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

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

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

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

(*Re-Mastered for the 2012 release)

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

~Smansmith

Small Sur – photo by Henn Pict

Today has been excellent so far.  Really excellent.

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

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

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

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

~Smansmith

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

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

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

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

~Smansmith

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

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

~

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

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

~Smansmith

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

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

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

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

~

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

~Smansmith

Message To Bears - Photo by Luke Doyle

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

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

Enjoy your Sunday!

~Smansmith

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

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

— Slowcoustic (@Slowcoustic) January 1, 2012

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

Buy at Amazon MP3
More On This Album

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

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

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

~Smansmith

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

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

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

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

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

~Smansmith

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

~Slowcoustic’s Favourite Albums of 2011~

12.  Mount Moriah – Mount Moriah

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

Man, Pt. I by South of Lincoln

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

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9.  Bon Iver, Bon Iver

“Calgary”

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8.  William Elliott Whitmore – Field Songs

William Elliott Whitmore – Field Song by antirecords

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7.  Chris Bathgate – Salt Year

“Salt Year”

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6.  Frederick Squire – Sings Shenandoah and Other Popular Hits

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

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5.  Tyler Butler – Winter King

“Morana”

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4.  Dolorean – The Unfazed

Dolorean – Country Clutter by Fargo Records

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

West Side Street by The Deep Dark Woods

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2.  Jeffrey Foucault – Horse Latitudes

“Goners Most”

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

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

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There you have it.  Now…discuss!

~Smansmith

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

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

“Devils (Acoustic)” – Northcote

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

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

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

~Smansmith

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

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

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

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

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

~Smansmith

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

Overview of “Darkling, I Listen” lyrically:

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

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

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

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

Full Track Listing:

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

~Smansmith

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

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

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

~Smansmith

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

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

~Smansmith

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

~~

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

~~

Now go forth and listen this Saturday!

~Smansmith

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

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

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

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

“Where To Ohio” – Bro. Stephen

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

Find out more on Crossroads of America and his blog.

~Smansmith

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

I picked up this album yesterday on limited white vinyl for $15.00 with shipping to Canada.  This is something to give thanks for on this Canadian Thanksgiving…or as I know it, Thanksgiving.

Everything about this album is easy; its beauty, how you immediately find yourself a bit more comfortable when it is playing and then how you will keep it playing over and over.  The only hard parts about it is learning the spelling of Frank’s last name and knowing the fact that it came out a couple years ago and you are just purchasing it now.

Listen:

Something else you might want to look into is his contribution to the LEM series (Laminar Excursion Monthly) that I subscribed to last year – it was a 3″ CD monthly subscription from the folks at Flannelgraph Records – it was good stuff (despite the fact that I can’t actually play 3″ CDs in my iMac….).  It is a little darker and lo-fi, but still great – you can stream or purchase it digitally now on Bandcamp.  Listen to the track ‘Best Man’ below:

Find more on Frank Schweikhardt on his Bandcamp page, website, Facebook and the Crossroads of America site.

~Smansmith

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

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

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

2.) South of Lincoln

3.) Jeffrey Foucault
Listen: Goners Most

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

5.) Pickering Pick
Listen: Like a River

6.) J. Tillman
Listen: Three Sisters

7.) Tyler Butler
Listen: Morana

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

9.) Bryan John Appleby

10.) William Elliott Whitmore
Listen: Old Devils

~~~

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

~Smansmith

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

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

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

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

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

~

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

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

Check the CD release shows for you Michigan folks below

MICHIGAN CD RELEASE SHOWS (w/ Paleo):

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

~Smansmith

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

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

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

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

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

~Smansmith

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

~

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

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

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

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

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

Tell me that isn’t a great tune?

~Smansmith

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

~~

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.

~~

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”

~~

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

~Smansmith

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

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

~~~Interview with Maxwell Holmquist~~~

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Man, Pt. I by South of Lincoln

~~~

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

~Smansmith

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

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

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

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

~Smansmith

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

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

Listen to a couple of tracks;

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

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

Visit Mount Moriah: Website | Facebook | Bandcamp |

~Smansmith

*photo by Chris Robleski

New release over on Conrad Plymouth’s Bandcamp page provides some solo Christopher Porterfield tracks.  Almost a stop-gap EP on the road to the upcoming full length album from the full band.  The 7 songs are new, old and even finish out with a Mickey Newbury cover!  The album also has one of best album covers this year (art by CJ Foeckler) and is appropriately titled “Comrade Plymouth” – well played.

Hearing these tracks makes me feel the Will Oldham vibe more and more (albeit a more energized Oldham at times) – I find this especially in the opening track “I Am Not Waiting Anymore” and even “Evergreen”.  I always felt it was in there, but it comes through in these solo recordings.  I had previously heard the tracks “Incommunicado” and “Keep Everything Quiet and Clean” so these recordings come in as a bonus version of each.

Where this EP (I’m calling it an EP) excels is with my current favourite song “Circle Drive” – just a great sparse track that I feel embodies the sound of Porterfield – I love the way he spells out the obvious, mundane, personal & honest truths so easily.  The track comes off as a blue collar lament from the old friend, the former lover and grieving husband.  Truly one of the best songs I have heard this year.

So swing by the Bandcamp page HERE and pick up a copy.  Don’t forget about the frickin’ great 4 track clear 10″ vinyl release over on Ten Atoms HERE.

Friend, Follow & Visit Conrad Plymouth: Facebook | Twitter | Website

~Smansmith

I thought today I would do a bit of a blogger round up of for ‘items of note’ that I have noticed, and you should as well.  Well, enough about me…let’s send you other places than Slowcoustic!

• Did y’all see the Wilderness of Manitoba did a HearYa Session?  Well they did, and its available for your waiting ears right here.  Sample:
  
  The Wilderness of Manitoba – Hermit from HearYa.com on Vimeo.
• My good friends over at Mostly Midwest did me another solid and put up even more videos of Chris Bathgate.  Damn, there are lots of vids to choose from from MM, so dig into the most recent pair of acoustic performances from Bathgate right here.  Sample # 1:
  
  Chris Bathgate : Farm Block Session Pt. 2 from Mostly Midwest on Vimeo.
• Martin (or Geordie as he blogs as) at You Crazy Dreamers put up a nice post on Red Heart the Ticker’s new album along with a mp3 from it!  Check out the post on some great old school folk right here.
• The East representing the West over on Herohill as they cover Calgary sweetheart and soon to be music staple Samantha Savage Smith’s new album.  Swing by and check out a track and their take on ‘what’s next’ in Canadian music right here.  Sample a track below:
  Samantha Savage Smith – “You Always Come to Mind” (mp3)

Enjoy your Friday with good music and the great bloggers above!

~Smansmith

This November 7th sees the full length album “Repentance” from British Columbian (and for a short while, Calgarian) Jordan Klassen. One of my favourite artists from the 2010 Calgary Folk Fest is bringing his infectious indie folk to life once again.

Klassen’s music can be akin to a Canadian Sufjan Stevens (without all the crazy art folk mixed in) and possibly more accurately to someone along the lines of Dan Mangan. After sitting down with Jordan during the 2010 Calgary Folk Fest, I know Mangan is considered a personal favourite for him, so I think that is for an obvious reason. The two can make tracks that instantly cause toe tapping and humming along – melodies that can sound almost familiar at first hearing them. They both also mix in a great selection of upbeat indie pop with some slowed down folk ballads with great ease. Definitely a pretty polished sound for this up and coming Canadian talent.

So let’s listen to “Go To Me”, which is the first (and currently free) single from his Bandcamp Page (here).

~

Klassen released his debut album in 2009 and followed it up with the St. Brigid EP late last year, both are streaming as well as available for purchase at his Bandcamp page. Since hearing of the new album, I have been revisiting his debut, Tempest and Winter, and have really enjoyed getting back into it. If you like the above track, definitely check out the songs ‘Anatomical Literacy’, ‘Song of Deborah’ and especially ‘Sing Your Song to Ares’ from his first full length.

Find out more and keep in touch with Jordan Klassen via: Bandcamp, Facebook, Twitter & his Website.

~Smansmith

If you are Alberta based and you fancy yourself musically inclined, you have a goal.  That goal is to join the ranks of the musicians included in the TransCanada Alberta Music Series for 2012.  The deadline to submit your talent is upcoming (Sept. 30th), so don’t sleep on this, just do it – we want to see & hear you!

The event is a 4 day series of shows at the lovely Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts and features local talent showcasing what Alberta has to offer.  You can schmooze with industry folks, fans and other musicians – what could be better?  Each night almost has a ‘theme’ of sorts and is both interesting and entertaining at the same time.  So check your memory banks and if you have not already been in the series and your ID indicates you are from Alberta, then get to the submitting already!

I already have my recommendation and I look forward to seeing Tyler Butler from Edmonton featured predominantly in the showcase (are you listening Epcor crew???).  Just kidding, I don’t want to influence anybody at the acceptance committee…but seriously, don’t make me have to make a few visits….again, just kidding…

Listen to a track from Tyler from his wonderful “Winter King” album from earlier this year:

The details are below, so if you have any questions you can download the pdf info sheet at the below address.  Hell, email me and let me look into it for you!

Event Description:  15th Annual Festival of Alberta Music
Opening of Call: June 1, 2011
Closing Deadline: September 30, 2011
Festival Dates:  March 28-31, 2012
Website: www.epcorcentre.org/CareersAndOpportunities/ArtistOpportunities.aspx

~Smansmith

This is a re-posting because it is such a great album that I simply have to.  A side note to the original post is that I did in fact go to the show I mention below and it was fantastic and had Brian sign my vinyl copy of the album!  Please enjoy the experience of this album at some point in your life, it is a Slowcoustic all time best album.  Original post from October 2008 and the album ended up being my #1 pick for best/favourite album of 2008…obviously.

So I don’t know why I have been waiting on this release for this long. I have been telling everyone I can about how much I love the new album from Brian Borcherdt. I tell you people, this album is probably my #1 album this year (go ahead start judging me!) – but I don’t care – I said it. Best of 2008??

So Coyotes…released October 7th, and has been almost overplayed around the Slowcoustic Headquarters. This album is bleak, intimate, stark. Yes all those classic blogger descriptions of the “unhurried” sound – but it is true. I don’t think that I have all the correct words as sometimes you have a hard time describing music that you just immediately love. Don’t get me wrong, I love a lot of music (hey, I am a music blogger), but you know some music that you love immediately will soon be the next week’s forgotten songs. This is not the case with “Coyotes” – it is quiet and oddly charismatic with Borcherdt’s whispering and at times cracking vocals making this a soon to be classic in my books.

Some of you may be familiar with Borcherdt’s work with his day job with Holy Fuck (let us not get the two confused though) – which is astonishing to me. While I can enjoy a HF track, Borcherdt’s performance is light (or dark in this case) years away from his group efforts. The story behind this album is while on a break from Holy Fuck – Brian recorded these songs in a friend’s living room and basically left them as is – just Brian and a guitar (maybe a bit of echo and background harmony added afterwords). While this style of indie/lo-fi recording is becoming increasingly popular, it doesn’t always work as well as it does here. While keeping it “real” with the recording of this album, it is still crisp, professionally packaged and even sounds like you were sitting right there in the two seater love-seat during the process. This is why this approach works with “Coyotes” – just the right amount of lo-fi, but still remarkably well finished with what little they had to do in the studio. I have yet to see Brian Borcherdt live – but plan on seeing him here in Calgary on Nov. 30th as he swings through on tour with Martha Wainwright.

So, class, what album do I currently recommend purchasing? Buuuuut, seriously, listen to the two tracks below and pick up a copy either at Brian Borcherdt’s MySpace Page or get the full track-list and a link to purchase on iTunes – More On This Album.

Brian Borcherdt
“While I Was Asleep” (mp3)
“The Drugs” (mp3)
from “Coyotes”
(Hand Drawn Dracula)

Buy at Rhapsody
Stream from Rhapsody
Buy at Amazon MP3
Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album

~Smansmith

Today is a guest post from Tyler Butler, creator of one of my favourite albums of 2011 thus far, Winter King (see here).  Crawl inside his head and read into how Butler comes to terms with one of the very things it is to be Canadian.  Enjoy the below feature and swing by and visit him on Old Ugly Recording Co or his Bandcamp page.

Friends,

The dark cold of Edmonton’s winter is an isolating force. I know this is an inappropriate time to speak of such a thing — I spent the duration of last weekend wearing a tank top and shorts, dancing in the sun at the Edmonton Folk Music Festival — but the looming threat of snow is never far from the Albertan psyche.

How best to combat the need to stay inside our shelters? Groups of us huddle around fires, wrapped in blankets, holding cups of wine and telling stories. When I wrote Winter King, I focused on these stories. The album is a collection of winter mythologies that I compiled and reconstructed. What I ignored was the great influence of my fire-side friends.

I have compiled a list of songs that provides you with samples from a few of these friends — artists who guided me through the deep cold, held me until the thaw.

1. Caity Fisher – Only the Wind

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

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

Kapelsessies: The Black Atlantic from Kapelsessies Gelderland on Vimeo.

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

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

~Smansmith

One of my recent finds was St. Louis radio station KDHX and their great list of in studio performances on their Soundcloud page.  Seriously folks, there is a massive amount of talent that comes through their doors.  While not all is up my alley, there is definitely enough to have something for pretty much any reader of this blog.  They are not for profit and are community focused, could use your support….and just happen to record kick ass sessions.  For good measure, their mission statement:

“The mission of KDHX is to build community through media, with diverse and independent voices that enrich the perspectives of our audiences.  We promote civic and cultural participation by providing the tools, technology, and training vital to informed, creative expression.”

Sounds like a good crew, right?  Okay, I know you are looking for an example of these sessions, so look and listen no further – a selection is below as our Monday playlist.

David Bazan “Virginia” Live at KDHX 6/10/11 by KDHX
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Frontier Ruckus “Junk Drawer Sorrow” Live at KDHX 6/10/11 by KDHX
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Jill Andrews “A Little Less” Live at KDHX 6/9/11 by KDHX
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The Antlers “Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out” Live at KDHX 6/11/11 by KDHX
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This is just a sampling as they have also posted great sets from Jonsi, Strand of Oaks, William Fitzsimmons, The Low Anthem and Hayes Carll.  You can check out their live performance page HERE or simply click over to their Soundcloud page for all things worth listening to HERE.

Enjoy your Monday.

~Smansmith

“Unkind”

I have always had a soft spot for Sloan since ‘Underwhelmed’ back in the day.  I admit I haven’t followed them exclusively over the last few years, but they seem to still be pretty much Sloan.  The power guitar stroke and pseudo punk-pop feel.  This song I’m posting isn’t exactly ‘Slowcoustic’, but I need a little oompf today to get through until I go on vacation this Friday.  This new Sloan track is providing a bit of that oompf for me.

More On This Album

p.s.  One of my favourite bits of lyrics from Underwhelmed:

She wrote out a story
About her life
I think it included
Something about me
I’m not sure of that
But I’m sure of one thing
Her spelling’s atrocious

She told me to read
Between the lines
And tell her exactly
What I got out of it
I told her affection had two F’s
Especially when
You’re dealing with me

~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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

~Smansmith

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

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

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

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

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

Salt Year:

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

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

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

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

Pick up this album via the Chris Bathgate Store

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

~Smansmith

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

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

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

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

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

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

Listen to a couple of tracks below:

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

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

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

~Smansmith

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

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

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

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

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

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

~Smansmith

New video for the track “Woman” from Timber Timbre’s new album Creep On Creepin’ On, set to be released next week!
Get your creepin’ on below!

Find the new album via Arts & Crafts or visit the Timber Timbre site.  Also, make sure to see if TT are coming to your neck of the woods with their extensive tour here (Calgary – May 28th!!).

Listen:

~Smansmith

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

~Smansmith

]]> http://slowcoustic.com/2011/03/29/new-release-of-note-have-you-seen-our-new-fort-by-hezekiah-jones/feed/ 3 http://slowcoustic.com/2011/03/26/video-saturday-marble-sounds/ http://slowcoustic.com/2011/03/26/video-saturday-marble-sounds/#comments Sat, 26 Mar 2011 16:57:42 +0000 slowcoustic http://slowcoustic.com/?p=5862

Recommended to me last week via Twitter after posting my love for the band Isbells over on The Paper Crane Collective (formerly known as Tsuruadio).  Sure glad I got the recommendation as this other Zealrecords band is just a beautiful sounding as Isbells (and actually has member of Isbells on the album, so it might just make sense).  Marble Sounds is the recording moniker of Pieter Van Dessel alongside band-mates Gianni Marzo (Isbells), Frederik Bastiaensen (ex-General Mindy), Christophe Vandewoude and Johan De Coster (Soon) and they create dreamy, woozy pop gems. Very much recommended.

Enjoy a couple of videos from their debut album “Nice is Good” that is currently available from Zealrecords and iTunes.

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Enjoy the soothing music (& images) of Marble Sounds, find more Marble Sounds on their/his Facebook and MySpace pages.  As this was recommended to me, why don’t you do the same and pass it on?

~Smansmith

Okay, I admit I have not scoured the schedules at all or even really looked into it.  I am one of those bloggers that did not make the trip and I try to “forget” about SXSW partially due to jealousy and sheer rage.  Just kidding on the rage, I’m Canadian – let’s get real.

I just wanted to officially give my support on the artist(s) I would absolutely not miss at this year’s SXSW (music side of things) festival.  What?  No Kanye?  No Strokes?  No, this is Austin – you have to see some cowboys and try to keep it a bit “indie”.  Okay, the top pick for 2011 is Josh T. Pearson as he has made a masterpiece in his first solo album “Last of the Country Gentlemen” that was just released in the UK this week (US/CAN at the end of March).  Listen:

“Woman When I Raise Hell (Alternative Version)” – Josh T. Pearson

I also recommend seeing him on Friday, March 18th at the Muzzle of Bees BBQ as you will get to see another Slowcoustic favourite in Strand of Oaks!  Tim Showalter (Strand of Oaks) had my favourite album of 2010, so why the hell would anyone consider missing this guy?  He has more shows, but he happens to be sharing the bill with Josh T. Pearson – two birds, folks.

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Also, I think a great cowboy to go see is our boy Caleb Coy who has a show on Friday night (after you see JTP & SoO) around 10:30pm at Stephen F’s Bar (info).  If you are looking for more along the lines of Josh in the cowboy variety, Caleb is your guy.  Listen:

“Suited Me (Richard Dobson Cover)” – Caleb Coy

So that is all I really have – 3 artist recommendations for those current and temporary Austinites.  Hope you all enjoy it, one day you will have to buy my a beer while we are all enjoying the warmth in some future March.

~Smansmith

]]> http://slowcoustic.com/2011/03/16/official-slowcoustic-sxsw-picks-friday-march-18th-2011-josh-t-pearson-strand-of-oaks-caleb-coy/feed/ 0 http://slowcoustic.com/2011/02/24/addendum-to-recent-albums-releases-of-note-loch-lomond-the-builders-and-the-butchers/ http://slowcoustic.com/2011/02/24/addendum-to-recent-albums-releases-of-note-loch-lomond-the-builders-and-the-butchers/#comments Thu, 24 Feb 2011 14:27:52 +0000 slowcoustic http://slowcoustic.com/?p=5744

Just a quick one to mention that while this post does not have any new tracks, both artists (Loch Lomond & The Builders and the Butchers) had new albums out recently – so why didn’t I mention the split 12″ they did??  [See Slowcoustic mentions of Loch Lomond's "Little Me Will Start a Storm" HERE and The Builders and the Butchers' "Dead Reckoning" HERE.]

Maybe this post also came to be because I just set up my turntable again.  Having started listening to vinyl through more than computer speakers mixed with the bands being pretty darn good led to this post…I assume.   Any excuse to recommend buying music, and then music on vinyl, I guess.  You can purchase the split 12″ they did last year from Bladen County Records and my good friends over at Song, by Toad Records.

So nothing really new here, just a couple of great tracks that make for an interesting release (as I wouldn’t normally put these two bands together).  With the whole idea of vinyl having 2 sides to the music might be the best thing for this split 12″ and really makes it work – in particular going from the airy sounds of Loch Lomond to the (at times) fever pitch of The Builders and the Butchers.  Yes, that is what I’m going with.
Loch Lomond
“Field Report” (mp3)
“When it Rains” (mp3)

from “Split 12 inch”
(Bladen County Records)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
Buy at Amazon MP3
Buy the 12″ at Song, by Toad Records
More On This Album

~Smansmith