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

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

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

We/Or/Me - Photo by Bobby Aazami

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

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

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

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

~Smansmith

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

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

Zachary Lucky

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

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Carly Maicher

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

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

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

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

~Smansmith

The Sumner Brothers - photo by Nate Lepp

Recently I received the December newsletter from The Sumner Brothers (sign up on their website here) and for the last bit they have been coming with a new cover song each month.  Well, to be honest they have been absolutely stellar.  Some Cash, some Haggard and even some Waits.  Well this December came a great track originally from Airon Dugas (or A.P. Dugas as he records under…I believe) called “Old Skin”.  It was recorded essentially solo from Brian Sumner and it has floored me lately, it is that good.  While I have been a fan of the Sumner Brothers for years, Dugas is new to me from the last month or so.

A.P. Dugas - photo by Kristin Dione Photography

So, after telling you that the most recent cover song is that good, I am not posting it.  I’m a bastard that way.  Sign up for the newsletter and get it free – I ain’t stealing music from musicians…I’m a blogger!  ;-)  No seriously – both A.P. Dugas and The Sumners have been on serious repeat lately after hearing that cover song, so I thought I would throw a few tracks at ya to get you on board.

Tomorrow Wendy by A.P. Dugas by Pluckluck Seattle
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Lose Your Mind by Bob Sumner by Pluckluck Seattle
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09 Ticket to Ride by thesumnerbrothers
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A.P. Dugas – Old Skin by For The Sake Of The Song
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Bonus is the video for Carolina from A.P. Dugas that I found about a week or so ago via The Sumner Brothers Facebook page.  Soo good.

So class, what are you listening to?  That is right – The Sumners and Airon Dugas.  Thank you.

Visit The Sumner Brothers: Website, Facebook & Twitter
Visit A.P. Dugas: MySpace (sorry, not too much on Dugas…yet)

~Smansmith

p.s.  If you haven’t heard the Sumner Brothers cover Townes Van Zandt’s “Colorado Girl” you are in for a treat.  Visit HearYa who posted it a while back right here.

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

Synopsis:

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

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

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

The Soundtrack

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

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

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

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

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

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

~Smansmith

The Living Room Sessions presents Jeffrey Foucault from Pastime Productions on Vimeo.

~Smansmith

There just might be a bit of West Texas in all of us, it is just a lot more front and center with Caleb Coy.

Caleb Coy announced a new Kickstarter campaign to fund his next album just yesterday.  If you are interested in great lo-fi (or maybe not so ‘lo-fi’ for the upcoming album) folk country, then this is your chance to get in on the ground floor.  Its an ambitious endeavor to get recording time, vinyl pressings and essentially a full package album (with PR) made these days and in exchange of being part of the process, you can make it actually happen!  I guess that is the idea behind it, you are donating to get the rewards of great music…its pretty simply really.  Visit the campaign HERE.  Watch the video below.

Take a listen to one of my favourites from his Yer Bird Records released album “Wild Desert Rose”, the track “Rambler’s Lament”.

~Smansmith

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

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

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

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

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

Find more songs by Tyler Butler: Bandcamp

~Smansmith

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

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

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

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Now Ryan Adams has a new album and for the most part all I have read is good things about it.  Don’t get me wrong here, I mean I like it because I feel it is a return to roots sound for him.  I think it is a more thought out album compared to some recent material and despite the guy himself (“honest, I’m quitting music”), he can make a good tune when he needs to.
Do I Wait by ryanadams
I Love You But I Don’t Know What To Say by ryanadams
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That is all I got for now, but come on, it’s pretty good, no?

~Smansmith

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

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

~ and a new track ~
Gregory Alan Isakov – second chances (Folk Radio UK Session) by Folk Radio UK
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Also, you have to hear his track performed at Miss Peapods in Cornwall during the aforementioned tour (love the vocals in this one).

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

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

~Smansmith

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

Nuff said.

~Smansmith

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

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)

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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

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

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

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

~Smansmith

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

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

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

Listen to a couple of tracks;

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

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

Visit Mount Moriah: Website | Facebook | Bandcamp |

~Smansmith

I think the title of the post precludes what is happening on this post.  So let’s get on with it.

Brand new video for Dolorean’s “Black Hills Gold” premiered yesterday on IFC.  There is a whole backstory with the video in a way mirroring the life of Dennis Wilson (of the Beach Boys).  Check it out below.

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Next we have William Elliott Whitmore’s homage to the American Farm worker and title track to his latest album ‘Field Songs’.  I actually didn’t know this official video even existed until I saw it over on Common Folk Music yesterday (see here).  It even put me over the edge and I finally ordered the vinyl (and t-shirt) from the WEW online store.  Well worth it.  Watch the video below and don’t miss the money shot for the last 12 seconds.

There you have your video Thursday.  Both songs above are included in my ‘Favourite Albums of 2011′ at this point…and the year is running out of time for anyone to have the chance to push ‘em out.

Visit Dolorean on their website.
Visit William Elliott Whitmore on his website.

~Smansmith

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

Today’s song & video of the day came out of nowhere, but from a familiar place – always nice when that happens.  Creeping on music forums is one of the best ways to find music – you tend to get a lot of suggestions and the people tend to know what they are talking about.  Then, I look into it and I find a video via the good folks at Love Drunk Studios (where I first ‘saw’ the band Kill County – another winner in this category).  The song is “Man Pt. 1″ from the one man band ‘South of Lincoln’.

On a side note, I actually drove through Lincoln on my honeymoon road trip and both me and my wife felt that it was the type of place we would love to live in.  Albeit from the 20 minutes in downtown getting coffee to the small divey motel on the outskirts of the town – we had it all figured out & decided!  I guess we now have more reason to revisit that plan of moving a bit further south…

Aaaaaaannnnyyyywaaaayy, this song of the day gets double treatment with audio and video – this is a good thing as well because you get the more produced version in the Soundcloud stream below and then you get a great fully acoustic version via the video.  This one man band is made up of the talented Max Holmquist who brings an ease of creating music that instantly creates a connection – you have to immediately enjoy the stark honesty and harmony that is provided in spades.  The sound can be described as a modern day storytelling folk country troubadour (I tried to fit in more words but it just got out of hand) and by his own admission gives influences of Neko Case, Damien Jurado & M. Ward – pretty good models to hone your craft if I had to say.  As I have literally just started listening to the album I can’t really make full observation on the early 2011 release, but from what I have heard – it is sounding frickin’ good.

South of Lincoln has a new EP that was just released called “The Monsters/Bathroom Sessions” but I can’t really find anything on it…so if anyone wants to point me in the direction to a purchase, I would be much appreciated!!

Please take a moment, listen, fall in love with it and then swing by the good folks at Hear Nebraska for more information and ‘Like’ him on his Facebook page to show your support for great music.  You can pick up the ‘Homes’ album via iTunes by clicking HERE.

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

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EDIT: The Monsters/Bathrooom Sessions on iTunes!!

~Smansmith

Small Houses swung by the good folks over at Halfway House and recorded a session at the Stone House Studios.  Sorry, had to type it out again.  But seriously, Jeremy Quentin (Small Houses) has been ’round these parts previously (see here, here & here) with his acoustic folk stylings and once again he shows why I enjoy listening soo much.  His Halfway House Session includes 3 tracks including a Tom Waits cover.  The two original tracks chosen, Late July and In the Lawn are two of his best – these 2 tracks show his guitar work, vocals/lyrics and are a great barometer for his sound.  You won’t be disappointed.  Watch a video for Late July below and head over to watch the other two and download all 3 tracks completely gratis.

Small Houses – Late July – Halfway House Sessions from Halfway House on Vimeo.

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Swing by Halfway House to see more (and additional sessions by White Pines, Frontier Ruckus, Hezekiah Jones & Chris Bathgate in their archive!).
Visit Small Houses via his Website, Twitter and Bandcamp pages.

~Smansmith

A little self promotion is never bad.  Right?  RIGHT?

So my little label over at Yer Bird Records is starting a trend in having at least one long weekend 2 for 1 special each year on all our wares and it is happening right now.  Purchase the new Hezekiah Jones LP?  Why not have the new Ghosts I’ve Met LP thrown in for good measure?  Yeah, its great stuff.  LPs, CDs and digital downloads – its the wild west over there this weekend.  See our home page on the label site HERE for more information!

How about a new video performance of a track from the new Pickering Pick album to sway you?  Pickering Pick’s new album “Tiger Balm” is one of the most gorgeous albums you will hear and he is very quickly becoming the master of the lamented ballad.  Something I don’t take lightly.  Sam Pickering Pick was just abroad visiting family and his uber talented sister thought to video a performance of “I Didn’t Know Your Rivers Flowed”.   We will soon be having an extremely limited promotional CD give away for the Tiger Balm album – so if you like what you see/hear below, you will want to swing back very soon.  See the new video below:

I Didn’t Know Your Rivers Flowed from Sera Pickering Pick on Vimeo.

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How about a Yer Bird Records Soundcloud set for you to sway you into releasing all your funds to my pocket…and I guess the artists too…. ;-)

Pickering Pick – “Like A River” by Yer Bird Records
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Ghosts I’ve Met – “Blackwoods” by Yer Bird Records
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Hezekiah Jones – “The Last Parade on Ann St. (Chris Bathgate Cover)” by Yer Bird Records
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Greater Pacific – “Distance” by Yer Bird Records
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White Pines: “Woods” by Yer Bird Records
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The Black Atlantic: “Ella (Live)” by Yer Bird Records
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Sharon Van Etten: “Say So What” by Yer Bird Records
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~Smansmith

Thought I would point you all in the direction of fellow Calgarians ‘Welcome to the West‘ today.  I am doing this today of all days due to two fantastic videos they have had on their site recently.  In all honestly I was just going to post the ‘pool party post folk fest’ video, but then saw a nice new Sumner Brothers video and I can’t ignore that!

Welcome to the West focuses on just that, the West of Canada’s music scene – not necessarily Canadian content exclusively, but they do show off that talent often as well.  The video below for The Head and the Heart was filmed after the Calgary Folk Fest just this last weekend in the stairwell of the Westin Calgary and it turned out fantastic – the acoustics of the acoustics came out quite well…you could say.  Watch it now:

the Head and the Heart – Winter Song from Welcome To The West on Vimeo.

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Now this morning I went to grab the above video and noticed a new video from Vancouver’s The Sumner Brothers…can’t resist! The ever touring brothers are on the road promoting their upcoming album “I Love You, Smile” which I am eagerly anticipating. Check out the crazy Kimball Organ in the video as well…

The Sumner Brothers – Lose Your Mind from Welcome To The West on Vimeo.

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So there you have it, visit Welcome to the West on their website here.  Check out their archives here.
Visit The Head and the Heart here.
Visit The Sumner Brothers here.

~Smansmith

p.s.  check out the logo design for WttW from Charles Roberts here.

Discovered this little gem of an EP from the good folks over at Natural Beardy (thx NB!  See their post here) and thought I would share it with you as well.   So after listening over with the bearded ones, I immediately picked up the 2009 6-track EP ‘Shoes for Men and Beasts’ via their Bandcamp page and it has been playing all weekend at Slowcoustic HQ.  There also looks to be a new album that should be surfacing very soon (complete with sample track for streaming/purchase) via a recent successful Kickstarter campaign.

The song Cliffs Along the Sea track is a beautiful acoustic track that actually makes for a great live take…in a boat…or something…

~~

If you like the above track, you would definitely enjoy the tracks “Pride of Man”, “The Silent Shepherd” and “The Rider, the Horse, the Land” from the EP as well.  So what are you waiting for?

~Smansmith

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

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

Kapelsessies: The Black Atlantic from Kapelsessies Gelderland on Vimeo.

~

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

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

~Smansmith

• Today is the release of William Elliott Whitmore’s “Field Songs” over on Anti Records.  If you enjoy your music on the rootsy side, banjo side and the folk country side – then this album is a no brainer.  The songs of Whitmore can be at times a tad too ‘raucous crooner’ but it is almost like he is taking a moment to breathe and the music is both powerful, a bit gritty and a worthy listen.  The vocals of Whitmore are perfect for this mid tempo folk country and they just hit the spot soo much on this album – his patented twang and warble just damn work on Field Songs!!
  William Elliott Whitmore – Everything Gets Gone by antirecords
• 
  
• Brett Detar recently released a video of himself attempting a cover song.  And by ‘attempting’, he did a fantastic job.  Watch him covering a classic in the form of Townes Van Zandt’s ‘Waiting Around to Die’ below:
  
  
• And for one of the best deals in town right now, you gotta swing by Ondarock to pick up the latest compilation, One Way Ticket to Nowhere.  This one is based on their ‘Outlaw’ series where artists cover an outlaw country/folk artist.  It is 2CDs worth of tracks from folks like Great Lake Swimmers, Chris Kasper, Caleb Coy and The Sumner Brothers (among many, many others).  Oh, did I mention it was completely FREE?  Yeah, so what are you waiting for?
• Keep your eye on that Adult Swim “2011 Singles Club” thingy as I believe that track from The Tallest Man on Earth is being released as a free download today sometime as well.  The page for the current and upcoming tracks is right here.  For now, stream ‘Weather of a Killing Kind’ below:
  

That is all I have for now, hope you enjoy it all!

~Smansmith

Mount Moriah – Old Gowns from Hueism Pictures on Vimeo.

Finally getting a listen to the self titled release from Mount Moriah from earlier this year.  The video for ‘Old Gowns’ was released about 6 months prior to the actual album but the track is still definitely the stand out and the video is stunning.  Lots of slow spanning, shadow play, out of focus & crystal clear shots all leading up to the ‘money shot’ at about 4:20.  I’m a sucker for beautifully shot videos that ebb and flow before the crux of a song…  Drink it in folks.

Find out more on Mount Moriah on their website or facebook.

Purchase at their label: Holidays For Quince.

~Smansmith

~~~

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

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

~~

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

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

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

~

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

~

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

~Smansmith

The thing is, it was posted on June 10th, 2011.  My birthday.  So, once again, thank you very much.

J. Tillman | Firstborn | A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Just Sayin.

~Smansmith

When you lay out the music that swings through the numerous channels here at Slowcoustic it can be overwhelming.  But you splay it all out and you pick a few things that catch your ear for one of many reasons.  So, this is simply a post to provide a few things that I thought you all might enjoy as my Slowcousticals.  Enjoy some Canadiana.

Canada has been impressing me lately, what with the Polaris Prize nominations and such.  And to show some love back to the fact that Frederick Squire made the long list (here we come short list!!) I have to pass on some of his newer magic.  Also, as not all things Slowcoustic and Canadian get to be soo lucky, I think they also need some singling out as sometimes it isn’t all about awards but just about good music as well.  So it is time to pass on some love for Canada (please, no Vancouver riot jokes, please..).

~

While this is the brand new FS (not the currently nominated Polaris Prize Long Lister – see some love for it here) it is once again proving that he is going to be one of my all time favourites very soon.  Like by this afternoon.  Whatever.  The new album was recorded a little while ago with a sparse arrangements of instruments and recording equipment…just the way I like it.  The result is a stunningly beautiful collection of forgiveness laments.  Not always warm and fuzzy when it comes to songwriting with Squire – but he always seems to find the beauty in the ugly moments and possibly assists in having them more acceptable and then to the listeners, empathy.  Highly recommended.  Recommended highly.  See a bit more information here.

UPDATE: Purchase the album at Zunior HERE.

“All Things Past Serve To Guide You On Your Way” – Frederick Squire
from Frederick Squire Sings Shenandoah and Other Popular Hits (2011, Blue Fog Recordings)

~

The Bravest Ghost is more of the younger singer songwriter crowd emerging from Canada and I like what I am hearing.  Sean Craib-Petkau brings finger picking acoustics, atmospheric backgrounds and a voice beyond his days.  There is a new album on the way entitled Nicotine Hymns, but for now, please swing by and pick up the excellent Nicotine Hymns Demos on his Bandcamp page.  For now, watch and listen to a track from his ‘I Left Home’ album that is you all can grab for FREE RIGHT HERE.

The Bravest Ghost – Northline from Emily Kohlert on Vimeo.

Mp3: “North Line” – The Bravest Ghost, from 2010′s “I Life Home” (Self-Released)

~

Another regular around these parts who also finds himself in the up and comer category of Canadian singer-songwriter folk types is The Mountains & The Trees.  TM&TT is the moniker of Jon Janes who hails from a much more Easterly location in this fair county than I.  Regardless of the distance, he creates true indie folk tunes that you can’t deny.  Sometimes a bit quirky, sometimes a bit heartbreaking and all around a great listen.  I have included a track that is currently unreleased but will most likely find a home on a new release by the end of the year.  Need to know more?  Please sign up for his mailing list here (to get treats like the below track) and find him via his website.

“Carry On” – The Mountains & The Trees

Swing by iTunes for more TM&TT here.

]]> http://slowcoustic.com/2011/06/18/saturday-grab-bag-with-frederick-squire-the-bravest-ghost-and-the-mountains-the-trees/feed/ 4 http://slowcoustic.com/2011/05/21/slowcoustic-weekend-recommendations-theodore-willy-vlautin-kill-county-will-johnson/ http://slowcoustic.com/2011/05/21/slowcoustic-weekend-recommendations-theodore-willy-vlautin-kill-county-will-johnson/#comments Sat, 21 May 2011 15:30:40 +0000 slowcoustic http://slowcoustic.com/?p=6032

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

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

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

~Smansmith

Today gets a great track I listened to a few months back and never got around to posting on it.  Sooo much music I guess.  Not really an excuse, I know – especially for a great track like this one.

Daniel Huscroft is a Canadian singer songwriter that is a little hard to classify into a specific genre – I want to say folkish, indie singer songwriter-ish, or along those lines.  Listen to the song below and you will understand where I am coming from.  Clearly a powerful vocalist and I think the polish on the great HD video my belie any gruff exterior he might show.  I am sure that was the point of the video having Huscroft in the middle of classical musicians with strategic blur and the like – nice little video for the song I think.

~
GONE by Daniel Huscroft
~

“Gone” is from his 2010 album “Here Is Just For Now” and you can find it on iTunes here or CD Baby here.  Lots of strings, acoustic guitar and strong vocals – what’s wrong with that for a Friday?  Nothing, now go into your weekend as this week is….gone.  [weak, I know]

Find out more on Daniel Huscroft on his new Facebook page or even his MySpace page.

~Smansmith

Jeffrey Foucault released his most recent album on May 3rd and it is very quickly becoming one of the strongest Americana albums I have heard in a long time.

Horse Latitudes should satiate the fans looking for original content and even make them wonder why he hasn’t done it sooner.  Known recently for collaborations and cover albums (albeit pretty darn good ones), it is nice to see some absolutely excellent music from Foucault again.  This album is 10 tracks of beautifully spun stories over waning guitar, gently strummed acoustics and Foucault’s gruff and well focused vocals.

When I first heard the title track a while back, I wasn’t sure what to think.  Still a good track but I think it is his burning country ballads that really make this album for me.  Songs like “Goners Most”, “Passerines” and “Heart to the Husk” are some of the best songs around in this genre.  Throw in “Last Night I Dreamed of Television”, “Idaho” and “Tea and Tobacco” and you have filled out an album of songs that all rate at least 8.5/10 in my books.  This album is a must if you are a fan and if you enjoy my analogy of warming whiskey on a back porch scenario – you must get this album as soon as you can.  Listen to one of my most played songs this spring below:

“Goners Most” – Jeffrey Foucault, from 2011′s “Horse Latitudes”

~
And this video for ‘Last Night I Dreamed of Television’:

Find more on Jeffrey Foucault on his Website & Facebook.

Purchase his albums via The Mighty Albert here (Get Miles From Lightning and Ghost Repeater as well) or iTunes here.

~Smansmith

]]> http://slowcoustic.com/2011/05/13/jeffrey-foucault-provides-americana-beauty-on-horse-latitudes/feed/ 0 http://slowcoustic.com/2011/05/03/lower-peninsula-to-release-frontier-ruckus-2xlp-for-deadmalls-nightfalls/ http://slowcoustic.com/2011/05/03/lower-peninsula-to-release-frontier-ruckus-2xlp-for-deadmalls-nightfalls/#comments Tue, 03 May 2011 14:11:57 +0000 slowcoustic http://slowcoustic.com/?p=5996

Frontier Ruckus are planning a double vinyl release of their most recent album Deadmalls & Nightfalls on Lower Peninsula Records.  And we need you on board here!

Similar to the Ruckus’ previous release “The Orion Songbook”, they are releasing an amendment to the actual album in the double LP.  There is a ’4th side’ included here once again with essentially another EP of goodies for the release.  So those in the know and purchasers will see it as Deadmalls & Nightfalls / Way Upstate and the Crippled Summer pt. 2 – (with part 1 being the 4th side of The Orion Songbook double vinyl…make sense?).

First off, lets get the track list out there.

Side 1
1. Nerves of the Nightmind
2. Ontario
3. Springterror
4. Ringbearer

Side 2
5. Silverfishes
6. The Upper Room
7. Does Me In
8. The Tower

Side 3
9. Pontiac, the Nightbrink
10. How Could I Abandon?
11. I Do Need Saving
12. Pour Your Nighteyes

Side 4
1. Mona and Emmy
2. Winter and the Preacher’s Daughter
3. Weeds and Life Among Them
4. Ogallala
5. Epiphanies and Revelations

So as you can see, the side 4 is the bonus EP of new (well, officially new) material and it is currently available for a pre-order (HERE).  For those that pre-order you will receive the first two tracks of this bonus side with the pre-order.  Take a listen to Mona and Emmy below:
Mona and Emmy by Lower Peninsula Records

Now watch the song courtesy of the good folks at Love Drunk!

Frontier Ruckus: Mona and Emmy from Love Drunk on Vimeo.

The second track made available to pre-orders is ‘Winter and the Preacher’s Daughter’ and is currently a favourite – the wane of the pedal/lap steel is amazing and really brings in a more country vs. folk influence to the track.  Outstanding!

Another great thing about this soon to be beautiful gate-fold packaging is the full color printed sleeves that will contribute to the total of 8 square feet of artwork, most of which will be exclusive to this release.  I have the previous double vinyl myself and it is a fantastic package, so if this one is seemingly building on that one – I cannot wait to receive my copy!

Pre-order on Lower Peninsula Records by visiting them HERE. (you can also get The Orion Songbook double LP as well while you are there…why not!)
Visit Frontier Ruckus to order the original album HERE.

~Smansmith

Video of the day from country crooners Kill County.  I totally slept on the album ‘The Year of Getting By” from late last year and I am just now starting to get into it – expect a more detailed post in the coming weeks.  The album is full of slowed down drinkin’ country, but does kick it up for those post-punk/honky-tonk fans out there (for good measure).  But for now, watch a one-take video for the track “The Train, The Drinks, and The Dawn” from Love Drunk over on Vimeo!

Kill County: The Trains, The Drinks, and The Dawn from Love Drunk on Vimeo.

~

~

Visit the boys on their Bandcamp Page HERE and pick up their album for a lousy $5.00 (or more)!

~Smansmith

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

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

~

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

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

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

~Smansmith

Okay so the above video from a recent LocationMusicTV session is in no way a finalized version of the track “Settling” from UK by way of Song, by Toad Records artist Meursault…but damn it’s good.

The new album for Meursault is under way but as Matthew from Song, by Toad indicates, the song will most likely be a different beast once it is officially recorded.  Who knows, can it get better?  If it does, look out…

For now (and to ensure all you mp3 hounds get a real taste of some of Neil Pennycook’s vocals over acoustics), let’s revisit one of my favourite songs of the last decade:

“Nothing Broke” from the Nothing Broke EP.
PLEASE buy this EP, you will not be disappointed.

Find more/purchase more Meursault from the good Edinburgh folks at Song, by Toad Records.

~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.

New album from I Am Oak “Oasem” is due out in about 3 weeks or so and it is one of the most beautiful albums I have heard this year.

I have only been listening to I Am Oak for about a year or so since Geert from The Black Atlantic recommended it to me.  When that happens, you listen and I have been listening ever since.  His 2010 album “On Claws” was/is also fantastic with tracks like “On Oxen & “On Trees and Birds and Fire” – but with Oasem, he even extends on the aura oozing out of the sounds of I Am Oak.  If that is even possible.  The new album is slow, ebb and flow type, waning at times…songs like “Distances II” combine synth backing with electric guitar over layered vocals…stunning.

There are multiple double takes on songs – for example there are songs like Distances, Horizon and Island that all have a “II” version which I am often torn as to if they are completely separate or simply reinterpretations of the same thought.  The double takes are usually a larger sound-scape than the original (a song like Island II is immense!) but stand alone on the album quite well.  At this time the track Ocyaan is a favourite with it’s enveloping synth, ominous electric guitar and the constant comforting of Thijs Kuijken’s vocals.  Highly recommended.

Listen to the lead off track ‘Curt’ below followed by the teaser video for the album.

~

Oasem Promo from Thijs Kuijken on Vimeo.

Swing by I Am Oak’s website, Bandcamp and the Snowstar page for more information on this and previous albums.  Pre-order the album HERE.

~Smansmith

p.s.  Bonus track from the Snowstar Compilation from 2009: “Gold And Porcelain“

Our own Hezekiah Jones is featured in the “Shaking Through” series today – with an original piece “Borrowed Heart”.

Shaking Through is a chapter of Weathervane Music and they provide curated sessions for both local independent Philadelphia area artists as well as numerous worldwide acts & musicians – and this one is a doozey!  Hezekiah Jones performs the track Borrowed Heart that is not only a great track but it has a bit of a interesting fact – it completely syncs with part of the classic 1935 film “The Bride of Frankenstein”!  Huh?  Yeah, the Bride of Frankenstein.  Before you start thinking of cryptic images and gothic sounds – remember, the movie is essentially a love story and that is where Borrowed Heart comes in.

The song is a classic Raphael Cutrufello performance (the universal center of what is Hezekiah Jones) but we also find featured artists like Kiley Ryan and the regulars like Philip D’Agostino & Brad Hinton to bring more of the ‘Jones’” to the forefront.  Andrew Lipke (who also was a force involved with the recent Hezekiah Jones album) found himself also immersed with the Joneses – this truly is a family affair.  With session producer Brian McTear and Engineer Jon Low there is a cohesiveness to the troupe that is Hezekiah Jones and I know I have talked to Cutrufello about the scenario of his music as the soundtrack to the movie…now it is beginning to become a reality.  This is a phenomenal video insight into the creation of the song and become infused with the creative process behind “Borrowed Heart” – watch below.

~

Shaking Through: Hezekiah Jones from Weathervane Music on Vimeo.

A bit on this particular project as an overview:

Curated by Bruce Warren of WXPN, Volume 2 Episode 4 features Hezekiah Jones, a collection of Philadelphia-area artists orbiting around the songwriting talents of one Raphael Cutrufello. Raph and company recorded “Borrowed Heart” over the course of a two-day recording session-a timeless and hauntingly beautiful song that syncs exactly with a scene from the 1935 classic, Bride of Frankenstein.

Take a moment to find out more about the project on http://www.shakingthrough.com/

~Smansmith

]]> http://slowcoustic.com/2011/04/19/hezekiah-jones-featured-in-shaking-through-vol-2-ep-4-video-and-free-mp3-for-all/feed/ 0 http://slowcoustic.com/2011/04/17/tim-easton-video-sunday/ http://slowcoustic.com/2011/04/17/tim-easton-video-sunday/#comments Sun, 17 Apr 2011 17:22:48 +0000 slowcoustic http://slowcoustic.com/?p=5936

Still getting immersed in Tim Easton and I thank the good folks at AltCountryTab.ca for the discussion on his new albums that sparked my interest in this Californian singer-songwriter-outlaw-type.  After hearing about the two new albums (one more rock n’ country and one acoustic – guess which one I like more??) I started searching him out and found some great videos.  Take a few minutes to watch/listen to the two promo videos for both Tim and his microphone (??)…never the less, it is quality watching and listening.

Visit his website and get both new albums (signed versions as well) for $25.00! – click here.  Currently I have been enjoying the “Since 1966″ side of things (acoustic), but the “Beat the Band” album’s title track is pure Alt-Country ballad perfection.  So essentially you can’t lose.

Well enough rambling, lets get to two videos that I have been enjoying this weekend.

~~

~

I really like both these videos and Highway 62 Love Song was directed by Doug Beale who also provided the main image above which is the “Since 1966″ album cover.  Love that shit.

Well, that is all – go enjoy some Tim Easton this Sunday already.

~Smansmith

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!).

~

~

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

~Smansmith

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

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

~S

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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.

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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

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Bonus: “Old” – The Parade Schedule

Visit and purchase The Parade Schedule:

Bonus #2: Live Performance of “Backyard”

~Smansmith

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

So, you aren’t at SXSW either?  Good.  Join the crew at CXCW with visiting and contributing to the timely site.

I mean, how are you going to make sure you hear the music you want to, not have to argue blogger vs. journalist and actually be pretty darn comfortable.  Do not deny the couch.

Video:

Conrad Plymouth (one of the best things coming out of the Midwest of the US) covering Heidi Spencer’s “Texas in a Drawer” from her Luck We Made album.  Fantastic.

Now go to your couch, follow CXCW on Twitter and just be.

~Smansmith

p.s.  Is this not the best event?

p.p.s.  Go ahead, scratch if ya want, its your couch…

Okay, so Small Sur needs a new album and they are actually finishing it up, so I wanted to just say I am looking forward to it.  That is all.

Always releasing quality music, Bob Keal & Co. (Andy Abelow & Austin Stahl) should have the new album “Tones” out and about in a while after they get their Kickstarter…started.  The new album title is taken from the song of the same name from their album “We Live In Houses Made of Wood” (see our post here).

I will be patiently (or not so patiently) waiting in line for this one.

Listen to the most recent released track “Weeds” from the Bare Black EP that came out last year on Aural Slate (see here).

“Weeds” – Small Sur

Watch a great video from a recent Hush Music Series at Goucher College.

Small Sur – Hush Concert Series at Goucher College from Jesse Goldstein on Vimeo.

Find more Small Sur on their Website, Facebook, Tender Loving Empire, Aural Slates and iTunes.

~Smansmith

A fantastic album from last year, JBM’s “not even in July” sees one of its strongest tracks “In a Different Time” put to video by Brody Baker.  The video absolutely catches the overall visual images that the song brings – literally the slow building of the song, the images of strewn lawn chairs, sunsets and searching through a dark forest.  Great video for a great song.  Period.

Watch below:

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Find more of Jesse Marchant (JBM) on his Website, Facebook and Partisan Records.

~Smansmith

p.s.  You can catch his Daytrotter session for some free tracks HERE.