.  So far there are two tracks up and I will post them below as well, but visit the home page of Yer Bird Records each day up to the release for another free track (another one up later on this afternoon)!

“Drug Buddy (Lemonheads cover)”
“Cupcakes for the Army”
Hezekiah Jones, Live @ The Fire – 2/19/09

For the recording the below “Jones” players were involved:

Enjoy!

~Smansmith

Just wanted to let y’all know about an album that came out of nowhere (for me, not for him) and you all need a listen or two…  Chris Kiehne just “released” the album Pray For Daylight and is giving it away absolutely free because he simply wants it to be heard.  Well, I’m liking what I’m hearing.

Chris Kiehne was part of the band The National Lights that released one of my favourite albums of 2007, “The Dead Will Walk, Dear” and when I heard from Chris, I was excited for new material.  If you are a fan of The National Lights, you get a glimpse into what might have been next for the band with this new set of songs.  This new album from Kiehne was started a while back but due to technical difficulties (hard drive crash), half of it was lost.  Well, with the help of Jeff Alford (pianist and general music-partner) and Sonya Cotton (also of The National Lights) they re-recorded the last half of the album and now it is out there!  It combines soft acoustics, a bit of twang, piano and gorgeous melodies that make it a perfect Slowcoustic listen.

Try a sample below in the title track & a link for the entire album:

“Pray For Daylight” – Chris Kiehne, from 2011′s “Pray For Daylight”
FULL Album Download

BONUS: I thought you need to hear a track from the amazing album The Dead Will Walk, Dear

“O, Ohio” – The National Lights
Purchase on iTunes, Amazon, eMusic

~Smansmith

]]> http://slowcoustic.com/2011/03/09/chris-kiehne-releases-pray-for-daylight-gives-it-away-for-free/feed/ 6 http://slowcoustic.com/2011/02/12/site-news-upcoming-albums-and-just-stuff-its-saturday-round-up/ http://slowcoustic.com/2011/02/12/site-news-upcoming-albums-and-just-stuff-its-saturday-round-up/#comments Sat, 12 Feb 2011 18:25:56 +0000 slowcoustic http://slowcoustic.com/?p=5703

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

Uncles had a pretty good introduction (to myself at least) with their album “Replacing Words with Other Words” from last year.  Brought to my attention from the good folks at Ampeater (and look out!  Two new tracks for download from Uncles on Ampeater HERE) so they gotta have some cred.  Now the New York based foursome is preparing their next release slated for this summer I’m told and they have a lead off track.  Details are a little sparse on the new album in general but with a song as gorgeous as M4W below it doesn’t really matter right now.  So keep an ear out for the new album as I am sure it will be required listening!

“M4W” – Uncles

Find more Uncles: Website, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace
Get their previous album (on CD) via Amazon or download it for free on their website

~Smansmith

A bit of a round up on things that you probably already know about, but for those that get busy with life outside the internet (!!), sometimes it is good to get it all in one place.  Like right here.  I haven’t necessarily been ‘asleep at the wheel’ here, but I haven’t made a real mention of the below items on the blog specifically.  So I am remiss…

• HearYa had a great session with Saskatchewan’s The Deep Dark Woods about a week ago, and if you are a fan you really need to grab the session.  My current favourite is “Peggy O”.
  
  The Deep Dark Woods – “Peggy O” – HearYa Live Session 9/21/10 from HearYa.com on Vimeo.
• White Pines had some live video love over at Mostly Midwest earlier this week from his Mittenfest showcase.  My current favourite is “The Armour”.
  
  White Pines – The Armor from Mostly Midwest on Vimeo.
• John Statz released a free EP that is some re-worked tracks and some new tracks in the form of his “The Budapest Sessions”.  You might remember the feature & interview we did with John a couple years back – revisit it here.  My current favourite on the new EP is “Everything to Me”.
  
• I certainly hope everyone picked up the fantastic album “This American” in December 2010 when it was free.  If you didn’t, this album is more than worth purchasing – it is probably my most played album in the last 2 months.  It came very quickly after his “4th of July” release…it continues to baffle me how this guy puts out consistently good music.  My current favourite on This American is “Oregon Trail”.

There you have it, 4 options for your listening/watching/spending pleasure.  Tell ‘em Slowcoustic sent ya.

~Smansmith

Ivana XL, one of Brooklyn’s finest up and coming (come on guys, how much longer do I have to say this – why isn’t she famous) singer songwriters has been uploading songs on her “Xmas” themed Bandcamp Page for a few weeks now.  I noticed that there were some more tracks and the below cover of Lucinda Williams’ track “Over Time” can not be overlooked.  It is a fantastically lazy stroll of a song that I believe was recorded by Willie Nelson & Lucinda Williams (but written by Williams) in the early 2000s…. or whatever – regardless, its a great track.

“Over Time (Lucinda Williams cover)” – Ivana XL

If you visit her Bandcamp page, you can also pick up 6 other songs currently, including one of her best with “Nobody Does it Better” (I don’t want to get caught up in the covers here, but why do they all sound so great?) – stream it below;

~~

There you have it – swing by here and pick up the rest of the free tracks from Ivana!

~Smansmith

above pic from Flickr – Visit the photog

Today’s “playlist” is actually two songs from my very early commute this morning.  Two songs, that whenever I hear them I always think specifically, “Damn, this song is good”.  They are the songs you think about after they finish, the songs you usually push the back button on when you get to one second left so that the song plays all over again.  They both have been on Slowcoustic already, but they deserve to be on many times and I trust you feel the same.

• “Sparrow” by Trespassers William.

Sparrow, from 2009′s “The Natural Order of Things” is a song that has both a lo-fi and produced feel.  The vocals from Anna-Lynne Williams float over a soundscape of a melody…a melody that has a distinct beat.  The cadence of the song is what makes this a winner – it feels like it is drifting, but it is very focused and moves you along with it.  The song gives me an immediate comparison to the sound and band Portishead, if only a little less “trip hop” version of Bristol band.  You have beautiful echoing vocals & lyrics over a warm blanket of song.  Please listen.  Visit.  Purchase the EP.

~~

• “Lisa” – The Prayers & Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers

This one is a few years older from a band that hasn’t seen much action lately, but this song just kills me.  This song is an all time favourite of yours truly, hands down.  The song is life in the rear view mirror.  Whether it is a real story, collection of stories or simply a story in song – it is beautiful like few others.  Mistakes are made in life, you will one day look back and realize this and know you cannot make it better, return to fix it and you simply drift further away from the experience the older you get.  Absolutely stunning – listen in headphones, listen to the story and tell me it doesn’t ache…just a little…

The song Lisa is from their “Redux” EP, which is a collection of rare and unreleased tracks from TP&ToADS.  This particular song was their contribution to Esopus Magazine in 2005 and the whole EP is a free download on their website.  Visit them and pick up the full 5 track EP.  They also have a fantastic album to purchase as well.

~Smansmith

I was going to try and lie to you and say this is an actual Xmas themed post, but simply due to the title of the song “Merrily, Merrily” I thought I could squeak it through as “festive”…

Lisa Will Insult You, Darling has been on Slowcoustic prior (see here) and Sebastian Jegorow is back with another 9-track album he is offering for free on his Bandcamp page.  The music created by Jegorow is lo-fi and it is perfect for really listening to (like with headphones) as it seems that much more raw and, for me, makes it that much easier to connect with an artist or their work.  The album is definitely for the sad bastard crowd and it is full of gems like this particular song below as well as “Among the Communists”, “I Will Die (again)”, “On Request”, “Kill Your Love” and a nice Little Wings cover of “Light Green Leaves” for good measure.  So if you like your Xmas with a little bit of down trodden whiskey drinkin’ acoustic – then you are in luck, this album is for you and you won’t be disappointed.

“Merrily, Merrily” – from Lisa Will Insult You, Darling, taken from 2010′s “Jingle Man”

~Smansmith

Discovered due to my love and recent post on the Photographers (see here) – John Hanson being one half of that duo and he has a fantastic “gratis” EP on his Bandcamp page.  If you like things a bit Slowcoustic, and I think you do, you will not be disappointed.  This officially gets song (or three) of the day!!  Listen below:

*For those of you on your iPhone and can’t see the Bandcamp player: “Caroline” (mp3) – (make sure you swing by his page to grab the other 2 tracks: Blue Sky and Red Rock as well).

There you have it, a must have for those who enjoy hushed finger picked acoustics – John Hanson!

~Smansmith

p.s.  I did mention he is part of the band Photographers, so obviously he is actually a photographer; so check out his fantastic Flickr page here.

An EP born out of the tour friendship of Douglas Jenkins and David Shultz, He and Him (possible name change in the future…lets just enjoy it for now though) created some great horizon viewing in the form of “cello folk”.

“Cello folk” you say?  Yeah, I said it.  You see Douglas Jenkins’ day job as an artist is currently as part of Portland Cello Project.  Ahhh, makes sense now, doesn’t it.  Well the He & Him project born from a tour that both Douglas and David played on (Thao & the Get Down Stay Down) and it shows great promise if I had to say.  The EP was recorded in Jenkins’ living room during another tour with Portland Cello Project on their day off!  The main reason for this is Jenkins’ lives in Oregon and Shultz in Virginia…not the most convenient for collaboration – but it was enough for this little gem of an EP

While at a mere 3 songs, they created something that I think the “album art” above might translate – think of rolling hills, possibly at dusk with only the natural sounds of twilight around you.  Maybe this is because I feel stringed instruments (and especially the cello) can create sweeping sound-scapes & anchor many types of music; or more something that sets the mood with one pull of the bow across the strings.  These three songs are quiet, hushed and simply a great listen.  The 3 tracks are free at this time from their Bandcamp page (here), so do yourself a favour and go pick it up.

Listen:

~

~

~

There are possibilities of putting together something more substantial with this project, the location of both might be in the way…but they are working on it.  Let’s hope something works out and more of this music gets a chance to breathe.

~Smansmith

Sam “Pickering” Pick has once again graced us with another one of his beautiful acoustic albums. I say “again” as he has numerous albums across various media hubs (and usually all for free) and I don’t know why this guy isn’t famous. The music created is that perfect hushed folk song that sometimes is just needed. This new album “The Boy in the Back” has a few doozies in that department and overall provides one of the best albums in a while for me.

Pickering Pick came to be known by myself via the Rate Your Music website as he provides all his albums as a free download (currently at 9 albums, 2 EPs and a single!!!). While he may be a bit too delicate for some, this music is absolutely beautiful and comes across as something so honest and fragile I always wonder why it is something that he parts with so easily. Maybe that is the whole idea though, something like this just needs to be shared. Please visit Pickering Pick, friend him, listen to his music, support his talent…he is one of the good ones folks.

“Annabel”
“Glad”
from 2010′s “The Boy in the Back”

~

Bonus: “Just Like Heaven (The Cure Cover)” – from 2010′s “Sally Gardens” EP

Visit Pickering Pick on Rate Your Music, Last.fm, Facebook and Bandcamp.

~Smansmith

Quick post on Sweden’s “Bakers At Dawn” (or Marcus Sjöland) and his fantastic acoustic track “Undefined” from his 2009 album “You must hide your love forever”.  The song has a familiar style of guitar work that wouldn’t feel out of place on a José González album.  Arguably a more approachable track out of the 15 on the album that is freely downloadable on Peppermill Records (here) but it has such a comfortable feeling I had to have it on repeat for a few days.  Sjöland is described as a music fiend (works in a record store, makes lots of music and wants to experiment with much of it) and that is just how we like them around here.  Please enjoy:

“Undefined” – Bakers at Dawn, from 2009′s “You must hide your love forever

You can visit Bakers At Dawn on MySpace and Facebook.

~Smansmith

Today sees the release of J. Tillman’s “Singing Ax” over on Western Vinyl and once again comes highly recommended from Slowcoustic HQ.

I know Tillman’s style is not for everyone but I was thinking about the phrase “the space in-between” and thought that this might be something to use in describing most of this new album.  Sometimes the pauses, the breaths and that quiet moment just prior to going back into the next verse is where the beauty lies.  I have heard from various people that this very reason is one thing that might make them pass over Josh Tillman’s music – it simply doesn’t always have a lot going on.  That, my friends, is the point.  The beauty lies in his delivery of hushed vocals with acoustic accompaniment and possibly the spaces in between.  And those spaces sound really, really good.

“Three Sisters” – J. Tillman, from 2010′s “Singing Ax”

Purchase the vinyl/mp3 album over on Western Vinyl HERE.

~~~

I am sure aptly placed as a blog post late yesterday, Aquarium Drunkard decided to post a 10 track “tribute” recording by J. Tillman on the Neil Young album “Tonight’s the Night”.  This collection has it’s ups and downs (as I am sure some tracks could have used a 2nd take at times, but that may be the point of having something that isn’t officially released).  For the title track and the incredible “Albuquerque” cover alone….frickin’ amazing.  Head over HERE to pick up the 10 tracks completely free from AD.

~Smansmith

above via toothpastefordinner.com

What is it that I am aware of and enjoying the world of music and music blogs?  Glad you asked.

• Did you download the Sam Quinn session at Daytrotter (HERE)?  If so, congrats you are accepted into the inner circle.  If not, get thee into the circle by downloading!  Current favourite track is the “just a bit too late for the new album” Oceans, so let’s listen: “Oceans”
• Did you see that compilation to benefit the Wisconsin Humane Society?  You know, the one that took 15 Wisconsin artists and had them record a song each to complete a tribute to Wilco’s “Summerteeth” album?  ummm, you need to check it out (HERE) and consider a donation (HERE).  Thanks to Muzzle of Bees for making it happen!  Current favourite is the Conrad Plymouth track, listen: “Nothing’severgonnastandinmywayagain” (but head over to MoB for the full 320kbps version).
• Captain Obvious blog is always able to come out of nowhere to give us one of his mixtapes and he does not disappoint.  See the August installment (regardless of posting it on Sept. 1st….hey, it was worth getting every last day out of August for the mix!).  Download it HERE.  Current favourite is the Dylan LeBlanc track.
• This one isn’t about music, but I think you should follow Drew who creates Toothpaste For Dinner on Twitter (FOLLOW).  He be funny.
• Did you know that Song, by Toad Records has a great release that combines favourites Animal Magic Tricks, Meursault and King Creosote into one nice little package (currently on VINYL & CD).  Well it exists and they call themselves Cold Seeds!  Listen to a sample: “The Perfume of Mexican Birds”.  Current favourite track is the sleeper “Soil” that has been sending chills since I first heard it.
• Wentworth Kersey has released their 3rd installment of the “O” series, ((O)).  It is once again more shoegaze Americana (and some of the best you will find).  Listen to a current favourite “Sun And Moon”.  Find out, listen, purchase more at their SITE and (damn slick) LABEL page.  Watch a video of another track below:

Well, that is all I have at the moment.  Hope it gives you all something to fill the long weekend!

~Smansmith

Some may remember a previous post on The Sarcastic Dharma Society being featured on a playlist a while back for his cover of Pedro the Lion (see here).  You might have thought you needed more?  Worry no more, we have more lo-fi goodness released for free download!  Mat Vuksinich who records as Sarcastic Dharma Society continues to impress – whether it is his increasing series of recordings at CLLCT or the ease at which he creates these moments of homespun musical perfection.

The new album “Sannyasa Songs (of Love)” are lo-fi beauty, catch, pop gems.  They were recorded over the last couple of years in various “basement” locations and it really brings the lo-fi simplicity to the album.  Some may shy away from “lo-fi”, but don’t, you miss out on some of the most delicate and honest songs you will ever hear.  While this style isn’t for everyone and you may have to listen to a bit of “hiss” in the background, it’s more than worth it.  Take a listen for yourself below with 2 tracks from the Less Than Three Records site.

“Molly”
“The Giving Tree”
(Taken from 2010′s Sannyasa Songs (of Love)”

Find TSDS:

~Smansmith

p.s.  Bonus cover from that aforementioned cover album “Other People’s Songs (Volume One)” – “The First Day of My Life (Bright Eyes Cover)”

Today we have a Song of the Day from Andy Berkhout’s “Song Per Week Project” and this one is pretty damn good.  Andy has been on the blog prior (see here) and I am more than happy to have him back.  The song is “Endless Rhyme” and it is more of a harmonica laced “Americana” track.  I am a sucker for two things in my folk and folk inspired music and they are banjo and harmonica.  The song also has a touch of twang, if only in the tone of Berkhout’s voice.  It is a totally solo affair and it lends me to believe that if this is just a “week’s worth” of creation, this guy is going somewhere!

“Endless Rhyme” – Andy Berkhout, from week 29 of the “Song Per Week Project”

Find more Andy Berkhout on his Website, MySpace and see below for a couple of upcoming shows:

Bonus video of the track:

~Smansmith

Today’s song of the day is from an up and coming singer songwriter out of Texas (yes, it’s true).  Altobelli provided an album that is practically full of “Song of the Day” tracks in the Regulator, but today it is only one.  The Regulator as an album could almost be Slowcoustic 101:  it has hushed acoustics, the right amount of hooks to make the songs melodic, but not catchy and vocals that translate the sombre tone that oozes from this album.  This truly is a great album and to only have one song is a tragedy.  But alas, do not fret, you can download this album for free (for the next month) for your email address on his MySpace Page by clicking here.

“Wooden Floors” – Nicholas Altobelli, from 2010′s “The Regulator”

Altobelli is also on a bit of a tour, so if you are lucky enough to be around the below cities, maybe you should swing on by:

Find Nicholas Altobelli on his Website, MySpace, Facebook and Twitter

~Smansmith

Recommendations (to me):

• Thy Courage Quail – acoustic lo-fi recordings from a BandCamp troubadour.  Some really good tunes from this guy – two albums (well, an album and an EP) for free download (and no emails, nothing – just a straight download!).  Some live radio takes that really work alongside songs from lonely roads and late nights.  Visit on BandCamp HERE.  Thanks Drunk Country for the tip!  Enjoy a couple of tracks to get you on your way:  “Down Down Down” and “Monk Song”
• A “new” Sam Quinn track called Oceans that is from a recording session a few months back.  I can’t figure out if it is new or not (as it isn’t on the new album), but it sure is nice.   Sent to me from a reader and from a blog called “Live and Breathing” – but the kicker is it is their last post since February – so that is why I am confused if it is new.  The track is streaming on their site, so visit now HERE.

Video Section:

A nice video consisting of live shots from the recent Arborea tour along the West coast of the US has sound tracked a new video by the band.  I have been a fan of Arborea for a while and this song is from a couple of years back, but it is such a great track and now has an accompanying video.  If you like psych-folk that you can get really lost in, this is it – stunning.  Visit them on their Blog for more info.  Check out their Robbie Basho tribute album that Buck (from Arborea) curated as well (info)!

Bonus: “Dance, Sing, Fight” from remastered “House of Sticks”

~~~

A nice surprise from the Songs From The Shed site was finding American guitar folk hero (from the video, I just feel he is a bit of a guitar fiend…) Paul Curreri.  Curreri is on a tour in the UK promoting his new album “California” which is available from Tin Angel Records (here).  Enjoy a bit of “Shed action” below:

~~~

Email Inbox:

• Something that I am VERY excited about is the new EP from Small Sur.  This one is sooo good.  It is called “Bare Black” and will be released on July 12th via Aural State Recordings (here).  I have loved Small Sur (Bob Keal and co.) for a while – his self titled album from 2006 and “We Live In Houses Made of Wood” from 2008 still get regular rotation and come very highly recommended.  How about a new track from this feat of an EP?  Okay:  “Weeds” – Small Sur
• So JBM (Jesse Marchant) is finally releasing his “Not Even In July” album which comes highly recommended for those sad bastards out there like myself.  It is beautiful, sombre and worth your time.  The lead off track is included below and look for a full album release on July 27th.   “Cleo’s Song” – JBM

The “While I Was Typing This” Section:

• Tart at Love Shack, Baby put a nice instrumental track from eagleowl up today from their new EP “Into The Fold” – see it HERE.
• Frontloader put a classic track (for me at least) from PJ Harvey in acoustic form.  ACOUSTIC!  Visit for a great download of  “Down By The Water” HERE.

Blog post of the week by someone other than Slowcoustic (a la Knox Road’s “pick of the week”):

• HearYa put a devastatingly good session of Jill Andrews (see how I brought Sam Quinn and Jill Andrews in the same post…see what I did there?).  Wow, I think I played this session continuously at work as soon as it went up!  Find the videos and full MP3 download HERE.

That is all I have for now…enjoy the weekend!

~Smansmith

Some may remember my post on Fields of Industry a while back during a Michigan series of posts I was having (see a post on FoI Here and Joshua Here).  Well, today we have a full live set available for download courtesy of the Arts vs Entertainment site from a September 2009 performance.

As I tend to be a fan of all things stripped down acoustic style, I must like this.  Well, I think I would like it regardless if it wasn’t as lo-fi as it is just pretty darn good.  Barton has some solo stuff, covers and some Fields of Industry tracks in the set (13 tracks total).  See below for a full set list with a few tracks.

(Photo by Donna Ward/Getty Images)

Thought I would put the good old blogger “Mixtape” for Saturday with some tracks that have been getting some decent play around Slowcoustic HQ along with some new ones I just started listening to.  Some are from upcoming albums, some are from albums a few years old, some aren’t officially released at all.  Hope you enjoy this rag tag bunch of tracks loosely combined for a nice little playlist to import for that next moment you need some solid “folky” tunes.

• Starting with a new one from an album that I am very much looking forward to – The Mountains & The Trees upcoming “I Made This For You” (due August 2010).  Jon Janes who records under the moniker of The Mountains & The Trees is just the kind of guy you wanna know: he is an almost overly friendly guy, plays a mean banjo and has an almost unhealthy appreciation for the Canadian Broadcasting Company.  You gotta like that in a guy.
  ~ Enjoy “More & More & More” from the upcoming album.  Pre-order the album HERE.  **look for a “bonus track” from this album on our upcoming Yer Bird Records compilation in July!

• Another song that has been getting more play is from Brad Senne.  Despite the album being a 2009 release, it has been a bit of a sleeper and I personally loved the album “Aerial Views” immediately.  It started with the fantastic “Sing & Dance” and has extended through the entire album.  It is definitely one of those pensive singer songwriter albums that draws you in.  Highly recommended.
  ~ Enjoy “Golden” from Aerial Views.  Visit Brad HERE.

• Theodore recently did a Daytrotter Session (here) and it was crazy good.  While I find Theodore as an entity almost hit and miss at times because they have tracks that are mind blowing and then some that don’t hit the mark (for me).  Maybe it is a band that do such great slow burners get stuck in that mindset for me so when they kick it up a notch I am always waiting in 1st gear…oh well.  This song is an all timer for me and the Daytrotter version is killer.
  ~ Enjoy “Back From The War (Daytrotter Version)“.  Visit Theodore HERE.

• I posted last weekend on Joe Hertler from Michigan and I mentioned that I was thinking of him due to a video post for Frontier Ruckus.  Well, I don’t know why I didn’t post this song, but because I didn’t, here it is now.
  ~ Enjoy “Orion Town 3 (Frontier Ruckus Cover)“.  Visit Joe Hertler HERE.

• Drunk Country (of The Waiting Room fame) who is often a source of music for me has sent me in the direction of Björn Kleinhenz who I had not heard of prior.  Well I am glad he did as Kleinhenz has a piercing voice perfect for all the dusty towns and open plains that  “Americana Music” could ever hope for.  I found a split EP with Winter Took His Life who I had heard of, so what can I do other than provide a track from each right here!
  ~ Enjoy “We Will Burn” from Björn Kleinhenz and “Heaven On Earth” from Winter Took His Life.  PLEASE go get the rest of this EP (free download) over at his website HERE.   Also visit Winter Took His Life HERE.

• To end, I am still reeling over that NPR Session from Elephant Micah so I am going to post another track from it.  Listen to a great live take of “Loop and Lil” which is from his “Plays the Songs of the Bible Birds” album that came out earlier this year.
  ~ Enjoy “Loop and Lil (Live on NPR)“.  Find that album and more on Elephant Micah HERE.

Well that is it for now.  Other than the above, recommended listening includes that great new Sam Quinn album, Deer Tick and Matthew Ryan’s “Dear Lover Acoustic Version” album.  Soo much good stuff right now…

~Smansmith

The website is MusicFloss and if you are an independent artist and are looking for a platform to get yourself out there, this site is what you are looking for.

While MySpace is gearing up to simply be “MySpace Music” and numerous additional online distributing efforts around, I am not too familiar with a site that offers quite as much as MusicFloss does.  I mean you have Virb that is good and you have Bandcamp which is great, but this might be that half step up from Bandcamp due to promotional features.  Let’s take a look:

• Upload and sell your songs, individually, part of album, however you want
• Manage your online presence with photos, updates, tour info, videos
• Tracking system behind the scenes for sales, views, plays
• Widgets like the one below to put on your own website (including MySpace)
• Ability to send a link with your music to industry folks and have on their PR database (bloggers & review sites) and have it look pretty darn slick (see basic example)

In complete transparency, I am not working for MusicFloss but I have moved most of my label artists from my own label (Yer Bird Records, thank you very much) to join in this endeavor as I truly believe in it.  While I personally have joined as an Independent Music Label – we actually receive almost all of the revenue from any sales and if you are aware of the cut from the “big online retailers” you will know that this is a huge point of differentiation.   Aaaand if you are a solo unsigned artist it can get even better as you would receive 100% of all sales – you don’t have to worry about anyone’s “cut” of your sales.  You still have to set it all up, but if you are dedicated to your craft, spending an evening uploading/typing up the bio/getting pictures together – than this site is a no brainer.

The site is brand new as of June 1st, 2010 in a “public” sense now but has been in “beta” stages for a little while to get all the artists involved and everything up and running.  It is founded by the good folks over at the IndieMuse music blog (also a great blog for music in its own right) and it is touted as an independent community.  I know in “independent culture” the work community is thrown around quite a bit, but I think it is actually something that MusicFloss is really about.  You don’t even have to sell anything, just be there to get your music heard (this isn’t just a digital outlet, it’s the whole thing – see the breakdown of the benefits).  Remember, most sites are what you make of them, but MusicFloss kinda gives you a bit of a head start.  It is looking very promising and you should swing by for a look around!

~~Example of widgets to embed~~

Buy Ghosts I’ve Met’s music at MusicFloss. Artists earn 100%.

~Smansmith

So looking for a Michigan singer-songwriter who clearly is someone you both want to hang out with and listen to?  Well, for all of you that are not (or are) Michiganites/Michiganers/Mittens, you have the guitar strumming of Joe Hertler to help if you are lacking.

Joe Hertler’s music is why we are here and Joe has the songs that cause you to almost enjoy life (despite what the subject matter might be) and I like it.  I thought of Joe when I posted that Frontier Ruckus piece earlier today (as they are from Michigan and he has shared the stage with them previously).  I do think that the obvious choice right now is a song like “Welcome to Michigan” for it’s appropriateness – and here we go.

“Welcome to Michigan”

So, now you are welcomed, what else is there?  Well there is much more from Joe on his Bandcamp page – notably the fantastic “the Hard Times LP” that can be downloaded for “name your price” (which includes free you cheapies…  just kidding, I love all of you).  So let’s have another taster before you head over for a download of this young talent.  You can’t help but want to sing along, the hook in the chorus is almost bullet proof and I am always a sucker for acoustics that bring harmonica to the party.

“He Was Crushed”

Take a moment to stop by and visit Joe Hertler:

~Smansmith

A little all over the map today on stuff, but its all good at the same time, so I think it works out for the better, no?

I have had a couple of really good submissions lately and despite already being aware of both of them, sometimes I need a push…sometimes.  Those two bands are Uncles and Joseph & David.  I know of Uncles due to their recent release “Replacing Words With Other Words” that I saw on the great site Ampeater and Joseph & David due to the Green Man Festival readers poll on a band “opening the festival”.

Let’s start with Uncles.  Uncles provide a 10 track down tempo indie album that is free on their website – something I think is great option for newer bands to get noticed (it worked here at least).  I also feel bad as the album sounds like a real work – like it took something to get it out there.  Not in a physical sense like recording, mixing (but who knows) – but in a sense that it isn’t an album with throw away songs and fluff to get a “full length” album out into the music scene.  There is some really good tracks on this album, including the two below – but I suggest picking up the entire album to get a cohesive listen – get it on their site HERE.  Listen to the below tracks and tell me you aren’t picking it up?

“Settlers Song”
“Sleep Alone”

Check Uncles Session on The Ampeater Review, MySpace & their Website.

~~~

I also have Joseph & David from over yonder in the UK.  I first saw them over on the Green Man site when I was voting for Evening Chorus for the very same contest that these two are in – to play the opening of the Green Man Festival.  Well they both need to be in the top 5 to move on and they both currently are, so all is still rosy.

Well these two polite gentleman craft that soft acoustic folk-pop with (at time) soaring vocals.  Despite the songs having a slightly “tragic” sound, it builds character in a song (I think).  Not unlike Uncles above, the songs seem to have depth which can be hard at times for bands that play songs that can have a label such as “pop” attached to them.  The EP “So Short of Time” contains 6 tracks of piano infused beauty that sounds much beyond their young(er) years.  Once again, I am stunned by artists that at a such young age (or early in their musical career) can bring forth a collection of songs that are well done, sound good, have something that makes you want to sing along to and all around seem like good guys.  You can visit them on their Bandcamp page HERE or on MySpace HERE.

“Here’s to my Old Friends”

~~~

Next we have a “review” of last weekend’s The Tallest Man On Earth w/Nurses show here in Calgary.  While I don’t pretend to be a great reviewer of live shows – mostly due to my lack of extensive show attendance, I do think it was pretty darn good.  The crowd was pretty good – appreciative at the right times, sang along (wow, Calgary sings along to Tallest Man??  Nice) and while they crowded the stage, they weren’t difficult to get around to take a photo or a great view of the bands.   The venue, Local 522,  is a mish mash of good and bad:  great service for drinks, parking – had decent sound (which means something as TTMOE is entirely acoustic and Nurses have percussion, keyboards, etc.) – but lighting was a bit suspect.  I know it sounds trivial about lighting, but there was a constant “orange hue” to everyone in the crowd and the acts performing, so much so that I have had to move the photos to black and white to even make them decent.  The photos were taken from a local photog (David Kenny) who was gracious enough to send over a couple – they are downsized for the blog and again, moved to B&W for this blog only.

Aaron Chapman of Nurses (with shorter beard than normal)

The main man Kristian Matsson!

Okay the show – again, sound was pretty good overall and I was assured of this when “opening” band Nurses started playing – sound was full and fully recognizable as their music.  Sounds weird to say that, but sometimes the album clarity gets a bit forgotten in some venues and you end up getting what sounds like a grade 8 tribute band playing in place of the actual artists.  They did play the expected tunes like Technicolor which translated extremely well and a song that I am a big fan of.  There was a little banter, but not much and it was pretty much 6 songs and gone.  The 3-part team did a great job and I would see them again definitely – James from the band even worked the merch table and was very gracious in autographs and helping out all around to the fans.

Next Kristian came on after about a 15-20 minute break and did not disappoint.  Opening with the title track to the new album “The Wild Hunt” and everyone immediately got into it.  I have to say that he plays live extremely well and his voice is incredible – it holds up under everything he belts out.  With a tour like he is currently in where he is performing constantly, you might expect a touch of vocal fatigue but alas not here folks.  His delivery was phenomenal – front to back of the club – was spot on.  I mean, you know it’s live, but the power he delivers with lends to what could only be a great show.  The entire sound was full – guitar and vocal levels (not one over the other kind of scenario) was where it needed to be.  Some may ask how hard it is to have a guitar and sing – you can’t get the sound wrong??!!  Do not let these skeptics tell you this – in order to create great pitch and sound loud enough to get to the back of a sold out show (I would say 3-4 hundred where there) with no crackle, hiss, feedback or overfed channels – it takes a talented vocalist and good sound.  Kudos to the venue and who would I assume be the “roadies”!

A highlight was his cover of “Graceland” which I ever so helpfully yelled out during one of the breaks to ensure he did have the official “Slowcoustic recommendation”.  Fantastic.  He played almost the entire new album with a couple of previous cuts and ended the main set with King of Spain.  There was an encore attached which was just perfect – Kristian did talk with the audience during the show, but his speaking voice was much quieter than when he was performing, so honestly I could not make it out (what was I saying about the sound again??).  Recommended as a must see if he is in your neck of the woods.

After the show, both Nurses and TTMOE stuck around for autographs and to say hi – yours truly now owns both “Apples Acre” and “The Wild Hunt” on signed vinyl – how good is that?

That is all.

“Technicolor” – Nurses
“King of Spain” – The Tallest Man On Earth

~Smansmith

]]> http://slowcoustic.com/2010/05/22/saturday-round-up-uncles-album-joseph-davids-ep-and-tallest-man-on-earthnurses-live-review/feed/ 4 http://slowcoustic.com/2010/05/21/elephant-micah-plays-on-npr-offers-session-for-download/ http://slowcoustic.com/2010/05/21/elephant-micah-plays-on-npr-offers-session-for-download/#comments Fri, 21 May 2010 14:24:59 +0000 slowcoustic http://slowcoustic.com/?p=4568

I am not going to gush and go over the top about my appreciation for Joe O’Connell (Elephant Micah) once again, so I will try to keep this short and to the point.  Thanks to a facebook update from a friend, I now know and also just so you know, there is a recent NPR session of Spinning on Air featured Elephant Micah, which aired on May 18th as “Elephant Micah: Poetic And Plainspoken”.  Check out a video and track listing below.

~~~

~~~
Tracklisting

Ambiguous Instincts (mp3)
Loon Call
Hidden River Run
Wild Goose Chase
Detailed Cathedral (mp3)
Queen of Rocky Ripple
Loop and Lil
Echo of an Echo
Still Life Blues

This session is highly recommended for fans of EM, if only for the stunning live version of “Loon Call” alone…  Head over to NPR by clicking HERE to download the entire session free.  Don’t forget to visit Elephant Micah on his website for more free downloads.

~Smansmith

I wanted to let you all know that there is a new EP from Kyle Swartzwelder  entitled “Our Home In Yonder Field”.  It is another beautiful folk EP from one of the under appreciated singer songwriters in the upper east coast of the US.  Why this guy doesn’t get more play is beyond me.  His previous self titled release also is recommended (find a post on it here).  But I digress, Kyle’s new EP (one of 3 being released this summer) is 4 tracks of country tinged open fields and even includes a cover – you can find out about that when you purchase it.  Visit Kyle on MySpace, Reverbnation and pick up this new EP (name your price) over on his Website.

“Our Home In Yonder Field” – Kyle Swartzwelder

~~

Next we have one of my favourite acts from Canada in Donovan Woods.  I can’t say enough good things about this guy with his (new) collection of almost perfect vignettes of love, loss and life called “The Widowmaker”.  The other thing I truly enjoy about a Donovan Woods song is that he makes some of the serious things in life sound beautiful and he doesn’t come off “gangsta” when he curses in songs, it fits as it is part of real life.  While his previous album (which was freakin great – see a post here) stands by itself, you will find The Widowmaker grows on his sound and I mean grows.  The sound is definitely from the same wheelhouse but he is becoming even more of a performer – the songs are even more earnest, catchy, sombre and grand.  And to not take away from saying it earlier about Kyle above, Donovan Woods is well under appreciated – this guy should be an ever day name here in Canada.  The guy stands alongside fellow Canadian talent like Dan Mangan, Mark Berube, Jenn Grant among them.  Visit him on MySpace or pick up an album on CD Baby.  The new album should  be out soon!

“Phone” – Donovan Woods

~~

Next we have a sampler or compilation from one of my favourite record labels, Peapod Recordings!  Hey when you have artists like Dan Blakeslee, Brown Bird, Chriss Sutherland and South China you know you have a good thing.  Peapod actually have a history of putting out these compilations and do so regularly and they routinely are great and the “Summer 2010 Comp” is right in line.  So swing by Peapod Recordings and pick it up completely free!

“Monster (Devil Dancing outtake)” – Brown Bird

~~

Hope something above hits the spot for ya (because it should).  Enjoy your weekend!

~Smansmith

I like finding the real gems of the indie artist/label/creative types.  I think Spider + Octopus (Chad Bishop + Renee Arozqueta) who also are a part of their own Label, Zombies and Lizards (of course it is), is that discovery.

What you are getting here are a collection of pretty darn catch lo-fi folk tunes – from ukulele to piano to accordion and even solo acoustic guitar.   This has a bit of everything for the true folk music enthusiast types – great music, actual cohesive collection of songs, and what looks like a good bunch of folks (come on, look at that photo above, don’t you wanna just hang out with them?)

Well, let’s try some songs to start your Sunday listening experience – I am sure they will spill over into your daily playlists as well as they are with me.  You can find a sampler below with much more available on their Virb Page as well as an order option on their MySpace!

Skin on Skin
The Second
Satallites in the Stars
I Have Longed for a Ship
A Dark Forest Song to Sing in a Scary Place
Yellow Doll

Visit Spider + Octopus:

~Smansmith

]]> http://slowcoustic.com/2010/05/02/weekend-discovery-spider-octopus-unlikely-pairing-provides-enjoyable-lo-fi-folk/feed/ 3 http://slowcoustic.com/2010/04/08/collection-of-recommended-tracks-tw-walsh-fraser-anderson-and-i-am-oak/ http://slowcoustic.com/2010/04/08/collection-of-recommended-tracks-tw-walsh-fraser-anderson-and-i-am-oak/#comments Thu, 08 Apr 2010 14:04:34 +0000 slowcoustic http://slowcoustic.com/?p=4361 Just a smattering of tracks with no real connection either than the fact that I recently started listening to them due to a recommendation or mention from some good folks.

The first was from my long lost brother Adrian who you may know from the I Pick My Nose Blog.  Don’t worry if there are no recent updates over there, he is simply out of the country at the moment, lets hope for a visit soon though!  But back to the song, out of nowhere he recommends TW Walsh and his fantastic cover of Chelsea Hotel #2.  Yes, it has been done before and will be done many more times, but this one is definitely worth a listen (or three).  The Leonard Cohen cover is a classic and TW does a great job in not taking it too much off the rails and simply makes his version a tribute to the man and the song.  Listen below.

You might also might want to check out the additional free download of TW Walsh’s 2005 track “Badge” that he preformed with David Bazan and Ken Maiuri.

~~~

The next track was tweeted from one of my fellow bloggers, Trini over at You Crazy Dreamers when she mentioned she was looking forward to the upcoming Fraser Anderson album (July 2010 release).  The track is a sparse and immense & fragile gem of a song.  It actually starts out soo quiet, you think he might be actually standing right behind you whispering the lyrics.  The song is called “Run These Lines” and Anderson breathlessly sings of the things in love that keep us all moving, together and this song can practically tear out your heart and soul with every pick of the mandolin during that last minute.  Recommended.

~~~

The last but not least track is from a guy by the name of Thijs Kuijken who performs as “I Am Oak“.  He has one of his songs from his “On Claws” album included on the In A Cabin With “Recommendations” download.  This track entitled “On Trees and Birds and Fire” is one of my favourites on the 11 track sampler from the fine folks at IACW – find it on their website (its on the left hand side).  Other than this free download, you can also sign up for a member ship with IACW, get lots of great music from one of the real interesting music projects around – look into it!

“On Trees and Birds and Fire” – I Am Oak

~Smansmith