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

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

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

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

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

Visit & Purchase Stripmall Ballads

~Smansmith

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

*picture of artwork from here.

This Sunday I thought we should have some ‘beauties’ in the form of 3 ladies who emanate music soo soothing, stunning and Sunday morning French press worthy that is almost ridiculous.

As far as I know they are not connected in any way, Tiny Ruins and Haruko have been on Slowcoustic previously but I think this is Honey Watts first appearance.  Haruko starts your journey at your grass roots traditional folk vibe and then you move to Tiny Ruins’ more modern singer songwriter aspects and she is, in turn, your gateway artist to the ethereal Honey Watts.  Some might think that journey can be taken forwards or backwards…but as long as you take it, it will be worth the trip.

So let’s listen to some of the best female voices in folk this year:

The Haruko track above was originally on her “Wild Geese” album and the Tiny Ruins song is actually called ‘Old as the Hills’.  All albums came out this year and they are something I gotta give more attention to…

Visit their Bandcamp Pages:  Haruko | Tiny Ruins | Honey Watts

~Smansmith

(Full Size Cover)

I have a real treat for you all today in the form of a fairly rare tour EP from a young Joshua Tillman that now seems well out of print and hard to find by those outside of inner circles of the Seattle folk scene.  While this isn’t the first time I have heard these particular songs, they now find themselves in a ‘more official’ recording than previous versions* – there is even cover art!  As well, let’s be honest, I obsess over all things J. Tillman, so another version of these songs is more than welcome in my life.

The songs & this EP harken back to the early days of J. Tillman and I believe they come in around the 2002/2003 period from the disc that was sold at some local shows (so I have called it a “Tour” EP, but it might simply be a self-titled EP).  The gentleman, that shall remain nameless, who provided the EP for posting has had it for around 8 years and was more than happy to see it get a bit of love.  And love is all I have for it.

If you have been following Tillman’s recordings, you know that his first recorded albums “I Will Return” & “Long May You Run, J. Tillman” are some of the most stark singer songwriter recordings around and these 4 tracks are right at home alongside them.  With Tillman’s well known penchant of quick recordings and a more lo-fi one-take feel, this should surprise no one that these songs are not a standard studio quality recording (you can notice an audible hum that runs through the entire set, more so in headphones).  These songs are the hushed moments, the stark & beautiful songs that truly feature Tillman’s pitch perfect breathy vocals and the just right acoustic strumming of a lone guitar.  This is the stuff that created “Slowcoustic”.  This is the stuff that gets in my bones and never sounds tired.  Ever.

“Let Me Put You Under Both My Wings”
“The Heart is a Valve”
“Every Word Was Split in Two”
“The Queen of Swing”

One of the great things about a recording like this surfacing is it allows rare recordings to be heard by many (often for the first time) but I also recognize that this is also what makes a recording like this even better.  It’s rarity.   So, unlike my normal standard of leaving all mp3s up at all times, this recording will be taken down in the near future.  Please grab it now as I won’t send out requested copies after the links are removed…they may get a re-post in the future though, you never know…

~Smansmith

* this recording is not to be confused with the same songs from “Untitled No. 1″ or “Demo Cassette” versions.

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

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

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

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

~Smansmith

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

While I am not overly familiar with Amy Schmidt, I found the newly released EP “Scratch Tracks” while perusing the IODA website and Schmidt brings a great EP of what *might* be out-takes to the listening table today.  While I don’t know that for sure (that they are official out-takes or stripped down versions of existing songs), I think that I like the sound of this 5 track EP and the look of a woman who wields a banjo in a Nebraska field…yeah.  Check it out below:

Amy Schmidt
“Geography” (mp3)
“Losing All Your Warmth” (mp3)
from “Scratch Tracks”
(A-Reaction Music Group)

Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album

Find a bit more information on A-Reaction and her MySpace page.

~Smansmith

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

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

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

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

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

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

~Smansmith

]]> http://slowcoustic.com/2011/04/13/toby-burke-returns-with-new-album-mexico-city/feed/ 0 http://slowcoustic.com/2011/04/04/new-release-of-note-sergius-gregorys-sounds-like-people/ http://slowcoustic.com/2011/04/04/new-release-of-note-sergius-gregorys-sounds-like-people/#comments Mon, 04 Apr 2011 14:03:15 +0000 slowcoustic http://slowcoustic.com/?p=5894

Debut album from Sergius Gregory is now out on Saint-Loup Records (April 1st release) and while I haven’t heard the entire thing, its a damn good album.  What?  How do I know?  Sometimes you just do.

Why is this album going to be good?  Well, let’s see.

1. The guy has an amazing back story.  Living in a train tunnel?  Moving to Alaska to create music?  Them moving to Hawaii and recording in a shed?  Then moved back to Alaska to make even more music.  Yeah.
2. This is the first release on the newly minted Saint-Loup Records that is run by Anna-Lynne Williams of Lotte Kestner and Trespassers William fame.  Anyone who makes some of the best music around then vouches for someone who they say makes some of the best music around…well, you get where I’m going.
3. And of course, listen: “Caught” (mp3)
4. Watch:
   

I wouldn’t steer you wrong folks, so swing by Saint-Loup Records and pick up a copy of the album today (and why don’t you combine your purchase with one of the best albums of the last decade “China Mountain” from Lotte Kestner).   Purchase Sergius Gregory’s “Sounds Like People” by clicking here.

Find more info on Sergius Gregory on Facebook and the Saint-Loup Website.

~Smansmith

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

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

Balthazar’s Song – Hiss Golden Messenger by blackmaps

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

No Lord Is Free – Hiss Golden Messenger by blackmaps

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

RIYL: Early Phosphorescent & Elephant Micah

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

~Smansmith

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

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

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

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

~~

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

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

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

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

~~

~Smansmith

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

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

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

~Smansmith

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

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

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

Find TSDS:

~Smansmith

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

Just noticed this in the IODA library and as I am a bit of a fan, I thought I would put up the official promo-tracks for the album released in May of this year.  While the “Don’t Smoke Crack” is a bit of a busking journey, they really flex the songwriting/crafting in “Joseph is Flying”.  Enjoy Lo-Fi goodness!

~Smansmith

p.s.  Visit my last post for more listening HERE.
Buy at iTunes Music Store
More On This Album

Enjoy some literally “lo-fi” tunes from Cohen who is a bit of a singer-songwriter with a penchant for film-making and being an all around creator beautiful things.  The above songs were also recorded on his Macbook and not necessarily meant to be released, but alas they were and you are now enjoying them.  You can find a bit more on Cohen at his (their) MySpace page along with a few videos and possibly find yourself immersed in all things Cohen (or “NewSuperHeroes”…as he might also be called or work with, or…).  You might want to check the Vimeo page link as well for a teaser of his upcoming musical “Sea of Destiny” that looks interesting.

More On This Album

~~~

Also enjoy a video from newsuperhero which is Cohen, or part of Cohen or something like that…

Autumn’s Face from newsuperhero on Vimeo.

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

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

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

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

Visit Spider + Octopus:

~Smansmith

]]> http://slowcoustic.com/2010/05/02/weekend-discovery-spider-octopus-unlikely-pairing-provides-enjoyable-lo-fi-folk/feed/ 3 http://slowcoustic.com/2010/04/04/album-revisited-and-whats-happening-tomorrow-unrelated-songs-edition/ http://slowcoustic.com/2010/04/04/album-revisited-and-whats-happening-tomorrow-unrelated-songs-edition/#comments Sun, 04 Apr 2010 17:34:00 +0000 slowcoustic http://slowcoustic.com/?p=4348

The above mugshot is clearly a Sunday edition photo of Jason Molina.  Clearly.  I was thinking about Mr. Molina when I came across and once again enjoyed his solo album from a few years back “Let Me Go, Let Me Go, Let Me Go” from his go-to label Secretly Canadian.

This album was/is absolutely stellar and was fairly well received and it is definitely one of my all time favourites!  This album was written before his move back to Chicago and he indicated that he wanted to bring back his previous sound.  The sound that was his earlier albums like “The Ghost” and another favourite “Protection Spells” which are both Songs:Ohia albums. Man, do I miss the Songs:Ohia days… Well anyways, This album is dark people.  Blades of light age, rust and fall to pieces at just thinking of cutting into the dark, bleak abyss that is this album.  I Love It.  So class, album to revisit:  Jason Molina’s “”Let Me Go, Let Me Go, Let Me Go”.  Title track below.

“Let Me Go, Let Me Go, Let Me Go” – Jason Molina (purchase here)

~~~

On a lighter note….

Another favourite band that brings a very different sound, but one you still can completely immerse yourself in is the beautiful sounds of The Black Atlantic.  I know I have been a card carrying member of this fan club for a while, but they are touring right now in the good ol’ US of A and you need to see them live.  Blogger friend Tart found them great in Chicago (see here) and tomorrow (Monday, April 5th) they are in New York at Pianos (see here for deets).  How about a live track from TBA then?  Their title track to the fantastic Reverence For Fallen Trees is below and from the Beep! Beep! label with their free compilation “Behold My Puny Bears, Vol. II” (find it here).

“Reverence For Fallen Trees (live)” – The Black Atlantic

~Smansmith

Just thought these videos from Edinburgh’s own Withered Hand needed to get posted.  While it takes a bit to get each started they show what I always expected them to be.

I don’t know what it is, possible the upbringing from a kid in Canada never seeing the UK and having to rely on pictures, TV and the internet to formulate an idea of a location.  But this is my idea of Edinburgh.  An idea of the location and the feeling it brings in my head at least.  Again, I don’t know Edinburgh, but I feel like it is strong with an undercurrent of talent for some reason.  Maybe due to myself being a staunch supporter of the blog Song, By Toad for both his taste in music and his great reads/rants plus his support for his local scene (he had a big part of TSM filming in Edinburgh also).  I almost feel like I know something about life in Edinburgh, if only a through a distant window with foggy lensed spectacles.

This is all an exercise in rambling on and a way to say, that I think Withered Hand and these videos are exactly what I thought the Edinburgh envisioned in my head would be.  A bit dreary, real people, lots of stone and real wood structures (not faux-finishes like around here) and really great music.  Regardless of what I think other locations and music are, please take the time to watch Withered Hand below or at The Shoot Music.

~~

~~

Visit Withered Hand:

Visit They Shoot Music:

~Smansmith

p.s.  Just in case here is a mp3 of “Religious Songs” by Withered Hand!

I frickin love the cover for the “Live at Enemy” album from The Singleman Affair.  The music ain’t too bad as well.  Its a little rough and “rock” at times, but a good listen.

I just had to open with the above, not really related to this post other than the actual artist being The Singleman Affair.  For this post, I wanted to focus on the “Racehorse” EP that has just been released and the title track therein.  It is just a great slow burn of a song.  The echo of Dan Schneider’s vocals are haunting and the slow gallop of his trusty guitar make this ripe for my enjoyment.  Slightly lo-fi in it’s overall sound, but I can assume that was on purpose with it being more of a lone man singing tragic things to himself…  The last thing heard, “We don’t need the sunshine anymore” seems like the best way to end this song.

“Racehorse” – The Singleman Affair, from 2010′s “Racehorse” EP

Visit and Purchase The Singleman Affair

~Smansmith

p.s.  This EP is also supposed to be the “stop gap” to his new album due later this year, so it’s a good news Friday all around!

photo by Serena Matthews

Its Thursday and I think I have a great Slowcoustic Thursday track.  Well it is a great track on it’s own, but it also happens to have Thursday in it’s title.  And it’s by Serena Matthews.

I have been a fan of Serena Matthews for a couple of years now and I run across her now and then online, hell we even chat now and then on twitter.  But sometimes I need to step back and remember that she does make some of the most fragile and aching songs.  All with a pixie voice that belies the depth that is Serena Matthews.  I am not going to make comparisons and say “RIYL” and such – just listen and enjoy her for the amazing talent that she is.  I was recently reminded when I listened to her latest release “Staircase” after work one day to unwind.  Those songs can wash away almost anything and come recommended.

“Thursday Dawn” – Serena Matthews, from 2009′s “Staircase”

Swing by her MySpace page by clicking below and pick up some hand scribed CDs from her!

~Smansmith

So I never said I was first on the spot when music gets announced or promo’d but there are some pretty decent tunes that are new to me that I am spinning, so I thought I might need a Monday playlist.  No real connection other than the fact that I am listening to each individually and not part of the album (except for maybe White Hinterland) or any sort of back catalog – all individual tracks to me over the last week or so from the ol inbox.

“The Darkest Side” – The Middle East (I know, I know, where was I on this one already – AND they are touring with Mumford & Sons!) beautiful slowed down love ballad.  (visit)

“Icarus” & “No Logic” – White Hinterland, from the just released “Kairos”, worthy psych folk. (purchase)

“Liza” – Emily Jane White, from the upcoming “Victorian America”, so good.  (visit)

“By Morning” – Ghostkeeper, from the just released self titled album.   A bit of a jangly indie pop track, but they are from Calgary, come on! (visit)

“Like A Prayer (coverture)” – Glass Cake, yes it is a Madonna cover done overly lo-fi and it’s fantastic! (visit)

“Maybe Always (ft Jenn Grant)” – Share, from 2009′s Slumping In Your Murals (visit for a 3 track EP FREE) – they are playing The Palamino here in Calgary on Thursday, March 11th as well.

There you have it, another blogger “mixtape” for your Monday!

~Smansmith

]]> http://slowcoustic.com/2010/03/08/my-recent-listening-playlist-monday-edition/feed/ 4 http://slowcoustic.com/2010/03/04/couple-of-recommendations-evening-chorus-lisa-will-insult-you-darling/ http://slowcoustic.com/2010/03/04/couple-of-recommendations-evening-chorus-lisa-will-insult-you-darling/#comments Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:43:17 +0000 slowcoustic http://slowcoustic.com/?p=4151

Confused?  Looking for a recommendation?  Well then…Welcome!  A couple of quick recommendations for today on 2 items that fell onto my lap this week.

~~~

Lets start slow (well sounding at least) with a recommendation to me via Twitter – wow, these PR types are going all the way in finding new ways to get onto blogs.. ;-).  Just joshing, the recommendation kind of caught me off guard and was really frickin good.  It was for a band called Lisa Will Insult You, Darling.  Yes, she is a frigid one that Lisa.  It is full of lo-fi songwriter jams, so you know I will like it.  Very melodic and slow paced tunes from Polish born “S. Jegorow” – also I have to mention that his voice is jus soo perfect for the music as it lulls to relax while making you think that there could have been nobody else able to sing these songs.  Recommended.

“Kill Your Love”

Visit LWIY,D on MySpace, Last.fm and Bandcamp

~~~

Evening Chorus were recently on “Songs From The Shed” which is novel idea to bring artists to, yes you guessed it, a shed to record some songs and make a video of it!  What you get is REAL recordings from real people.  There is no re-takes, no mixing and no autotune action here.

Evening Chorus are a four piece from across the pond and are one of those folk bands that you don’t really see around my current locale.  Maybe it is the fact that the sound seems almost exclusively based in the UK with its chosen instruments and jaunty sing a longs.  The closest we get to this UK folk sound are some Canadian East Coast bands (which can actually be pretty darn good), but I always tend to think as we were once a colony of said nation, that maybe the brits left a little bit of themselves with Canada.  The track below is “Decisions” which is from their “Look Forward To The Day” EP from late last year and this version is great!  I know I don’t often get “upbeat”, but sometimes there are reasons to, Evening Chorus are one of them.

Visit Evening Chorus on MySpace, Twitter & BandCamp (they also have a new 2010 EP here to look into).

~Smansmith

Quick note on the latest release from aaahh Records is another little gem from the banjo laden songstress Julia Kotowski or “Entertainment For The Braindead”.

The album was released on February 26th and is getting a fair amount of love with numerous downloads in the last day or so.  I would recommend getting a copy of the actual CD if it pleases you as it will sell out like previous releases from EFTB.  Take a listen to two tracks below, then head over to pick up the entire discography (this is the 4th release from her so far I believe).  If you do please also grab her fantastic “Hydrophobia” album (see my previous post on it here).

“Patience”
“Pirates”

Visit, Download and even Purchase EFTB:

~Smansmith

p.s.  Another great treat is that all you DIYers out there, you get the album front/back cover for your jewel case…it is like you actually have the disc!

So you know I am a fan of Joe O’Connell’s musical prowess that he flexes with his Elephant Micah persona.  It is just so good.  When he slows it down, his vocals simply kiss the landscape of his open prairie folk fusion sound.  He brings some of the most melodic tracks with solid lyrics (he also writes poems and in his “spare” time) and at times a bit of lo-fi fuzz for good measure.

The first release (pictured above) is “Echoer’s Intent” and is described as:

“…minimal, mostly live recordings…fully foreground Elephant Micah as a writing and solo performance project.”

I have ordered this limited CDR already but have only heard the first track called “Loon Call” and it is truly a masterpiece from EM and going into my favourite songs he has recorded.  Completely acoustic, this track has some of the most straight forward singer songwriter guitar work and brings O’Connell to the forefront where he belongs.

“Loon Call” – Elephant Micah (HIGHLY recommended)

~~~

The second release is “Elephant Micah Plays the Songs of Bible Birds” which is apparently been in the works for about 3-4 years now and can be considered the pre-cursor to his “And The Hindu Windmills” album.  It is for country folk and on the lo-fi side by the sounds of the first sample “Loop and Lil”.  If you visit the purchase link below there is a great little story on how this album was supposed to be a faux cover folk album from a non-existent band….a concept that would have been fantastic!  He had some help from Beth Remis (of Pillars and Tongues who I actually saw open for Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy and totally were a highlight) to arrange and sing alongside of.  Can’t wait to hear the rest of this…I hope you all are too.

“Loop and Lil” – Elephant Micah

Visit Elephant Micah on his website HERE and order both the above from Time-Lag Records HERE.

TOUR DATES

FEBRUARY

26 Los Angeles, CA at the Music Castle

27 Los Angeles, CA at Echo Curio w/ Powerdove [Early Show]

28 Los Angeles, CA at Pehrspace w/ Ben and Bruno

MARCH

2 Santa Barbara, CA at the Biko Co-op

3 Santa Cruz, CA at Crepe Place

4 San Francisco, CA at TBA

5 Davis, CA at Nadav’s House

7 Chico, CA at Café Flo

8 San Francisco, CA at Bottom of the Hill w/ Delta Spirit

10 Eugene, OR at Sam Bond’s Garage w/ Old Lights

11 Portland, OR at Kristen’s and Adam’s House

12 Olympia, WA at the Cherry Loft w/ Lougow

13 Port Townsend, WA at the Boiler Room w/ Lougow

14 Vancouver, BC at the Shed w/ Lougow

15 Seattle, WA at Bluebird Ice Cream w/ Lougow

16 Bellingham, WA at TBA w/ Lougow

II. ELECTRIC PERSEVERANCE REVIEW

All shows with Time & Temperature

26 Louisville, KY at the Lounge w/ Joe Manning

27 Nashville, TN at Betty’s w/ Kelli Hix

28 Memphis, TN at the Buccaneer w/ the Warble

29 Oxford, MS at TBA

APRIL

1 New Orleans, LA at Sidearm Gallery w/ Hurray for the Riff Raff

3 Athens, GA at TBA

4 Chattanooga, TN at JJ’s

6 Somewhere, TN at Ida

7 Asheville, NC at Harvest Records

8 Knoxville, TN at the Pilot Light

9 Lexington, KY at the Hive

III. ROUGH ROUTING

All shows with Mark Trecka except where noted (*)

13 Grinnell, IA at Grinnell College

15 North Manchester, IN at the Firehouse

16 Buffalo, NY at Sugar City

17 Rochester, NY at Casa Del Awesome

18 Montague, MA at the Book Mill w/ Oweihops

19 Portland, ME at TBA

21 Boston, MA at TBA

22 New Paltz, NY at the Inn

23 Purchase, NY at SUNY Purchase

24 New York, NY at TBA

26 New York, NY at Bruar Falls w/ P.G. Six*

28 Philadelphia, PA at Robin’s w/ Strand of Oaks

29 Baltimore, MD at 2640 Space w/ Small Sur

30 Columbus, OH at TBA w/ Time & Temperature, Deadsea

MAY

1 Chicago, IL at TBA

~~~

~Smansmith

p.s.  Bonus track for reading this far down after the tour dates,  “The Ecstasy (Insomnia Plus One)” – one of my ALL TIME favourite songs – totally lo-fi, a bit fuzzed out and completely stunning.

Photo from lolitanie.com (Visit for more!)

I am not going to lie, I was biased going into the album from the brothers Jurado (Damien and Drake). Quite biased as Damien Jurado is an all-star around my place. Well folks, if this is a “side project” of which it has been ill-labeled as, I am fine with this not being on the side but being the new face of Damien Jurado…as Hoquiam. You might also remember newcomer Drake from Damien’s video for Caskets, which is one of the best songs to video imho.

Released from St. Ives (part of the Secretly Canadian family) on this coming Tuesday, February 23rd is one of the best albums I have heard in a long time (I did say I was biased, right?). It is described as “dark early 60′s garage feel” and including “gothic folk and personal narratives” with my personal favourite description from the label “Sparse, desolate, and a place you will find yourself passing through from time to time” which is a nod to the fantastic track “On the Beach”. The album contains such a personal experience (or is narrated as such) of growing up, the struggle of relationships and life in the Pacific North West.

The album definitely has an “oceanic” theme to it, which fits into it feeling like a semi-autobiographical story of growing up in “Hoquiam, WA”. Just to make sure we are all on the same page, Hoquiam is a real town and the birthplace of Drake. With the addition of Drake to the established sound of Damien, we definitely move to the aforementioned gothic part – these songs are just small vignettes of small town life…if not the darker versions of themselves. The thing I can’t express to you more is the fact that the album while being nigh with dark, foreboding stories is told soo well and crafted beautifully. I do admit it is the achingly sober tracks that really hit me straight in the mouth as it sits agape, songs like “Hope Ocean” and “Gallons” are stunning. They are sparse and move at a hauntingly slow pace with Damien’s rising voice chanting of failing parental relationship in Hope Ocean to his sobering admission of “I could kill you for no reason” in Gallons. While yes, this does sound incredibly disturbing to many, it can be stunningly beautiful at the same time – whether it is real or not, it could be slices of real life and it is told with an unmatched honesty.

Okay, now that I have got the point that the album is not a day skipping amidst daisy fields in spring, the album isn’t just a collection of ‘sad bastard songs” as it is broken up with more up tempo songs (an album of 17 tracks as well!). These are the types of songs that make you think of earlier Damien Jurado albums, but with a bit more growth and production value. The album has songs like “Fake Teeth” and the practically jaunty “Mo Clips” complete with hand clapping sing along to bring you out of your funk. Man, I love this album. The one note I have is (even if done on purpose) there is a slight disconnect between some songs in recording levels. While most of the album is on the lo-fi side, some tracks are full on professionally recorded which can cause a slight jarring if you are not following tracks in order on the release (my Itunes mixes it all around so merging “Gallons” to “Mo Clips” just might cause whiplash).

Overall, I have to say that this is the best album I have heard all year so far and it shows definite promise to hold onto that title…who knows Damien is releasing his next solo album soon….

Please consider ordering/pre-ordering a copy of Hoquiam on limited vinyl over at St. Ives HERE. They are all individually created covers as I couldn’t even get “official” cover art due to the unique-ness of each cover! Can’t wait to get mine. Currently I don’t see an option for CD, but can only assume a digital component will arise after next week as well.

“Zombies of the Sea” – Hoquiam, 2010
Bonus: “Hoquiam” – Damien Jurado, live at Hotel Cafe

Visit Hoquiam:

~Smansmith

p.s. You might want to visit my first post on Hoquiam from back in August of 2008 with some very early demos ripped from MySpace (moved to streaming due to album release, sorry)…

So if you are a regular reader of this site (what?) you might have noticed a bit of a slow down in posts the last few weeks.  I’m sorry, bad music blogger – I know!  The whole deal is a daily music blog is just that…”daily”.  Okay, I never really said I was officially a “daily music blogger”, but these days you gotta be hungry and post daily in order to grow and get all you lovely folks who visit on a regular basis.  And finding and talking about music isn’t all that bad of a daily thing if I had to say.

Overall, I just am a bit worn out with the “proper” job each day and then blogging and all the back of the house stuff over at the label I have jumped on board with.  So again, I know these are my roots and this is the heart of me – Slow and Acoustic songs – and I will snap out of it soon, no worries!

Back to music that is slightly related…how about a mellow track from Chauchat?  They (Tyler Whitney and Erik Sahd) have released an album over on our label (Upon Thousands) so I will periodically pimp artists from there in order to try and bring more awareness to them – they are good folks, so they deserve more love.  You can visit Chauchat on the locations linked below, but definitely check out Last.fm for massive amounts of free downloads – including the newest release from late 2009 “Songs for Scaffolding”!  The song selected for this post is a lo-fi track from one of the older albums and is such a great track – if you are a fan of lo-fi recordings this one is a keeper!  Oh, you can download the whole album on Last.fm as well!!

“I Woke Up” – Chauchat, from 2004′s “Cardboard Projectors” album

Visit, Download and Purchase Chauchat:

~Smansmith

TGIS!**

I love Saturdays! (**please note that this post was supposed to go up yesterday, but you know how it goes…Sunday Morning Fever??) It very well could be the best day of the week (most definitely) and that is that, there is no back talk from any of you.  Ya here me…the best day.  I find Saturday great as you get to sleep in and stay up late in the same day with little repercussions due to standard work schedules.  I do apologize to those of you who may in fact work at the “proper” job on weekends, but I am much too set in my ways and much to old to give up my weekends to anything other than being lazy, watching a movie, maybe a beer or two and listening to music.  Seriously what else would a music blogger do…go out to a live concert??  “Now that is crazy!”[...he says as Dan Mangan and Aidan Knight perform at one of our "Technical Institutes/Colleges" this very night...] {EDIT – remember, this was last night due to not posting this yesterday!!}

Well I have a couple of videos that I think you should see.  The first one is from Shelley Miller and is possibly a Sunday Morning live performance of “Walk Away” and it is quite lovely.  I find the track a bluesy, roots tinged folk track that finds itself delicate and gritty at the same time.  Don’t think the flower dress and mostly hushed acoustic guitar is not balanced by the powerful voice and, um…skull planter on the window sill.  I think that just says it all for this Chicago talent.  Find her on MySpace and her Website.

Bonus rip of this great track – “Walk Away” from Shelley Miller

~~
Another video is one of the videos discovered by Craig over at Songs:Illinois this past week and it truly was  a nice find!  There is a whole lot of Sufjan styled acoustics and vocal delivery and now that Sufjan himself is dangling from the ledge of his signature sound as it is, well we have someone to take the torch on that one.  The video’s are a bit DIY and fit the sound in spectacular fashion – you can find a download of the song “Sarah Minor” over on Songs:Illinois – so go get it!

‘Sarah Minor’ from Keaton Henson on Vimeo.

~~

So something I thought was funny, I received the PR email about Midlake like many bloggers did – but I noticed it was all just “look at Midlake, they are good…honest, you have to believe us!”.  I presume it came out due to the negative review on Pitchfork, which I think is a bit weak – the album is pretty good, so it should not have to have any knee jerk due to a jerk at PF (see what I did there?).  I think the album is quite nice and as a laid back fan – I like it but I am not going to die on that hill if you know what I mean.  Just thought it was funny, never mind the backlash on various social media sites due to this “mis-step” by Pitchfork.  I think the review was gone about the wrong way but isn’t completely off the mark – they just came up with a verdict that you are not allowed to have your own sound…is it soo wrong to sound like yourself?  Anyway.

Another thing that both made me happy and made me a bit proud (by proxy) is getting a PR email about The Deep Dark Woods releasing their track “Charlie’s (Coming Down)” on 7″ vinyl.  What you say?  Yes, the track that (as far as I know) was only available via the HearYa music blog…until now!  The song was an entry for CBC’s Great Canadian Song Quest and was the Saskatchewan contender about the Good Time Charlie’s bar in Regina.  Well, it won (of course) and they are releasing it officially with two shows in their home province (March 5th – Saskatoon, SK @ Louis Pub & March 6th – Regina, SK @ The Exchange – both with The Sumner Brothers joining in!!).  Highly recommended if you are available to get there.  This all made me happy for the great track and proud as a blogger showing that they can influence the greater good – way to go HearYa in assisting in getting the song released!  Watch and listen to the great HY session HERE and find that winning track HERE.

Bonus DDW:  “The Gallows (CBC Radio 2)”
“Winter Hours (CBC Radio 2)”

~Smansmith

]]> http://slowcoustic.com/2010/02/07/a-couple-of-videos-couple-of-mp3s-and-a-couple-of-thoughts-for-this-saturday-er-sunday/feed/ 0 http://slowcoustic.com/2010/01/28/who-needs-a-new-album-bill-patton-frickin-does/ http://slowcoustic.com/2010/01/28/who-needs-a-new-album-bill-patton-frickin-does/#comments Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:31:22 +0000 slowcoustic http://slowcoustic.com/?p=3994

Just saying, that’s all.

This guy just seems to keep coming up on my daily listening adventures due to his great “Gets It On” album from a few years back.  It used to be available for free download from his website, that I just noticed is no longer up!!  This better not be a sign.

I recently thought about Patton again while talking to a good friend and he mentioned that an album that kinda went under the radar was from this “Bill Patton guy”, and I totally jumped up and said “yes, somebody gets it”.  It was a bit of a moment for me.  From what I can tell he is somewhat of a touring and studio musician for certain artists with most recently being a key  member of the J. Tillman 7″ single for “Wild Honey Never Stolen” from Western Vinyl (which is absolutely phenomenal and comes highly recommended).

You should swing by CD Baby and get yourself a copy of the album and at the very least head over to RCRD LBL for 3 more tracks from this lo-fi, singer songwriter gem from 2004, or 2006 according to CD Baby…I don’t have my CD here to look on the liner notes.  Regardless it is too long since that album, way too long.

Listen to a couple of quick covers (especially that Prince one – too short!) that I have already featured here on Slowcoustic and for frick sakes, please don’t tell the original artists so he doesn’t get sued!  Buy the album to find out why I say that.

“Kiss (Prince Cover)”
“Fairies Wear Boots (Black Sabbath Cover)”

Visit and Purchase:

~Smansmith

]]> http://slowcoustic.com/2010/01/28/who-needs-a-new-album-bill-patton-frickin-does/feed/ 3 http://slowcoustic.com/2010/01/25/songs-of-the-day-from-a-singer-of-songs/ http://slowcoustic.com/2010/01/25/songs-of-the-day-from-a-singer-of-songs/#comments Tue, 26 Jan 2010 02:37:24 +0000 slowcoustic http://slowcoustic.com/?p=3986

a singer of songs provides me with a double dose of my song of the day and in turn I am passing it on to all of you.  Lieven Scheerlinck (the singer of these songs) is no stranger to Slowcoustic as he was one of the first artists I featured back in September of 2008 (you can see it with a couple of early tracks HERE).

Lieven has just released his first full length album on HI54LOFI Records a couple of weeks back and it is definitely a hushed and intimate experience.  The album is overflowing with ballads meant to be merely whispered to the one next to you – and we get the experience wrapped up in 13 tracks of digital storytelling.  Often accompanied by a piano and/or a lone guitar strummed at half speed there is no wanting for anything more “slowcoustic”.   Songs like “Calvary Walks”, “Slow River” and “Lonely One” drift by you and almost melt into the walls around you, so don’t let them simply float away, you have to listen.  Many will feel like the album never really takes off as it does tend to stay in 1st gear, but that is the way of these songs – anything with more energy would shatter them I believe.

A real nice touch on this album is Lieven’s inclusion of vocals from 3 lovely ladies to accent the album and bring a duo harmony to some of the tracks.  They really do work and the ladies (Tiny Ruins, Ana Franco and Craven Canary) on the tracks “Road to Nowhere”, “Rabbit Hole” and “Wrath” respectively.  I have to say that these tracks stand up to the solo tracks of “Stray Bullets” and “Pretty Lies” and are among the strongest songs on the album.  I can keep going with classic comparisons on the album being meant for a rainy day or for soothing a recently bruised heart, but let a couple of tracks help you in finding just the right moment to soak in Old Happiness.

“Pretty Lies”
“Road to Nowhere”

Visit & Purchase a singer of songs;

~Smansmith

]]> http://slowcoustic.com/2010/01/25/songs-of-the-day-from-a-singer-of-songs/feed/ 4 http://slowcoustic.com/2010/01/20/a-recommendation-to-me-now-for-you-all-olds-sleeper/ http://slowcoustic.com/2010/01/20/a-recommendation-to-me-now-for-you-all-olds-sleeper/#comments Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:26:21 +0000 slowcoustic http://slowcoustic.com/?p=3948

Something I like is getting a recommendation for something and then realize that it has caught you off guard and kicked you in the teeth.  Olds Sleeper did just that – Fringe country at its best.

Recommended from one of my Last.fm group members and as they tend to know what I like due to me shoving my musical taste down their throat as much as possible.  So with that I knew it had to have some merit.  What the “catches me off guard” refers to is when you find someone who you might think is “only” a singer songwriter that seems a bit gruff country turns out to be lo-fi, experimental and a small pinch of noise troubadour.  Not the type of artist that will be making an appearance on the next Gossip Girl, but that is just another reason to dig your teeth into it.  It’s dirty, got guts, dusty jeans and includes a heart of gold on the inside – you just know it.

While he has 3 full albums to download for free on his website (blogger icon below), it may take you 3 months to actually digest them – they are thick, cryptic, angry, sad and all ready for the open road.  The Catching Night Before Dawn might be more for the acoustic songwriter crowd, the Horseheads may be more for the dirty country folks and I am just listening to Rise and Rust now!  If you have the time to, listen, if you don’t, then stop and treat yourself to an escape with this old sleeper.  Oh, and don’t get scared if it goes sideways for a bit, it always rights itself and that is a bit of the charm of Olds Sleeper!

“I Knew A Mountain (Remix)”
“So Much”
~Taken from Catching Night Before Dawn

Cocaine, Pistols, Tequila”
“Devil by the Trees”
~Taken from Horseheads

Visit Olds Sleeper:

~Smansmith

Do you like great slowcore?  Do you like great singer songwriters?  Do you like beautifully ambient tracks?  Do you like all the previous for free?  Hells yeah!

The good folks over at the Italian music webzine “ondarock” has issued its double “disc” release of selected Slowcoustic music.  This makes this sad bastard very happy.  The compilation is a great project and features some original stuff, existing album demos and even a cover (or two).   See below for the bands included (notice some Slowcoustic favs amoung them!):

A SINGER OF SONGS

ANT

BARZIN

BRIAN WHEAT & GROGGY DARLIN’

DAKOTA SUITE

DOG IS BLUE

DREW PISTON

FOXTROT EMPIRE

HEZEKIAH JONES

ILYA E. MONOSOV

JOHN CRAIGIE

LEONARD MYNX

MOOMAW

NICOLAI RICCARDO GREY

NORABELLE

OWEIHOPS

PICKERING PICK

RADICAL FACE

RIVULETS

SIMON LLEWELYN EVANS

STEVE ADEY

TEX LA HOMA

THE BOY HARDY

THE BRENDAN HINES & CO., INC.

THE MOSTAR DIVING CLUB

THINGS IN HERDS

So click the patchwork image at the top of the page or click RIGHT HERE to visit (translated page in English HERE).  Come on, 26 free tracks put together with thought and care for your listening pleasure?!?!  You can’t go wrong here folks.

~Smansmith

I love finding new music that I was completely oblivious to.  Who doesn’t?  This time I have found the Louisville “band” The Parade Schedule and it was a very welcome surprise indeed.

The reason I have band in quotes is essentially The Parade Schedule is Matt Kinder with a little help from a rotating list of contributors/friends.  The new album “Seeds to be Planted, Trees to be Cut” was just released this December and it is an acoustic folk record at heart that has a lot of heart…you could say.  Kinder has a timbre of voice that comforts, it is not a new age indie “off key” voice, but actually a pretty straight forward voice that goes hand in hand with his sombre lyrics and even more solemn guitar strumming.  This isn’t your intense finger picking folk style album, it is a drifting and beautifully soothing collection of songs (14 to be exact, more than the average album these days!).

While I originally found it on IODA, I quickly devoured the two tracks below (“Backyard” & “Dye Your Hair”) and immediately hit up eMusic for a copy of the full album.  The two tracks included and aforementioned are both cut from the same cloth and could actually be a part 1 and 2 of the same song at first listen.  When listening to the remainder of the album, you will be immersed in lo-fi acoustic tracks, with echos of a less twang induced Johnny Cash at times.  You might even see a little bit of early Damien Jurado in “Making Away”.  Stand out tracks include “Backyard”, “Eight Long Months”, “Be Safe” and “Dancing” as of the first few spins.

~~~
The Parade Schedule

“Backyard” (mp3)
“Dye Your Hair” (mp3)
from “Seeds to Be Planted, Trees to Be Cut”
(The Record Machine)

More On This Album

~~~

Bonus: “Old” – The Parade Schedule

Visit and purchase The Parade Schedule:

Bonus #2: Live Performance of “Backyard”

~Smansmith

p.s.  The above photo of Matt Kinder has a tag of “My serious band photo” on MySpace, love that about this guy too!

The Antlers – Shiva – A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

~Smansmith

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

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

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

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

Visit & Purchase Stripmall Ballads

~Smansmith

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

So I don’t know how I got a hold of these songs, but I recently found them again.  They are not even on an album as far as I know and I can’t find too much on this Vancouver artists.  I think I might have discovered Ehroehed a few years back due to a 3hive post on him – at least they got as far as his name being Lonny Potter!  So that is about it, his website doesn’t work, the “label” he references leads to a dead link for his stuff…so you know how it goes.  I have a couple more, but they were starting to get away from themselves, so I kept it at the 4 below.

I think (at least by looking at his MySpace page) he is kind of between genres and is still finding his true sound.  He has a singer songwriter base with a tendency for folk and then has a bit of post punk mixed in.  Just thought I would share.

“Goodwill Come” (Traditional Singer Songwriter)
“Party” (a bit of post punk mixed in)
“Eyes” (more country influenced)
“Two Mile Final” (baseline laden acid-pop folk)

~Smansmith

p.s.  stream a couple of more tracks on CBC Radio 3 HERE.

Well class, I wanted to put a quick post on what is happening around Slowcoustic HQ – just looking to keep you all in the loop, we’re a team after all.

Hopefully you all are finding it okay to get to the site lately, my host has been a bit erratic on the up-time in the last couple of weeks, I am looking into it and may be moving hosts to ensure more quality sad bastard music making it through the “big pipe” to your very keen ears.  So basically I apologize if any of you were looking to make it over here to pick up a tune or two and were given a strong left upon trying to negotiate to the site.

~~~

Just getting ready to send out the info to my fellow bloggers for the “Best of 2009″ series set to take place in December, hopefully Dec. 7-22 on weekdays only.  If any of you were around last year, what I do is invite fellow music bloggers to do a feature blog post on something that they think was pretty darn neat-o this past year.  The list can be just about anything: best album, best live band, best album cover and best make out album…almost anything!  The side bar to the right of this post (your right, not mine…wait…) you will see a block of images that represent the various sites that are taking place.  So stick around, you may find something that you don’t normally see on this blog and you just might like it!

~~~

I have been listening to some pretty good tunes lately and hope to get a lot of features upcoming – recent albums I really like and I think you should check out include Frank Schweikhardt, Heather Woods Broderick (yes that Broderick), The White Buffalo with a recent discovery of JBM via his Daytrotter session.  On repeat around here is that Isbells album and those Borcherdt demos and the amazing new EP from Hezekiah Jones (see Herohill’s post on it).

~~~

Also, because I know you all can’t go without a fix (myself included) – how about some lo-fi recordings??  Well this will hit the spot – Andy Berkhout has released a new EP called “Songs on Tape”.  It is aptly named as it was recorded on an actual tape recorder and is a great EP for you lo-fi singer songwriter admirers, which I assume should be a fair share of you readers.  The EP is classic guy with a guitar – its an intimate collection of bedroom folk pop that will have you humming and looking for more.  More you say?  Well he has another EP “In The Light” on his website that is available for a free download.  A free download you say?  Yes, both EPs are available for absolutely nothing – definitely a great option to pick up some solid tunes at rock bottom prices (but don’t forget about his new full length for purchase).

“Feel You Now”
“Just To Say”
taken from “Songs on Tape” EP

Visit and Purchase Andy:

~Smansmith

I thought I would send you on your way into the meat of the weekend with a couple of tracks that I have been spinning lately and are tracks that I thought needed to hit the blog, ergo, you my fine readers.  They kind of span things I enjoy listening to, but sometimes everyone doesn’t enjoy all aspects of what I think “Slowcoustic” means.  Well, I use the term quite loosely and I think the below are some examples of a bit of the range of the genre.

“Hawthorn to Hennepin” – Clint Michigan {Visit}
I don’t know why there isn’t more blog love for this Brooklyn duo, they have such great harmonies and keep it basically singer songwriter with folk tinges of banjo and is just a great listen.

“Mommy Crow” – E.P. Hall {Visit}
This is an example of lo-fi female fronted vocals that draws me in; beautiful, not too over the top and you can both dig into it and drift away with it.

“Drop” – Akira Kosemura {Visit}
Definitely the ambient side of me – Kosemura is one of the artists that create something that is just stunning.  This is a track that is considered electronic, and I am willing to bring it on board a traditionally non electronic blog.  It must be good then…right?

“Question (Old 97s Cover)” – Josh Preston {Visit}
Josh sent this to me due to my covers post last weekend – great job by Josh as I am not really a huge fan of Old 97s.  This is a highly approachable track that might get you on board and then you can find numerous other tracks from Preston – he has a lot!

One last video inclusion for a new album just sent over that is really hitting home – “Life But No More” from Frank Schweikhardt.  Take a listen to The Dead – this is some great slow and acoustic stuff!

Frank Schweikhardt- The Dead from Crossroads Of America Records on Vimeo.

Enjoy!

~Smansmith

p.s.  The top photo is just a random photo from a hike last year in the beautiful Kananaskis area.

So I have been listening continuously since I downloaded it COMPLETELY FREE <— (Click here please).  The albums are both pre Coyotes but still in the solo singer songwriter vein which I have been known to focus on blindly.  While the tracks are essentially lo-fi demos – this is the style of Borcherdt’s newer solo stuff anyway, so the demo part shouldn’t dissuade you in any way.  By the cover art alone (see below), you can get an impression of each “album” with the Ward Colorado demos being a bit more intimate and Torches being a bit more electric and fuller sound (well kind of).  Take a listen to a few tracks from each album below.

“Guide Home”
“Steady Hands”
“Preserver”(I have had this track for a while somehow, but I feel like this is a song that could have been on the Coyotes album)

“Crime Scenes”
“Further”
“Low Hills”

You can see the video on the sidebar as the new “featured video” on the blog and it is for While I Was Asleep from the Coyotes album (did I say you should buy this yet?).

Find yourself visiting Brian and purchasing Coyotes (you must, just saying):

~Smansmith

p.s.  Please note the mp3s here are just to get you excited, please head over to the link above or Hand Drawn Dracula for the full 320 kbps version and full album art!

Tobacco Pat has a penchant for providing me with EPs of dark Americana tinged singer songwriter projects.  The third and final installment of his “Apocalypse” series has just been self released and it falls into place quite nicely.

You might remember an earlier mention of this project here on the blog and once again this installment comes in the form of 5 tracks in “The Destroyer” package.  This one feels like it brings it all down with more energy than the previous EPs, it is definitely a raw lo-fi journey!

Logan Farmer finds himself giving the title track a double dose with Part 1 & 2 as stand outs, with Part 1 being a lone guitar and voice singing into the night.  Part 2 of the title track brings in the cavalry with galloping of guitar strokes – with no vocals it feels as if it is a triumph and ending of the series of EPs, playing to the end of it all…with purpose.

I find this final chapter is focused with a coiled energy, Farmer is less hushed and pushes forward and at times is almost howling into everything without losing control.   “The Truth and The Stream” comes in waves and still manages to bring hushed moments before finishing the tale (all the while a second voice simply repeating the lyrics deep in the background).   You really feel the angst in “The Vault” with Farmer truly pulling emotion I have rarely heard (his chant of “You’re just like them, just like them…” makes you feel as if you would see the spittle of betrayal flying from between his teeth!) – refreshing to this old folky!

The Destroyer Pt 1
The Truth And The Stream

Find the EP (along with the two previous releases) available for download from his MySpace page and his new Website which will be a host for demos and live recordings that I eagerly await.

~Smansmith

Although I believe TDFA is more than these covers, take this as an introduction to the world of his sombre acoustic beauty.   The songs below are quiet and alternate landscapes of familiar and not so familiar songs.  Collyer’s take is classic acoustic folk and keeps is down the middle with consistently great sounding tracks that every Slowcoustic fan would enjoy.  The recordings are surprisingly great quality for the most part and you are treated to the banter between tracks and discover that he is quite funny and charismatic.  This particular recording is from Dec. 29th back in 2007 and is a funny and sad bastard soundtrack for today as well as providing a quick glimpse into this talented German.   Enjoy.

The Diamond Family Archive – 29/12/07 Komedia, Brighton, United Kingdom

Caroline

Here I Go Again

I Hear A Sweet Voice Calling

Islands In The Stream

Brothers In Arms

Down At The Landing

Walk Of Life

The Wanderer

I almost lost my shite when “Here I Go Again” was selected and played.

Visit and Purchase The Diamond Family Archive

~Smansmith

I simply wanted to put a couple of acts that hit me up for some coverage, I felt they just might fit into the blog and hell let’s get them on a post!  I have two today and both are a bit acoustic, readily available to be downloaded for the very low price of FREE and I am sure that they will be welcome in your library of slow and acoustic artists.

~~~

Enderby’s Room is a lo-fi bedroom folk act and moniker of Dan Mayfield from the UK along with some mates (Fletcher Boote along with Ben and Tom Handysides) filling out the instrumentation/vocals.  This is the kind of band that you lean into in order to immerse youself in it – this stuff just might not get you out of bed in the morning and maybe you won’t regret it.  It also may sound like four people are too many to create such a lo-fi and intimate sound – but I say nay!  The sound is very balanced and besides being hushed vocals aside the plucking of numerous stringed instruments it is very much your Sunday listening material.  With 3 tracks on the website and the full 5 on the Last.fm page you can definitely get started on your new listening staple.

“Their There”
“Lakeside”

~~~

Tin Can Notes is another EP that can be downloaded free (this time from the Bandcamp page for TCN) and is a touch more up tempo and a nice transition into the actual Sunday morning to full on Sunday from Enderby’s Room above!   Tin Can Notes is Jack Matranga from Sacremento California and brings a bit of folky sunshine to the murky mornings – Matranga sings like he is bringing you out from the darkness if not only into that middle ground of melancholy.   You may find a bit more production and or instruments that “plug in” for this recommendation, but sometimes thats needed, no?  You can find out a bit more on the Myspace page and Last.fm page to TCN.

“She Had A Name”
“California In The Ether”

~Smansmith

I am also including one promo track to get you on board, it is both Gothic and haunting and still beautiful and ethereal at the same time.  Think of a Boduf Songs intertwined with Trespassers William – they are a current fave for sure.

“Dance, Sing, Fight” – Arborea, from 2009′s “House of Sticks” (re-mastered for the album, originally on their Wayfaring Summer album)

Take a gander below at the great video for River and Rapids as well:

Visit & Purchase Arborea:

~Smansmith

p.s.  Don’t you just love this?

Free music is always good.  Free music is always great when it is worth having and actually listening to.

I have been introduced to aaahh records previously, but sometimes I just need a couple of pushes to get my attention.  In this case the two pushes came in the form of Common Folk Meadows post on Emilie Lund’s EP and then earlier today Simple Folk Radio (@SimpleFolkRadio) tweeted about aaahh records.  Okay, now I get it!  Friends if you enjoy a bit of folk, acoustic, down-tempo (for the most part) albums that are ALL free – aaahh Records is your next click.

The particular album I wanted to let  you know about was Entertainment For The Braindead’s “Hydrophobia”.  Some may call it simple and pretty, others may call it folk in the key of twee, but I simply enjoy the ukulele, accordion, guitar and easy way about Kotowski’s vocals.  The press on the album kind of hits it on the head:

…Singer/Songwriter Julia Kotowski creates a small, intimate and especially silent musical sphere that she fills with notes, lyrics und rhythm. She lets these outcomes ripen slowly

If that doesn’t give you an idea – a promo photo of Julia Kotowski conveys a thousand words, coming to mind are: innocent, stark, fragile and beautiful all wrapped up together in a photo/album:

The album was released in late 2008 (yes a year ago, and I could kick myself as it would have probably made a “best of” in some form from me) and is sold out in physical form, but the digital version is still a free option.  This is one of 4 albums/releases from the German based EFTB with another available for download at aaahh Records as well.  I am personally intrigued by the companion to this release called “Hypersomnia” which is focused on the isolation of slumber as opposed to the slowly drowning of Hydrophobia.  So not for the happy-go-lucky crowd?  Some simply make the lonely dark corners sound beautiful, Kotowski is one of those someones.  This album is magnificent, period.  Enjoy some samples below:

“Hydrophobia”
“Resolutions”
“What You Get”
“A Trace”

Visit Entertainment For The Braindead’s Website & Myspace & Twitter:

Pick up the whole album over at aaahh Records or Aerotone

~Smansmith

p.s.  A new EP “The Raw Timber” just came out, but alas it is sold out…

I have a band you should know and they are Blood Warrior: but besides a bit of back and forth with them, I don’t really have anything “of my own” to offer.  So, what is a blogger to do when he wants you to listen to a band?  Why, he is to direct his readers to other bloggers that do have insight and media and such things.  Its really that easy, just follow these easy steps.

Step One: Get contacted by Greg Jamie (of O’Death fame) and have him say “You will love a new band we got going”.
Step Two: Get excited that Greg Jamie actually contacted YOU, then listen to said band.
Step Three: Get under-excited because they don’t have an album yet, feel sad and wait for material to surface.
Step Four: Get suggestions on a live set from NYCTaper and eagerly head over and download.  Nice.
Step Five: Get another suggestion of a video of a live performance on [Dog]and[Pony] and head over and download.  Nice.
Final Step: Put it together and try to laugh off not having original material…  Nice.

So gang, Visit NYCTaper for Blood Warrior’s first performance (in New York) by visiting NYCTaper HERE.

“Untitled” – Blood Warrior – from 2009′s “After The Jump Fest” (from nyctaper)

Also gang, visit [Dog]and[Pony] to look around, video is below and originally from post HERE!

Fine Details: Blood Warrior include the musical stylings of Greg Jamie, Joey Weiss & Kristin Kellas.  They sound like Appalachian recluses who hauntingly lament and often chant in the moonlight.  That pretty much says it all.

You can also visit Ernest Jenning Record Co (they will be releasing a 7″ shortly and the full album early 2010) and the band on MySpace:

~Smansmith

So a quick one today, kind of a “smash & grab” post as many bloggers refer to when music blogs put up a post with no real content, but with MP3 links.  Umm, yeah – so I am kinda doing that, so back off haters.

I have 3 separate tracks from different artists, but all worthy of the right kind of attention, as opposed to the publicity stunt in the photo above – I think the actual tragedy is the fact that designs “in yo fade” is still done these days…but, that is another story.  Lets get to some acoustic goodness!

Fulton Lights has a nice little cover of Neko Case from the Hinah Session from last year.  Very sparse, but it totally works.  It also can’t be that bad to be covering Neko Case!  Make sure to visit for many more free downloads.

“I Wish I Was The Moon” – Fulton Lights — VISIT

Jordan Martin has recorded 3 EPs (again, this is the year of the EP folks) this year and he sent me what he thought I might like, and low & behold I liked it, a lot.  All the tracks aren’t quite as banjo laden slowcoustic ballads such as this one, but the range might be something refreshing…

“Faithful John” – Jordan Martin — VISIT

Acres and Acres are a bit quirky, a bit folky and a whole lot of good.  The new album “All Nations” (named after a church, true story) comes out on Sept. 29th, check out a great little folk pop gem from the duo out of Halifax!

“Polar Bear Song” – Acres and Acres — VISIT

Now sit back listen, realize it is Friday and thank me later.

~Smansmith

So a little gem of a lo-fi EP fell in my lap recently – and you regular readers (I know you are out there) will appreciate a bit of an accented bedroom recording.  The band is a solo project of Christina Tsui who is going by “A Book About Elephants” and she has a FREE EP distributed from HUSH Recordings!

So the EP was brought about by the brain child of HUSH, Chad Couch, as he found Tsui simply by chance and contacted her about working together on putting something out there.  Low and behold, Tsui’s bedroom recordings (literally) entered the hands of Mr. Couch.  There was some instrumentation added to Tsui’s songs and now we have a full on EP of beautifully delicate lullabies from this young Californian.

So in order to get the word out there about A Book About Elephants, we have this totally free download; but you can always donate the recommended $2.49, which in itself is a great value.  If you like what we promote around here, you will love this album – it is a bit of a DIY masterpiece with it’s simple strumming, honest lyrics and great melodies.  I really recommend “Face First, Feet First”, but the whole thing is excellent.

“Face First, Feet First”
“Copper Kettles”

Swing by the HUSH Shop and MySpace for more info!

~Smansmith

First blogged about Talons’ lo-fi gem almost a year ago (see here) and I am glad to see what I think is an official release of the album.  Serious bedroom folk for the broken hearted.  A little bit of reverb, a little bit of piano and a lot of girls from the past.  I stand by what I said last October, and the album still holds up.

Enjoy the lead off single from yesterday’s (Sept. 2nd international) release.
Talons’
“Cole” (mp3)
from “Songs for Babes”
(Own Records)

More On This Album

Click the talons below to visit Bark n’ Hiss (more downloads) or hit up his MySpace:

~Smansmith

p.s.  Yes, I am sure it is actually Talons’ and not just Talons.

Here we are with another episode of ‘Ladies Night”, and this looks like volume four…so you know we have worked the kinks out, right??  With such posts it is difficult to segue into the post as such, being a man I often sit back, mouth agape at the intricacies of women.  I did dig into some quotes that might lend to a bit more understanding of why the ‘Ladies’ deserve a post of their own today.  I guess the fact that the below 6 songs are all great and should be on your listening list already isn’t good enough?  Oh well, the quotes:

“Women speak two languages – one of which is verbal.”  ~William Shakespeare

A man gives many question marks, however, a woman is a whole mystery.  ~Diana Stürm

“Men will always delight in a woman whose voice is lined with velvet.”  ~Brendan Francis

Well, I am not sure if the quotes are going to help me, so I guess it is on to the playlist, hope you enjoy as much as I do!

Ladies Night – Volume Four

• “Willis” – Sea of Bees – VISIT HER
• “Bruised Ghost” – Amy Millan – VISIT HER
• “Moving Slow” – Karli Fairbanks – VISIT HER
• “What Have I Done” – Anna Ternheim – VISIT HER
• “In Summer In The Heat” – Shannon Stephens – VISIT HER
• “Come Pick Me Up (Ryan Adams Cover)” – Josie Little – VISIT HER
• 
  

~Smansmith

So I have been online acquaintances with Jan Felipe for over a year now as we have connected a few times on Last.fm.  He will let me know on happenings here and there and if he has a new track for download.

Low and behold he does have something new for perusal and he let me know – and now I am letting you know.  Jan Felipe is a mostly slow acoustic/slightly jazzy artist in a nouveau José González way.  He sings in multiple languages including mostly Brazilian Portuguese with some French and now English!  With whatever language he selects, it simply flows through him as if it was perfectly natural, and more importantly in sync to his music as well.   The new track Jan wanted to let me know of is entitled “Quiet People” and is possibly his first real English vocal song and is definitely showing the maturing of his sound.  When first hearing, as a Canadian the music hits you as Portugeuse in its very essence.  The new track still holds onto this but it floats over the track and isn’t the focus, there is more band sound and atmosphere with percussion and piano.  I like where he is going with this and look forward to what he provides next.

I am also including two additional tracks that caught me when I first listened (I think maybe 2 years ago???) in the Portuguese tracks “Abril” (April) and “Sobre Todos Nós” (About Us All) and they are both stunningly beautiful and come highly recommended.  Jan, when you read this – this was a long time coming and I apologize for waiting soo damn long to put some tracks on the blog!!

Check him out on his Last.fm page or his Bandcamp page for more complimentary downloads.  You may even swing by his MySpace page and friend him up!

“Quiet People” (new)
“Abril”
“Sobre Todos Nós”

~Smansmith

So a little pair of video love of the fairer sex this Sunday morning, my first day back from vacation (unfortunately), and to ease my way back into some much needed blog posting – some video love!

First off, Sharon Van Etten.  I am falling in love with this New Yorker…hard.  I only recently started listening to her in the last few months and she just keeps impressing me.  The collection of demos, performances and home recordings on her first release is now available again in a 2nd pressing and she has her new album “Because I Was In Love” available now (with the Pitchfork stamp of approval, thank you very much).  Her sound is starkly emotional, seemingly strikingly personal and beautiful at its very basic – the perfect mix!  If I can recommend one “new” artist to watch, it’s Sharon Van Etten.  Visit her on her website (and order the home recordings while you can, limited amounts available) and her MySpace page

Watch the full concert at baeblemusic.com

Enjoy a (fairly noisy) version of the above song – “Damn Right” (mp3).

~~~

Secondly, we have the Canadian indie darling Julie Doiron.  I will always like Julie Doiron as she is just plain amazing.  She has a bit of range as well if you follow her albums, she goes from very much lo-fi songwriter stuff to almost full band tracks.  While she still leans to wards the traditional singer songwriter, she is growing to be a bit more of a performer and including others in her performances and sound.  Her new album “I Can Wonder What You Did With Your Day” is still pretty new being released this past March and check out the new video for “Consolation Prize”.  Visit her on her Website for more info, and even swing by iTunes for a copy.  Also, if you have time, definitely spend $4.00 for her split EP with Calm Down, It’s Monday: great little release that comes recommended – it is on iTunes Here.

BONUS – check out another track from the album that has recently been approved to post, it is the lovely “When Breaks Get Wet” (mp3).  Enjoy!

~Smansmith

Just a quick post on Gareth (although he is deserving of more) – I simply needed to put this out there as I was listening to his “Collected Recordings” this morning and had to post.

There has been fewer perfect moments than a tranquil back yard on a Sunday Morning…the yard half immersed in sunlight and the other half (where you find yourself on the precipice of) still in the shade.  The shaded side still with the dew beneath your feet from the cool, yet crisp grass…slowly warming up due to the ever approaching sunlight.  For those moments in the dewy shade…with that first cup of coffee and Gareth’s delicate vocals drifting over what can only be described as Slowcoustic.

Enjoy a couple of tracks and swing by Polymorphic net label to pick up a free 9 track sampler that includes these two tracks.  More info at his Website and MySpace page.
Pick up a copy of “Collected Recordings” from the Drifting Falling Label HERE.

“As You Lie” – Gareth Dickson
“Climbing” – Gareth Dickson

~Smansmith