Wed, 2 December 2009  Music from Toronto, Brooklyn, Hungary, Nashville, London, Atlanta, Rio de Janeiro and Montreal. There's a bit of a jazz influence this week - perhaps related to conversations last night with jazz "incubator" Ken Butler.www.jazzcrazy.co.uk This week's pic is from before the rains came this afternoon. I was clearing undergrowth from around one of the pknds and came across this wasp nest. This is just the core, it was around 18 inches across and quite beautiful. European Podcast Awards Yes, Suffolk'n'Cool has been nominated again for the European Podcast Awards. Of course, that's very pleasing and a few votes, should you be inclined would make it even nicer. Here's a link. Lost Highway - The Blue Seeds (Montreal, Canada) Their acknowledged influences include Yo La Tengo, Lee Hazelwood, Leonard Cohen, The Velvet Underground and Eric Satie but you be the judge. I particularly weaned to play a different track so I'll see if I can get it for a future show. Led by the evocative voice of Amélie Laflamme, the music of Montreal-based The Blue Seeds resides somewhere between atmospheric-rock and alternative-folk. The band’s main focus is on writing and arranging songs in a way that time wouldn’t know how to make obsolete. In doing so, with its debut album, The Blue Seeds has also succeeded in creating its own unique soundscape that is as mysterious as a David Lynch movie and as refined as Wim Wenders’ pictures. www.theblueseeds.com www.myspace.com/theblueseeds Tweet from Marc Farre (Harry on SnC 193) who is playing a show at The Turning Point in Piermont, New York exactly a week from tonight, so that'll be on 9th December. Check his site or MySpace for details. http://marcfarre.com www.myspace.com/marcfarre Witch - Peter Squires (Brooklyn, NY, USA) Raw, unpolished, and disarmingly personal, Woe is Me — the debut release from indie-folk newcomer Peter Squires — is a sweet and sincere portrait of a young man recovering from heartbreak. Recorded in his Brooklyn bedroom, Squires' songs cathartically express lovelorn despair with refreshing humor and self-awareness. Like the best work of Morrissey and Magnetic Fields, Peter Squires keeps things playful while he breaks your heart. Then, please go over to his MySpace and take a look at the video for the song. www.myspace.com/petersquiressongs Getting lighter - Ché Aimee (Toronto, Canada) From her album Underachiever. After several years performing throughout the Greater Vancouver Area and spending her summers playing in the Yukon Territories, Ché left to travel Europe and experience more of what the world had to offer. Busking from country to country and meeting other musicians from all walks of life, she started writing songs for upcoming demos, some of which appear on her 2009 debut album 'Underachiever'. Arriving back in Vancouver, she recorded a three song Demo with local musician Tim Readman and a year later recorded her first 7 song EP 'lights out' with producer Ryan Hauschild. With a Warner Music recording contract on the table, Ché took a break from the whirlwind adventure and took some time to really think about what it was that she wanted and needed musically and although the offer was impressive and very alluring she knew the had more to learn and write before she could sign on to anything. Now completed, Ché's debut solo album; Underachiever, has her displaying one of the strongest collections of songs to come out of an independent act in years. Having idols such as Cat Power, Nick Drake and Jeff Buckley to contend with; Che has aspired for a long time to create something that is as pleasing to the soul as it is to the ears. Endeavoring to create “something that has its own form of genius” as opposed to another pop diva record that revolves less around content and more around presentation. Underachiever's both rootsy and contemporary feel is the result of this inspiration, conveying both the heartbreak and the joy of life as seen through her own experiences. www.cheaimee.com www.myspace.com/cheaimee Too Much Joy A well written account of what it can be like to have a record deal. Royalty statement. www.toomuchjoy.com Jazz.zene - Kovacs (Hungary) Budda Beats netlabel's first release was by Kovacs aka Nandor Kurtossy, the young Hungarian producer. He started making music in '96, so nowadays he has his own massive musical archive including his works under the name Kovacs as well as the rest of his side projects like Savages (downtempo), Vega Ass (funk breaks), Cockchafer (trip hop). The pseudonym Kovacs covers dirty jazz mixed with sensual electronica. What he simply calls "nu-jazz", however, is proved to be much more beyond its common meaning. You can get the whole album free at Budabeats. You find a download link at www.budabeats.com/bube001.htm Baby Blues - Rachel Pearl (Nashville, TN) Whether she’s channeling the 20th century classics of ella, billie holiday and tina turner, or crooning one of the self-penned compositions from her 2007 debut cd, love extravagantly, rachel pearl is consistently putting down roots in her own chosen field. you can usually find her in nashville’s backyard experimenting in night clubs like mercy lounge, the basement, cafe coco and the rutledge. Download it free right here:  Rachel Pearl "Baby Blue" (mp3) from "Love Extravagantly" (Per Capita Records)  Buy at iTunes Music Store More On This AlbumHealthy Fear - Lexi Street (Atlanta, GA, USA) Arrived in this morning's post. Champagne Promises is the tongue in cheek title for Lexi Street's long awaited second album. It was in 2002 they released the girl I used to be…. Since then, the band released a few singles, Summer and The Room which enjoyed a stay on satellite's XM radio. Their second album release, Champagne Promises makes good on their promise to deliver. If you like Tom Waits, Shiveree, or moody broody music, with some playful attitude thrown in - then we think you'll like this album! www.lexistreet.com www.myspace.com/lexistreet Serenata - Oswaldo G. Pereira (Rio de Janiero, Brazil) Oswaldo is an incredible versatile artist! His last album Serenata represents, more than his maturity as a composer, his confidence in a very personal perception of the contemporary Brazilian music. From original samba to the infinity of possible styles, from tradition to innovation, keeping the balance between his nostalgic feelings and his modern inspirations, Oswaldo G. Pereira brings Brazilian music with no strings attached, vibrant and aesthetically free. Serenata is the modern and contemporary Brazilian samba.  Oswaldo G. Pereira "Serenata" (mp3) from "Serenata" (Dubas Musica) Buy at iTunes Music Store Stream from Rhapsody More On This AlbumLibsyn / Wizzard Check out the video of Dave showing how to set up a website player (even if you are not interested) by click on Getting started with WMTools at http://tools.wizzard.tv/auth/index This is why I like dealing with these guys. Time Patrol - Ylotana (London, UK) From the album My Little God Anatoly Podkopov, the ideological inspirer of the project states, "YLOTANA project was born in the consciousness of people, who are infinitely devoted to art. It represents a certain musical, literary and visual art symbiosis. Actors, musicians, sound engineers, designers and various other artists, who have every right to be considered as some of the best in the field of the modern experimental art have gathered together and with the help of state-of-the-art technology will take contemporary music and art to a whole new level." The end product consists of a multimedia package which includes elements of: a music album, a comic book, a story and an audio book (see the video here) all masterfully combined so that each element intensifies the depth of the other art forms involved. Ylotana currently has five ongoing projects, all of which can be experienced online at the project’s website. Do watch it in HD if you can and full screen to make make it easier to read. You'll also find it on YouTube. www.ylotana.com Comments[0] |
Wed, 25 November 2009  Fine fine music this week from Utah, Italy, California, London, Sweden, just a hint of New York.Lots of wind this week has finally turned Suffolk autumnal. We don't get much of the golden stuff; the winds are just too strong here on the "hill" so the leaves are whipped off in no time. Ocean Passage - Projekt (London, UK) Projekt are a 4-piece northern rock'n'roll band all based in London. They played their first gig in January 2009 and haven’t stopped since, causing waves on the London circuit playing venues such as Monto Water Rats, Proud Galleries, O2 Academy and The Cavern Club. The band are headlining at the Dublin Castle in London on Thursday. www.myspace.com/projektnorth Hope is a thing - Lisbeth Scott (Venice, CA, USA) Lisbeth Scott was raised as a classical pianist, rehearsing hours a day and headed for a concert career. She studied at The New England Conservatory, Connecticut College and The University of London throughout the 1990's. Lisbeth then headed to Los Angeles where she really began to discover her voice... as did the film world. Scott’s vocals can be heard on over 50 blockbuster films including The Passion of the Christ, Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe, Shrek 1 and 2, and Steven Spielberg’s Munich in which legendary composer, John Williams wrote a five minute solo specifically for her. Throughout her career she has worked closely with Steven Spielberg, John Williams, Hans Zimmer, Ridley Scott, Tony Scott, Harry Gregson-Williams, John Debney and many others. Her songs have been covered by other artists, including Macy Grey and Bliss. Hope is a Thing is her eighth studio solo album which is available on iTunes. "www.hopeisathing.com was originally created as a site to garner financial support for my album of the same name. Through many generous souls, the CD is done! The album was released on November 10th. So it's time to turn this site over to YOU and see just how big we can make this." www.lisbethscott.comwww.myspace.com/lisbethscottmusic Rebel Zion - Rebel Zion (Salt Lake City, Utah, USA) Kimo Watanabe and the band with a studio track, which I know Codger has already played. The band seem to be having such a blast in the studio, I do hope they'll be able to get out for some fresh air and some gigs before long. www.sellaband.com/kimo-watanabe/ www.myspace.com/kimowatanabe Tutto Come prima feat. Ketamo - Jambassa (Irpinia, Italy) Released on Monday evening (November 23, 2009) to mark the exact anniversary of the earthquake which devastated the Irpinia area in southern Italy. New album: Macchine parlanti / talking machines. An explicit anthem to identify the living essence of this work. Jambassa confirms direction, identity and sound, pushing the boundaries with 7 new tracks, adding a very special spice for each one. Undisputed attitude. A free download from the excellent A Quiet Bump label at:Jambassa is a digital dub project, started in 2000 by Carmine Minichiello (Gamino) & Raffaele Gargiulo (Papa Lele), and settled in Irpinia -South of Italy-, a rugged and poor land, far away from the nerve-centers, where digital dub music had way and space to express itself: a physical and cultural isolation, which develops in Jambassa an own original style, detached form the genre standards. www.aquietbump.com/aqbmp023.html www.myspace.com/jambassa Podcrawl The bash was part sponsored by Adnams (of Southwold) whose Broadside fueled the discussions. Our collective thanks to them for "getting" the whole thing. You can follow them on Twitter where they are @adnams Goths of summer - Mark Aaron James (London & New York) Mark has just been named one of the top 14 singer/songwriters in Greenwich Village by UMO for the second time! (Check out www.umo.com for info on this organization). A live recording of his song When Are You Gone is featured on the Best Of... CD released this summer. Some dates in the states before the end of the year - Florida, Nashville and San Francisco. Back in London he plays: Every Monday @ 6:30 pm at BAR ROOM BAR in the ARC.
This is a very cool club in Angel/Islington. They have amazing brick oven pizzas. Every week I do a happy hour set, then feature a guest singer/songwriter or band, then I do an evening set. It’s a great night of music. Available at http://markaaronjames.bandcamp.com/ Every Tuesday @ 8:30 pm at HALO Acoustic. I host the best night of acoustic songwriters in greater London. HALO was voted the PRS Indy venue of the year. Every week I perform original songs and introduce top notch up and coming performers. I’m really proud of this night. Check it out. Every Saturday @ 8 PM at The Black Sheep in Oval. This is a great traditional English pub, just a short walk from the Oval Tube and the cricket grounds. Perfect grub and a rowdy crowd that sings along with every song, beers in the air. Come join the chorus. www.markaaronjames.com www.myspace.com/markaaronjames Free Tom Waits album preview I was intending to give you a link to a free download of a special preview of the Tom Waits remarkable new live album Glitter and Doom but to would appear to have been a very short-term I can't find it anywhere now, but I have the tracks. :) www.tomwaits.com Silly Love - Diversifyd (San Marcos, CA, USA) Chad Makihele, who wrote most of the lyrics and arranged the tracks, plays bass/rhythm guitar and produced the album. Grew up with a background of music ranging from reggae, rock, pop to alternative music. Lieni Makihele arranged most of the vocals and has a background of music from pop, jazz and rhythm and blues. John Naki plays the drums and also arranged songs on the album. He grew up with island music, choir and oldies. Sione Malimali plays the percussions and has music background in roots reggae and was also a member of the 90's reggae group called "Mission Irie" where he was known as "Baby Rasta". Marcus Snapp who plays the lead guitar, has his background in funk, neo soul, rock and alternative music. Finally we have Jelani Jones who plays the keyboard and has toured with "The Bonedaddys" www.diversifyd.com www.cdbaby.com/cd/diversifyd Vienna - Tom Norris (London, UK) From the album Edge of the world. The opportunity for a sabbatical from the London Symphony Orchestra is providing Tom with the time needed to showcase and promote his new album 'Edge of the World'. The album, recorded in Austria and the U.K, features songs written in the early days as well as more recent additions. Pop elements, acoustic beats and lush string arrangements, along with Tom’s warm, well-balanced voice effectively combine to a rich, dramatic sound. Apart from the violin and vocal parts, Tom also performs the viola and the piano, making his wide experience as a classical musician evident throughout this recording. Many tracks feature members of the LSO and acclaimed musicians from around the world. Besides producing Edge of the World, Tom has also dedicated his time away from regular performing to developing the eclectic ‘Living Room in London’ – a quintet featuring an unusual combination of hang drum, bass clarinet and string trio. His passion of exploring and experimenting with multi-art projects, especially in the field of music and theatre, has led to early work with Gogmagogs and more recently Teatro Vivo’s sell-out production, Hothouse. He has recently started writing and recording his next album.  Tom Norris "Vienna" (mp3) from "Edge Of The World" (LeeBelle Music) Buy at iTunes Music Store More On This Albumtomnorris.net www.myspace.com/tomnorrismusic When the lights go out - Pixie Carnation (Malmo, Sweden) The product of two years of musical experimentation has culminated in what is now Pixie Carnation, a Swedish based, and yet very American sounding band. From the time that childhood friends Ola Pålsson and Tobias Hellkvist reconnected a few years ago there was an instant artistic connection, and it was only a matter of time before their sound and the band’s lineup became what it is today. Despite it taking about a year and a half for Pålsson and Hellkvist to find like-minded musicians, Pixie Carnation has now evolved into a seven-member band and made their first recording, Fresh Poems EP, self reeled in 2009. A classic rock influenced, Americana infused, musical tapestry with orchestral elements, Fresh Poems is already making waves on the west side of the Atlantic as evidenced by their song When the Lights Go Out being named KEXP’s song a the day on. Drawing comparisons to Bruce Springsteen, KEXP proclaims that when the music begins, “Immediately you start to think that maybe The Boss has entered the room.” There have only been a few times when I've been this impressed since I was tour managing The Wailers and we played a residency with Springsteen at Max's Kansas City in New York. That tells you it was a long time ago! www.myspace.com/pixiecarnation Comments[0] |
Wed, 18 November 2009  A mix of music from around the world again with something to delight even the most jaded ear. The combination of Apache attack helicopters circling the barn and the wind trying to blow clean through it made recording "interesting" tonight. Ah well, I suppose the Army Air Corps have to practice somewhere and the wind is nowhere near as bad as they seem to be having it in the north tonight. Movember 'tash is coming on, slowly! Sushi bar - Izzie Voodoo (Sheffield, UK) It's not often that I get to play tracks by fellow podcasters. One such is Izzie Voodoo. Izzie created controversy when her track Sound won a runner up award at the 2007 Song Of The Year Award. As a result of a protest by the owners that it had only originally been a runner up, Control Freak from her new EP went on to win an award at Song of the Year this year before it was even out of the studio. Since then, Izzie has had features in local newspapers as well as airplay on BBC Radio Sheffield plus a number of other radio stations across the UK. Dates have recently been confirmed in the South Yorkshire region details of which can be found on her website. Izzie is a member of AMP. Her VQS New Music show is at www.vqsnewmusic.tv/ and the podcast page on iTunes is here izzievoodoo.com Open Hand - David Wilcox (Asheville, NC, USA) Title track from his album. I played another track, Modern World a couple of weeks ago which prompted Kimo into action. David Wilcox's Open Hand was recorded in 7 days from start to finish in December 2008 on 2 inch 16 track analog tape. No computer tricks were used, all of the songs on this release were recorded live, just 4 human beings playing music together. Very minimal overdubs were used, so most all of what you hear is exactly as it was played together by David and the other musicians live. Dan Phelps produced and played guitar and keyboard, Jon Evans: bass guitar and upright bass, James McAlister: drums and percussion. www.davidwilcox.com/ www.myspace.com/davidwilcoxsite European Podcast Awards 2009 The awards are under way again and SnC has again been nominated in the UK section. You'll find the show at this direct link Yellow shade of blue - Lexi Street (Atlanta, GA, USA) Champagne Promises is the tongue in cheek title for Lexi Street's long awaited second album. It was in 2002 they released the girl I used to be…. Since then, the band released a few singles, Summer and The Room which enjoyed a stay on satellite's XM radio. Their second album release, Champagne Promises, makes good on their promise to deliver. If you like Tom Waits, Shiveree, or moody broody music, with some playful attitude thrown in - then we think you'll like this album! www.lexistreet.com www.myspace.com/lexistreet Tomorrow Never Knows - Leftside Wobble Edit Leftside Wobble sent a link through to his edit of the Beatles track, Tomorrow never knows. It is on Soundcloud so you can take a listen and download it for yourself at this link Were were - Gaspipe (LA, CA, USA) From the album Look out … He's gonna Blow! The music on this c.d. pretty music reflects my musical experiences. I've made my living as an RnB sax player having worked with Ike Turner, Taj Mahal and others. Currently working with Bobby Womack for the last 12 years. I've also spent some time in the African Drumming community in Los Angeles thus the African influence. Were Were is a good example of the sort of thing I intend to do more of, combining funk and African drumming. - Jim Thompson www.mythmara.comwww.cdbaby.com/cd/gaspipe Podcrawl www.podcrawl.blogspot.com/ http://bit.ly/3ExVxy (podcrawl map) starting at 12. Movember http://uk.movember.com/mospace/395470/ Twenty Two Hundred - Syntaks (Denmark) From their album Ylajali which was released in the past couple of weeks. Ylajali is the debut full-length from Syntaks, the Danish duo of Jakob Skott and Anna Cecilia. In Ylajali's beautifully scorched sonic landscape, acres of drones run beneath Cecilia's wordless sighs; Skott's beats crunch like autumn leaves while synthesizers swell, flourish, and disappear. Songs either tramp through hazy forests until they fade into the dark (the Boards of Canada-esque "Love Camp 23"), or stack tone upon tone like translucent building blocks, building to forceful, near-operatic crescendos (the epic "She Moves in Colors"). Syntaks' luminous Ylajali crackles with emotion and imagination, giving form to its creators" vibrant inner lives. ghostly.com/artists/syntakswww.myspace.com/syntaks Farm Machine Music / extraordinaire instrument de musique If you google "extraordinaire instrument de musique" you will find links to video of an amazing music machine. Which some sources claim is made from tractor and irrigation parts. In fact it is another superb animation from Animusic which seems to have been doing the rounds and picking up all sorts of nonsense about its origins. The myth is busted by Snopes.com and you'll find the original at www.animusic.com/previews/animusic1.php If you are into animation, there is another superb piece of work by Lucas Martell at http://bit.ly/1LNNa3 Don't go to Klasvik - Leif Vollebekk (Montreal) Nevado Records will re-release Vollebekk's stunning debut album across Canada on January 19th, 2010 on CD and 12 inch vinyl. The young artist has made a name for himself in Canada thanks to his organic and honest live performances. Inland was recorded in Montreal's Breakglass Studios (Wolf Parade, Patrick Watson, Stars, Unicorns). A true multi-instrumentalist, Vollebekk plays guitar, harmonica, piano and violin on the album. Now signed to rising independent Toronto label, Nevado Records, alongside the countries best (Bahamas, Yukon Blonde, Fox Jaws, and The Paint Movement), the time has come for this modest musician to take a few steps away from humble small-town beginnings, and into the arms of national, and international respect and adoration. Just wait and watch as the subtle beauty of Vollebekk's music embraces new listeners far and wide. www.myspace.com/leifvollebekkwww.nevadorecords.com Love not monnaie - Volfonic feat Tribuman (Montpellier, France) Codger played a track by Volfoniq a week or two ago which reminded me how good the music is. There are some really interesting collaborations too. These tracks and more can be found free at LCL. Do have a poke around and see what else you can find. www.lclweb.org/audio_ep_lcl16.htm Comments[0] |
Wed, 11 November 2009  Some frankly remarkable music this week from Oxford and Leamington Spa in the UK, New York and Detroit in the USA, Montpellier and Rodez in France, Stockholm in SwedenI had to go over to the former Bentwaters USAF airbase near Woodbridge this afternoon. It has been a grey cold day after the 2 minute silence this morning on Armistice Day (Veteran's Day in USA). The base was active during a whole series of "real" wars until it closed 15 years ago after the mercifully non-violent Cold War. It is easy to loose sight of the fact that the soldiers and airmen at that base may all have looked alike but they were each individuals with their own families, hopes and fears, doing a job that they had no say in after joining up. Bentwaters is a pretty bleak spot at the best of times but I caught sight of this wall near the former aircraft refueling facility. The writing on the wall reads " POW [Prisoners of War] MIA [Missing in Action] "You are not forgotten". Indeed not. Darling Dear - Little Fish (Oxford, UK) I played Little Fish ages ago on SnC 117 back in May of last year (2008). Now everyone seems to be playing them, which is thoroughly good news, and they seem to be breaking into the USA. Once in a very long while a band comes along with a sound that is more than just music; it is raw seductive impulse revealed through mesmerising vocals, raucous guitars and driving drums; this band is Little Fish. Hailing from Oxford, England, Little Fish is comprised of vocalist/guitarist/principal songwriter JuJu, a rail-thin force of nature (think Patti Smith meets PJ Harvey meets Chrissie Hynde), and drummer Nez, the propulsive undercurrent of the band, backed by a Hammond player in their live performance. Little Fish's sound is at once sensual and urgent, yet intimate and haunting. www.myspace.com/littlefishmusicRecently signed to Linda Perry's Custard label via Universal Motown Records, Little Fish's debut album BAFFLED AND BEAT is set for an early 2010 release. The album was produced by Perry herself, in her Los Angeles studio. Harry - Marc Farre (Piermont, NY, USA) Indie artist Marc Farre delivers cinematic pop/rock songs shot through with a raw, poetic energy. His voice is deep, intimate, intense. (Critics have called it "mesmerizing.") Equal parts open-hearted and hallucinatory, his music pulls you in like an art-house film. While his past association with 20th-century giants Merce Cunningham (whose dance company he managed during the 1980s) and John Cage continues to drive Farre's creative vision toward the new, it is his visceral, open-hearted singing that really carries you out onto a tightrope — and leaves you there. Though he is based in New York, Marc Farre’s French background imbues his music with a European, art-house feel — a seductive ambiance perfectly paired with his driving rhythms, otherworldly lyrics and magnetic melodies. After a label contract, he went on to release his recordings on his own All Weather label, starting with Unsafe songs in 1998 and Man on the Sun in 2000. His third full-length CD, Secret Symphony, was released in June 2008. His Facebook Fan Page is at http://tinyurl.com/yfb9s9b http://marcfarre.com www.myspace.com/marcfarre "Greens, Greys, and Nordics (I Am Robot And Proud Remix)" - Deastro (Detroit, Michigan, USA) Detroit wunderkind Randolph Chabot has been touring relentlessly since the release of Moondagger, Deastro 's full-length debut on Ghostly International. Having just completed a sizeable UK tour with Hockey, the madness continues as Deastro unveiled a new single ("Tone Adventure #3") on September 29th, and is now embarking upon a fall co-headlining tour with Domino Records' Max Tundra. First, a bit about the single: www.myspace.com/deastro"Tone Adventure #3" is an archetypal Deastro song, as Randolph Chabot sprints through catchy, melodic passages with maniacal conviction, howling about feet being “strapped to cannon balls” from behind a wall of electronically conjured atmosphere. Glockenspiels, spy-movie guitars, orchestral stabs, and alien ray guns all make appearances—as they should in any good adventure. Next, the tour: After a few dates at New York City's CMJ festival follow, Deastro hits the road in November, co-headlining a monthlong tour with oddball electronic genius Max Tundra. Movember and podcrawl I'm growing a moustache this year for Movember. I have decided to put down my razor for one month (November) and help raise awareness and funds for men’s health – specifically prostate cancer. What many people don’t appreciate is that one man dies every hour of prostate cancer in the UK, more than 35,000 men will be diagnosed this year and that prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. Facts like these have convinced me I should get involved and I am hoping that you will support me. To donate to my Mo, you can click this link http://uk.movember.com/mospace/395470/ and donate online using your credit card, debit card or PayPal account. Details of the podcrawl: www.podcrawl.blogspot.com/ Until the day I die - Bottle up and Go (Brooklyn, NY, USA) A new genre to me: blues/punk Currently based out of a basement in Bushwick, Brooklyn, wedged between 99-cent wholesale vendors, BU&G consists of Keenan Mitchell (guitar, vocals), Fareed Sajan (drums) and saxophone accompaniment by either Lucas or his twin Andrew Carrico (alto and tenor respectively). The two-and-a-half piece neo primitive garage rock band is known across NYC for their frantic freak outs, described by various press sources as 'neanderthalic' and 'barbaric'. www.myspace.com/bottleupandgobandThere is no doubt that BU&G has a slight obsession with death and bones, taxidermy and bootleg whiskey. Keenan writes lyrics that mix the language of the bible with the spirit of ancient blues hollers, western iconography, murder ballads, drunken dreams, morning tremors, hospital visits, jail time--rhythms that are indisputably alive as they call for their own death. They are narratives that mix their own lives with the myths of their blues forefathers, and that emerge as neither, a new blues form that is as much a Leadbelly song as a noise collage. Let's run - John Garrison (Leamington Spa, UK or New York or London) The playwright Tennessee Williams once said, “There is a time for departure even when there’s no certain place to go.” Departures was released yesterday 10 NovThis oddly serene notion is something quite familiar to musician John Garrison, his life having served as the muse to his brilliant new work, aptly titled DEPARTURES. The most notable of these life changes was the transition from an established life in London to starting anew in New York. The City, replete with its clichéd dreams of life and love and open-endings, agreed beautifully with Garrison, even if his leaving London was at first uncertain. DEPARTURES is as multi-dimensional as New York, a tapestry of song and emotion, its true artistry apparent when experienced as a whole. Garrison’s haunting voice and raw lyrics backed by the equally lingering instrumentals affects each and every listener in some way, everyone being able to relate to loving and losing. We first heard Garrison's signature vocal quality on his band BUDAPEST's 2002 debut release, TOO BLIND TO HEAR (out through Universal Records in the USA and Sinnamon Records in Spain), and later on their album HEAD TOWARDS THE DAWN (out through Sinnamon Records in Spain). The single “Censored Memories” off of TOO BLIND TO HEAR was the second most played song in all of Spain in 2004, the year the album released. Despite critical acclaim for his work with BUDAPEST, a new music scene was calling out to Garrison. Heeding that call required great sacrifice – it was during this period Garrison made the decision to uproot himself in favor of New York. “When I first moved to New York, I really left it all behind...my friends, my home country,” he explains. “It was like being a little boy all over again in this big city.” www.myspace.com/johngarrisonmusic www.Garrisonmusic.com Dream Walking - "Big" Walker (Stockholm, Sweden) Derrick "Big" Walker was born in Lawton, Oklahoma. He grew up in an artistic family, his mother and aunt both working in theatre, and his Uncle owning a blues club in Cleveland. Walker began to learn harmonica at the age of 7, and over the years has taken lessons in harmonica from Paul Butterfield, and lessons in saxophone from Bobby Forte, known for his work with BB King.
Walker writes and sings his own music and plays harmonica and saxophone in accompaniment. He is extremely versatile, mixing American folk music, blues, country, soul, rock, and funk. Walker played in Albert Collins band as well as Luther Tucker and Michael Bloomfield's bands. Touring with Luther Tucker's band for 10 years he opened for artists that included Lowell Fulson, Percy Mayfield and Big Mama Thornton. He's also recorded on six of Eric Bibb's CDs. Now based in Stokholm Sweden, he tours with his band throughout Europe.  Big Walker "Dream Walking" (mp3) from "Still Dream Walking" (Blue Skunk Music) Stream from Rhapsody Buy at iTunes Music Store More On This Albumwww.blueswalker.com/ Granier Mix - Nex2012 & DJ "H" (Rodez, France) From the album Ultime Outrage Muzikhâl. Nex2012 & DJ "H" ce sont deux iconoclastes co(s)miques à poil long et moins qui s'imaginent que l'informatique peut servir à faire de la "musique". Quelle drôle d'idée !!! www.jamendo.com/en/artist/nex2012Nous mélangeons quelques notes et des échantillons afin d'obtenir des morceaux plus ou moins audibles. Appelons ça du bricolage sonore ! Nous faisons cela à temps perdu et surtout pour le plaisir ! Si Si ! A entendre nos album on dirait pas mais on s'amuse en faisant ça et en plus on le fait exprès ! Voilà ! Voilà ! Bonne écoute ! Vote early and vote often! Podcast Alley: Codger at 7, SnC at 9 but AMPed is at 4. Vote if you'd like to it's just a bit of fun. I'm not going to ask you to distort the polls. There is enough of that in Afghanistan and Iran. www.podcastalley.com Sauda dub-pao - Volfoniq (Montpellier, France) Founded in 2004, Volfoniq is a "one-man-dub" from the south of France (Montpellier). In a retro-futuristic mood, he uses his classical formation (clarinet) and a rich musical history to produce a dub that goes farther than tags, respecting the jamaican roots, but adventuring into new lands of experimentation. Sometimes digital, sometimes roots, clearly electro or acoustic, reggae, ragga, ska, with slices of tango or triphop riddim, the generosity of Volfoniq's music equals its humility. Just like SnC you are allowed to share Volfoniq releases under a Creative Commons by-nc-nd 3.0 licence.www.volfoniq.com/ One more thing... Playing for change live in LA Nov 13 w/Toots Hibbert and Ziggy Marley www.playingforchange.com/ Comments[0] |
Wed, 4 November 2009  An eclectic selection which verges on the quixotic this week with tracks from France, North Carolina, Brooklyn, Denmark, Florida, and Newfoundland.I can't imagine how long the old rail carriage has been on sat by the farm track but it has somethow survived and even has the ivy trimmed each year! A l'ombre des palmiers - Tahigo (Rouen, France) We are four. We are friends for 20 years. We are french... And WE WANT TO JUMP ON STAGE WITH THE ENTIRE WORLD !!! Après la séparation de Muffin Kriska en mars 2007, trois de ses membres décidèrent de former un nouveau groupe. A l'époque, pas de nom, pas de chanteur ni de bassiste, mais une réelle envie chez Charly (Guitariste soliste), Boulle (Guitariste Rythmique) et Tom (Batterie) de se lancer dans quelque chose de beaucoup plus punk, tout en restant festif. www.myspace.com/tahigo Modern World - David Wilcox (Asheville, NC, USA) David Wilcox's Open Hand was recorded in 7 days from start to finish in December 2008 on 2 inch 16 track analog tape. No computer tricks were used, all of the songs on this release were recorded live, just 4 human beings playing music together. Very minimal overdubs were used, so most all of what you hear is exactly as it was played together by David and the other musicians live. Dan Phelps produced and played guitar and keyboard, Jon Evans: bass guitar and upright bass, James McAlister: drums and percussion. www.davidwilcox.com/ www.myspace.com/davidwilcoxsite Beatbox gospel lesson interlude - Stouffi the Stouves (Lille, France) From the album Madness on Jamendo. Follows on from last week's final track from Eclectek www.myspace.com/eclectekofficiel www.jamendo.com/en/album/37759 Cheerio! - Hollands (Brooklyn, NY, USA) Hollands is multi-instrumentalist John-Paul Norpoth and violinist Jannina Barefield. Together, they formed in February 2008 in Washington Heights, New York. Norpoth, formerly the co-lead of NYC-based Butane Variations, is the son of a classical flautist while Barefield is the daughter of Detroit based avant-garde jazz guitarist Spencer Barefield. Together, they combine fuzzy Flaming Lips guitars with Martin-esque orchestral arrangements and traditional folk nods to the Paul Simon's and the Grateful Dead's of years past At times, Hollands sounds like a simple folk duo, plaintive and gentle, soft and free. At others, the band performs as a loud, brash, orchestral rock ensemble; employing cello, organs, synthesizers, electric and acoustic violins. In other words, they'll explore any means necessary to realize the most honest atmosphere and capture the diversity of each song. www.hollandsss.com www.myspace.com/hollandsss Mistral Moon - Syntaks (Denmark) Syntaks' Mistral Moon EP is a free taste of the Danish duo's upcoming full-length Ylajali (November 3rd on Ghostly), comprising two tracks of Syntaks' densely layered ambient pop. Syntaks' songs are textural epics in miniature, meticulously detailed shoegaze symphonies built from Anna Cecilia's wordless vocalizations and Jakob Skott's breathtaking production. "Sudden Dream" grows from a puddle of Cecilia's molten coos to a towering climax worthy of M83's overdriven majesty; "Mistral Moon (Illuminated Version)" presents a slightly sweetened rendition of the Ylajali standout, matching a triumphant melody and heavy-footed beat with distant stutters of distortion and oceans of atmospheric rumblings. To call Syntaks' music "cinematic" would be an understatement—with the Mistral Moon EP, the experience is as visceral and surreal as a sunrise. ghostly.com/artists/syntaks www.myspace.com/syntaks Take out the trash - Neal Fox (Florida, USA) Composer/performer/multimedia artist. Recording artist on Polydor, RCA and Columbia. Co-scored 2 of the Killer Tomatoes movies. Neal has some fine videos via his beautifully crafted site. www.wireduck.com/ www.myspace.com/nealfox Bees and Flowers / Joe Smallwood & Raindrops - Duane Andrews (St John's, NL, Canada) Heavily influenced by the brilliance of early twentieth century French Gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt, Duane Andrews' unique blend of jazz and traditional Newfoundland folk music is consistently recognised by both industry and fans with awards and accolades. Duane's music is undergoing something of a transformation from being rooted firmly in the Django Reinhardt school of gypsy jazz and Newfoundland folk with its influences from Scotland to another layering involving chamber orchestra . Duane is one seriously dedicated musician. Now a 10 minute mini documentary about Duane is on YouTube at http://tinyurl.com/yz615dk Escape for 10 minutes to the wild coast of Newfoundland, hear some great music and get an insight into a fine musician. www.duaneandrews.ca www.myspace.com/duaneandrews Ungrateful men - Grace Valhalla (Nancy, France) It is ages since I played a Grace Valhalla track. Here it is. From her masterly album Peak on Jamendo. Description by MadCat: "Grace Valhalla has been producing music on her computer for two years. Recently she put them on Jamendo sharing them as creative commons. She says about herself, that she is far from being professional and just wanted to produce something she likes to listen to. And expresses the hope of progression through passion.
She faces the same fate as many women producing music: no one believes she produced it. Of the two albums she produced the first Grace Valhalla - psychopathethic is more a rock album while the latter Grace Valhalla - PEAK~ is clearly electronic. Both containing calmed down nearly melancholic music. Wire is a mix between the two first albums" http://gracevalhalla.hautetfort.comwww.myspace.com/gracevalhalla www.jamendo.com/en/album/2162 Podcast Alley If you'd like to vote for SnC and AMPed and even PC Podcast (if you really must) on Podcast Alley, you can do so dead easy at www.podcastalley.com Just pop Suffolk in the search box or you can get direct to the show at this link. Just click on "Vote" and follow the simple instructions, not forgetting to check the confirming email. Thanks. Fourth place indeed! Bah ... Comments[0] |
Wed, 28 October 2009  Fine tunes from New York, Maidstone (UK), Berlin, Ajaccio and Lille (France), Irpinia (Italy) and Toronto. It's unseasonably warm on Suffolk this week, despite what Jessie says (having arrived in the UK from Ibiza late last night). Today is, at least, sunny and the colours are getting into gear. Double or nothing - Kirsten Dehaan (NYC, NY, USA) Kirsten DeHaan is a true jack of all musical trades. Not only is she a talented singer/songwriter and guitarist, she promotes her music via her label SirLady Records, does various philanthropic work for American soldiers in the Middle East, and is a big proponent of the New York indie music scene. Her latest offering, a five song EP dubbed Thorns On A Crown is by far her most mature work to date and is set to hit the streets later this summer. A native German/Indianan (her mother emigrated from Germany to Indiana), Kirsten graduated from college in Texas and moved to New York just six weeks before the 9/11 attacks. Having composed music most of her life, DeHaan says she writes based on two tenets: to deliver goose bumps and to question the status quo. Luckily for us, her music succeeds in doing both. www.kirstendehaan.com www.myspace.com/kirstendehaan Ibiza sunset cam http://tinyurl.com/ko5qxb Shiny Blue - Scott Brunger (Maidstone, Kent, UK) "I'm trying to be a folk songwriter, my lyrics are blunt and to the point and I try to display as much emotion in my songs as possible. I write about my life." Scott Brunger - Acoustic Guitar/VocalsJay Brunger - Bass and Backing Vocals Paul Jobson - Drums Tony Brunger - Lead Guitar and Backing Vocals. www.myspace.com/scottbrunger Wake up Ringtone - Shardik's Walkman (Berlin, Germany) More Music from Shardik's Walkman at Indiestore and Last.fm www.jamendo.com/en/artist/Momo_(4) Bad Tuning - BertycoX (Ajaccio, France) Bertycox est né le 15 fevrier 1978, il vient donc de déplorer ses 31 ans ..
aimant les activités dangeureuses , il le paya de son apparance , maintenant presque totalement robotisé seul son coeur demeure une pièce d'origine .
la musique est évidemment son mode d'expression et sa passion. Painfully little information on Jamendo but some very enthusiastic reviews of his numerous Jamendo releaseswww.akamusic.com/BertycoX www.jamendo.com/en/artist/bertycox Be Bop, I gotta get away from you - Ray Guntrip and Tina May (UK) From their excellent Out of the Blue album on Jamendo. Out of the blue is the debut CD of a prolific but, until now, little-known British jazz composer. Well-established on the local jazz scene in his native Kent, Ray Guntrip has more than two hundred compositions to his name. Out of the Blue features the cream of his tunes played by some of the UK’s leading musicians. The enthusiastic involvement of two influential figures on the music scene in bringing Ray’s work to a wider audience is itself a testimony to the quality of the music it celebrates. The catalyst for the project was Gary Barnacle, sometime tenor-sax player with Tina Turner and Level 42, as well as a host of big-name bands from Jamiroquai to David Bowie, the Clash and Phil Collins. He was prompted to suggest a recording project after playing a number of gigs with Ray’s band, Green Machine. Gary also spotted an additional, and for Ray, unexplored potential: the addition of lyrics. An inspired recommendation brought Ray together with Tina May, a vocalist with an international reputation, whose recent projects with the legendary pianist Ray Bryant and Bobby Watson, showcased her skills as both world-class lyricist and singer. Impressed with the strength of Ray’s compositions, Tina added words that give an added dimension to the widely contrasting moods of eighteen of his tunes, nine of which are on this CD, from the tongue-twisting Be-Bop - I Gotta Get Away From You! to the rocking He’s Mr Twister and anarchic intensity of Demons Dancing. http://rayguntripmusic.com www.jamendo.com/en/album/34700 Them never loves the flowers - Jambassa (Irpinia, Italy) From the album The roots and the flowers on A Quiet Bump "Two platinums vinyls, a mixer, a microphone, the EPS and Atari, the whole coupled with effects a such digital delay generated the bases of the exploration of Dub-Roots made in Irpinia. The first Dub tests under the name of Jambassa take life in the year 2000. So now you know!Since then research of the ideal “flow” never stopped, as well through the scenic experiments into live, year studio with a work of production where still while passing by collaborations with musical groups, crew and artists of various musical horizons . Jambassa proposes a dj-set dub roots between the analogical one and digital, while dubbant into live the selections of their clean production accompanied by a skilful dj to the microphone, which makes it possible their live to be a true performance shared with a conquered public." www.aquietbump.com/jambassa.html www.myspace.com/jambassa All over the world - Lola Dutronic (Germany / Toronto) The last knockings of Mediterranean summer are encapsulated in Lola Dutronic's latest double A-side single. "We divide our time between Berlin and Toronto. We've put out three albums so far: The World Of Lola Dutronic, the Grammy Award nominated The Love Parade and our newest album, Lola Dutronic In Berlin. We've also appeared on several compilation albums and repackages in Asia and Europe." Available on iTunes and on CDBaby at:http://cdbaby.com/cd/ldutronic www.myspace.com/loladutronic We are going to electrofunk your ass - Eclectec (Lille, France) Jamendo I just lovce the sheer exuberant energy in this track. It is from their album Komiks Musik released just this August. klemaouche: chant • latino prez: guitare • maximax: platines • rhum arisk: batterie • stouffi the stouves: chant • fudd: So many great influences in here with some gorgeous sounds and huge energy - check their video here or at http://tinyurl.com/yhq4bkl www.myspace.com/eclectekofficiel www.jamendo.com/fr/artist/eclectek Comments[0] |
Wed, 21 October 2009  Rain today - all day and for the first time since early August. I just wish I hadn't been driving in it most of the day, with the headlights on.We're back from a great weekend Chez Codger in leafy Sussex characterised by some fine ales, fine dining and great company. Thanks to all. We had a look at Wakehurst Place (right) on Sunday - rather a spectacular building. 25 years - Rude City Riot (Vancouver, BC, Canada) RCR is a "POWER-SKA" BAND from Vancouver BC working overtime to bring you great original songs with powerful vocals & big juicy melodic hooks. If you see us live, you will remember the guitar solos & horn riffs the next day. We are 100% Power-Ska. www.rudecityriot.com www.myspace.com/rudecityriot Eternal Youth - Audra Connolly (Boise, ID, USA) "I'm an independent artist from Boise, ID. I have dropped three tracks for your consideration: Eternal Youth, Blue Eyes and Dear Friend. These tracks are from my debut album which I released on my independent label, Hole Heart Records, in August of this year. Thank you for your time!" www.audraconnolly.comwww.myspace.com/audraconnollysongs Birthday Wishes and Goodbye Kisses - Jesse Alejandro and the Big Fatt (Brooklyn, NY, USA) Like zombie Batman coming back from the grave to exact revenge on the joker who stole his woman, this band is intelligent, vicious and unstoppable. The Big Fatt hold permanent resident statuses in funk, blues, and classical music, but spend most of their time in Brooklyn. From "Belly Full of Brains" LP - Release Date: 9/9/09 The music of this ensemble mirrors the monster of amalgam that is the Brooklyn music scene, stealing from heros as far flung as Duke Ellington, Tom Waits, Claude Debussy and Stevie Wonder. The group's morbidly obese base of influences and guillotine sharp execution ensure an entertaining evening for anyone who isn't a Nazi child molester. Jesse Alejandro - Vocals, Guitar Matthew Ferry - Drums Westbrook Johnson - Trombone Matt Scott - Bass Heather Sommerlad - Violin Peter Ferrari - Saxophone Marie Valigorsky - Viola www.thebigfatt.com www.myspace.com/thebigfatt Big Easy - Uphill (N Carolina, USA) Uphill plays blues straight out of the swampland. With a mix of original blues and revitalized versions of lost classics, Uphill has brought their own Carolina tang to the table since 2005. Injected with humor, passion and mojo, Uphill has a unique sound: steeped in tradition yet ferociously alive. www.uphilltheband.com More sublime blues at The G Spot with Jeremy Gugenheim www.smallsystems.co.uk/thegspot/ Na Na Na (Spark Remix) - 46 Bliss (Brooklyn, NY, USA) Another track from the great 46Bliss remix project. The voluptuous alto voice of Clare Veniot gives way to a satiny upper register that feels timeless in its simplicity, providing a perfect balance to the technological mastery of vocalist, programmer and keyboardist David Cooper and electronic drummer Jack Freudenheim, creator of ambient music software Sounder. 46bliss, perhaps best known for their song The Way You Are featured on the show Veronica Mars and CSI-NY, and In A Long Time, one of the most played songs in podcasting, are releasing a 2-CD set of 46bliss tracks reworked by remixers from 6 countries. The 46bliss campaign in support of the CDs is called 20 remixes in 20 weeks, during which they will release a remix a week to the public via PodsSafe Music Network, Myspace, Facebook etc. www.46bliss.com/ www.myspace.com/46bliss This - Tryad (various locations) I nominated Struttin' by Tryad as my track on the AMPed 200 special. I've been listen to lots of Tryad just lately. They are on www.jamendo.com http://tryad.org/ Happy - Jimmie Bratcher (Missouri, USA) Yes, it's the theme to SnC. Prompted as a last minute addition by listener Martin Byrom who saw Jimmie play live last weekend doing an acoustic set. Enjoy it, this time without Clithers talking all over it. www.jimmiebratcher.com Warap - Andrew Delpiono (Trinidad) IODA From Wikipedia: The details of the birth of parang are disputed. One theory is that parang has its origins in the music of Spanish or French Catholic monks, present in Trinidad during the Spanish colonial period. Another theory is that Venezuelans brought the first elements of parang with them when they migrated to Trinidad to work on cocoa farms in the early part of the nineteenth century. Parang flourished under the British rule from 1814. It absorbed elements of African and French creole and was influenced by the constant interaction between the people of Trinidad and those of Venezuela, where similar musical forms developed in parallel. Parang remains an important element both of Trinidadian Christmas rituals and of the rituals of other islands and countries, including Grenada, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela. Today, parang is especially vibrant in Trinidad & Tobago communities such as Paramin, Lopinot and Arima. Free download from IODA:  Andrew Delpino "Warap" (mp3) from "Strictly Parang - The Best of Trinidad Parang, Vol III" (Caribbean Music Group) Buy at iTunes Music Store Stream from Rhapsody More On This AlbumComments[0] |
Wed, 14 October 2009  Fine and interesting new tunes for you on Suffolk'n'Cool 189. This week from Indianna, Missouri, Japan, New York City, Salt Lake City, Holland and the most easterly place in the UK, Lowestoft, here in Suffolk. Pic: I think that's the last we'll see of the sun today. What I wouldn't do - She swings, she sways (Ottumwa, IA, USA) She Swings, She Sways coalesced in the only apartment building in downtown Ottumwa, Southeast Iowa’s post-industrial wasteland, when an acoustic duo (John Gordon & Cory Canny) met long-time drums and bullfiddle rhythm section (Jason Bolinger & Troy Morgan). Drawing on over 30 years of combined experience, the band began writing, recording, and performing in 2005. The band added two new players later – Jimmie Dalton (electric guitar) and Diana Garles (keys, vocals, trumpet). www.sheswingsshesways.com www.myspace.com/sheswingsshesways Abandon Ship - Beth Bombara (St Loius, MO, USA) While Beth Bombara so far has largely focused on Beth Orton/Bon Iver-esque, downtempo, melodious folk-pop, her recent project, Beth Bombara and the Robotic Foundation, pulls her into the orbit of the Breeders and, at times, Bettie Serveert. Her clear and warm alto makes her confessions believable, while the rhythmic instincts of her band are always sharp. Bombara's recent songs come tailor-made for a long, late-night drive through a dense forest, where shadows emerge, shiver and linger in the memory. October 17, 2009 - 9pm Off Broadway St. Louis, MO 63118 Info: 314-773-3363 $10 www.bethbombara.com www.myspace.com/bethbombara Sunset Disco - Kyota Sugai (Japan) "Sunset Disco" is funny, original blues. This music cannot be compared to existing music, but, if I must compare it, it emits a bewitching brightness, like old striptease music. It sounds like a voice that is possessed by the singing devil. The lyrics make fun of the listener, but the people cannot laugh. Very unique and slow arrangement, a melody that appeals to the soul directly. But, what wants to be expressed by this Japanese blueser? You come to this joint, I thought Because you said, you wanna go You come to this joint, yes, I thought Because you said, you wanna go Did you know, he fell into the sea again So come to the "Sunset Disco" You love the music, it's called "Moonrise" Because you said, you love it much You love the music, it's called "Moonrise" Because you said, you love it much Did you know, she rose from the sea again So come to the "Sunset Disco" And then, the lady swingin' there Just like shakin' The lady swingin' there She's like shakin' Babe, feel like you shake on this floor now at the "Sunset Disco" www.myspace.com/kyotasugai 1984 - Kirsten DeHaan (NYC, NY, USA) Kirsten DeHaan is a true jack of all musical trades. Not only is she a talented singer/songwriter and guitarist, she promotes her music via her label SirLady Records, does various philanthropic work for American soldiers in the Middle East, and is a big proponent of the New York indie music scene. Her latest offering, a five song EP dubbed "Thorns On A Crown" is by far her most mature work to date and is set to hit the streets later this summer. A native German/Indianan (her mother emigrated from Germany to Indiana), Kirsten graduated from college in Texas and moved to New York just six weeks before the 9/11 attacks. Having composed music most of her life, DeHaan says she writes based on two tenets: to deliver goose bumps and to question the status quo. Luckily for us, her music succeeds in doing both. www.kirstendehaan.com www.myspace.com/kirstendehaan The spirit of the times - John Ward (Lowestoft, Suffolk, UK) On November the 15th John and Mario will be playing at The Cut in Haslesworth, Suffolk. All profits will go to the Suffolk Wildlife Trust and The James Paget Palliative Care centre. This is the 3rd annual charity concert they've put together at The Cut. It's a great venue which serves some food as well as being a gallery and a general arts centre. It will start at 7.30 and tickets are £8.00 and £6.00. 0845 6732123 www.newcut.org I hope you can make it and support these two very worthwhile charities. "With its face full set to the blustering North Sea in the East and its back warmed in the wheat and sugarbeet fields of Suffolk in the West, Lowestoft, like its neighbour, Great Yarmouth, holds an odd mixture of life and is a sore thumb contradiction to the prosperous rest of East Anglia. www.johnward.org.ukIt's an end of the line town and not one that is travelled through on the way to anywhere else (being the most Easterly town in the British Isles, it couldn't be otherwise). People have a tendency to arrive here, either by birth or the A12, and stick, rather like flies to poison paper, for one reason or another. Many travelling characters in town, having seen the world in all its Himalayan Heights and Grand Canyon depths, seem to have chosen to finally root down here, happy to drink beer, perpetually walk into the wind, moan and talk about getting out,or wait for something to happen." Biya Bare Safar Bandim (Let's Be on Our Way) - Monika Jalili (Salt Lake City, UT, USA) 30 years ago, in 1979, the Iranian revolution put an effective stop to the artistic lives of a great number of poets, composers, and singers in Iran. We will never know what could have been. Iran is again poised for change. Since a serendipitous introduction in 2003, American/Dutch vocalist, Monika Jalili has worked tirelessly to revive the touching works of these Iranian artists, some of whom are no longer with us, and most of whom have lived the past 30 years into their old age unable to express themselves as they once could. It is their songs that Monika sings with passion, appreciation, care and love. Monika is playing in London on Saturday at The Union Chapel 020 7226 3750 www.unionchapel.org.uk www.monikajalili.com www.myspace.com/monikajalili April - Mo Rooneh (Netherlands/Holland) Yes, I played Mo Rooneh a few weeks ago on 186, and I make no apologies for playing another track this week from the Cinematographic album from Monochrome. Lots of percussive notes in here including bait of glockenspiel for Codger. Mo Rooneh is a minimalist and avantgarde composer, working with repetition and noise as basic elements. The philosophy behind the use of those elements in a composition, which in itself is mostly fictional, is to reinstate a sense of reality. Repetition as a referral to time and noise as the reflection of incoherence and disturbance that characterises our daily life. Starting out, some twenty-five years ago, as a singer in several bands, Rooneh explored the popular music spectrum. After a small decade he concluded the pop scene didn't bring that much fulfllment, music wise, as he had hoped for. Taking a break from performing for almost fifteen years, he explored numerous art disciplines. Several musical and non-musical styles inspired Rooneh and led to a reinvention of the self. Encountering 'new music' from artists like John Cage, La Monte Young and Steve Reich made him realise that the way of the experiment was the right basis for his compositions. In 2009 he recorded three albums, 'Songs that might be', 'Micro' and 'Cinematographic'.  Mo Rooneh "April" (mp3) from "Cinematographic" (Monochrome) Buy at iTunes Music Store Stream from Rhapsody More On This Albumwww.mrooneh.com www.myspace.com/morooneh Fur Turban - Michael Bellar and the AS-IS Ensemble (New York, NY, USA) The AS-IS Ensemble is the musical home of musician/producer Michael Bellar. They are a highly excitable, improvisationally eclectic, alt-jazz group that has opened for John Scofield, Tea Leaf Green, Medeski Martin Wood, JFJO and just released it’s third full length CD “Turned On Turned Up,” on Left3/MRI/RED. They have performed at such venues as Avery Fischer Hall at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center in Washington DC and the JVC and Bell Atlantic Jazz Festivals and were formerly the house band at the world-famous Blue Note jazz club in New York City. You can find out more about Michael Bellar/the AS-IS Ensemble at www.michaelbellar.com/ Comments[0] |
Wed, 7 October 2009  49 of the finest musical minutes. Personally selected from artists based all around the world. Again, the Canadians make a good showing, along with Chicago, Rome, Boston, Istanbul, Montpellier and New York.Podcrawl looms ever closer and Rowley has been checking the pubs of central London, sampling the beer and generally being a diligent egg. The result is that plans are being updated and final arrangements will appear on the Podcrawl site at http://podcrawl.blogspot.com/ in the coming few days. There is even a Facebook event The emphasis this year is on opening up Podrawl and encourage more podcasters, musicians and listeners to meet up and make the "virtual" connections "real". If you can make it to London on 21 November you will be very welcome. This week's pic was intended to be something truly gripping from London today but it was very, very wet and dull all day. I show you no mercy, here (right) is the delight of Goodge Street underground station on Tottenham Court Road. Here's the location on a dry dull day! A song about California - Hey Ocean (Vancouver, BC, Canada) What began as a very casual musical partnership on the beaches of Costa Rica, has now morphed into one of Canada's most successful independent bands. Their rapid success can be attributed to their do-it-yourself attitude, which has recently helped build their self-owned label, Pop Machine. Together, Ashleigh Ball, David Beckingham and David Vertesi have created a musical repertoire that cannot be ignored - be it on radio, television or your neighbor"s iPod, Hey Ocean will soon be everywhere. Continuously leaving fans in awe, Hey Ocean combines sheer talent, charismatic songs, and an undeniably energetic live show, making them a must see band for 2009! It's Easier To Be Somebody Else is now available on iTunes. Hey Ocean! North America tour: Oct 1st - Montreal @ Club Soda (w/ Joel Plaskett) POP MONTREAL Oct 2nd - Wakefield, QC @ Blacksheep Inn (Ottawa) Oct 3rd - Peterborough @ Montreal House Oct 7th - Philadelphia, PA @ M Room Oct 8th - New York, NY @ Piano's Oct 14th - Philadelphia, PA @ M Room Oct 15th - New York, NY @ Piano's Oct 17th - Toronto, ON @ The Rivoli Oct 21st - Philadelphia, PA @ M Room Oct 26th - Minneapolis, MN @ Uptown Bar Oct 28th - Lethbridge, AB @ The Slice Oct 29th - Edmonton, AB @ The Pawnshop www.myspace.com/heyocean Endless Water - The Darcys (Toronto and Halifax, Canada) These young fellows met in early 2006 at the University of King's College in Halifax, They progressed quickly from shows in campus bars to releasing their first EP You, Me and the Light at a packed Horseshoe Tavern. They took off across Eastern Canada, Ontario and Quebec on a series of shorter tours to get their feet wet and figure out just what it means to tour this country. In June of 2007 the Darcys found themselves translating their newly discovered live sound on to their first LP in the Waterloo Children's Museum of Technology. A month later their homemade creation: Endless Water was mixed, mastered and on its way out into the world. The Darcys live shows are moving quickly from a sloppy, boozy, love fest to a tight and muscular, well arranged boozy love fest. Their live exploits didn't end after their triumphant show case at NXNE last year. In the fall of 2008, the band drove to both Canadian coasts, converting new fans along the way, and road testing songs that will make up the bulk of their second LP (due in Fall of 2009). We'll be looking forward to that then! www.thedarcys.ca www.myspace.com/itsthedarcys You're alright - Tenry Johns (Chicago, IL, USA) Tenry Johns has come a long way from his humble beginnings in a small town in the Delta called Shelby, Mississippi. He started his own band at the age of 15 while he while still in high school. After graduating in the mid '60s, his family moved to Chicago. Shortly after hitting town, Tenry looked up his cousin, notable local singer/ songwriter and performer, Johnny Drummer, and the two started playing together regularly. Eventually, Tenry and his brothers formed "The Johns Bros. Band" with the fabulous Denise LaSalle and Bill Coday fronting the band. After years of performing around Chicago and surrounding areas, Tenry met Harry Glen from Marvel Records. They worked together on releasing his first 4 song EP Some of his other experiences include teaming up with the Gemico label recording group called "The Notations", and as the bandleader for the touring band, "Nitro". After the group broke up, Tenry's focus turned to writing and producing his own songs. Tenry's latest release: Moving On is his fourth self-produced CD on the Tenry Music label. Like his previous releases: So What Need Your Love In Here Tonight www.tenryjohns.com/ Strada - Pasqualino Ubaldini (Roma, Italy) From the album Il Viandante The Wayfarer it is the first job of Pasqualino Ubaldini. It picks up eight passages, of my composition, of ethnic extraction, all realized in really, both to house and in study. In the greatest part sound a Greek bouzouki, acoustic guitar, mandola and saz baglama. The love for the music of the Mediterranean one has pushed me and inspired to the realization of this. www.myspace.com/pasqualinoubaldiniwww.jamendo.com/en/album/40411 November - Rubblebucket (Boston, MA, USA) The second Suffolk'n'Cool outing for Rubblebucket in recent weeks. Their new single Bikes was featured on 186. Defined as a polyrhythmic dance/rock band, Rubblebucket is a nine-piece group that combines the sounds of various brass instruments with catchy rhythms and soulful lead vocals. The resulting sound has hints of dance, rock, and funk, and is anything but ordinary. The unique music that this youthful, energetic group has managed to produce is universally appealing, as it defies genre boundaries and combines true musical talent with a spirited, positive attitude. www.myspace.com/rubblebucket Holy Marbles - Tymphony (Istanbul, Turkey) http://tymphony.anafikir.com/en/ Jazz Kiff - Organic Despair (Montpellier, France) Organic Despair puts me on to lots of interesting music on Jamendo so it is a pleasure to return the favour by playing one of his tracks. Passionate about music "Organic Despair" formerly "First Jesus Christ" fell in love with the guitar .... first a psychedelic rock group was formed but broke up pretty quickly ... He discovered the multi-track cassette that allowed him to record his first single tracks ... then computer came along and every possibility opened up…. http://organicdespair.jimdo.com/ www.jamendo.com/en/artist/organic.despair Runaround - Del Marquis (New York, NY, USA) Runaround is the final piece of a truly independent release from Scissor Sisters guitarist Del Marquis - and it closes out the cycle in high style. On a break from the Scissor Sisters in 2008, Del set out to break new ground with an unconventional music project. One that would break away from the traditional album-tour-album game plan with a series of short releases, each with video accompaniment. While Runaround steers away from the previous inclusion of a video, it focuses solely on the tunes, and is no less compelling. With its fantastically vintage production values - à la production legends Trevor Horn and Mike Thorne - Del's songs may throw the listener, but that's the beauty of it - no one else is making music like this today. Runaround, released in late September, is designed for the heart and soul, but also for the feet. The release, which features three new pop gems along with five killer remixes is a straight up MAXI-single. First a taste of the pop gem: Runaround, then one of the fine remixes, Runaround (Louis La Roche 'In 1995' Remix) Certainly unusual for Suffoilk'n'Cool but give it a listen, preferably through a sound system in a club in Ibiza! www.delmarquis.com/ www.myspace.com/delmarquis Comments[0] |
Wed, 30 September 2009  Studio rebuild this past week. Apart from the new MacPro and Snow Leopard installations, lots of other software upgrades and rearranging data on drives. A long but uneventful haul and all seems to be working well now.I seem to have won a contest run by the excellent Neat Little Mac Apps podcast making use of the Photomatrix Pro software for creating HDR pictures like this (right). Although a Mac user, I'm thinking of holding a Windows 7 launch party. Have you seen the video on YouTube. So cringe-making it surely HAS to be irony ... doesn't it? Give it up - Jimmy Mancus (Springbrook, Pennsylvania, USA) Amped-up, acoustic-rock featuring driving electric guitars, scratch-turntables, keyboards and unique rhythms. Blending elements of acoustic, indie, funk, rock and surf, Mancus's music can be likened to that of Sublime, Dispatch, and Jack Johnson. Mancus's new album Move Down, is a testament to his mantra of doing things his own way. The album's 14 tracks consist of a diverse blend of styles, including acoustic, indie, funk, hip-hop, rock, and surf. In addition to Jimmy's own unique acoustic style and guitar riffs, the album features RasMG/"Field" Marshall Goodman, DJ for the multi-platinum selling band SUBLIME and the Long Beach Dub All-Stars, on the turntables...Clyde Rosencrance, the album's producer, on electric guitar...Lenny Mecca on bass...Eli Hludzik on drums...and Matthew Nakoa on keyboards. www.jimmymancus.com www.myspace.com/jimmymancus Black Diamond Day - Alexa Wilding (Brooklyn, NY) Alexa Wilding is a Brooklyn-based brunette, prone to writing ethereal pieces that sound and feel like a dream with her sweet as honey voice and gorgeously ghostly lyrics. The talented chanteuse earned her street credit by playing with former Sonic Youth drummer, Bob Bert, in Int'l Shades from 2006 to 2008. Since then, Alexa has been working on her own EP, written solely by her, which features Tim Foljahn, who has collaborated with talents such as Cat Power, Thurston Moore, and the late Townes Van Zandt. Foljahn has also fronted Two Dollar Guitar with Sonic Youth"s Steve Shelley. Furthermore intriguing, the debut EP was mixed by Fred Smith of Television. www.myspace.com/alexawilding I'm way too happy (Reprise) and You have been loved - Tymphony (Istanbul, Turkey) Tymphony was formed in a dorm room at Boğaziçi University in 2004 as an experimental project. The name 'Tymphony' came from the combination between Tempo & Symphony. Sound of Tymphony is a rhythmic mixture of oriental ambient, symphonic forms and some Icelandic elements. All albums are free to air : ) So you can download & listen them as long as you want. Download free at the official site: http://tymphony.anafikir.com/en/ or from Jamendo. Sentimentally Africa - Jean-Pierre Simons (Oakland, CA) JEAN-PIERRE SIMONS is an international Artist from Cameroon by way of Paris, France. His music experiences began early in his life, performing at annual school and community feasts. Jean-Pierre formed a band at age fifteen and used all of his free time endevouring in music composition and song writing. Jean-Pierre's music combines African melodies and rhythms from Cameroon (such as Makossa, Lali and others), with European & American styles of music arrangement. The harmonies in the songs are constructed in the African tradition. "Music cannot be confined to the narrow space of one's own country or people." www.jeanpierresimons.com http://cdbaby.com/cd/jeanpierre2 Front Page News - JJ Soul Band (Reykajavik, Iceland) (INGVI THOR KORMÁKSSON and JJ SOUL) The songwriters, Kormáksson and Soul, met in Iceland 1993 and soon began writing music together. In 1994 they made their first CD, HUNGRY FOR NEWS, with JJ Soul Band and CITY LIFE in 1997. On both CDs the music is many-sided; blues, R&B, fusion, rock, pop and latin, sometimes all in one (blues-confusion?). Singer/songwriter JJ Soul is from Oxford, England but Ingvi is from Iceland as the rest of the band. Mr. Soul has been living and breathing music since he was eight years old. He used to play drums with small jazz units and worked both as a drummer and a singer with various rock and cabaret acts in England for many years. Since he moved to Iceland, he has focused on his writing skills and writes both songs and (mainly) lyrics. J.J. Soul currently resides in Oxford, U.K. He works as a painter, musician and art teacher. www.jjsoulband.com/ www.myspace.com/jjsoulband http://twitter.com/JJSoulBand Bad advice from a bad singer - F&M (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) A welcome second track from the excellent F&M. F&M is a gently sardonic, dark and hopelessly clever art-folk band that began as a 48 hour experiment in recording during a fireworks festival. Delicate, glacial, heady, F&M approaches folk music with refreshing maturity and restraint. Music that breathes. www.fandmtheband.com/ www.myspace.com/fandmtheband Usha's Wedding - Tessa Souter (NY, NY, USA) Born in London of Trinidadian and English parents, New York-based vocalist, composer and lyricist Tessa Souter (soo-ter) infuses jazz with the soul and passion of flamenco, Indian and Middle Eastern music. "One of the most imaginatively programmed vocal sets of recent memory," said the Los Angeles Times, in a rave review of her California debut at the Catalina Bar and Grill in 2002. The Philadelphia Inquirer praised her "amazing" debut CD Listen Love and her "crystal-clear voice with diamond-cut phrasing.” Soul jazz singer Jon Lucien said of Listen Love. "Magnificent! I couldn't stop playing it over and over. She blew me away!" Her mentor Mark Murphy says of her, "She is a complete musician … extraordinary and moving." Sheila Jordan says, "There aren"t many, but Tessa Souter is a natural born singer. She really moves me.” Jazz tuba legend Howard Johnson says she is "an important musician... whose brilliant lyrics and songs make her stand out from the pack so very much, not to mention how well she sings other people's material."  Tessa Souter "Usha's Wedding" (mp3) from "Obsession" (Motema Music) Buy at iTunes Music Store Stream from Rhapsody More On This AlbumJeans - Naturaliss (Kingston, Jamaica) Naturaliss is a Reggae/Dancehall Artist From Jamaica. Naturaliss writes music that have a positive impact on life. From his 12 track album Shanty Town available on iTunes and all the leading on-line stores. www.myspace.com/naturaliss25 Comments[0] |
Wed, 23 September 2009  Back in the UK again after a quick visit to Ibiza to visit Jessie, take a short break and catch the closing night of Roger Sanchez at Amnesia. It was all rather surreal with the first rain since May starting the day after we arrived and delivering violent thunderstorms every evening. The orange lightening miles out to sea was spectacualr and quite beautiful.Piggy in the Middle - Sean Kershaw and the New Jack Ramblers (Brooklyn. NY, USA) Started on a whim in 2001 playing country covers in a small bar in Brooklyn, Sean Kershaw & the New Jack Ramblers have evolved into the biggest and best country band in the NY area with their unique sound and Mr Kershaw's formidable songwriting. Their debut album was engineered and co-produced by none other than Rick Miller (Southern Culture on the Skids) who also contributes a guitar solo on one song. www.seankershaw.com www.myspace.com/seankershawandramblers Short Song - Mo Rooneh (Netherlands) From the album "Micro". Mo Rooneh is a minimalist and avantgarde composer, working with repetition and noise as basic elements. The phylosophy behind the use of those elements in a composition, which in itself is mostly fictional, is to reinstate a sence of reality. Repetition as a refural to time and noise as the reflection of incoherence and disturbance that characterizes our daily life. Starting out, some twenty-five years ago, as a singer in several bands, Rooneh explored the popular music spectrum. After a small decade he concluded the pop scene didn't bring that much fulfillment, music wise, as he had hoped for. Taking a break from performing for almost fifteen years, he explored numerous art disciplines. Several musical and non-musical styles inspired Rooneh and led to a reinvention of the self. Encoutering 'new music' from artists like John Cage, La Monte Young and Steve Reich made him realize that the way of the experiment was the right basis for his compositions. In 2009 he recorded three albums, 'Songs that might be', 'Micro' and 'Cinematographic'. Using the world wide web as means of distribution for his work, he tries to expand his audience.  Mo Rooneh "Short Song" (mp3) from "Micro" (Monochrome) Buy at Rhapsody Stream from Rhapsody More On This Albumwww.mrooneh.com www.myspace.com/morooneh The Rain Became the Clouds - Emanuel and The Fear (Brooklyn, NY, USA) An extraordinary 11-piece orchestra-rock band that focuses on intertwining the modern day pop song with extravagant and complex composition. Drawing from romantic and modern composers like Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, and Glass; and then fusing in a modern rock sound like Arcade Fire, Bright Eyes, Daft Punk and Sufjan Stevens; Emanuel & the Fear displays a true understanding of sound all-the-while capturing audiences with their climactic electro/orchestral arrangements and quivering, poetic lyrics. www.myspace.com/emanuelandthefear www.papergardenrecords.com/shop/item/46 Going all the way - Glideascope (London, UK) Glideascope tangles computers, intriguing samples, and orchestral composition to make music for this digital age. With sounds as lush as classical composer Pachelbel on one track and up tempo Jamaican Patois vocals driving the next, this is a true kaleidoscope of sound. It would be easy to create a laundry list of styles to define Glideascope--Dub Reggae, Trip Hop, Classical, Electronic, World Music—but that just won't do. The best person to define the work is Glideascope himself. He calls his music, "The soundtrack for a movie never created." Hearing it brings to mind some visually stunning films like Blade Runner, The Last Samurai, and Cry Freedom. Glideascope's work is heavily influenced by the works of Bob Marley, Craig Armstrong, Afrika Bambatta and Massive Attack (particularly their first album) to name a few. www.glideascope.com www.myspace.com/glideascope Rainscape extended - Shardik's Walkman (Berlin, Germany) Littl;e I can tell you aboiut Shardik's Walkman but you can download the music from Jamendo www.jamendo.com/en/album/51301 http://momo4.jamendo.net/ Bikes - Rubblebucket (Boston, MA, USA) Rubblebucket is a Boston-and-Brooklyn-based nine-piece polyrhythmic dance/rock band led by trumpeter Alex Toth and fronted by the alluring vocals of Kalmia Traver. Comparisons have been drawn to Talking Heads, Fela Kuti, Bjork and James Brown, but Rubblebucket's afro-beat inspired, trip-rock soul experience is beyond classification. Alex Toth- trumpet, vocals bandleader. He loves Kalmia. Kalmia Traver- lead vocals, tenor sax. She loves reverie, berry-picking and skinny-dipping, pennywhistles and making artwork. Adam Dotson- trombone, vocals. He won an international euphonium competition at age fourteen and never wears shoes when he plays. Craig Myers- percussion. He began playing percussion at age thirteen, and he has studied West African percussion extensively for ten years and traveled to Senegal, Mali, Cote Ivoire and Guinea. He's also taught and directed percussion groups in Hawaii and throughout Europe. Dave Cole- drums. Has also plays guitar and keyboards and has an amazing beard and smile. He also has a cyclops mask. Darby Wolf- keyboards. Darbstar has a plan. And he uses Goff organs and leslie speakers and is a vintage keyboard enthusiast. Ian Hersey- guitar. He lives in Brooklyn and recently bought a box of at least 15 Casio keyboards, and he takes them apart and fucks with them. http://rubblebucket.com/ www.myspace.com/rubblebucket Streets Crimes and Strife - Rau (Los Angeles, CA, USA) Producer-Composer Stuart Rau creates multi-textured rhythms and grooves whose branding falls somewhere between trip-hop and blues. With his strong debut "Streets Crimes and Strife" album he blends atmospheric international timbres with bruising bass lines and a myriad of sublime beats. A rather good video on his MySpace front page too. Take a look. www.myspace.com/sturowe Love letters from a fool - Kristen Cothron (Nashville, TN. USA) From her album Love letters from a Fool. Kristen's voice is reminiscent of classic jazz singers, but the songs are edgy and smart and cut right across the lines in an interesting way. Since the release of Love Letters from a Fool in May of 2006 Cothron has been touring regionally and is currently celebrating the release of her music video, Dangerous. Whether she's singing a jazz standard, a classic soul tune, or one of her eclectic original songs- Kristen's sound is undeniably her own. www.kristencothron.com www.myspace.com/kristencothron Comments[0] |
Wed, 16 September 2009  A predominantly, but not exclusively, acoustic SnC this week. This probably reflects my past few weeks of frantic but productive activity. I'm ready for a break!The autumn skies are making themselves felt here in Suffolk. It is fairly warm down here but looks cold up there. You'll be pleased to know that the hops at the top of the steps are doing well. I am the Mountain - Fairmont (New Jersey, USA) on Mint Records The release party was last night in Clifton, New Jersey Indie rockers Fairmont present a different side of their influences with "The Meadow At Dusk." With the addition of vocalist Samantha Carradori as a counterpoint to frontman Neil Sabatino, the band is able to tread new musical ground, stylistacally ranging from folk ballads to indie dance and 90's alternative. Produced by Bryan Russell (Straylight Run, Coldplay, etc.) at Red Wire Audio, Fairmont is releasing this EP as a digital download with a limited edition vinyl run. Contest winners will find their artwork featured alongside the band's drawings in the limited edition poster included with the vinyl release. www.fairmontmusic.com www.myspace.com/fairmont  Fairmont "I Am the Mountain" (mp3) from "The Meadow At Dusk" (Mint 400 Records) Stream from Rhapsody Buy at Rhapsody Buy at iTunes Music Store More On This AlbumTallahassee Turnpike Blues - American Fiction (Wisconsin/Florida, USA) Ethan Cook: vocals. guitars. mandolin. harmonica. It is from the clutches of sub-zero winters and the well tilled farm fields of Wisconsin that American Fiction comes to the stage burdened by a thorn in his side and a story on his tongue. Every song he sings is sung with an urgency and passion to realize our own cinematic existence. Every song written is not merely a thought or chapter expressed, but rather an undying hope to stir one tired organ within the cage of every chest. American Fiction has struck his six strings atop roofs, on frozen lakes, in packed auditoriums, corner cafés, and most recently on Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor on National Public Radio. Every performance played is treated not as an endowed right, but a hunger to share an artistic love. Over the past 2 and half years American Fiction has released both a 5 song EP titled "Devil's Casino" and a 16 song full length album titled "Lakes" released in the summer of 2008. Over the past few months "Lakes" last has been remastered and further promoted as American Fiction has signed with Branch Records, an independent label based in Panama City, FL. Although currently pursuing a degree in Religious Studies from the University of Wisconsin Madison, American Fiction still hopes to tour and see the nation by the roads and highways that haunt his dreams. Through a bleeding vocal and a poignant word, American Fiction walks a road of his own continuing to sing truths amid an unrelenting sea of compromise and icy complications. www.myspace.com/americanfictionband www.americanfictionfrontier.blogspot.com Early Midnight - Peppertown (Lawrenceburg, Indiana) Remember the rippin’ guitar and tribal drums sounds of the early 70’s, bands like Santana, Little Feat, Allman Brothers and ZZ Top? Peppertown does. This 5 piece band out of southeastern Indiana is putting a new twist on what they consider a lost sound in modern music. Creating their own fine blend of blistering bluesy guitar, earthy drum jams, and solid songwriting, Peppertown is stirring a buzz, nationwide, and abroad. The bands D.I.Y. savvy has taken them from the hills of Indiana into the ears of America. err and beyond! www.peppertownmusic.com www.myspace.com/peppertownmusic  Peppertown "Early Midnight" (mp3) from "Change My Ways" (Sol Records) Buy at Rhapsody Stream from Rhapsody More On This AlbumMy Heart - Sahab Tolouie (Prague, Czech Republic) Belongs to the group of musicians who derive inspiration from the traditional music of their native lands. For Shahab, this means combining traditional Persian elements with traditional Spanish flamenco. following his graduation from high school, he departed for Seville, Spain. There he studied his flamenco master course, attaining the highest level of achievement, "Nivel Alto." As a multi-instrumentalist, Shahab incorporates different traditional Persian instruments such as the Setar, Laud, Mandola, Daf and Dammam, along with the Flamenco Guitar, in his compositions. His most important instrument, however, is his voice. Powerful and dynamic, it is flavored with a special richness typical of eastern vocalists. When combined with his unique manner of singing, that voice is an essential and very expressive part of his musical presentation. www.shahab-tolouie.com www.myspace.com/shahabtolouie www.cdbaby.com/cd/shahabtolouie Nicolas Cage - Corduroy (Toronto, Canada) It's been a long time coming for Toronto four piece, Corduroy. Developing their brand of haunting folklore tales laced with sweeping post rock guitars and group hum-a-longs, hasn't been all that easy. Originally starting out as Whatever Happened to Corduroy? in 2007, the band released a well received debut self titled EP of their mixed and messy ideas that was blazing with promise. TOUR DATE Sept. 25 @ Sneaky Dees, TORONTO (w. The Paint Movement, Make Your Exit) www.myspace.com/thebandcorduroy For You - Peter Bradley Adams (Brooklyn, NY/Nashville, TN) Peter Bradley Adams was one half of the duo "eastmountainsouth" signed by Robbie Robertson (of The Band) to Dreamworks Records in 2002. He has released two solo records ("Gather Up" and "Leavetaking") and is set to release his third, "Traces" this September on Sarathan Records. www.myspace.com/peterbradleyadams Put the World on Stop - Sean Fournier (Milford, Connecticut, USA ) Oh My, a six-track EP Sean Fournier published on Jamendo a few weeks ago, is, evidently, available for free download and not just on Jamendo. But that’s only a small part of Sean's production so far. The rest, namely two full-length albums, are for sale. "That was the plan: to offer a free album to get my music to as many people as possible, he explains. Currently, there are over 35,000 downloads. Oh My has really helped get my music out there." In addition to his music, artfully crafted acoustic ballads tinged with electronic elements (somewhere between Cake, G. Love & Special Sauce and Ben Folds) that he writes and records alone, Sean does everything else himself too: artwork, web design, promotion, etc. "It has morphed from a serious hobby to a second job! It’s about 30% making music and 70% promoting it. I enjoy doing my own artwork and website design. I want my music to have a homemade feel to it and doing my own visuals helps that cause." At the moment, Sean tours mostly around universities in the Northwest of the US, but he definitely hopes "to stretch out further", thanks in no small part to online campaigning and its "global reach". In the meantime, he's working on his third album. If you liked what you heard, go check out his homemade website for more. www.sean-fournier.com/ www.myspace.com/sfournier Shake Shake - Terio (Miami, FL, USA) Ariel With a background as colorful as his music, Terio captures your spirit with his rhythmic and sophisticated sounds. Born in Costa Rica to Cuban parents and raised in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan area, Terio was absorbed from an early age by a yearning to have lived the golden era of Havana as foretold by his family's tales of a lush tropical world capital where cabarets, casinos, late night diners and Hollywoodesque bars riddled a sea-salt bathed boardwalk famously known as "El Malecon." This is the era that flourished and nurtured many of his influences such as Desi Arnaz, Celia Cruz, Benny More, Perez Prado, amongst many others. He met and became good friends with songwriter and producer Chris Rodriguez, who shares, not only his cultural background, but his passion towards creating music that captures such an era. Together, began a collaboration and writing endeavor that has resulted in an amazing and attractive concept. The classic elements to their composition style gives you a flash-back to Hemingway's Cuba during the 50's era, while the modern edgy beats and electronic sounds that carry the tracks keep you quite aware that you’re still very much indeed in the modern era. www.teriomusic.com www.myspace.com/teriomusic Comments[0] |
Wed, 9 September 2009 Some cracking tunes again - a selection of extremes of acoustic and very electric from the likes of New York, British Columbia, Edmonton, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Budapest, Nashville and Brooklyn. Sorry. No picture; I've been confined to studio and office all week. Heavy deadline met this morning - whoo hoo! Plan to take it easy until next year now (yeah right!) Radio Days - The Octagon (New York) In case you're new to The Octagon, the band's been around since '04. Front-man Zachary Mexico is a best selling author, drummer Will Glass is a former member of the Dirty Projectors and the bass guy is a shadowy Dead-loving loner known only as Bunny. The band has performed with Idlewild, Jay Reatard, the Homosexuals, Tokyo Police Club, Sam Champion, the Spinto Band, Ra Ra Riot, Dragons of Zynth and many more. Radio Days is from their Arm, Brain, Heart and Liver album. www.theoctagonrock.com www.myspace.com/theoctagon Midnight - Allison Crowe (Nanaimo, BC, Canada) "I love singing for people," says Allison Crowe. "It's a way to connect and share with others. Communication is crucial. Just being able to do what I do, to write and sing and perform, makes me feel not only alive, but incredibly lucky. Knowing at any moment everything could change, I don't take one second for granted." Born 26 years ago, on an island, in the harbour city of Nanaimo, B.C., today Crowe's reach is global. The audience for her music videos and song downloads numbers in the millions and she has had the sense to plough her own furrow. www.allisoncrowe.com Henry Porter in The Observer http://tinyurl.com/lhngep When a Newfoundland-based singer Allison Crowe and two of her band members, Billie Woods and Laurent Boucher, arrived at Gatwick to tour Britain they were arrested, held in cells, photographed and fingerprinted and had their passports stamped "Barred from Entry" before being returned to Canada. ... new laws that mean that artists have to submit to a set of expensive and time-consuming procedures to get their visa and further restrictions on their movements while they are here. This shocking and disgraceful treatment - designed to exclude illegal immigrants and terrorists - seems fundamentally unBritish. So let's just agree that new rules barring artists from visiting this country and so enriching our culture are some of the most contemptible ever devised, even by this narrow-minded apology for a government. The English National Opera and [the London] Southbank have both had problems bringing in foreign performers because of the stringent requirement for non-EU citizens to provide biometrics and photographs and submit to controls over their day-to-day activity while here. Is this Britain? If so, the rational half of our brain has been overwhelmed by "suspicion and parochialism", in the words of the staunchly sensible Manifesto Club, which has started a petition against the laws . The Manifesto Club needs your support and, if you're in the UK, your signature on a petition: www.manifestoclub.com/visitingartists Shrug it off - F&M (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) A very new discovery for me which I would guess some of you may have already checked out after my Twitter post this afternoon about F&M. The hit me like a very gentle and sincere steam-train, but hit me they did. F&M is a gently sardonic, dark and hopelessly clever art-folk band that began as a 48 hour experiment in recording during a fireworks festival. Delicate, glacial, heady, F&M approaches folk music with refreshing maturity and restraint. Music that breathes. www.fandmtheband.com/ www.myspace.com/fandmtheband You can keep your finger on the generally unfaltering pulse of @suffolkandcool along with Pete Cogle, Rowley and his beer, Alan at Darkhorse, Colin Gazeley, Stuart from Insomnia Radio, Graham Holland, Erk in Aus and a few other of the usual suspects. I'll see if I can get a Twitter list together. Ever Be Here Again - Kelly Joe Phelps (Oregon, USA) In the UK from 18 to 30th Sept then over to Belfast, Dublin and Cork. Dates are on his site at: www.kellyjoephelps.net/tour/index.htm  Kelly Joe Phelps "Ever Be Here Again" (mp3) from "Lead Me On (15 Year Anniversary Edition)" (Burnside Records)  Buy at Allegro Music Direct Stream from Rhapsody Buy at iTunes Music Store More On This AlbumThe End - Peasant (Bucks County, PA) Peasant is Damien DeRose, 23-year-old poet turned artiste, from fabled and beautiful Bucks County, PA. The sleepy hometown and its surroundings, melded with trials and tribulations, to inspire Peasant's confessional and straightforward style of music. In and out of the bedroom studio throughout high school, DeRose helped form a small scene in Bucks County by doling out frisky live performances and DIY records. After high school, he traveled solo on several tours of the US and Europe before signing with Paper Garden Records in 2008 and releasing "On The Ground." This track was recorded at the Daytrotter Sessions (http://daytrotter.com/article/1507/peasant.) He has a whole load of dates in Europe over the next few weeks in Germany, Austria, France, Belgium Holland and one date in London. www.myspace.com/peasant www.papergardenrecords.com/shop/item/47 A Piece of All Other Things - Zanza (Budapest, Pest, Hungary) "Zanza is a new Hungarian Rock Band founded by Lehel Kovács. Debut album (Plug In) is coming out in August. Songs mainly influenced by Kravitz, Hendrix, Zep, Robben Ford, Hungarian folk music... singing both in English and in Hungarian. The Plug In album was recorded on the one hand by my previous musicians: Miklós Szalóczy (drums) and Csaba Pázmándi (guitars) and by sterling session musicians like Antal Gábor Szűcs (guitars), Albert Földi (piano) and Zoltán Balogh (bass). ZANZA - "Plug In" album released August 14, 2009. www.zanzaband.hu (page under construction at time of posting) www.myspace.com/zanzaband Smackin' Pepper - Johnny Neel and the Criminal Element (Nashville, TN, USA) Although not a household name, Johnny Neel is a Grammy award nominee recognized in the music world for his work with the Allman Brothers, Lonnie Mack and Gov't Mule, among others. In addition to his soulful vocals, harp, piano and B-3 proficiency, Johnny is an accomplished songwriter whose tunes have been recorded by the likes of the Allman Brothers, Joe Louis Walker, John Mayall, Irma Thomas, Ann Peebles, Marie Osmond, the Oak Ridge Boys and Travis Tritt. Born and Raised in Wilmington, Delaware, Johnny Neel cut his first single at the age of twelve, as Johnny Neel and The Shapes Of Soul. As an adult, the Johnny Neel Band had a strong following up and down the East Coast and released two well-received independent albums. Neel moved to Nashville, the premiere song writing city, in 1984, where he immediately became recognized as an "A" session studio player. Others began to notice Neel’s songwriting talent and decided to take advantage by recording his songs on their albums. www.cdbaby.com/thecriminalelement www.johnnyneel.com Subway Man - Jesse Alejamndro and the Big Fatt (Brooklyn, NY) Like zombie Batman coming back from the grave to exact revenge on the joker who stole his woman, this band is intelligent, vicious and unstoppable. The Big Fatt hold permanent resident statuses in funk, blues, and classical music, but spend most of their time in Brooklyn. From "Belly Full of Brains" LP - Release Date: 9/9/09 - today! The music of this ensemble mirrors the monster of amalgam that is the Brooklyn music scene, stealing from heros as far flung as Duke Ellington, Tom Waits, Claude Debussy and Stevie Wonder. The group's morbidly obese base of influences and guillotine sharp execution ensure an entertaining evening for anyone who isn't a Nazi child molester. Jesse Alejandro- Vocals, Guitar Matthew Ferry- Drums Westbrook Johnson- Trombone Matt Scott - Bass Heather Sommerlad - Violin Peter Ferrari - Saxophone Marie Valigorsky - Viola www.thebigfatt.com www.myspace.com/thebigfatt Comments[0] |
Wed, 2 September 2009  Great music again on the show this week from Lachi, The Balconies, Mayday, Adam Arcuragi, Eclectek, Choir of Young Believers and Make Your Exit. Weeks of dry weather (not a lot of sunny warm but very dry) has given way tonight to rain and wind. It feels rather cruel to send SnC 183 out in it. The hops are fine if a little wet. (pic)Apolkalypse Now - Polkastra (NYC,NY,USA) Title track from their album. An eclectic and international cast of characters including a Canadian folk fiddler, the Met's contrabassoonist, an Israeli accordionist and percussionist, a jack-of-all-trades bassist, a French Horn playing record store clerk and an internationally renowned violin soloist met in a New Jersey studio to record a polka album just for fun. An idea that began as a lark quickly grew into an eccentric, virtuosic and energetic exploration of the roots of polka: folk, country, classical and jazz. Polkastra is a unique world music project that celebrates both the joy of music and the power of dance to unite cultures. From the American Midwest and the North of Canada to the mountains of Bohemia and the deserts of Israel - Apolkalypse Now poses the important question "Would you like sauerkraut, poutine, goulash or hummus with that?" www.myspace.com/polkastra  Polkastra "Apolkalypse Now" (mp3) from "Apolkalypse Now" (Ancalagon LLC) Buy at iTunes Music Store Stream from Rhapsody Buy at Rhapsody More On This AlbumLes Paul If you're in the UK, BBC iPlayer has a programme about Les Paul, guitar customiser (Gibson Les Paul) and above all a hugely talented musician and influence on the sound of electric guitars, who died last week at the age of 94. http://bit.ly/oDPWq Slow Down - Lachi (New York, USA) Sultry, smooth, intelligent and bold, singer/songwriter and pianist Lachi commands cleverly crafted, insightful yet quirky lyrics in her new EP "Ugly Beautiful" best categorized as piano-driven, jazz-influenced alternative rock. Partly inspired by the trials and tribulations she faces as a legally blind Nigerian-American female from her shy childhood to her world-traveling adulthood, her lyrics steer away from mediocrity and carry with them a message of natural beauty and internal conflict. WWW.ULACHI.COM www.myspace.com/lachimusic Serious Bedtime - The Balconies (Ottawa, Canada) The Balconies formed in December of 2007, by Jacquie Neville (of Jetplanes of Abraham fame), Liam Jaeger (ex-For the Mathematics member), and Steve Neville. With each member an experienced song writer and performer The Balconies quickly built up a buzz as one of Canada's most promising new indie bands - and have been in high demand for shows ever since, thanks to the relentless high energy and quality musicianship witnessed in their live sets. Ottawa's pride and joy, The Balconies will self release their much anticipated self-titled debut album September 15th, 2009. The three piece, made up of a brother/sister/boyfriend combination, has been turning heads with their dynamic live performances. Over the past year, The Balconies have appeared at festivals such as North by Northeast and the Ottawa Bluesfest, sharing stages with notable acts like Land of Talk, Mother Mother, the Bicycles, and more. The CD release party will be held September 12th at the Black Sheep Inn in Wakefield, QC, just outside of Ottawa. The band will begin touring and playing around Ontario and Quebec in September. Tour dates, bio, and download link are below. Stay tuned to the band's Myspace page for more show announcements. www.myspace.com/thebalconies Welsh Pizza problem Crossroads & Avenues - Mayday (Miami, FL, USA) Miami is hot. But Mayday is sweltering. Riding one of those threatening tsunamis of critical acclaim into the summer of 2009, this Florida future-hop collective blows minds wide open on Technology, a 6-song tour de force of android-soul, interstellar club banging and time machine madness that maniacally melds genre to delightful effect. But we’d come to expect this sort of thing from Mayday, who’ve been turning heads for three years on the strength of their NYT-approved smash, “Groundhog Day,” its record-setting YouTube video, and the cavalcade of “damn, this is good” that came out of the music world after MTV took a shine to the group and Entourage came calling. But with Technology, Mayday have outdone themselves. www.myspace.com/firstdayofmay www.maydayonline.com www.twitter.com/firstdayofmay A slightly shiver up the spine coincidence this afternoon but aren't they all. She comes to me - Adam Arcuragi (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA) Like a rejection of destruction; like an answer to anxiety; like a reversal of death – I Am Become Joy is a prescient cut across the grain of this new era. Adam Arcuragi's new 11-song album confirms his importance as one of the most gifted songwriters today. In some ways harkening back to the origins of recorded American folk music and in other ways continuing lineage of American independent rock, Arcuragi has positioned himself as a unique and visionary voice. On his second full-length album, Arcuragi expands on the dark, sparse style of his preceding 2006 self-titled album and 2008 EP, Soldiers for Feet. Charged with layers of backing vocals and a rotating cast of instrumentation, I Am Become Joy shows the full width of Arcuragi's brilliant songwriting style. Layered with harmony vocals and embellished with pedal steel, dulcimer, accordion, trumpet, and even a singing saw, each song has a unique arrangement to compliment Arcuragi on vocals and guitar. The new album I Am Become Joy is out on September 8th, 2009 To Stream EP and 2006 self-titled album, visit: www.adamarcuragi.com www.myspace.com/adamarcuragi Panurge Akoustik2.0 - Eclectek (Lille, France) hiphop funk electro punkrock fusionrockelectro ! Although this track is not really particularly characteristic of the album. BertyCox and Stouffi the stouvesrecommended the album Komiks Musik from Eclectek on Jamendo (where else). www.myspace.com/eclectekofficiel Tweets from Kenton Hall whose music with ist has been featured on the show. 33 minutes ago: "Okay, I'm crying to Men At Work's Down Under now. Seriously, Kenton, get a grip. You're only thirty-bloody-three." 25 minutes ago: "Oh, Jesus. Cyndi Lauper now. Every girl who ever failed to think a bipolar Canadian geek was an attractive sexual proposition has returned." 10 minutes ago: "You don't want to know what 80's era Springsteen is doing to me." ... and that's why I like being around musicians. :) Check him out on Twitter @KentonHall www.istianity.co.uk Action/Reaction - Choir of Young Believers (Copenhagen, Denmark) Even though This Is for the White in Your Eyes, the full-length debut released last week (August 18th) by Danish collective Choir of Young Believers , is teeming with instruments—voices, pianos, synthesizers, banjos, an orchestra’s ransom in strings and French horns—it’s not the arrangements that dominate so much as the images they conjure. Snow-flecked mountaintops, deserted city streets, ghost-filled churches, a final kiss between estranged lovers—this is the emotional terrain trod by Jannis Noya Makrigiannis and his Choir of Young Believers. This Is for the White in Your Eyes is an album of orchestral indie-pop, but its artistic scope extends beyond melody and harmony: Choir of Young Believers paint cinematic tableaux, with Jannis cast as the silvery-voiced narrator. In the second "Ghostly International Presents" video introduction to Choir of Young Believers, filmmaker James P. Morse focuses on bandleader Jannis Noya Makriggianis and his cellist Ceciele Trier in an intimate live performance in New York City. Jannis and Ceciele perform "Action/Reaction" as a duo, stripping the original's bombast down to its stunning, harmony-filled essence. If you missed it, part one of the series is soundtracked by "Wintertime Love" a particularly time-stopping track from This Is for the White in Your Eyes. Tour dates are coming up. www.myspace.com/choirofyoungbelievers Ghostly Presents: Choir of Young Believers (Part 2) from Ghostly International on Vimeo. Through the Winter - Make your Exit (Toronto, Canada)Jeff Buckley - lead vocals, guitar Mike Dellios - bass Mike Thomson - drums Skidboot - guitar Oliver Pauk - saxophone You could try to describe the sound of the five eclectic musical backgrounds melding together to become what is Make Your Exit with fancy words and hyperbole... but the overbearing fact of their music is that it's simply honest. And honest music isn't always easy to come by. It's stripped down, yet amped up, it's noisy and abrasive, yet quiet and modest. It's the sounds of five extremely talented twenty somethings just letting it all out. Lucky for us, their post-rock release lands somewhere between familiar and completely unfamiliar. Four part vocal harmonies akin to Fleet Foxes, with the addition of jazzy saxophone parts, and just the right tasteful amount of Canadiana twang - Make Your Exit is unlike anything you've heard before, yet it won't be hard to wrap your head around. Remind Me the Reason I Came, is the band's second EP and showcases their unique unbridled songwriting energy in the best light. The album is mastered by Noah Mintz and was recorded by Brent Bodrug in an abandoned church somewhere outside of Trenton, Ontario. www.myspace.com/makeyourexit Comments[0] |
Wed, 26 August 2009  Fine and quirky music from Las Vegas, Queens, France, Portland Oregon, Newfoundland, Nashville and NYC.Perhaps a slightly different show this week with mercifully less of me. The hops (pic) are ripening nicely on the landing just outside the studio door here at the barn (having climbed up 15 feet or so from the ground). We just need some barley, yeast and Burtonised water to set up our own brewery. Although if you've heard PC Podcast this week you'll appreciate that it isn't quite that easy. Bad Habits - Brian O'Shea (Las Vegas) From the album Still Alive and Kickin' Butt. Previously featured on SnC178. www.oshea-keith.com/ A slightly different format. Million Years Ago - Kathy Fleischmann (Queens, NY) The Kathy Fleischmann Band is comprised of four seasoned singer/songwriter/musicians from NY. Their music is a mix of blues, rock, jazz and folk. The Kathy Fleischmann Band is currently performing in Long Island/Queens the NY area at venues including The National Underground, The Underscore and The Alphabet Lounge. They have just released, The Second Took Even Longer, their first full length CD with 10 original songs www.kathyfleischmann.com/ www.myspace.com/thekathyfleischmannband www.cdbaby.com/cd/fleisch4 Pete Cogle again exceeded all reasonable expectations this week by discovering an astoundingly fine track Washboard Lemon by Geoffrey Lemon which you'll hear at the very start of PCP 275. I must admit that I didn't hear it as trad jazz. It seemed more like a reworking of something like 1930s dance music. Whatever it is I found it worryingly compelling. Take a listen for yourself at petecogle.com Worldconkest - Jeffrey Lemon (Vannes, France) Jeffrey Lemon does not fall anywhere: from hip hop, dub, drum and bass, the electronica and jazz, he experimented with various sound worlds and machines are a ticket of invitation to the doors of perception. Often accompanied on stage by MC Nasty, posing texts with a flow of fluid disconcerting, and his drummer Crazy Drummer from the jazz, the electronic and the acoustic blend perfectly to give birth to a new genre: music "Electro-lemon" http://julien.lebayon.free.fr/jeffreylemon.html Octavio - Viva Voce (Portland, Oregon) From their album RoseCity on the Amore!Phonics label which was released on CD just a couple of weeks ago. Kevin also lets us know that " To much questioning and asking I give this answer - yes, vinyl is on the way! September will find the 180 gram vinyl release of Rose City on the Jealous Butcher record label. We worked with Jealous Butcher on the release of the Blue Giant EP last year and we were thrilled we got to work with them again on this release. As par for course, the vinyl release will include 2 additional cuts not on the CD or digi. Wax only my friends! I won't spoil the surprise, but the tunes turned out quite amazing and we"re happy they'll have a home on Jealous Butcher." www.vivavoce.com www.myspace.com/vivavoce  Viva Voce "Octavio" (mp3) from "Rose City" (Amore!Phonics) More On This AlbumCome Clean - Chris Kirby (Newfoundland) Vampire Hotel is Kirby's highly-anticipated sophomore recording, and is produced by Gordie Johnson (Big Sugar, Gov't Mule, Taj Mahal). Production of the record was split between Fat Tracks Studios in St. John's, NL, and Willie Nelson's Pedernales Studios in Austin TX. Heavily influenced by New Orleans Rhythm & Blues and Motown Soul, but rooted in the rich Newfoundland tradition of storytelling, Vampire Hotel offers a unique and refreshing brand of music from a truly original artist. www.chriskirbyonline.com/ www.myspace.com/chriskirbyandthemarquee Your Truth - Sharon Lang (Nashville, TN, USA) Accompanied by friends and fellow musicians Lyndsay Pruett, John Depriest, and Josh Minyard, Lovers and Thieves is a simple, no-frills portrayal of Lang's experiences both before and during her time in Nashville. Inspired by the unique community of artists, lovers, gypsies, dreamers, saints, and sinners that occupy this fair city, it truly expresses a love of first-class effort and sincere dedication to all things that are good. www.myspace.com/sharonlangmusic Good things die - Nordgarden (Hammer / Oslo, Norway) An old track from the first album which brings a great combination of guitar and trumpet. Terje is on the west coasts of Canada and USA for a couple of weeks. Watch out for him popping up with surprise gigs at various club nights. www.nordgarden.info www.myspace.com/nordgarden Pride - Paula Toledo (Vancouver, BC, Canada) There seems to be a really strong seam of Canadian women producing beautiful songs at the moment. I think Paula Toledo is among the best. Melancholy shadowing optimism. Jangly guitars to atmospheric sounds. Paula co-produced this album with Jonathan Anderson, additional prod. & mixing by David Odlum (Josh Ritter, The Frames) at Black Box Studios in France. I first played Paula on SnC 003 back in Feb 2006. She's been a bit quiet since 2007. Too rare and precious a talent to be allowed to fade away. www.paulatoledo.com/ www.myspace.com/paulatoledo Comments[0] |
Wed, 19 August 2009  Some wonderfully quirky tunes this week from Iceland, the UK, Virginia, Germany, Toronto, Holland and two from Los Angeles.It was Pimms o'clock when we arrived at Pete Cogle's hut at Southwold. I have no idea what time we left. Just as it should be. Need Strange - Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats (LA, CA, USA) From Meet the Meatbats, their debut album on Warrior Records. Bombastic, funky, sexy and loud, Chad Smith (drummer of Red Hot Chili Peppers & Chickenfoot) is breaking out on his own with guitar star Jeff Kollman, multi-faceted keyboardist Ed Roth, and Motor City bass ace Kevin Chown. Together, they comprise what is easily one of the most interesting and unpredictable instrumental bands to come along in years; Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats. Their sound creates a cutting edge sonic experience with a plethora of influences, fusing together styles as diverse as classic rock, old school funk, punk, and 70's R&B. The album, Meet The Meatbats, speaks for itself. Consisting of 10 songs written in the span of a few days at Chad's pool house in Malibu (known as "The Tiki Room"), songs including "Need Strange," "Oops! I Spilled My Beer," "Battle For Ventura Blvd.," and the hauntingly beautiful "Night Sweats," exude a live wire feel, sarcasm, and excitement rarely found in the current world of digitally induced "perfection." It is instrumental music with a soul and a sense of humor. Take a look at the Bombastic Meatbats interview on YouTube. www.myspace.com/bombasticmeatbats All the same to me - Anya Marina (LA, CA, USA ) For those who may know of Marina from her early debut releases - the five-song EP Exercises in Racketeering and 2005"s acoustic-driven full-length Miss Halfway (whose title track also appears on the Grammy Award-nominated second volume of the Grey's Anatomy soundtrack) - Slow & Steady Seduction is an artistic and creative leap forward in this evolving artist's career. "Miss Halfway was sort of a demo of songs I came up with," Marina explains. "I wanted the new album to feel like a more accurate expression of who I am as an artist. I wanted it to sound like something that I'd want to buy, and that meant making it something you could tap your toes to. The album's got some sexy, dirty rock and roll moments on it. I just wanted to have a little more soul." "All The Same To Me," which sets the freewheeling musical tone with its vaudevillian, cabaret feel. "I'm always thinking there's going to be some old person who's going to sue me, saying 'We wrote that in 1925'." Just finishing a tour with Emiliana Torrini. Last gig tonight in LA. 19 Aug El Rey Los Angeles, California www.anyamarina.com www.myspace.com/anyamarina Speak Easy - Brains Repaired (Toronto, Canada) To give you some info about me, my name is Andrew Belanger, I live in Toronto, Canada, I play all the instruments, record, and mix all my own songs, I'm also in the process of forming a heavily synth-influenced band with like-minded people. www.myspace.com/brainsrepairedAlso, I think the Internet is the greatest medium for musicians in particular to use. Reaching a mass audience without corporate interference leads to musical freedom in its finest form! Joanna at the door - Emmet Swimming (Fairfax, VA, USA) Emmet Swimming formed in 1991 while students at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA ... The band named themselves after a young black boy, Emmet Till, who was shot in a small Mississippi town for whistling at a white woman and became one of the many martyrs of the American civil rights movement. "The idea of the name was basically that a 14-year-old boy should be swimming in the river, not dying in it." Todd Watts - Vocals, Guitar Erik Wenberg - Lead Guitar, Vocals Scott Brotemarkle - Bass Guitar, Vocals Tamer Eid - Drums After releasing three CDs on Epic Records and touring nationwide for the better part of 7 years, Fairfax, VA's legendary emmet swimming took a long look at each other and at the van that they had largely called home for so many years and decided to take a break in the early 2000's to focus on non-musical interests. The toils of the road and the all consuming nature of the music industry had left long unfulfilled promises and prospects back at home, and the band largely dispersed to pursue families and careers. In 2007, with original drummer Tamer Eid rejoining the band and longtime friend and collaborator Scott Brotemarkle settled in on bass, the band began playing shows including a sold out performance at the 930 Club in Washington DC. The chemistry was undeniable. This track is from Bathing in the New Economy (EP) Do check out their myspace there are some great tunes on there too. www.emmetswimming.com/ www.myspace.com/emmetswimming Take a look and listen to Springsteen's acoustic version of Thunder Road recorded at Hammersmith Odeon in London in 1975 amid all the hype about his being "the new Dylan". 3055 - Ólafur Arnalds (Mosfellsbaer, Iceland) At only 21 years of age, Ólafur Arnalds is Iceland's latest export. Having already sold out The Barbican Hall in London, toured major European festivals and having opened for Sigur Rós on their most recent European tour, the future seems bright for this young, extraordinary talent. www.olafurarnalds.com www.myspace.com/olafurarnalds Benzinadiko - Mediterra Musica (Hamburg, Germany) They describe themselves as electronic traditional, which is probably OK, although they do resist the idea of classification, playfully resorting to approaches such as "Romantics compare the indefinable style of MediTerra with Chili-Chocolate. Xenophobes believe to find a taste of goat cheese. Somewhere in between and beyond that lies the vision of MediTerra." www.jamendo.com/en/album/47287 www.myspace.com/mediterramusica www.mediterra-musica.com Terry Reid gigs coming up in the UK in the next couple of weeks. Tomorrow (Thursday 20th) he is at Komedia in Brighton along with The Daylight Faded. Next week (Wednesday 26th) he is premiering his new collaboration with Shine the Parisian trip-hop outfit who recently appeared on the soundtrack to Ugly Betty. Now this sounds a really, really interesting coming together. Again, The Daylight Faded are playing an acoustic set. Pigale Club, London, next Wednesday 8 'til 11. Get all the info and see a couple of videos at www.shine-music.net/ www.myspace.com/shinespace Fist of Time - The Daylight Faded (UK) The Daylight Faded, a London based 3-piece band spawned by singer/songwriter Lee Gordon who are still yet to celebrate their first birthday and have recorded their debut EP with new London label JUSTICE BROTHERS due out in late Autumn 2009. Gordon says: "We are a live band, we pour every ounce of energy and emotion our bodies can muster into the music, being the best, most exciting and honest live band we can be is our goal.' www.myspace.com/thedaylightfaded Chemise De Beauregard - Cochon Bleu (Groningen, Netherlands) From the album It's all coming good. Fifteen years of playing together, hundreds of gigs and five well-received CDs have made Cochon Bleu into what it is today: one of Holland's most sparkling bands. Accordion, guitars and mandolin are cast in the leading roles, backed by a sturdily knocking rhythm section. They started out playing pure cajun music, but in the course of time lots of other influences crept in. Two things remained, though: French lyrics and an overdose of energy. www.cochonbleu.nl Comments[1] |
Tue, 11 August 2009  Music from France, London, Nashville, Liverpool and Cuba and Cornwall in the UK this week.Today was spent visiting the Codger Cogle family at their holiday home in Southwold. The rain this morning cleared as we sat drinking Pimms and eating lunch at their hut right down by the sea (see pic). A tour of the Adnams Brewery was fascinating and the tasting session after the tour was, well, shall we say extensive! Just as well that I recorded the show before we went. My Artificial Sun - Fresh Body Shop (Nantes, France) From the 2009 album The Ugly Army. All the tracks are written and recorded by Pedro Rousseau although he is joined by Oli on bass and Fyjen on drums for live shows. The earlier albums Orgamilk, Make this end and Tasteless are also available on Jamendo. There is now an opportunity for artists to suggest a donation for downloads but I don't think it is compulsory. However, if music is important to you, please leave as much as you can afford for downloads and if you can leave a review that would be really good too. My thanks to listener Andy Fidler for reminding me about Fresh Body Shop. www.myspace.com/133439871 www.last.fm/music/Fresh+Body+Shop www.jamendo.com/fr/artist/freshbodyshop One short life - Nick Cook (Penzance, Cornwall, UK) Nick sent me this track using the Suffolkandcool.com submission service for musicians. Find out about it at www.suffolkandcool.com by clicking on the "submit you music" menu button. If you'd like that track, Nick has made it available as a free download at www.nick-cook.com and click "Free music". www.nick-cook.com www.myspace.com/nickmcook Conte de fée - Spleen (Argenteuil, France) Another track from the excellent album Les Algorythmes de Venus on Jamendo. Go over to their page at Jamendo and have a listen to the rest of their music - awfully good. www.jamendo.com/en/artist/spleen Love is your fear - Vinny Piana (London, UK) Vinny Piana: Musician, Producer and Writer Vinny is best known as the former writer, producer and guitarist for cult London indie band "The Space Between". His music has attracted the attention of various DJs and producers along the way including dance remixes by renown artists such as Chris McCormack (Ministry of Sound, Gary Newman, samples on Fatboy Slim's million selling Halfway between the Gutter and the Stars album). Among his credits are composing music for TV documentaries such as BBC, C4, ITV and independent movies including "Love Sexy” (Sundance festival selection). Love is your fear is a unique blend of electro / Indie rock that may remind you of classic bands such as Joy Division, New order, Eurythmics and contemporary cutting edge artists such as Clavin Harris. It is an engaging song about love, the struggle of being in a relationship and how hard one can be with another when things aren't going great. The song has a deep groove, engaging synth that are reminiscent of Sweet dreams by Eurythmics, a modern feel, great hook and dramatic ending. Vinny Piana Live performances support include Wendy James (Racine), The Soho Dolls, Client, Lene Lovich and The Rakes. Vinny is currently working on his debut solo album Beg me to forgive due out in October 09. www.vinnypiana.co.uk/ www.myspace.com/vinnypianamusic Dangerous - Kristen Cothron (Nashville, TN. USA) From her album Love letters from a Fool. Kristen's voice is reminiscent of classic jazz singers, but the songs are edgy and smart and cut right across the lines in an interesting way. Since the release of Love Letters from a Fool in May of 2006 Cothron has been touring regionally and is currently celebrating the release of her music video, Dangerous. Whether she's singing a jazz standard, a classic soul tune, or one of her eclectic original songs- Kristen's sound is undeniably her own. www.kristencothron.com www.myspace.com/kristencothron Pressure - Christope Marc (Liverpool, UK and Nantes, France) This is part of the solo project by Christophe Marc, lead singer and guitarist with Galago. You'll find him at www.jamendo.com/en/artist/christophe_marc www.myspace.com/christophemarc Christophe Marc was Recommended by Organic Despair. If you'd like to recommend tracks on Jamendo, all you have to do is join, it is free and you're away. Doorway - Jennings (Nashville/NYC) Although her writing began in high school, Jennings' surge in musical expression started after the sudden death of her mother. "This tragedy rocked me to the core, but there is so much beauty in what it allowed me to do," she says. "All of my emotions came pouring out in the form of melody." At the time, her father, a former musician, gave her the option to go through therapy or record an album. He knew both would be equally helpful to her, but by recording her music, she would be able to have something to hold on to and share with others for a lifetime. With Femtastic and now Storybook EP complete, Jennings has built on the lessons of her life and musical journey and courageously perfected the delicate balance between vulnerability, honesty and grit. www.myspace.com/jenningsmusic www.jennings-music.com www.cdbaby.com/cd/jenningsmusic4 Meet up with Codger at Southwold for Pimms at his beach hut, a brewery tour at Adnams and possibly another small beverage later. May have to get the bus home! He has already been Twittering about the relaxation. El Son No Puede Fallar - Sierra Maestra (Cuba) This is from The Rough Guide to the Music of Cuba released just a week or so ago.  Sierra Maestra "El Son No Puede Fallar" (mp3) from "The Rough Guide to the Music of Cuba" (Rough Guides/World Music Network) More On This AlbumComments[0] |
Wed, 5 August 2009  A selection of tuneful ditties to delight again this week with tracks from Brooklyn (no surprise there then), Brighton, London, Detroit, Israel, Atlanta, Pennsylvania and The Netherlands.Summer came back today after a month's break so the apples in the orchard are almost ready for picking, before the wasps get them or passers by stroll in to help themselves. I was thinking of suggesting a "Pick-your-own" system this year, in which they do indeed pick their own, not ours! Harrumph :) Hello, hello - Selectah Zaragu, with the B.i.m.b family (Brooklyn, NY, USA) Selectah Zaragu is a one of the top new producers from France. Born in the Ivory coast, growing up in France and the uk Zaragu spent all of his life indulging in the sounds of reggae music. Coming to America he hooked up with his fellow B.i.m.b family members, C-Tons, Dot Henny, Michael K, and Akini Blake. Air music group has brought these guys together to create an album that is unique and musically stimulating. The first single , HELLO HELLO, is the introduction to the core members of the B.i.m.b family. The album "enter the B.i.m.b" is due in store august 2009. www.airmusicgroup.com www.myspace.com/airmusicgroup Outcome of the trial of Joel Tenenbaum who admitted sharing 30 songs on a variety of file sharing sites: $675,000 in damages which works out to about $22,500 per song. Even iTunes isn't that expensive. Actually, the jury decided on the $22,500 which was at the lower end of the range available to them for "willful" file sharing under the DMCA act of 1999 which runs from a painful $7050 per song to an eye-watering $150,000 per song. What do you think about the verdict? Should it be OK to file-share, given that it is against the law, what should the sanctions be. Let me (and everyone else) know what you think on the SnC shownotes page. Use the comments link at the bottom of each show. Everything's Good - Phoenix Williams (Brighton, UK) Born in Blackpool, Lancs, Phoenix was born in to music inspired by her grandfather, pianist and composer, Harry Williams who played with various musicians on the Blackpool entertainment club circuit in the 1940-60s. At the age of 3, Phoenix was given her first guitar and by the age of 10 was encouraged by the familys' organ teacher, Bill Pinnock, to begin organ lessons as he said she "had a natural ear for sound" By the age of 19, Phoenix took the guitar seriously and decided that she would focus her life to learning everything she could about songwriting and music composition. Phoenix Williams' first solo acoustic gigs were in Blackpool at West Coast Rock Cafe, The Broadwalk and The Galleon. To be closer to the real music scene in London, Phoenix was drawn from one seaside to another, Brighton. This proved to being a brave step closer to her real uncovering and establishment of working with music industry professionals. From her album Wait and See on Arkade Records where you can download that track free. www.arkade.com/default.aspx?a=Phoenix_Williams_Album While you're there take a listen to more of her music - it really is worthwhile. www.myspace.com/phoenixwilliams Ma Tipé - Amakonda (London, UK) Described as rap hiphop guineen, this song is telling about people gossiping on someone just because of his "gangster" appearance. They are keen to attempt a destruction of his relationship with his wife. Recommended by Jose Konda whose own music (Kimbala) is on SNC 168 www.jamendo.com/en/album/49173 Parallelogram - Deastro (Detroit, MI, USA) When Randolph Chabot first began recording his own albums at age 12, he discovered a means of living out his fantasies. Using whatever instrument he could find, Chabot began constructing hyper-emotional dream worlds—teenage symphonies peopled by superheroes, aliens, lost souls, and star-crossed lovers. He's been zipping through the clouds ever since, streaking the skies as his superhuman alter-ego, Deastro. The 22-year-old pop prodigy records in the basement of his parents' house. He's self-released more than three albums' worth of songs, drawn all his own album covers, and played countless ecstatic, synth-driven live shows in Detroit's network of DIY venues. Chabot's demos eventually found their way to digital-download site eMusic, which released Keeper's, an exclusive "greatest hits" package that quickly became one of the site's best-sellers. After Deastro's elegantly lurching instrumental Light Powered appeared on Ghostly Swim (Ghostly's collaboration with Adult Swim), it was clear that Chabot had found a home for his joyful electronic pop, and Ghostly had found a kindred spirit in Deastro. The Moondragger album adds a full band to the mix.  Deastro "Parallelogram" (mp3) from "Moondagger" (Ghostly International) Buy at iTunes Music Store Stream from Rhapsody More On This AlbumThat's the way it is - Alex Bershadsky (Netanya, Israel) Alex was born in Latvia, but moved to Israel at the age of two with his family. Once his music career took off, he became immersed with the country's top musicians. Undoubtedly, this exposure to master musicians had a tremendous effect on Bershadsky's development as a performer and composer. http://myspace.com/alexanderbershadsky www.sonicbids.com/AlexBershadsky Rocking the Daisies - festival in Darling, S. Africa http://rockingthedaisies.com Goodbye - Alexis Vear (Atlanta, Georgia, USA) In 2004 Alexis released her debut album, Never Give Up, an acoustic record full of heart and soul Alexis was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. After relocating several times, In 2005 Alexis moved from Greensboro, North Carolina…. to Atlanta, Georgia….. where she has enjoyed a vibrant and supportive music scene. In late 2006 she began working with local Producer Geoff Melkonian Her newest release Let It Go is a very strong album that you can get from CD Baby, iTunes and elsewhere.. www.alexisvear.com/ www.myspace.com/alexisvear http://cdbaby.com/cd/vear2 For all your metal requisites: Kimi at www.themetaldeli.com Rowley at www.darkcompass.com/metal Orange Everwood - Jimmy Mancus (Springbrook, Pennsylvania, USA) Mancus's soon-to-be-released new album Move Down, is a testament to his mantra of doing things his own way. The album's 14 tracks consist of a diverse blend of styles, including acoustic, indie, funk, hip-hop, rock, and surf. In addition to Jimmy's own unique acoustic style and guitar riffs, the album features RasMG/"Field" Marshall Goodman, DJ for the multi-platinum selling band SUBLIME and the Long Beach Dub All-Stars, on the turntables...Clyde Rosencrance, the album's producer, on electric guitar...Lenny Mecca on bass...Eli Hludzik on drums...and Matthew Nakoa on keyboards. www.jimmymancus.com www.myspace.com/jimmymancus I'll be meeting up with Codger next week for a brewery tour at Adnams in Southwold - that'll piss Rowley right off. I'm sure there will be some Twitter pictures emanating from Codger or me or both of us! You can follow Codge @petecogle and I'm on as @suffolkandcool Look out for response tweets from Rowley too. Heron - Cochon Bleu (Groningen, Netherlands) Fifteen years of playing together, hundreds of gigs and five well-received CDs have made Cochon Bleu into what it is today: one of Holland's most sparkling bands. Accordion, guitars and mandolin are cast in the leading roles, backed by a sturdily knocking rhythm section. They started out playing pure cajun music, but in the course of time lots of other influences crept in. Two things remained, though: French lyrics and an overdose of energy. www.cochonbleu.nl Comments[1] |
Wed, 29 July 2009  Music mostly from the USA this week but with Iceland and Taiwan represented as well.Summer has settled into its familiar UK pattern of rain from mid-July (when schools finish for the "summer"). So nothing special by way of a pic this week. Just pointed the camera out of the barn window and pressed the button! Love is never wrong - Brian O'Shea (Las Vegas, Nevada ) From the album Still alive and kickin' butt Brian O'Shea is aka Brian Keith Born in Port-Glasgow, Scotland. Brian began his musical career as a trombonist while in high school performing in local Jazz bands, he then immigrated to Canada and joined the Royal Canadian Guards as a bandsman and ended his stint as a sergeant. After returning to London he toured as an opening act for Junior Walker & The All Stars, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Wilson Picket, Rufus & Irma Thomas, and Stevie Wonder, just to name a few. Brian began singing, writing and producing and got his first hit, "Everything I Am”, as lead singer Brian "Keith", with the group, Plastic Penny in 1968. As Brian Keith he appeared on a rock cd by "Screaming Lord Sutch & Heavy Friends" with Jimmy Page, John Bonham, Jeff Beck, Noel Redding, Nicky Hopkins, Keith Moon, Ritchie Blackmore,, the British Royalty of rock. Not to shabby eh? The 1980s took Brian to Las Vegas where he has since made his home. Brian recently produced a cd of R&B, Rock & Roll and Blues songs, and a Disco//trance based cd "Bonetrance" as "Big Bad Bone Daddy" to express his love of the trombone, all songs written, performed & produced by Brian. He is currently starring in a show at Mandalay Bay's World Famous "House of Blues" since 1999. Brian continues to be one of the finest R&B singers to be heard on the Las Vegas circuit today. www.oshea-keith.com/ Joel Tenenbaum is just like you. Joel is a 25-year old graduate student at Boston University pursuing a physics PhD. And he loves music. In 2003, Joel received a notice accusing him of downloading music through the P2P service, and told him that he could settle the case for $3,500. He called the payment hotline, offered $500, and sent a money order in that amount. That offer was denied. In 2007, a complaint showed up on his doorstep after years of silence requiring that Joel appear in court. Rather than backing down, like the other 30,000 people, Joel chose to stand his ground and elected to proceed pro se with the help of his mother. Joel filed an answer with a counterclaim asserting abuse of federal power and that the excessive damages were unconstitutional. Joel appeared in court where the Judge ordered the parties into settlement. In the settlement, Joel offered to settle for $5,000. The opposing counsel denied and counter-offered a settlement of $10,500 to be paid over 1 year. Joel declined. "For the past four years, they've been threatening me, making demands for trial, deposing my parents, sisters, friends, and myself twice - the first time for nine hours, the second for seven. I face up to $4.5m in fines and the last case like mine that went to trial had a jury verdict of $1.92m. When I contemplate this, I have to remind myself what I'm being charged with. Investment fraud? Robbing a casino? A cyber-attack against the federal government? No. I shared music. And refused to cave." A small team of students under the guidance of Professor Charles Nesson, have committed to helping Joel fight back against the RIAA by legally and publicly representing him.As they say, "It's not a vendetta. It's just that Joel chose to stand his ground. It's about defending the average Davids against the corporate Goliath." Because Joel Tenenbaum is just like us too. Now as you know, I support copyright laws and despise piracy, but this is surely counterproductive, to go for a little guy and threaten punitive fines and costs is all about the law, and nothing to do with justice. More at http://joelfightsback.com follow the case on Twitter. Follow @joelfightsback and use the hashtag #jfb The Rain on 8th Avenue - Dudley Saunders (LA, CA, USA) From the album The Emergency Lane. Over the course of three albums, "avant-folk" singer-songwriter Dudley Saunders has populated a veritable township with his strange, Flannery O'Connor-ish characters. And now he is literally putting that "town" online, in a unique new website. At DudleySaunders.com, web-surfers find a panoramic, 1920¹s-era photo of the entire population of a small town. But as they scroll through the sepia-toned crowd, they discover that the twisted people in Dudley's songs are hidden there. Signs appear over them: Whore. Killer. Masochist. A click brings you video of Dudley taking you inside the fascinating background on the songs and the characters' lives. www.DudleySaunders.com www.MySpace.com/DudleySaunders The Master Thief - Pc Muñoz (San Francisco, CA, USA) From the album What Happened? As I threatened, I have to play another track this week. Free new album out now: What Happened? pc muñoz's "mash-note to hip-hop" jam-packed with remixes, Grab Bag bonus tracks, special guests, scrumptious beats, and other treats is out and available for free. It really is an interesting album. You can get it from: www.threcords.com/?product=3 www.myspace.com/pcmunoz http://pcmunoz.com/ Oh La La - Adriana Kaegi (Zurich, NY) From her the album TAG. This is the original version and Adriana told me this afternoon that there is a remix on the album by Charlie Lagond who was the original sax player in Kid Creole and the Coconuts. There will be a music video of that soon and those that sign up to Adriana's mailing list will get to see it first as an exclusive. TAG has been announced album of the month at Amazon "TAG is upscale downtempo music for the recently unemployed," laughs glamorous blond renaissance woman and chanteuse, Adriana. Sultry and satirical, Tag is the cool comeback of the co-founder of the tropical funk mega-band, Kid Creole and the Coconuts. It's a voice we've been waiting to hear - a grown woman making intelligent witty chill-out songs with personality." Available on both Amazon and emusic http://adrianakaegi.com http://myspace.com/dearaddy Two charts from Richard Florida's Music & The Entertainment Economy Project at the University of Toronto's Rotman School Of Management illustrate an interesting point. The first looks at the size of various music scenes as measured by the number of artists on MySpace. Bands LA 47840 Brooklyn 37565 New York 34392 etc. When looking at the number of fans that bands based in certain cities have, the rankings shift. FANS 1. LA 37793565 2. NY 20150903 6. Brooklyn 10397596 Those fan figures look unbelievable but I suppose if they are based on the number of friendships rather than unique fans it may be feasible. I'll have to check the sources. from: www.hypebot.com http://tinyurl.com/na4x6q via Ariel It ain't easy - Josh Charles (Brooklyn, NY, USA) I've played Josh Charles before - way back in December. "I grew up in Kansas City and started playing in blues clubs when I was a teenager. New York City (Brooklyn) is my home right now even though I'm more of a "wandering nomad" type and I feel a close kinship to New Orleans. It's hard to put into words what that city means to me, but having been there right up until Hurricane Katrina and spent a lot of time there since, I can say that it's one of the most important and influential places in my life as an artist." Now he's doing something amazing to help the recovery of NOLA. Proceeds from the sale of his song Healing Time go to The Preservation Resource Center (PRC) of New Orleans to help rebuild, restore, and preserve the architectural history and historic neighborhoods that support the local culture and character of New Orleans. Please download Healing Time today http://tinyurl.com/healingtime and help rebuild New Orleans. Even at just $.99 at a time, it will make a big difference to real people's lives. See this CNN film. www.joshcharlesmusic.com/ www.myspace.com/joshcharlesonline Through August and September Josh is opening for Buckwheat Zydeco. Aug 19th Pittsburgh, PA Aug 20 Cleveland Heights, OH Aug 23 Indianapolis, IN Aug 25 Ferndale MI Aug 27 Nashville TN Aug 30 Evanston IL Sep 1 Minneapolis MN Sep 2 Kansas City, MO Nineth Place - Buckwheat Zydeco (Louisiana) From Lay your burden down, recorded in Maurice, Louisiana. The most adventurous release ever by an American music icon. Buckwheat is famous for fusing zydeco's rhythmic energy to rock, R&B and funk. With guest appearances by Sonny Landreth, Warren Haynes, JJ Grey and Trombone Shorty. Stanley "Buckwheat" Dural started his career as an R&B organist, and then spent two years with accordionist Clifton Chenier before forming Buckwheat Zydeco in 1979. Besides learning zydeco from Chenier, its universally acknowledged king, Dural also absorbed his mentor's maxim that music with real substance must be based on real-life experience: "I like to hear something with ideas," Chenier once told this writer. "See, a lot of young people don't understand that, they cut a record but they don't tell a story -- and you know why? They ain't got no story to tell, 'cause they ain't been through nothin'." SCRIPT 2  Buckwheat Zydeco "Ninth Place" (mp3) from "Lay Your Burden Down" (Alligator Records) Buy at Amazon More On This AlbumGetting colder by the year - JJ Soul Band (Reykajavik, Iceland) (INGVI THOR KORMÁKSSON and JJ SOUL) The songwriters, Kormáksson and Soul, met in Iceland 1993 and soon began writing music together. In 1994 they made their first CD, HUNGRY FOR NEWS, with JJ Soul Band and CITY LIFE in 1997. On both CDs the music is many-sided; blues, R&B, fusion, rock, pop and latin, sometimes all in one (blues-confusion?). Singer/songwriter JJ Soul is from Oxford, England but Ingvi is from Iceland as the rest of the band. Mr. Soul has been living and breathing music since he was eight years old. He used to play drums with small jazz units and worked both as a drummer and a singer with various rock and cabaret acts in England for many years. Since he moved to Iceland, he has focused on his writing skills and writes both songs and (mainly) lyrics. J.J. Soul currently resides in Oxford, U.K. He works as a painter, musician and art teacher. www.jjsoulband.com/ www.myspace.com/jjsoulband http://twitter.com/JJSoulBand It seems we had our summer for a few days in June. The Met Office here in the UK - who supply weather forecasts for the BBC and others have admitted that their forecast of a "barbecue summer" seems unlikely to happen. Apparently they had only forecast a 65% of lower than average rainfall and above average temperatures. This has now been revised down to 50% (doh!) and a more confident prediction that August will continue like July. Wet. As Jeremy G-Spot Gugenheim suggested this morning, the press team at the Met Office stands accused of "sexing up" the weather forecast. I've been catching up on podcast listening over the past few days and it seems that the hot weather has a detrimental effect on some of my AMP colleagues.
Oliver Benjamin Thayer was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma and instantly whisked away by a storm cloud of dust. He spent his youth traveling the globe with his parents as they collected odd jobs, long playing records and volumes of strange verse. The family bounced from Turkey to Italy to Israel to Prague as if no boundaries existed and time and space were a vague superstition. Briefly attending vocational school in Vermont, Oliver began writing songs in earnest out of frustration with his inability to repair corroborators and pay bills simultaneously. Drawing upon his love of hip-hop, P-Funk, Bob Dylan, Country/Western, and the weird and mercurial archival collections of Harry Smith and Alan Lomax, Oliver set out on his musical odyssey. He again took to the road, blowing through New York City where he squatted in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn - chasing demons through the projects and catching images for songs. He made it back to Oklahoma to meet Arlo Guthrie, rambled through Colorado to Minnesota, where he became a band leader, producer and studio sorcerer. He and his bride whom he chased to Taiwan reside together in peace and harmony awaiting the peak and inevitable meltdown of the modern world. www.theoliverse.com www.myspace.com/oliverbenjaminthayer Comments[0] |
Wed, 22 July 2009  Eastern Europe asserts itself in this week's show. Even the picture is looking east. It's Aldeburgh again I'm afraid, looking out to a rather grey North Sea towards Netherlands/Nederland, over on the mainland - a way of putting it that is guarenteed to upset the political right, racists and Little Englanders. :-)Deutsches Essen In Russland - Ivan Ivanovich & The Kreml Krauts (Trier, Germany) The site is all in German so here's the Babel translation: "A Fetzen Ska, a fragment Russia and a puddle from buried Punk flow from electrical guitar basses, horn, saxophone and over Schlagzeug, accordion and violin. Whereupon Ivan Ivanovich and the Kremlin of herb dance. Bass and guitar maintain your legs." 24 Jul 2009 Das Bett, Frankfurt 25 July 2009 Polka Ska Gypsy Sound Vol IV at Club Kuckucksei in Nürtingen, Baden-Württemberg A small foretaste on a Kremlin herb concert is at: http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=v43b5jUY9GI www.kreml-krauts.de Piece of you - Annabelle Chvostek (Montreal, Canada) Great show at The Winelight Club on Friday, where I picked up her new album Resiliance - along with the OK to play you a few tracks. Recorded in New York and Montreal with Grammy-nominated Canadian record producer Roma Baran and her producing partner Vivian Stoll, Resilience has been described as, "a sublime, spare, and profoundly reflective album that Chvostek describes as "a big complicated hug." I like hugs in general, and this one in particular. One of those magical instrument players who seem to make virtually no movement and yet the most amazing complex sounds come out. Couple that with her beautiful strong and passionate voice and exceptionally well crafted songs and you have something pretty special. My thanks to The Canada Council for subsidising her trip over from Montreal to play just a couple of dates in the UK. She is back in Canada now with appearances at the Eaglewood Festival coming up in August. www.annabelle.org/ www.myspace.com/annabellechvostek Creative Deconstruction's Refe Tuma has been in a briefing this morning on music royalty rates which he describes as "a great way to start the morning on the wrong foot!" We know that big labels are keen to extract as much of the artists earnings as possible before the artist gets their cut but some of this stuff beggars belief. Refe points out, in particular "New technology deductions?" - maybe when CDs actually cost anything to manufacture. "New tech" is what has made music FREE to distribute. I'm sure it will make it onto the creative deconstruction pages soon. If you are a musician, you might want to check out the site at www.creativedeconstruction.com"Packaging deductions" - most major labels still take the same percentage for digital downloads. Um, there's no packaging on downloads." Who's going to save the poor - CSharp Band (Kingston, Jamaica) C-Sharp Band comprises five young men: Aeion Hoilett- Bass guitarist (singer) Chevaughn Clayton - Lead vocalist Lamont Savory - Guitarist (singer) Dwain Campbell - Keyboard player (singer) and Randevon Patrick - Drummer. All were students of Edna Manley college of Visual and Performing Arts. The group started in 2001 while they were student. Since then they have opened for many great Jamaica artist. They have graced stages all over Europe, China, Africa, USA. I was put onto the C-Sharp Band by Pete Cogle who suggested that the track Nurse might be appropriate for me. Cheeky. www.myspace.com/csharpband www.csharpmusic.net (was not working this morning) A statistic for you: Out of the 105,575 albums that were released in 2008 just 110 artists sold more than 250K. - Ariel Photograph - Secret Ocean (Nagoya, Japan) From their album Kokoro No Furyoku. Hiroumi Takatsuka: vocal, guitar, harmonica (blood type A) Tome: drums, percussion and chorus (blood type B) www.secretocean.com www.myspace.com/secretoceanmusic Forest - Staraya Derevnya (Haifa, Israel & London, UK) Comment on Jamendo: "I found it profounding but only if you like that kind of music. Very experemintal but can open your mind!!!" Some may think of this as Ethnic Russian Deep House Metal Shoegaze but as you well know, that would make it very unlikely to get played on SnC. No, Frankly I see it more as Israeli Russian experimental psychofolk freakout punk - one of my favourite styles. From the album Ячаща (I'm thicket) one of three varied offerings on Jamendo. www.jamendo.com/en/album/26605 www.starayaderevnya.co.uk/ Letter from Martin Byrom Keep on Movin' - Kat Dancer (Edmonton, Canada) From her excellent album Somethin' Familiar from which I've played a few tracks over recent months. You'll find those other tracks on SnC 156, 160 and 168 Her 'Swamp Blues' style is steeped in early roots and blues traditions and delivered by her deep, resonant vocals and the soulful sound of her Weissenborn lap slide guitar. Much like a long stretching railroad track, Danser draws a direct line from the Canadian prairie to the Mississippi Delta. She is one part backwoods juke joint, one part plow puller and two parts dusty ol' canvas tent revival. Kat Danser delivers a refreshing approach to roots, blues, and gospel music for the 21st Century. A multi-instrumentalist, Danser plays the Weissenborn Hawaiian lap slide guitar, a vintage acoustic Gibson, National steel resophonic slide guitar, a tack head banjo and the Zydeco scrubboard. You can order CDs from Kat's site. www.katdanser.com www.myspace.com/katdanser Serve them well - Swimming in Speakers (NY, USA) From their first meeting in October 2008, multi-instrumentalist Chris Clarke and lead vocalist Meadow Eliz knew they wanted to write music together. The snowy, subzero climate of Saranac Lake, New York, lent itself well to winter days spent creating and recording in Chrisʼs home studio, where they crafted the "Swimming in Speakers" demo armed with a Casio, a laptop and a hodge-podge of analog equipment. Jo Sorrell (cello) and Justin Grizzoffi (percussion and guitars) add nuance to the tracks, and local NPR station NCPR granted access to their brand new studio for additional recording and mixing. They seem to be getting healthy doses of attention - at least among the podcast community. Breaking news: there is a free download of their tiny track Uh Oh on Last FM at http://bit.ly/4FYdal www.myspace.com/swimminginspeakers I know how to handle my liquor & God Move /Bad Move - Pc Muñoz (San Francisco, CA, USA) I first played Pc Muñoz on SnC 035 back in October 2006. He has certainly been on the move since then with some really interesting work along the way. At heart he is San Francisco-based recording artist and producer known for genre-defying projects which stretch the boundaries of funk and the avant-garde. Free new album out now: What Happened?!, pc muñoz's "mash-note to hip-hop" jam-packed with remixes, Grab Bag bonus tracks, special guests, scrumptious beats, and other treats is out and available for free. It really is an interesting album. I may well have to play another track next week. Meanwhile you can get it from: www.threcords.com/?product=3 www.myspace.com/pcmunoz http://pcmunoz.com/ My Radio - Lola Dutronic (France) Richard from the band sent great summer sound this early this morning, so it is certainly fresh. They were going to release this track in the autumn but it seems to have taken off of its own accord. They also have a fan-made video of the track at: www.youtube.com/watch?v?=EHDLB1_zD5M OLA DEE - Voice, RICHARD CITROEN - Music Brigitte Bardot is from the new 3rd album, LOLA DUTRONIC IN BERLIN recorded over a 3 week period in an abandoned Berlin apartment, and mixed in Toronto. it also features the legendary Mike Garson (of David Bowie's Aladdin Sane fame) on piano. "We divide our time between Berlin and Toronto. We've put out three albums so far: The World Of Lola Dutronic, the Grammy Award nominated The Love Parade and our newest album, Lola Dutronic In Berlin. We've also appeared on several compilation albums and repackages in Asia and Europe. Available on iTunes and on CDBaby at: http://cdbaby.com/cd/ldutronic www.myspace.com/loladutronic Comments[0] |
Wed, 15 July 2009  I've been out taking a couple of pics this afternoon for the village produce
show. This one used just a touch of HRD (high Dynamic Range) processing. The gulls all seemed to be flying around that particular building - for at least an hour. I hope no-one was trying to record a podcast!Johnny Wise - Modern Caveman (Sweden) Johan Sandqvist, Lyrisc & Guitar Ola Pettersson, Bass Guitar Jakob Herrmann, Drums Mikael Magnusson, Guitar Title track for the album Johnnywise which is released on Dead Frog Records. The band has been touring extensively around Sweden during the spring. Live material filmed at Bryggeriet Rock ´n Roll Bar in Motal is on their website and on YouTube. The video for the single Johnny Wise: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ezl3yq3WQQ more information: www.moderncaveman.com That Jeremy Gugenheim was round here this morning and called me a "nit wit" - what's your favourite retro mild insult? A grand selection of tunes from around the world but with a bit of a tendency to mainland Europe this week. Do tell me if this is getting all too weird. Latitude festival this weekend at Henham Hall, just up the road from the barn (well, about 20 miles). I was hoping that one or two bands that have been on the show would be playing and willing to drop in for a Session at the Barn but alas not this year as far as I could see. DISKO CIRKÚS - DVA (Hredec Kralove, Czech Republic) Circus, cabaret, beatbox, tango, popsongs, acoustic electro and electro acoustic in two layers cover. Human voices and acoustic instruments in loops. Lyrics in universal languages. Folklore of non exist nations. Somewhere between north and south, where Dva means 2. www.2dva.cz www.myspace.com/hudba2 The last weekend of July sees the gloriously named Hachfest. This year featuring Ade Edmondson's band The Bad Shepherds doing vaguely folky rocky versions of punk versions of songs. A little confusing but it could be interesting. Much more my scale of festival and at £10 per day a more sensible price too. Each to their own. Please note that the spelling is like this not as I think I said in the show. Doh! www.hachfest.co.uk/ Litter to Society - Del Marquis and Embryoroom (Brooklyn, NY, USA) Yes, I played Del last week too. This is just so good. http://delmarquis.com/ www.myspace.com/delmarquis Winelight exciting things in London and a return to Norwich. Launch event at The Pigalle Club in Piccadilly, London tonight headlined by Lucie Silvas. Then on Friday The Winelight returns to Norwich - the same venue but now under new management and it sounds pretty damned good. We'll be going along. www.thewinelightclub.com www.myspace.com/thewinelightclub Moya Hlava - Annabelle Chvostek (Montreal, Canada) When Annabelle Chvostek joined the Wailin' Jennys in 2004, the rest of the world found out what a grassroots network of Canadian roots fans had known for several years: that Chvostek is a formidable songwriter, a versatile multi-instrumentalist, and a fearless and innovative artist whose beguiling left-of-centre compositions straddle the divide between mainstream roots and acoustic indie pop. www.annabelle.org www.myspace.com/annabellechvostek Note from Kimo Watanabe www.sellaband.com/kimo-watanabe/ www.myspace.com/kimowatanabe It's a shame - Boo Boo Davis (St Louis, USA) Boo Boo Davis is the REAL DEAL. He is coming from the same area, period and tradition as most of the blues greats but there is one huge difference - Boo Boo is still alive and kicking, writing and singing his music .. raw first-hand experience blues directly from the Delta. July 15 - Jazz à Juan - Antibes - France July 16 - Rattlesnake Saloon - Munchen - Germany July 18 - Big Rivers @ Bibelot - Dordrecht - Holland July 19 - BLUES PEER - Peer - Belgium July 25 - Au Pre du Blues - Althen des Paluds - France July 26 - Brielle Blues - Brielle - Holland July 30 - Glander's Alte Kornbrennerei - Verden - Germany July 31 - Blues Oan Daa Stoazze - Hamme - Belgium August 1 - Tyykiblues - Forssa - Finland August 8 - Blues City Deli - St Louis MO - USA www.booboodavis.com www.myspace.com/booboodavis Chimaeras be met - Vagabond Opera (Portland Oregon) If you heard Vagabond Opera a couple of weeks ago you may be interested to know that they have extended their west coast tour with dates coming up in Bellingham and Seattle, WA, 2 dates in their hometown of Portland, OR (one with The Wanderlust Circus at the Bossa Nova Ballroom plus CA dates at Los Gatos, LA and San Rafael with a return to WA for a concert in the park at Kenmore. Dates on their site at www.vagabondopera.com www.myspace.com/vagabondopera Evlari Vaar - Monika Jalili (Salt Lake City, Utah, USA) Monika Jalili brings to life the rich history of Iranian culture through its music and poetry. Her entrancing selection of songs spans time and place; traditional Persian folk favorites stand alongside love songs from the 1940s to 1970s, a time of great cultural change in Iran. The songs are performed in their original languages of Persian, Azeri, and various dialects. Using traditional and non-traditional instruments, her ensemble musicians combine their influences to present original interpretations of this music. Since a serendipitous introduction in 2003, Monika Jalili has worked tirelessly to revive the touching works of these Iranian artists, some of whom are no longer with us, and most of whom have lived the past 30 years into their old age unable to express themselves as they once could. It is their songs that Monika sings with passion, appreciation, care and love. www.monikajalili.com www.myspace.com/monikajalili Balrog Boogie - Diablo Swing Orchestra (Stockholm, Sweden) From their album The Butcher's Ballroom which was on Jamendo but deosn't seem to be anymore. The Diablo Swing Orchestra dates back to 1501 in Sweden, where history tells the tale of an orchestra that played like no other. With music so seductive and divine that the ensemble overwhelmed audiences all over the country, and people from all social classes took them to their hearts. Their performances rapidly earned a reputation of being feral and vigorous and gained the orchestra a devoted crowd that followed them around. Stockholm 2003 decedents found each other. Unfortunately all of the original scores were confiscated and burned by the church back in 1503. So music-wise the new orchestra were left with no directions on what to play. After some meticulous discussions it was agreed upon that the music should be like a modern version of the old orchestra. Annlouice was chosen to front the band, her angelic yet powerful operatic voice was perfect to bring a bombastic feeling to the music. Pontus dance-influences and programming skills came in handy since the orchestra wanted the arrangements to sound a bit more futuristic. He shares guitar duties with Daniel who also is the main composer in the band. Andy brought some groove to the mix adding powerful slapping and funk-oriented bass licks, while Andreas's energetic drumming made sure the songs are driven and pulsating. Together with Anders, he lays the solid swinging foundation of the band. Johannes's theoretical knowledge and stunning technique combined with an emotive cello-playing style made him essential to the bands sound. Together they answer to the name of Diablo Swing Orchestra and are determined to honour the legacy of their ancestors. www.diabloswing.com www.myspace.com/diabloswingorchestra Comments[0] |
Wed, 8 July 2009  Back in the UK for this week's show having had a great time in the heat of Ibiza visiting Jessie. The island seems a bit quieter this year but the wall art is rather fine. This pic is just a very small part of a large poster on a wall in the Old Town.We "did" Pacha again and I still marvel a the price of drinks: a vodka and tonic and an orange juice = 23 Euros (that's about $32 or £20). Worth it though it is a great club, just sip slowly! www.pacha.com/ibiza/ African Dream - Halo and Kemal From Classic Dubs remixed by Halo. Thanks to Dave and the team at Mn2S for the OK to play that. If you like the sound of that you could do a lot worse than get over to www.mn2s.com or even direct to the album at Tracksource. http://tinyurl.com/loufcr Hedonist - Sharon Lang (Nashville, TN, USA) Accompanied by friends and fellow musicians Lyndsay Pruett, John Depriest, and Josh Minyard, Lovers and Thieves is a simple, no-frills portrayal of Lang's experiences both before and during her time in Nashville. Inspired by the unique community of artists, lovers, gypsies, dreamers, saints, and sinners that occupy this fair city, it truly expresses a love of first-class effort and sincere dedication to all things that are good. www.myspace.com/sharonlangmusic  Sharon Lang "Hedonist" (mp3) from "Lovers and Thieves" (Per Capita Records) Buy at iTunes Music Store Buy at Rhapsody More On This AlbumAny Kind of Love - Del Marquis and Embryoroom (Brooklyn, NY, USA) A formally trained furniture designer, Marquis had no intention of becoming a musician. "I practiced a trade and loved to build things, that is one of the main reasons I started playing guitar, it is such a beautiful object. Things didn't go as planned and Del joined the fledgling nightclub act, Scissor Sisters. "In NYC, September 11th left so many people in a state of confusion; what you thought was your future path, was very much uncertain. I think those events allowed me to take a risk, and see what might happen with music." Scissor Sisters began 2004 as a little-known act, and ended it as a pop phenomenon. Their eponymous debut album was the biggest-selling album in the UK that year. The album has since gone almost ten times platinum here. As lead guitarist in Scissor Sisters, Marquis has seen two world tours culminating in three sold out shows at London's O2 arena. Scissor Sisters have sold in excess of 4 million albums worldwide. Marquis felt it was necessary to make music of his own after so much time touring and recording as a band. "I had an idea to do a pop album, but paired with darker themes than what felt comfortable on a SS album. I wanted the music to be melodic and the production to be big, in that I referenced 80's production, and the records that most successfully incorporated the dawn of digital gear with analogue techniques." Marquis settled on the concept of a multi-media project that would roll out in smaller doses all leading toward a large, complete vision. Working this way allows the project to evolve and take spontaneous turns en route to the finish. The releases aren't all retro synths and British homage; Embryoroom multimedia group concepted another side to the project. Together, Embryoroom and Marquis worked on the idea of the 'Shadow,' an ulterior personality of the work. "We wanted to show a darker side to pop music, how the same song can be reinterpreted to represent a different style and emotion." These versions are called 'Shadow tracks" and are featured as separate tracks in each installment. The final element of the project is an episodic Science Fiction video, entitled 'Hazmazk," this visual narrative (often starring Marquis as Viz, a character subjected to examination and abduction) is filled with striking motifs and dark content. Says Marquis, "Its important to have strong visuals as an identity beyond the sound, and although we didn't necessarily want to create music videos as the sole representation for the project People don't absorb things in two or three dimensions anymore, its 5.1 sound verses a stereo mix. I feel the project is unlike anything that is currently available commercially, especially given that it is DIY to the core. Following the first two well-received installments - Hothouse, released in December and March's Character Assassination, Del is gearing up for the May 19th release of Litter To Society. The 9-track work continues his experimentation in blending emotional themes and a forward-thinking vision with a classic synth-soul-pop palette that recalls pioneers of the sound such as The Human League and Tears for Fears merging with more experimental instrumentals. "Litter To Society is the most intense thematic release of the series," says Del. "It would be impossible to divorce one element from the other, i.e. the visuals, the songs, the interludes; each element works together to tell a story." "It is an account of depravity in modern life, told through songs about urban and social decay. Within each moment, there is hope, the 'child inside" and the possibility of redemption." delmarquis.com / www.myspace.com/delmarquis We got to meet death one day - Kelly Joe Phelps Kelly Joe Phelps has featured on the show before and it is great to have him back on with such a fine display of subtle slide guitar and heart-felt vocals. The track is from the remastered and repackaged 15th year anniversary edition of Kelly Joe Phelps' groundbreaking evergreen release Lead me on. This edition features two exclusive, unreleased bonus tracks 'Ever Be Here Again" and this haunting and inspired interpretation of the 1935 song We Got To Meet Death One Day by Blind Willie McTell. On Burnside Records. You can download that track free of charge through the link below. Kelly Joe Phelps "We Got to Meet Death One Day" (mp3) from "Lead Me On (15 Year Anniversary Edition)" (Burnside Records) Stream from Rhapsody Buy at iTunes Music Store More On This AlbumWhy buys CDs? What are the pros and cons of buying downloads vs physical copies. Let me know what influences your decision: peter [at]suffolkandcool.com Tebje Pojem - EMAR (Ontario, Canada) From the album Sacred Soul. EMAR (pron. Ehm-Ahr) is an international world music artist. Born in the Balkans and raised in Canada, EMAR's multicultural influences inspire her to sing and record in several languages including Serbian, Hindi, Persian, Arabic and Church Slavonic. EMAR worked with three renowned producers to create her ethereal, spiritual sound: Genie Award-nominated Sean Eyre, 2007 Canadian Music Awards winner for Best World Music Group & 2009 JUNO Awards Nominee - Andrew McPherson of Eccodek and noted film composer Igor Vrabac. Playing on five of the album"s tracks is World Music multi-instrumentalist Boris Sichon. The album was released last September and is available at CDBaby, iTunes and selected music stores in Canada and the US. www.emarmusic.com/ Stagger Home to my Baby - Charlie Morris Band (St Petersburg, FL, USA) Roots rocker Charlie Morris hails from the swampy suburbs of St. Petersburg, Florida, and "writes like a man who has been down the road more than a few times" [music writer and DJ Norman Davis]. The Charlie Morris Band mixes up a soulful stew of blues, funk, Louisiana rhythms and jazzy jams behind Charlie's original songs about wayward women, drinking,gambling and life on the road. Charlie's ability to entertain an audience is legendary, and hot solos on slippery slide guitar, organ and piano keep the action moving. Seasoned road warrior Charlie Morris tours regularly throughout the Southeast US, as well as in Europe, where he has played at several major festivals in Europe, including the Montreux Jazz Festival and the Great British R&B Festival. Ten Tall Tales will be Charlie's 5th CD, and contains 10 new original songs recorded in Switzerland, with the same red-hot Swiss band that's been touring with Charlie since 2004. Charlie's Strat and Paul converse with Markus Baumer's piano, B-3 and Rhodes, David Clarke lays down a bucket-of-beans bass, and Marco "Speedy" Jeanrenaud snaps his snare like a young Turk, while building rock-solid grooves like a mature road warrior. www.bluespages.com/charliemorris/ www.myspace.com/charliegator Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich with Lipservice Theatre is putting on a show Desperate to be Doris, a musical based around the songs of Doris Day. They need to recruit a choir leader and local singers to be in a community choir as part of the show in October. rehearsals start at the end of August and the choir will meet once a week for 3 hours. Deadline 14th July call Laura Norman on 01473 295930. Sala - Abuigail Washburn & The Shanghai Restoration Project (Chengdu, Sichuan, China) A folk/electronic project remixing voices and sounds from the China earthquake zone to raise awareness for victims still in need. Presented by Abigail Washburn & The Shanghai Restoration Project in cooperation with Sichuan Quake Relief. Digital & Limited Edition EP CD Available since May 12th In honor of the one-year anniversary of the Sichuan Earthquakes, two pioneers in entirely different genres - folk and electronica - have merged to increase knowledge and understanding of the continuing aftermath of the earthquake. More than 88,000 have died, with upwards of 5 million left homeless or relocated. A portion of the proceeds from this EP will benefit the Sichuan Quake Relief organization. Afterquake is a collection of raw, remixed field recordings of post-earthquake soundscapes as well as performances by relocated children and their faraway parents captured and produced by Abigail Washburn and Shanghai Restoration Project creator Dave Liang, in cooperation with Sichuan Quake Relief. The collaboration was inspired in 2008 through Abigail's volunteer work for Sichuan Quake Relief where she performed in 'relocation schools" with kids from pre-school to high school - most of whom were relocated from mountain villages to schools in new locations far from their families. "The children and teachers expressed intense grief at the loss of home and family,” says Washburn, a former Sichuan resident featured in Newsweek for her "weirdly wonderful” blend of Chinese culture and American-roots music. "I wanted to return and record their stories and songs in their own voices." A kindred spirit was found in collaborator Dave Liang, whose Shanghai Restoration Project combines the sounds of traditional Chinese instruments with hip-hop and electronica. His project has been featured on NPR, KCRW, KEXP and the Beijing Olympics. Despite the tragic nature of the events inspiring this record, the sounds of the children captured by Liang and Washburn are encouraging and uplifting: playground noises - ping-pong, basketball, jacks, handclapping games - are melded into a danceable rhythm; a 7th grade student performs a traditional Qiang minority dance song for her classmates; Tibetan sisters recite a bedtime prayer their mom used to sing to them; a relocated boy sings a ballad about missing his mom over the sounds of his parents rebuilding their house. Afterquake is available as a digital EP and limited edition CD. www.afterquakemusic.com  Abigail Washburn & The Shanghai Restoration Project "Sala" (mp3) from "Afterquake" (Undercover Culture Music) Buy at iTunes Music Store Buy at Rhapsody More On This AlbumComments[0] |
Wed, 1 July 2009  Another fine collection of tunes ancient and mostly modern. This week in they've come in from Florida, France, California, Utah and Baden-Württemberg, Germany starting with the Canadians this week and a finely crafted hooky pop track just right for the northern hemisphere summer. I'm in Ibiza to visit my daughter Jessie this week some of the buildings in the old part of Ibiza Town (photo) are stunning and beautifully lit. Clever - Whale Tooth (Toronto, Canada) Whale Tooth are Elise LeGrow (vocals), Norman Maschke (guitar/vocals), Alex Denike (guitar/vocals), Michael McCreary (bass/vocals) and Sep Noroozi (drums) came together in the winter of 2007. A fine live performance on their MySpace illustrates their energy, well-crafted pop songs and attention to detail. Perhaps Elsie's jazz background lends her vocals an awareness of the musicians around her but together they create a tight, interweaving sound rather than just playing along with each other. A string of dates next week around Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and PEI, playing venues including Babas, Whipper Snapper Gallery and Foggy Goggle! www.myspace.com/whaletooth Colin's heartfelt rant on the kerfuffle about M. Jackson all over the media, on last week's Ourobouros Podcast #106 www.ourobouros.co.uk. When I die - Geri X (St Petersburg, Florida) I played 3,000 lines of Defense a couple of weeks ago. This week it is a song that for me has echoes of Peter Gabriel and perhaps a little of the vocal strength of Mel C. When I die is a song that deserves repeated listens, it is a real grower. You can have it now by clicking on the download link to IODA.  Geri X. "When I Die" (mp3) from "Anthems of a Mended Heart" (24 Hour Service Station) Buy at iTunes Music Store Stream from Rhapsody More On This Albumwww.gerixmusic.com/ www.myspace.com/gerix A Bre Ludo - Les Inédits Tziganes (France) The place where Balkan gypsy and rock 'n' roll meet. Great music and I just love the babelfish translation from the notes on their page at Jamendo: "Between tradition and modernity, these six troublemakers made the choice of the interbreeding, opening the borders in turn with softness grâe with the flùte, the oboe, l'accordion, sometimes with violence by the distortion of the electric guitar and the impulses of the duet low - battery but always in a spirit impresses popular holidays." OK, it is fast at translating. It is also pretty crap but sometimes deliciously wacky!http://itzi.free.fr www.jamendo.com/en/album/27880 Blues Oval - AjT (Bordeaux, France) Blues Oval has been on the PMN since October 07 when I last played a track from AjT who describes himself as a French geek, Apple lover, Serial blogger and podcaster living near Bordeaux. His music seems incidental but is rather fine, nevertheless. His site is more about Apple computers than music so just enjoy the track. www.pommehappy.com/ Podsafe Music Network (now renamed as Music Alley from Mevio). I get the feeling that although the PMN was a central part of what Adam Curry (former MTV presenter) and Ron Bloom (record producer) were doing with their startup company Podshow in the early days of podcasting, the focus has shifted almost entirely to the business of being a general popular media corporation. Shame, but perhaps inevitable. Of course I may be quite wrong. If so, let me know by leaving a comment at the bottom of the notes for this show. Profiticus Prolificus-3rd Movement: Dub Interlude - Cirque du Soul (CA) From the EP Nautical Bean Tapes. Cirque du Soul are five members from Ike Turner's band. Between tours with the Father of Rock & Roll, drummer Bill Ray procured a weekly gig at the soon-to-be famous Nautical Bean Coffee Company located in a picturesque setting at the harbor in Oceanside, Ca. Feeling the need for creative release, the goal was simple - come to the gig with no ideas in your head, no preconceptions of what would transpire. No predetermined arrangements of classic songs; a blank slate if you will. Some interesting 100% improvised tracks were captured. Have a delve around on Billy Ray's site (hint, check "past bands"). www.billraydrums.com Old Love - Kimo Watanabe (Utah, USA) Rootsy. Raw. Soulful. Kimo has been playing the music that he loves at venues all over Utah and Hawai'i since 1999. He has played at numerous festivals and events in and around the Salt Lake Valley, and his music has been heard around the world on various podcasts and independent music shows. Kimo Watanabe is a very old friend of Suffolk'n'Cool who I was delighted to hear from this week. He tells us has a new Roots Reggae getting underway word of which seems to be spreading and some very talented folks want to get involved. The plan was just to recrord an album but it seems that live shows may be a possibility. It was one of Kimo's earlier reggae tunes (Pauoa Valley) that initially caught my ear. The Ukulele really seems to lend itself to reggae. Perhaps it is the percussive sound and lack of sustain that gives it the bite it needs. Whatever, I love it. www.myspace.com/kimowatanabe Outlaw - Schizoid Club (London, UK) I played Mission Man a couple of weeks ago and thought you might like an extra taste of Matt's fine music. Some lovely sutry vocals towards the end.  Schizoid Club "Outlaw" (mp3) from "Schizoid Club" (Per Capita Records) Buy at Rhapsody More On This Albumwww.myspace.com/schizoidclub Tribalism - Sapiens fx (Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany) Well, by the time you hear this I'll be in Ibiza so this is just a little warm up prior to Pacha with Jessie. Guaranteed fun! From the album Tronikum one of seven on Jamendo. www.myspace.com/lowerinstinct www.jamendo.com/en/album/46921 Ibiza webcam shows the sunset over the sea. The canopies on the corner of the street are Savannah within the same row of bars are Mambo and Cafe del Mar. Sun is currently setting at around 1930 GMT http://tinyurl.com/ko5qxb Back in a few days - catch you next week. Comments[0] |
Wed, 24 June 2009  Music from the US, UK, Canada and Taiwan this week. Just putting the show notes together and checking the recording I'm very conscious of the birds outside and the young pigeons who are nesting and tap-dancing in the space in the roof of the barn that was supposed to be reserved for barn owls. I've been up to Norfolk today to visit my dad and thought the Canadians might like a picture of Captain Vancouver who was raised in my birth-town (King's Lynn). Even if you are not Canadian, you are still allowed to like it! U Suck Noodles - Variety Workshop (Oldsmar, Florida, USA) Oldsmar's Variety Workshop have an eclectic sound that's not quite jam, not quite reggae, not quite ska -- but it's definitely a whole lotta fun. Bassist Ryan Reilly, singer Evan Brenner, guitarist Robbie Pereira and drummer Brad Whitsett are skate fiends who have produced videos and even have their own art and video production company. In January, the band released their debut self-titled CD, which Brenner says "was the culmination of close to two years of dedication and devotion creating music that not only is diverse, but still has an element of mass appeal." www.myspace.com/varietyworkshop Blacksmith's Dance - Eastern Block / Goran Ivanovic Group (Illinois, USA) EASTERN BLOK features classical guitar virtuoso GORAN IVANOVIC, joined by DOUG ROSENBERG on woodwinds, MATTHEW ULERY on upright bass, and MICHAEL CASKEY on percussion. The band was originally dubbed Goran Ivanovic Group by founding members Ivanovic and Rosenberg. They teamed up with Ulery and Caskey in 2004. After successfully packing venues throughout the country and honing their musical direction, the band released their self-titled debut album in 2005. The Goran Ivanovic Group record met with critical acclaim, combining traditional folk music from the Balkans along with Latin, flamenco and klezmer elements, European classical influences and American jazz. The track Blacksmith's Dance was selected out of thousands of submissions as one of three finalists in the 2005 John Lennon Songwriting Competition. www.easternblok.net Near my ear - Swimming in Speakers (New York, USA) From their first meeting in October 2008, multi-instrumentalist Chris Clarke and lead vocalist Meadow Eliz knew they wanted to write music together. The snowy, subzero climate of Saranac Lake, New York, lent itself well to winter days spent creating and recording in Chrisʼs home studio, where they crafted the "Swimming in Speakers" demo armed with a Casio, a laptop and a hodge-podge of analog equipment. Jo Sorrell (cello) and Justin Grizzoffi (percussion and guitars) add nuance to the tracks, and local NPR station NCPR granted access to their brand new studio for additional recording and mixing. Swimming in Speakers, the eponymous E.P. is the pair's first collection of demo recordings. From the smoothly burbling synth pop of In Knowing (played a couple of weeks ago) to the slippery delicacy of Near My Ear and the lilting twists and turns of Nevergreen, Swimming In Speakers' sound defies easy categorization. www.myspace.com/swimminginspeakers Undecided - MoShang (Taiwan) MoShang is a sound jeweller who blends downtempo electronica with Chinese instruments and sounds from the streets of Taiwan. Made in Taiwan (2004) Chill Dynasty (2006) Asian Variations (2007) Undecided is taken from his 2008 EP Stone Bell http://moshang.net/ Friday Evening - The Big George Jackson Band I played a George Jackson tune (The Daddy) on SnC 015. Then I discovered that I'd already played this track almost exactly three years ago. The band recorded the album in their own homemade studio. It's straight hard-core blues, reminiscent to the raw, biting blues of the fifties. The band sounds tighter than ever before. No wonder that George feels so at home with his friends. His singing is relaxed but intense. I believe you will agree... this man definitely has got Southern in his soul! He does not only write great songs, but has got a unique voice and knows to tell a story... something that's getting rare these days. George is on the Black and Tan label based in the Netherlands. www.black-and-tan.com/ Fannie Mae by Grandpa Elliot now on Playing for Change The latest release from the Playing for Change project. Wonderful voice and harmonica from Grandpa Elliot in Jackson Square, New Orleans. Ethel's Cats - musicians from Pig Dyke Molly (Cambridgeshire, UK) Molly dancing is from the Cambridgeshire Fens - last recorded in 1934 at Little Downham, near Ely. It was about entertainment in an area and at a time which saw little of it. It was about a challenge to the 'normal' rules: the Molly is a man dancing in women's clothes (in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, London had its "Molly houses" where homosexual men met to drink, dance (!), flirt, dress as women and... enjoy themselves). It happened in midwinter - especially Plough Monday (see the Whittlesey Straw Bear for a revived similar celebration). It was a "cadging" custom, to extract money, or a drink. Its dancers wore disguise such as painted faces, goggles, animal heads. It lay almost forgotten for sixty years... then there was Pig Dyke Molly (named after a drainage ditch) which has been performing since the early 1990s. Their aim is to take the essence of Molly, shake it by the scruff of its neck, and present it in a way that entertains 21st century audiences. The story goes that there was a lady called Ethel who lived in Ramsey Heights, in the Fens between Peterborough and Huntingdon. Ethel was very fond of cats, as you'd have to be if you had 543 of them. Unfortunately, Ethel wasn't very rich. In fact she was so poor that eventually she couldn't afford to feed the cats. So the cats got hungrier and hungrier, and one day they got so hungry that they ate Ethel. And to this day, if children in Ramsey Heights and nearby villages aren't perfectly behaved, they are sometimes warned that "Ethel's cats are hungry..." www.pigdyke.co.uk Standing in my way - Warren Charles (Los Angeles, CA, USA) Warren Charles is brothers W. Peter Jacobson & C. Lucas Jacobson Their blurb says: "Warren Charles is a duo of quirky singer songwriters that share (and sometimes fight over) the spotlight. While they typically perform with just piano, guitar, and vocals, they can also play shows as a full band with drums and bass. Whatever the lineup, Warren Charles is perfect for the collegiate crowd who sees intellectualizing over music as a welcome form of procrastination." Standing in my way is from the latest album, delightfully titled When Chandeliers Sway (2009) which is available on CDBaby and iTunes.4 Jul 2009 16:00 Venice Beach 4th of July Extravaganza, Venice, California www.warrencharles.com www.myspace.com/warrencharles Saalam (Club Mix) - EMAR (Ontario, Canada) EMAR (pron. Ehm-Ahr) is an international world music artist. Born in the Balkans and raised in Canada, EMAR's multicultural influences inspire her to sing and record in several languages including Serbian, Hindi, Persian, Arabic and Church Slavonic. Her debut album Sacred Soul is available from iTunes, CD Baby and selected stores throughout Canada and the US. www.emarmusic.com/ www.myspace.com/emarmusic Comments[0] |
Wed, 17 June 2009  There was a spectacular light show last night outside the barn. After heavy rain from dark clouds the setting sun shot its light across the landscape from a very low angle and so created a spectacular rainbow again a dark sky, highlighting the poplar trees in the meadow. Wow! Sometimes it feels quite unreal living here. And, before you ask, no retouching, digital enhancing or other flim-flammery was used on the photo. That's exactly how it looked from the barn door. Honest! Rebecca - ist (Leicester, UK) This time around I'm a bit better informed. Kenton sent me the album Toothpick Bridge, to be released in August. The band are: Kenton Hall - Guitars, Hammond, Vocals; John McCourt - Bass, Vocals, Mandolin, Ukulele; Flash - Drums, Percussion, Loops; Brett Richardson - Guitars, Bassoon, Vocals and String Arrangements. Nice that their MySpace credits the musicians on the Toothpick Bridge album. You'll find the band at www.istianity.co.uk www.myspace.com/ist Myspace lay off 30% of staff (400 people). It sounds a lot but as a source close to the company said yesterday "If you can't run that site with 750 people, you don't now how to run a business." http://tinyurl.com/ll58wr Look for Me - Dudley Saunders (W. Hollywood, CA, USA) Like k.d. lang and Laurie Anderson, singer/songwriter Dudley Saunders began his music career first as a critically-acclaimed "transgressive" performance artist - only to find the experimental folk music he wrote for his pieces take over his career. Described by critics as "surreal, modern folk tales," Dudley's performance pieces were a fixture on New York's East Village scene in the late '80s and 90s. But as he began to merge the Appalachian music of his native Kentucky with the post-modern art-rock and jazz he heard at New York"s Knitting Factory, he began to draw an entirely new audience who convinced him to pour all his surreal images into the songs. Look for me is from the album Emergency Lane. www.dudleysaunders.com www.MySpace.com/DudleySaunders AMPed this week it's Rowley from Dark Compass with an interesting selection of tunes. Next week Colin from Ourobouros. Subscribe at: http://musicpodcasting.org Love is a Mantra Remix - Astronauts of Antiquity (New York, NY, USA) Astronauts of Antiquity = your mystery date. They entice you to leave behind limited conceptions of self and music. AoA invite you to celebrate life in a deeper sense. Everything else can wait. Revel in the AoA sound and relish a pot of funky-luscious neo-soul. Add a pinch of Indian/ Brazilian spice. Toss & serve over a warm bed of jazzy, eclectic pop...and the girl. "Their vision is to offer up the ancient on a modern platter of undeniable tunes, catchy yet subtle like the muse. "Inventive electro lounge... mesmerizing songcraft!" (The Independent - Chapel Hill) www.astronautsofantiquity.com/ www.myspace.com/astronautsofantiquity Raindrops - Duane Andrews (Newfoundland, Canada) Heavily influenced by the brilliance of early twentieth century French Gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt, Duane Andrews' unique blend of jazz and traditional Newfoundland folk music is consistently recognized by both industry and fans with awards and accolades. www.duaneandrews.ca/ www.myspace.com/duaneandrews http://cdbaby.com/cd/duaneandrews2 Never end up like this - Fresh Body Shop (Nante, France) From the album The Ugly Army on Jamendo where you can download it free or do the decent thing and buy it for $10. Not so much an ethical dilemma as a question of conscience. There is another way: make a donation. Pedro (voice, guitar, piano, prod) Oli (Live Bass, Synth) Fyjen (Live Drums) Albums: Orgamilk (2006), Make This End (2007) and Tasteless (2007) Video of "Words Of Happiness" (solo acoustic) The artist page on Jamendo is at: www.jamendo.com/en/artist/freshbodyshop www.myspace.com/133439871 www.last.fm/music/Fresh+Body+Shop Brigitte Bardot - Lola Dutronic (Berlin, Germany and Toronto, Canada) A French Pop/Electronica duo, who sing really interesting material in both French & English. LOLA DEE - Voice, RICHARD CITROEN - Music Brigitte Bardot is from the new 3rd album, LOLA DUTRONIC IN BERLIN recorded over a 3 week period in an abandoned Berlin apartment, and mixed in Toronto. it also features the legendary Mike Garson (of David Bowie's Aladdin Sane fame) on piano. "We divide our time between Berlin and Toronto. We've put out three albums so far: The World Of Lola Dutronic, the Grammy Award nominated The Love Parade and our newest album, Lola Dutronic In Berlin. We've also appeared on several compilation albums and repackages in Asia and Europe. Available on iTunes and on CDBaby at http://cdbaby.com/cd/ldutronic www.myspace.com/loladutronic Sonar 2009 - Barcelona's international festival of advanced music and multimedia art 18.19.20 June Sonar, one of the largest and most diverse music and digital art festivals in the world, is held in the heart of Barcelona for three days in June. More than 80,000 people enjoy a musical line-up that includes many of the best artists in electronic music. http://2009.sonar.es/en (Lord It's Hard To Be Happy, When You Aren't Using) The Metric System (feat. Worm Quartet) - MC Lars (San Francisco, CA, USA) The MC Lars experiment began on his parent's couch, where at an early age he performed groundbreaking songs about not wanting to clean up his room. He was experimenting with tape recorders and computers by the time he hit the fifth grade, but it wasn't until the ripe old age of fifteen that he found Beck and discovered the concept of home-recording beats and music together. This led to a dark period, otherwise known as the Insane Clown Posse Evil/Scary Phase ("Trust me, it wasn't pretty"), of which Lars will deny everything. Soon after, he began performing regularly at hometown open mic nights, ultimately pulling together a style that was inexplicably all his own. As his home recordings developed, he took on the name MC Lars Horris - eventually dropping the Horris because "people often thought it was Lars Whores, which is terrible." www.mclars.com www.myspace.com/mclars  MC Lars "(Lord It's Hard To Be Happy, When You Aren't Using) The Metric System (feat. Worm Quartet)" (mp3) from "Up End Atom" (Hartless Hind Records) Stream from Rhapsody Buy at Rhapsody More On This AlbumBlindside - Johnny Neel (Nashville?) From the album Saddle Up & Ride (truckers Tracks vol 1) which Co-producer Doug Jones kindly sent me. An interesting approach with a really solid backing band on all the tracks and different taking lead parts on each track. For instance Johnny Neel took the vocals on that track and plays B3 on all tracks. Doug shares harmonica and guitar duties. A set up as though they all got together and jammed in the studio but the production suggests that it was a lot more carefully done than that. I"m surprised at how impressed I am. I'd never have said that I was a fan of trucker"s music but having listede=ned through these CDs, I'm close to becoming a convert. Not that I"m going to rush to the local truckstop and buy all the cheep trash on a whim, but I thank Doug for opening my ears to another genre. There will be more tracks in coming weeks - there are some particularly fine blues sounds on these albums. You can stream the albums or buy from CD Baby. www.truckerstracks.com Comments[0] |
Wed, 10 June 2009  Delighted to report that I'm back down off the roof. No, I wasn't expecting to take the trip up their either but magpies have been nesting in the main chimney stack and one of the fledglings fell down the chimney a couple of weeks ago which entailed dismantling the woodburner to release it. They've fledged now so it is a good time to clamber up there, stand on tip-toes on the ridge and see what needs to be done before they start on a second brood. I couldn't resist the photo opportunity. Sorry about the camera shake - you should have seen my knees.Take you home - Final Thought (Barrie, ON, Canada) Barrie, Ontario melodic pop rock foursome Final Thought released their new EP, Take This Home, (iTunes) in January and have been steadily gigging around central Ontario ever since. Their jaw dropping live incarnation has made many a fan for the young up and coming outfit. This June they will bring their live sets to more stages -including a special charity night the band will be hosting in Barrie at the Royal Canadian Legion. June 20th, Spend an Evening with Final Thought - will be an acoustic night and all profits will be donated to Habitat for Humanity. They are currently strolling through the Montreal and Trois Rivieres areas. www.finalthoughtband.com www.myspace.com/finalthoughtfinalthought Rohypnol - Trolley (Halifax, UK) From the album Very Plath. The album description reads: So, this would be the 3rd of the 3 Trolley albums. This is the one where it all came together quite nicely, and is still one I'm rather proud of. (Despite it's rather sketchy opener "Affluenza" - Why do I never manage to do satisfactory opening tracks? Too much enthusiasm to get going, perhaps). www.myspace.com/theremedialsetMy personal faves on "Very Plath" are "Holy Mother Hindlay" which is built on a simple ominous loop which builds and builds throughout the main body of the song, before switching tack and coming to quite an anthemic close). "Song 7" which has a slightly caribean feel to it but manages to take a trip through about another 5 genres before it finishes, without sounding too forced or pretentious, and "Sisters At The Wheel", an industrial dance affair with a huge heart and sing song chorus. "Very Plath" as a whole does what "Pedigree Joey" did in its finer moments and manages to condense them into more manageable 4 minute chunks - Without the schizophrenia, but with all the adventure left intact. It took me a long time to do this one, but I enjoyed every minute." www.jamendo.com/en/album/29603 Levi Blues - Dala (Toronto, Canada) Amanda Walther and Sheila Carabine of Dala (the duo's name was formed by combining the two last letters of each artist's name) have come a long way in a short time. The two best friends, who met in their high school music class and wrote their first song together in 2002, have since performed at Toronto's legendary Massey Hall a total of six times. Darlings of the Canadian music scene, Dala are now poised to bring their fresh brand of acoustic pop music to the world. Dala's last two albums , 2006's Angels and Thieves and 2007's Who Do You Think You Are earned them a total of four Canadian Folk Music Award nominations. Dala's new album Everyone Is Someone is slated for release yesterday on June 9th. It is a wonderful journey for the listener, bringing together all the elements that set this talented duo apart. The first single, Levi Blues is a delightful throwback to the songs of the 50's and early 60's.F rom the very first line, "I've been waiting for a guy like you; you've been waiting to be my guy too", fans will be hooked. www.dalagirls.com/ www.myspace.com/dalagirls A mone Nyina - Abakuya (Paris, France) The musical project Abakuya was born with the meeting of two musicians, Jimi Sofo (Australia) and François Essindi (Cameroon), and too k place in 2006 thanks to an exchange travel organized by the Akiba Association in Cameroon. Other musicians came in turn and decided to travel together: thus, Abakuya is a journey…. www.myspace.com/abakuya www.jamendo.com/en/album/30682 In Knowing - Swimming in Speakers (New York, USA) Picked up on this via a tweet from Sarah Morrison (@SarahCM) this morning. It being #faibw (Follow An Indie Band Wednesday). From their first meeting in October 2008, multi-instrumentalist Chris Clarke and lead vocalist Meadow Eliz knew they wanted to write music together. The snowy, subzero climate of Saranac Lake, New York, lent itself well to winter days spent creating and recording in Chris's home studio, where they crafted the Swimming in Speakers demo armed with a Casio, a laptop and a hodge-podge of analog equipment. Jo Sorrell (cello) and Justin Grizzoffi (percussion and guitars) add nuance to the tracks, and local NPR station NCPR granted access to their brand new studio for additional recording and mixing. Swimming in Speakers, the eponymous E.P. is the pair's first collection of demo recordings. From the smoothly burbling synth pop of In Knowing to the slippery delicacy of Near My Ear and the lilting twists and turns of Nevergreen, Swimming In Speakers' sound defies easy categorization. www.myspace.com/swimminginspeakers Mission Man - Schitzoid Club (UK) Schizoid Club from the UK is really putting together some interesting funk/hop-hop influences together with some downtempo/breakbeat mixtures with their debut self-titled release. Sophia Lolley on vocals and Jazz T producing some fine scratchy noises ... Mission Man certainly has some strong echoes of early James Bond and the like. Matney - Guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, decks, vibes, programming, engineering mixing and production. Joe Carballo, ears and tea and interruptions for positive words. Schizoid Club "Mission Man" (mp3) from "Schizoid Club" (Per Capita Records) Buy at iTunes Music Store More On This Albumwww.myspace.com/schizoidclub Minoushe - Vagabond Opera (Portland, Oregon USA) The curtain parts: steampunked Absinthe-era vestments, thirteen languages, an operatic encounter that puts its green-backed silver dollar where its mouth is—square in the center of a ringing high C that beckons the zeitgeist in a juicy song. The words go like this: Opera's no longer stuffy and elite; it"s for you and it brims and burns with new life, a gypsy bouillabaisse brewed of Balkan, Jazz, bohemian cabaret, Arabic maquam, vital and reinvigorating, marking uncharted territory. It's a new world opera, a global one. The curtain closes. Encores. Room keys thrown on to the stage. Opera reinvented. The band's line-up features trained operatic tenor and soprano vocals, accordion, tenor saxophone, cello, violin, musical saw, banjo-lele, stand-up bass and drums. www.vagabondopera.com www.myspace.com/vagabondopera Do Wah Di Di (Youth remix) - The Dirty Strangers (London, UK) The West London suburb, postcode West 12, begins where the M40 haunches and flies into the capital on an elevated stretch called the Westway. From there it spreads south and east to its snootier neighbours in Chiswick and Notting Hill. The borough is home to the BBC, HMP Wormwood Scrubs, Queens Park Rangers FC, the Dark Compass podcast and (as alleged by themselves) the greatest little rock"n'roll band in the world. The Dirty Strangers are: Alan Clayton: Guitar & Vocals John Proctor: Bass Guitar George Butler: Drums Scottie Mulvey: Piano Accordian By one of those quirks of fate a bunch of guests have been jamming with the core band for over 20 years. The new album W12 to Wittering also features Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and a fine musician who I now recall I once did a UK tour with, Joe Brown. Keith plays piano on 5 tracks and on All Away is joined by the legendary Joe Brown playing banjo. Ronnie Wood's slide guitar is on two tracks, South Of The River & Gold Cortina. Joe Brown's son Pete produced the album except for Real Botticelli (co-written by Keith as was Bad Girls) which was produced by former Damned founder member, Brian James. As Kris Needs wrote in Record Collector, "Though the group have some handy mates, it"s their unpretentious zest, veteran chops and ability to plug into rock'n'roll's primal essence which makes them so refreshingly uplifting in these clogged up times." Take a listen to more tracks on the band's MySpace www.myspace.com/dirtystrangersw12 Comments[1] |
Wed, 3 June 2009  We had summer in the UK over the past week. Perfect for a visit to the circus. Well, not just the circus but the Insect Circus, hugely entertaining if a little frightening for some of the children in the audience. It's OK you're grown up so I'm sure you will enjoy it. Take a look at the site - the movies are great. www.insectcircus.co.ukMusic this week from Missouri, New York, Old Yorkshire (UK), Sardinia, Cambridge and California. Oxygen - Living Things (St Louie the heart of America, Missouri, USA) Habeas Corpus was released earlier this year and has garnered substantial critical acclaim in the media. Alternative Press exclaimed "…the danceable beats and grungy atmosphere make Corpus the ideal soundtrack for debauchery in the face of economic depression," while Rolling Stone calls lead singer Lillian Berlin "one of hard rock's more compelling politicos," and USA Today gave the album 3 out of 4 stars. Produced by Michael Ilbert and Living Things, Habeas Corpus was recorded in Berlin, Germany at Hansa Studios where the band was in residence for nine months, overlooking the remnants of the Berlin Wall. Living Things will continue touring throughout 2009 and will play a high-profile slot at Lollapalooza 2009 in Chicago's Grant Park on August 8th. Living Things are Lillian and his brothers Eve and Bosh Berlin on bass and drums respectively, plus guitarist Cory Becker, a longtime friend from their hometown, St. Louis, MO. Continuing to support their latest album Habeas Corpus, Living Things will hit the road for the Nylon Summer Music Tour 2009. The 18-city trek kicks off June 5th in Seattle at El Corozon. Co-headlining the tour will be Patrick Wolf, Plasticines and Jaguar Love. JUNE 5 - El Corazon, Seattle, WA JUNE 6 - Richards on Richards, Vancouver, BC JUNE 8 - Slims, San Francisco, CA JUNE 9 - The Roxy, Los Angeles, CA JUNE 12 - The Oriental Theater, Denver, CO JUNE 14 - Fine Line Music Cafe, Minneapolis, MN JUNE 15 - The Bottom Lounge, Chicago, IL JUNE 17 - Mod Club, Toronto, ON JUNE 19 - Traif Music Hall, Buffalo, NY JUNE 20 - North Star, Philadelphia, PA JUNE 21 - The Middle East, Cambridge, MA JUNE 23 - Highline Ballroom, New York, NY JUNE 24 - Rock & Roll Hotel, Washington, DC JUNE 26 - Cats Cradle, Chapel Hill, NC JUNE 27 - The Loft, Atlanta, GA JUNE 30 - Granada Theater, Dallas, TX JULY 1 - Antone's, Austin, TX www.livingthingsmusic.com/ www.nylonmag.com/?section=article&parid=3013 www.myspace.com/livingthings Sugar Coat Me - Lucy Bonilla (Bellerose Manor, New York, USA) Lucy sent me this track during the week. (see also SnC 163). She recently completed her third release at The Clubhouse in Rhinebeck, NY, under the expert guidance of producer Jim Weider (The Band, Bob Dylan, Mavis Staples, Los Lobos). She also welcomed the creative writing talents of Dean Batstone, Jerry Lynn Williams (Eric Clapton) and Jim Weider (www.jimweider.com) to pen various tracks. The title track, Rolling Higher, combines Lucy's feisty vocals with slick guitar licks that hearken to blues greats of yesteryear. The album also includes a re-recording of the first and only song Lucy ever wrote on piano, "Lonely Goes". www.LucyBonilla.com cdbaby.com/all/lucybonilla Keep on Running Damian Lewis-narrated documentary telling the colourful story of Island Records, the Jamaican-founded record label built by maverick boss Chris Blackwell which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2009. The film features a rare, in-depth interview with Blackwell alongside contributions from former Island artists Grace Jones, Toots Hibbert, Amy Winehouse, Sly and Robbie, PJ Harvey, U2, Brian Eno, Spencer Davis, Yusuf Islam/Cat Stevens, the B52s, Kid Creole, Greg Lake, Ian Anderson, Trevor Horn, Paul Weller, Richard Thompson and Keane. News archive and rare performance footage are used to tell the story of the label - its part in bringing reggae music into the world; its expansion into progressive rock in the late 1960s; the rise of Bob Marley into a global star; and the label's reputation for consistently signing, producing and championing innovative acts from the UK and all over the world. Broadcasts: Fri 5 Jun 2009 at 21:00 on BBC Four Sat 6 Jun 2009 at 00:30 on BBC Four Sat 6 Jun 2009 at 22:35 on BBC Four www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00kvd38 Over and out - Hollands (NYC, NY,USA) Hollands is multi-instrumentalist John-Paul Norpoth and violinist Jannina Barefield. Together, they formed in February 2008 in Washington Heights, New York. Norpoth, formerly the co-lead of NYC-based Butane Variations, is the son of a classical flautist while Barefield is the daughter of Detroit based avant-garde jazz guitarist Spencer Barefield. Together, they combine fuzzy Flaming Lips guitars with Martin-esque orchestral arrangements and traditional folk nods to the Paul Simon's and the Grateful Dead's of years past. 06/21 - Brooklyn, NY @ Cameo Art Gallery w/ In Cadeo at 8pm 07/09 - New York, NY @ Fontana's w/ In Cadeo at 12am 07/11 - Brooklyn, NY @ Lovin" Cup at 10pm 07/25 - Rochester, NY @ Boulder Festival 2009 at 8pm 08/01 - Brooklyn, NY @ Public Assembly at 6pm www.myspace.com/hollandsss www.hollandsss.com Dennis Wynes re: Amazing Radio www.amazingradio.co.uk/ - playing music only from unsigned bands. Interesting development but on DAB digital radio. It would be interesting to know how the business model might work. Montezuma - Bert Jerred (Oswego, USA) Based in New York State way up on the southern shore of Lake Ontario. This is real is taken from his newest album Ransom. A quite remarkable album which reminds me a little of Dudley Saunders' vocal tone and of some of Springsteen's more authentic moments except that here we have 16 tracks of gut-wrenching reality. The album and a load more is available through Jamendo. www.myspace.com/bertjerred www.jamendo.com/en/artist/bert_jerred Partly in response to articles in wired.com ( http://3.ly/Wk ) lots of discussion (specifically at Creative Deconstruction) and buzz on Twitter about the demise of CDs and the resurgence of vinyl. I don't really get it. What do you feel? Why is either better than downloads? If you are downloading and buying physical copies, what sorts of features make you consider buying the record or CD? Drop me a line at peter@suffolkandcool.com and let's air a few views about what's preferred and why. Sisters at the Wheel - Trolley (Halifax, UK) From the album Very Plath. One of quite a few that you can download direct from the Jemndo site quite legally and free. "Sisters At The Wheel (is) an industrial dance affair with a huge heart and sing song chorus. One review on Jamendo describes the album as Very Plath as a whole does what Pedigree Joey did in its finer moments and manages to condense them into more manageable 4 minute chunks - without the schizophrenia, but with all the adventure left intact. It took me a long time to do this one, but I enjoyed every minute." "Utterly bonkers, yet possibly genius. Quite unlike anything else yr likely to hear anytime soon - Takes in every type of genre and throws them into a big melting pot, a bit of a headfuck, but entertaining as hell." www.myspace.com/theremedialsetMalloreddus Western - Sardinia Bass Legalize (Sardinia) AQB A second track from the excellent album Visions Of My Land released May 2008 through the A Quiet Bump net label, based in Sardinia. "Sardinia Bass Legalize project started in July 2006 after a period of collaborations between King Kietu and Sensitivedub. If you want to hear more, I played a couple of tracks on SnC 158 in February.Dr Boost from 'Big Island Family' was the vocalist of the 'Tostoine Dub System' project together with King Kietu, from 1999 to 2005. 'Sardinia Bass Legalize' began as an evolution to the 'Tostoine' project.. This is a second chapter by Sardinia Bass Legalize for the Aqbmp label. Comprising seven visions of the Meditrarranean island of Sardinia, by King Kietu and Sensitive Dub with Dr. Boost vocal featuring on Barricada." www.aquietbump.com The Clarendon Road - John Meed (Cambridge, UK) CD launch party last Saturday. A very hot, intimate and social affair at CB2 in Cambridge, from which everyone emerged as good friends. A cracking show from singer-songwriter John Meed and his "big band". The CD When the music ends is available from his site. www.johnmeed.net Get Wanted next Wednesday 10th - The First playing along with The Worldonfire, The Debut and Fighting Fiction. www.myspace.com/getwanted Dreaming of you - War Tapes (LA, CA, USA) "We call it heart-quaking doom pop," says Neil Popkin of the sound of War Tapes' first full length album, for Seattle based indie label Sarathan Records. The Continental Divide CD release party was at the über-hipster Club Moscow in Hollywood a week or so ago. The foursome includes Neil Popkin (singer/rhythm guitarist, from Boston), his sister Becca Popkin (bassist, also from Boston), Matt Bennett (lead guitar, from Hawaii) and William Mohler (drummer, from SoCal). From the very first time Neil, Matt, Becca and William played on stage together in 2006, they have been perfecting the kind of musical explosion you'd expect from a high-end pyrotechnics lab--or Matt's volcanic island home of Hawaii. Such mountainous fireworks require elemental alchemy, and each member provides distinct color and flash. Bassist Becca is a classically-trained pianist and guitarist (but had never played bass before joining War Tapes). William is a jazz-educated bassist and guitarist (but had never played drums in a band before). Matt has roots in the fertile soil of shoegaze and punk guitar styles. Neil evolved his voice and aggressive stage style from his post-punk influences. And Becca notes that, though collectively they play one style of music, they all "love so many different genres of music that the combination is what makes our sound so unique.” The band will be touring heavily in coming weeks around the USA and Canada. Check their site for details. You can also download this track from their site. http://wartapesband.com Comments[0] |
Wed, 27 May 2009  A mixed bag of styles this week from New York, New Jersey, Berlin, Jamaica, Colombia, France and Leicester, here in the UK. I experimented with a video tweet from Tweetie at the end of the show. You may well find it at: http://yfrog.us/13gewz if you really want to. I don't know how long it will be there though. Remington Steele - ist (Leicester, UK) From the album Toothpick Bridge. I know I should know more but I've had this track haunting my desktop for weeks and I've forgotten how it got to me but perhaps the fact that I'm following @kerntonist on Twitter says something! Doh. The band are: Kenton Hall - Guitars, Hammond, Vocals; John McCourt - Bass, Vocals, Mandolin, Ukulele; Flash - Drums, Percussion, Loops; Brett Richardson - Guitars, Bassoon, Vocals and String Arrangements. Nice that their MySpace credits the musicians on the Toothpick Bridge album: You'll find the band at www.istianity.co.uk There is a 30 minute interview with my former boss at Island Records, Chris Blackwell on BBC Radio 4 - available as listen again for a few more days only at www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qsq5 or go to www.bbc.co.uk/radio4 and search for Front Row for 25 May 09. Island Records is celebrating 50 years since CB founded it. He sold his share a few years ago but we've a track from his current venture Palm Pictures later in this show. When I Am A Horse Again - Jessie Murphy - In The Woods (NY, NY, USA) The band consists of Marcia Webb (flute, pan pipes, and clarinet, Wurlitzer electric piano, and vocals), Amy Corso (horn, flute, vocals, percussion), and Jessie Murphy (lead vocals, acoustic guitar). All three are accomplished musicians in their own right but together they create a unique brand of soulful songs. There's an infectious joy in Jessie Murphy In The Woods' new album, Eight Belles, that sweeps the listener in its wake. By turns ethereal, mystical, spiritual and haunting, the New York City based trio plays with a sense of wonder and discovery that makes them one of 2009's singular new acts to watch. www.jessiemurphyinthewoods.com/ www.myspace.com/jessiemurphyinthewoods Kastanien - Leermond (Berlin, Germany) From the album Castanea - the first Leermond album since a long period of musical abstinence. Four pieces of electronic music anywhere between cheerfully and melancholic, Schiller and Röyksopp, ambient and dancefloor, avantgarde and pop. Actually it's an E.P. but it's an important milestone on the way to a whole album in the future. http://leermond.jamendo.net/ www.jamendo.com/en/album/45921 Satta Massasanna (feat. Monty Alexander) - Ernie Ranglin (Jamaica) Ernest "Pops" Ranglin is an internationally known jazz guitarist from Jamaica. He is a huge influential figure in Jamaican Music history and the father of Jamaican jazz guitar. Recently he was awarded the Order of Distinction by the Jamaican government in recognition of his unique contribution to the islands musical history. This once in a lifetime live in the studio event was put together to commemorate his achievements and features an all star line up of guest musicians including Monty Alexander, Phil Chen, Richard Bailey, Alana Davis, Jeff Lorber, Laurence Juber, Robbie Krieger (Doors), Elliott Easton (Cars), Adrian Young (No Doubt), Elan Atias and others.  Ernie Ranglin "Satta Massaganna (feat.Monty Alexander)" (mp3) from "Order of Distinction" (Milk River Music) Buy at iTunes Music Store More On This AlbumErk's roadtrip around the states - updates on Twitter where he is erkpod Do it out of love - Chrissy Coughlin (NY, NY, USA) Played Big Log a few weeks ago. From her Look Ahead album. Chrissy's seasoned voice coupled with her warm personality are an unstoppable combination. 2008 was been a good year for this New York City based singer-songwriter. The winter was full of excitement moving to and 'officially' becoming a 'New Yorker', the spring delight of releasing her new CD, Look Ahead, and the summer and fall have been chock full of performances to support her new release. Chrissy was interviewed by my AMP colleague Erk on ERK Pod show 198 find it at www.erkfm.com/ www.chrissymusic.com www.myspace.com/chrissycoughlin Get Wanted have a job going with a great advert on their blog which you'll find linked from their main MySpace at: www.myspace.com/getwanted You let me down - Ramblin' Dawgs (E. Brunswick, NJ, USA) From the album Rockin Blues The Ramblin Dawgs are an energetic rock driven modern blues powerhouse. If Celine Dion is not your style and you prefer powerful guitar driven rock and blues, their CD should be in your music catalogue. The Ramblin Dawgs formed in late 2007, making waves throughout their local New York / New Jersey communities with energetic rock driven modern blues performances. Driven by Carlos "C-Dawg” DC's soulful vocals and tasteful guitar playing, Raul DC"s thunderous drumming, Rick Frank's screaming Hammond organ, and Jonas Landau"s rock solid grooves on bass, the buzz continued in 2008 as the band performed relentlessly. www.ramblindawgs.com/ www.myspace.com/ramblindawgs http://cdbaby.com/cd/ramblindawgs La Paloma (12" mix) - Sidestepper (Bogota, Colombia) Usually there are just two places you can go to hear a five-hour, slammin' DJ set of Afro-Colombian electronic-meets-roots dance music: Bogota and London. And in both cases the outfit behind the sound system is Sidestepper. Though they"ve made waves worldwide with past recordings, The Buena Vibra Sound System is the first album to capture the vibe of their dance club lineup in all its variety. It may be hard to imagine that a British DJ/musician could get so immersed in the politics of race in a South American country, but that is exactly what happened to Sidestepper founder Richard Blair. It all started when Blair stumbled across a recording session of Afro-Colombian matriarch Totó La Momposina while he was working as an engineer at Peter Gabriel's Real World studios. "It sounded like Jamaican music, but deeper and more mystical," says Blair. "There were African drums, but not really. The whole thing took my head off." A previously unreleased track from The Buena Vibra Sound System album on the Palm Pictures label. www.palmpictures.com  Sidestepper "La Paloma" (mp3) from "The Buena Vibra Sound System" (Palm Pictures) Buy at Rhapsody More On This AlbumLuna luna - Les Inédits Tziganes (France) Quand la musique tzigane et le rock se rencontrent, Les Inédits Tziganes s'en amusent. Ils vous invitent à un diaporama sonore festif et énergique qui vous mènera au coeur des Balkans, guidés par la voix d'une chanteuse d'exception qui vous contera dans leurs langues d'origines les histoires passées de ces peuples lointains. Entre tradition et modernité, ces six trublions ont fait le choix du métissage, ouvrant les frontiéres tour à tour avec douceur grâe à la flùte, au hautbois, à l'accordéon, parfois avec violence par la distorsion de la guitare électrique et les pulsions du duo basse - batterie mais toujours dans un esprit empreint de fêtes populaires. On Jamendo at: www.jamendo.com/en/album/27880 http://itzi.free.fr/ Comments[3] |
Wed, 20 May 2009  A right old mix of tuneage this week with couple of blues tracks, dub de France, straight on rock from New Jersey and the original Cambridge and Norfolk here in the UK, Zydeco from Louisiana, African sounds from northwest London and a little treat for you from Mexico. Joey Nightmare (photo by JC) showed their commitment as well as their technical skills in London. You beautiful thing you - Kimon & the Prophets (Newark, NJ, USA) From the album Roadhouse Party. Veteran musicians who have long since paid their dues in the NYC club circuit and beyond, the members of the Prophets have been in numerous bands with national releases. Early on Kimon survived a long stint as guitarist and co-writer with an over-the-top, edgy NYC garage band called The Wilsons, later joining Hoboken NJ favorites Fear of Falling as guitarist where he met drummer Rob Savoy. There they gained much experience in making albums and performing via touring in Europe and the U.S. They both went on to form the electronic rock group Psonica with bassist Pete Diaz, signing with the now defunct Navarre Entertainment. They released their national debut effort, but disbanded soon after due to internal disagreements, at which point, Kimon went on in the following five years to release four critically acclaimed solo albums, methodically cultivating his own brand of protest rock. Most of the material featured Rob Savoy on drums. In February of 2008 Kimon and Rob were joined by long time friend and musical conspirator Marc Gambino on bass and vocals. Marc enjoyed much European success as a member of the rock band Concrete Jungle and later a six year stint with Asbury Park favorites Maybe Pete. The trio emerged as Kimon & the Prophets. Enjoyable video. www.kimon.tv www.myspace.com/kimonk From Geek.com - Study: pirates are the music industry's largest source of legitimate customers (April 2009) According to a study conducted by the BI Norwegian School of Management, those who have used peer-to-peer applications, such as BitTorrent, to pirate music are ten times more likely to purchase songs online than those who haven"t used file-sharing applications. The study polled 1,901 applicants between the ages of 15 and 20. Of this demographic, those who had downloaded music illegally had also paid for legal downloads an average of 75 times; compared with 7 times for those who hadn't engaged in piracy. This echoes results published by the Canadian Record Industry Association during 2006. Source http://tinyurl.com/d596hb Zubremiska - Sirdeck VS Volfoniq (France) On the Cristaux Liquident netlabel www.lescristauxliquident.org/ where all the music is under creative commons. Volfoniq is a French electro-dub band, melting reggae and other world music with electronics to create its very own interpretation of Dub. Respecting the roots of Jamaican music, Volfoniq features driving skanks with built-in low-fi and "electronic" moods, always keeping the focus on the heart of dub: bass! The band is composed by PakuPaku (programming, mixing & effects, melodica), incorporating guests on some occasions. Some live shows featuring Volfoniq: 23 May Volfoniq + Volatil @ Keep on Dub - Saint Izaire (FR-12) + Deapoh & MC Cessman (UK), Waddadda (D) 05 June Volfoniq @ Bergen reggae festival - Bergen (NOR). + Zion train (UK), Solo Banton (UK), Mikey Murka (UK), Deadly Huntah (UK), Disrupt & Rootah (D), MC SoomT (UK), Channel One soundsystem feat. Mikey Dread & Ras Kayleb, ... Download the album at: http://pakupaku.celeonet.fr/joomla/content/view/28/59/ www.lescristauxliquident.org/ Lead me on - Kelly Joe Phelps (Oregon, USA) Kelly Joe Phelps is a musician and songwriter from Oregon State who is well-known as one of the best living "bluesman" and lapslide guitar players. From the album Lead me on (street release on April 15) although the digital version has been available for a month or so. Actually, I think it is a re-release of quite an old album. "Hundreds of gigs and bloodied fingers led up to his first recording for Burnside Records, an independent label based in Portland, Oregon. 'Lead Me On' was released in June 1994, representing a recording session that was to set up the Kelly Joe Phelps standard for recording practice: "close your eyes and play". Download the track free here:  Kelly Joe Phelps, Kelly Joe Phelps "Lead Me On" (mp3) from "Lead Me On" (Burnside Records) Buy at iTunes Music Store Stream from Rhapsody More On This AlbumKimbala - Jose Konda (London) From the new album Bolingo Na Yo Nkolo on Jamendo. Jose Konda is based in the northwest outskirts of London. Jamendo album page: www.jamendo.com/en/album/45520 "It has been out there for a good while and I have made a few TV appearance with OBE TV." You can see a few video-clips of these songs on: www.youtube.com/user/josekonda palmwine-production.vndv.com/ A good time at Get Wanted last Wednesday. I particularly enjoyed the excirtem,ent and passion with which Joey Nightmare conducted their set. They were first on but turned it on and really got the place going. I'm convinced that some bass players are directed descended from the octopus. Joshua is a prime example and along with Benjamin on drums provided loads of interest, light and shade any yet also a rock solid foundation for all the fancy guitar work by Joeseth and Alexander. The instruments were complementing Tiff's vocals rather then just playing along with the songs. Great set. www.myspace.com/joeynightmare Thanks to Kiera and Magda for putting the shows on and creating such a buzz. I'm sorry that I had to leave early to get the train back to Suffolk so Jessie and I missed the headline act of the night The Alexandria Quartet. Although I did hear their drums for days afterwards! myspace.com/getwanted Loud bands in small venues - what's the answer? Lily Allen Keys - The First (Norfolk / Cambridgeshire, UK) Matt Smith - Vocals Tim Crane - Guitar/Vocals Trev Smith - Bass/Vocals Rob Knight - Drums/Vocals Ben Knowles - Guitar The First are a melodic rock band from Cambridgeshire. Completing the lineup during the summer of 2006, the band started working towards the release of their first EP, Straight Through Til Morning. The EP proves the bands ability to blend driving rock sound-scapes with catchy pop melodies, a unique sound that has lead them to support bands such as Wheatus, Gallows, Brigade, Bring Me The Horizon, Bloodhound Gang and Furthest Drive Home, to name but a few, The First are a band that's happy tearing up the stage with indie shoegazers to metalcore screamophiles and every guitar genre in-between. March 23rd 2009 saw the release of Land & Sea on Lockjaw Records. The bands second EP brings a more hardcore edge to their signature sound. More solos, more riffs and bigger production! Playing: 21 May The Man On The Moon. Cambridge Then Get Wanted ( www.myspace.com/getwanted ) on 10 June and into the summer: 24 Jul The Royal Oak, Ipswich 25 Jul Mattishall Annual Beer Festival! Mattishall (Norwich/Dereham) 30 Jul B2. Norwich 8 Aug Fordham Festival, Newmarket 30 Aug SnettFest '09 Snettisham (Norfolk Coast) www.myspace.com/thefirst Mi Teniente - Rogelio Gutierrez (Mexico?) No information available. If you have anything please let me know, it's peter [at] suffolkandcool.com  Rogelio Gutierrez "Mi Teniente" (mp3) from "Polkas Famosas 18 Exitos" (Modiner) Buy at Rhapsody Stream from Rhapsody More On This AlbumBad Seed - Kat Danser (Edmonton, Canada) From Kat's superb 2007 album Somethin' Familiar. Her 'Swamp Blues' style is steeped in early roots and blues traditions and delivered by her deep, resonant vocals and the soulful sound of her Weissenborn lap slide guitar. Much like a long stretching railroad track, Danser draws a direct line from the Canadian prairie to the Mississippi Delta. She is one part backwoods juke joint, one part plow puller and two parts dusty ol' canvas tent revival. Kat Danser delivers a refreshing approach to roots, blues, and gospel music for the 21st Century. A multi-instrumentalist, Danser plays the Weissenborn Hawaiian lap slide guitar, a vintage acoustic Gibson, National steel resophonic slide guitar, a tack head banjo and the Zydeco scrub-board. Danser is currently in production of her third full-length acoustic roots and blues album, is filming a documentary entitled Women in Blues: Turn the Page and is an Ethnomusicology graduate student at the University of Alberta. You can download that track and order the CDs from Kat's site. Win a signed copy of the Somethin' Familiar album After/for which Memphis blues woman is Kat's Minstrel Minnie guitar/bango named? Send me the answer by email to: peter[at]suffolkandcool.com. Hint: You'll find the answer on Kat's main site. www.katdanser.com www.myspace.com/katdanser Ninth Place - Buckwheat Zydeco (Louisiana, USA) From Lay your burden down, recorded in Maurice, Lousiana. The most adventurous release ever by an American music icon. Buckwheat is famous for fusing zydeco"s rhythmic energy to rock, R&B and funk. With guest appearances by Sonny Landreth, Warren Haynes, JJ Grey and Trombone Shorty. Stanley "Buckwheat" Dural started his career as an R&B organist, and then spent two years with accordionist Clifton Chenier before forming Buckwheat Zydeco in 1979. Besides learning zydeco from Chenier, its universally acknowledged king, Dural also absorbed his mentor's maxim that music with real substance must be based on real-life experience: "I like to hear something with ideas," Chenier once told this writer. "See, a lot of young people don't understand that, they cut a record but they don't tell a story -- and you know why? They ain't got no story to tell, 'cause they ain't been through nothin'." Buckwheat Zydeco "Ninth Place" (mp3) from "Lay Your Burden Down" (Alligator Records) More On This AlbumComments[0] |
Wed, 13 May 2009  Some excellent new music again this week, mostly from the USA and the UK with a timely intervention from Jamaica.The show was recorded a few hours early this week as I'm off to London to see Jessie before she heads off to Ibiza and we'll almost certainly check out the Get Wanted night at Mother Bar in Shoreditch, London this evening. I'll report back next week. Despite this morning's grey sky it still feels good to look out into the treetops from the barn window. X-Offender - Liquor Box (Encino, CA, USA) What happens when a group of musically trained Southern California, self-confessed brats, get together to blast out big guitar driven rock? Hmmm… fun? Yes. Volume? Yes. Energy? Yes. Intensity? Yes. Irreverence? You bet. They sounded great and started playing parties to make extra money. A girl named Mary saw many shows and it turned out she was a classically trained pianist and sometime singer. She was invited to play and has participated on and off ever since. In 2008 they decided to make a record, scraped up the money themselves, and went into Electropolis Studios in North Hollywood California to knock it out. The result is Guilty Treasures, which accurately captures the whole point of the band and the record, that is: great songs, pure fun to play and listen to, with style, wit, and power, by musicians who can really play. They"'re still playing clubs and shows whenever possible, still in various bands, and who knows what will happen with Guilty Treasures, but for now, they're just playing hard and having fun. Ty Webb: Lead Vocals, Guitars Morgan Stanley: Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals Mary Lynch: Keyboards, Vocals Guy Gadois: Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals Dick Standen: Bass Guitar www.quasimusic.vpweb.com Ballad of a boy racer - Catgut (Guildford, UK) Always good news when a new Catgut release becomes available. Catgut is Owen Davey, a 22 year old Englishman. Described by Time Out magazine as a bedroom producer of "stunningly croaky low-fi tunes", he has written and recorded seven albums over the past five years. I"ve been playing him since the early days of Suffolk'n'Cool 3 years ago. Ballad of a boy racer is from his new EP Loop Nostalgia. Catgut is currently working with musicians Martin Ormand and Greg Snowdon in creating a live alternative to his online output. That should be really interesting. www.littlecatgut.com www.myspace.com/catgutmusic Blind to You - Scott Brunger (Maidstone, UK) "I'm trying to be a folk songwriter, my lyrics are blunt and to the point and I try to display as much emotion in my songs as possible. I write about my life." Scott Brunger - Acoustic Guitar/VocalsJay Brunger - Bass and Backing Vocals Paul Jobson - Drums Tony Brunger - Lead Guitar and Backing Vocals. www.scottbrunger.com www.myspace.com/scottbrunger 3,000 Lines of Defense - Geri X (St Petersburg, FL, USA) Bulgarian-born Florida resident, Geri X, is classically trained on piano & guitar. Her writing, equal parts pleasure and pain, is as riveting & haunting as it is emotional & uplifting. Timeless & contemporary, her eclectic American post-folk sounds like it learned about love and heartbreak somewhere unfathomably older than here. For fans of Jeff Buckley, Fiona Apple, KT Tunstall, Leonard Cohen, Kate Bush, Brandi Carlile, Johnny Cash. This is the first track is from her album Anthems of a Mended Heart on the 24 hour petrol station label. A fantastic song that highlights everything that is so great about her voice, music, song writing, and orchestration (2 guitars and a drum). It is some sort of anti war song, but it may be about relationships too. Hard to tell. But there is this vaguely Baltic guitar rhythm that runs straight through and a mandolin-like sound that flutters around in counterpoint to her alternating firm and wandering voice. Beautifully evocative and powerful. www.GeriXMusic.com www.myspace.com/gerix  Geri X, Geri X "3,000 Lines of Defense" (mp3) from "Anthems of a Mended Heart - LIMITED" (24 Hour Service Station) Stream from Rhapsody Buy at mTraks Buy at Rhapsody More On This AlbumDon't call her baby - Kitten Cake (London, UK) Kitten Cake formed in November 2008 when James Stone (Bass), James Persaud (Lead Guitar) and Guy Cullen (Drums) decided that a reinvention of their band, Bowling Green Heroes, was neeeded. Candice Joyce (Vocals & Guitar) was drafted in, and Kitten Cake was born (or placed in the oven at Gas Mark 5 for 25 minutes). Kitten Cake have a distinctive bluesy indie sound: Stone and Joyce write the recipes, Persaud adds more than just a dash of deliciousness while Guy provides the banging great taste that is Kitten Cake. Join the Kitten Cake Facebook Group for updates and notifications of upcoming gigs. www.myspace.com/kittencakeband Museum of Modern Art have a great ad. Thake a look. www.moma.org/explore/multimedia/videos/37 This is real - Bert Jerred (Oswego, USA) Based in New York State way up on the southern shore of Lake Ontario. This is real is taken from his newest album Ransom. A quite remarkable album which reminds me a little of Dudley Saunders' vocal tone and of some of Springsteen's more authentic moments except that here we have 16 tracks of gut wrenching reality. The album and a load more is available through Jamendo. www.myspace.com/bertjerred www.jamendo.com/en/artist/bert_jerred Galis Caliba - Cashbook Clique (Portland, Jamaica) From the album Ghetto Genesis Vol 2 from Street Dream records. Street Dream Records was born on December 10th 2008. This record label was the brainchild of Dwayne Valentine an avid lover of reggae and hip Hop Music. Along with partners Andrew "Binlaw” Suckragh and Ricardo "Scaf B.K.A. Scaffle” White the signature sound for the label (a perfect blend of Hip Hop and Dancehall Reggae) was created. It certainly is an interesting blend. The first release for the label "Ghetto Genesis” which is being distributed on CD Baby.com comprises songs relating to love, heartbreak, social commentary and the signature track for the album, which is viewed by the three as the "Anthem” aptly titled "Dreaming" (The Street Dream Anthem.) www.myspace.com/cashbook http://cdbaby.com/cd/streetdreaming To hell with love - Di Anne Price & her Boyfriends (Memphis, TN, USA) From her album The Best Price on the Locobop label. Memphis pianist-vocalist Di Anne Price channels the spirit of classic blues divas Ida Cox, Alberta Hunter, Stippie Wallace, and Memphis Minnie. Di Anne"s stride piano balances jazz with ragtime and blues in a way that's so old-fashioned it's refreshingly new. Close your eyes, and it's like stumbling into a 1940s barrelhouse. Di Anne"s approach to music is shared with "Her Boyfriends" - drummer Tom Lonardo, saxophonist Jim Spake, and bassist Tim Goodwin. "Playing with them makes my back tingle. It's like making love," Di Anne says.  Di Anne Price "To Hell with Love" (mp3) from "The Best Price" (LocoBop) Buy at LocoBop Digital Music Lab More On This AlbumComments[0] |
Wed, 6 May 2009  A great mix of music this week from Wales, Italy, France, Israel, England, Philadelphia, Zimbabwe, Toronto and Bergen in Norway.Quite a mix of styles and a feature on an amazing collaboration project. Despite cold winds over the past week or so, one of the wild ducks was spotted on the top pond with her brood of nine chicks (right) ... and I thought musicians were difficult to manage! Drop it doe eyes - Los Campesinos! (Cardiff, UK) From their album Hold on now youngster. It has indeed, been a while since we had Los Camps on Suffolk'n'Cool, they have been in Venezuela recently. www.loscampesinos.com www.myspace.com/loscampesinos Gravity - Jambassa (Irpino, Italy) From the EP The roots and the flowers (released Feb 29) The deepest roots of black music inspire and hold the electronic essence of Papa Lele and Gamino. This release explores the musical background of the irpinia crew confirming once again their unmistakable style. Recorded at Q-zone studio in Monteforte Irpino. 6 tracks from the same element: the earth! Available on the A Quiet Bump net label - waiting for you to download. "Two platinums vinyls, a mixer, a microphone, the EPS and Atari, the whole coupled with effects a such digital delay generated the bases of the exploration of Dub-Roots made in Irpinia. The first Dub tests under the name of Jambassa take life in the year 2000. Since then research of the ideal "flow” never stopped, as well through the scenic experiments into live, year studio with a work of production where still while passing by collaborations with musical groups, crew and artists of various musical horizons . Jambassa proposes a dj-set dub roots between the analogical one and digital, while dubbant into live the selections of their clean production accompanied by a skilful dj to the microphone, which makes it possible their live to be a true performance shared with a conquered public." Got all that?www.aquietbump.com/jambassa.html www.myspace.com/jambassa Playing for Change Playing for change is a multi-media movement established by Mark Johnson, as he says, "it was born out of the idea that we have to inspire each other to come together as a human race and that music is the best way to do this." The result of four years of travelling and recording is a remarkable series of films which bring the separate performances together into beautiful virtual collaborations. The video completes the illusion that the artists were all playing together. The effect is captivating and inspiring. I'd have every one of them on the show! Marley's "One love" features, amongst others: Roberto Luti (Livorno, Italy) vintage National steel guitar Menyatso Nathole and Vusi Mahlasela (Mamelodi, South Africa) Surendra Shrestha and Tal Ben Ari "Tula", (Tel Aviv, Israel and Barcelona) Manu Chao (Barcelona, Spain) It has to be seen - here's the link:Junior Kissangwa Mbouta (Kinshasa, Congo) Rajhesh Vaidhja (Chennai, India) Washboard Chaz (New Orleans, USA) among many others. www.playingforchange.com/episodes/3/One_Love CD/DVD available now. Two formats are available: $13.98 + shipping for CD/DVD $8.98 + shipping for MP3 CD mp3 downloads are currently only for sale to customers in North America (USA and Canada) at this time. www.playingforchange.com Icons among us (last week's feature) Comment from director Michael Rivoria and the Icons among us production team: Peter, thank you for featuring "Icons Among Us" in your show!! I just listened to it and it was really great. I thought the commentary was right on the mark. This doc really was created to show just how much the music has progressed as well as evolved. You really picked up on that. The word "jazz" no longer has to equate to being complex , boring or even historical. This generation of players listen to all sorts of different genres, from rock to hip-hop, etc.. which is influencing the sound and rhythm of the music. Thanks again. Love listening to your show ! ~ M. Rivoira and the Icons team www.iconsamongus.comThat feeling - Triplexity (Israel and France) From their 2008 album Live in Triplex City available on Jamendo and as a great quality FLAC version in return for a donation on their site. Three musicians from three different countries making music together without ever having met: such a story could only happen on Jamendo. And it's the story of Triplexity. SaReGaMa and Nikila were two Jamendo users exchanging good reviews about their music. Not just out of politeness, but because each one really appreciated the other's work. And then one day of 2007, after SaReGaMa asked Nikila to send him the separate tracks of a composition of hers he really liked so he could remix it, their first collaboration was born, "Morning", followed by a full album, …Not Too Far. This would lay the foundation of what would become the sound of Triplexity: smooth, introspective and mostly instrumental electronica. And when SaReGaMa wanted to do something "more world music-influenced, more organic", he turned to another Jamendo musician, Hamel1, who plays sax, clarinet and guitar. From this new three-way collaboration came out the track Three 4 Ten. "This was a milestone for Triplexity", says SaReGaMa. The fact that SaReGaMa lives in the woods of Mount Carmel (Israel), that Nikila is a Belgian citizen currently based in France, that Hamelin lives near Narbonne (South of France), and that the three of them have so far never had an occasion to meet physically was no obstacle. "The way Triplexity works is radically different from the 'rehearsal/concert" model, and that's a really interesting experience, explains Hamelin. I often compare it to studio work, only deferred." So, will the members of Triplexity meet one day? Maybe even play a gig? There are no such plans so far, but who knows. "I hope to meet my fellow musicians one day, perhaps for a beer, says Hamelin. The idea of making Triplexity a live band is still far-fetched, but nothing is impossible!" http://triplexity.blogspot.com/ www.jamendo.com/en/artist/Triplexity She sells sea shells - Joey Nightmare (Chichester, UK) The first of two tracks by artists playing next week at the Get Wanted show at 333 Mother Bar in London"s fashionable Shoreditch. "Hailing from Chichester, the band combine Minus The Bear-style technicality with catchy-as-hell saccharine dance-pop. We've got high hopes forthe live show these guys (and girl) can pull off, they're amazing!" - New Slang, Banquet Records For my money it is beautifully constructed, intelligent pop with enough light and shade and rhythm changes to keep me interested and wanting more. Let the band know what you think - they really do want to hear. www.myspace.com/joeynightmare Spiders - Officer Roseland (Philadelphia, USA) With the music industry undergoing a drastic facelift, Officer Roseland continues to look for new and innovative ways to reach listeners tired of stale formula and slick mass-production. Aside from employing an arsenal of guerrilla promotional techniques in support of Stimulus Package, their concept album with a distinctly satirical edge, skewering the crass commercialism of the recording industry—and of American society at large—with the warped sense of humour that has become the band's signature. On top of that, the energy, close harmonies and some great rich voices combine to create a sound which is at once classic and yet really refreshing. Clever how they do that! The band also offers a regular podcast, "Roll Call", available through iTunes, and live concert feeds on their website, www.officerroseland.com Mudzimu Ndiringe - Hallalujah Chicken Run Band (Zimbabwe) Analog Africa is a new series from Alula Records featuring rare legendary recordings from seminal bands that formed the explosive Zimbabwean music scene in the 1970s. "The Lion of Zimbabwe", Thomas Mapfumo, is Zimbabwe's biggest star, one of the most legendary and best-selling African artists of all time. In 1973, Mapfumo helped form the Hallelujah Chicken Run Band and, for the first time, began to shift his music away from Western-influenced rock and explore the traditional music of his Shona people, transcribing the scale of the traditional instrument mbira (or thumb piano) to guitar with his guitarist Joshua Dube The HCR Band was one of the first to develop the staccato style of guitar for which Zimbabwe is known today, and was also one of the first modern groups to sing in the traditional Shona language - a major act of liberation and an act of protest against the Rhodesian government. This compilation presents 18 of the Hallelujah Chicken Run Band"s biggest and most influential hits, recorded from 1974-1979 and all painstakingly remastered.  Hallelujah Chicken Run Band "Mudzimu Ndiringe" (mp3) from "Take One" (Alula Records) Buy at Rhapsody Stream from Rhapsody More On This AlbumBrand New - Emilie Mover (Toronto/New York) Emilie Mover was conceived in Miami Beach, Florida at the Paradise Beach Hotel. She was born in Montreal on a snowy November evening. She grew up in Toronto and spent some time in New York City where she began singing jazz with her father, saxophonist Bob Mover. She later moved back to Toronto, where she began to play guitar and write songs soon after. She began playing them for an audience at age 20 at the Tranzac Club in Toronto and has been doing so ever since. Apparently the writers of Grey's Anatomy have a bit of a thing for Emilie, as this is her second song to get featured within an episode of the show this season. For those who can't get enough of Emilie, be on the lookout for yet another song of hers to be in an upcoming episode of CBS's Ghost Whisperer which airs Friday nights at 8. 16 May 2009 rockwood music hall New York, New York 19 May 2009 The Living Room new york, New York Available on CD Baby and iTunes linked from her site and MySpace. www.emiliemover.com www.myspace.com/emiliemover Dark side of the blues - Alexandria Quartet (Bergen, Norway) Topping the bill at Get Wanted next Wednesday (they also played the very first Get Wanted night back in November last year. Based in Bergen, Norway's main student city and the country's unofficial pop epicentre, the Quartet have been holed up in studios and rehearsal rooms for the last 18 months polishing their album. Martin Skålnes - vox, git, keys Øystein Braut - guitars Kim Åge Furuhaug - drums Chris Holm - bass www.thealexandriaquartet.com Comments[1] |
Wed, 29 April 2009  A small experiment this week and next in that I'll be including reports on music developments and people that I've come across. Please let me know what you think. No chance to grab a picture this week but I did have a look through some of the stuff from Long Island and quite liked this one (right). Come to think of it, I could do with another couple of weeks there! Road to nowhere - Rick Fowler (Georgia, USA) Rick Fowler's musical honesty creates an unsurpassed morphic resonance between him and his listeners. With a raw soul reminiscent of early Johnny Winter and aural suspense akin to Trower, Fowler delivers the energy, joy, anger and torment found in the very best of blues-rock. Road to nowhere is from his album Back on my good foot available direct from his site or from CD Baby. Credit due to all musicians on the album for some great playing: BASS: Michael C. Steele DRUMS: Gerry Hansen, Bill Berry B3: Tim White, Randall Bramblett 2ND GUITAR: Jonathan Dorsey RESONATOR: Michael C. Steele BG VOCS: Sherry Joyce, Michael C. Steele http://rickfowler.com/ www.myspace.com/rickfowlerband Life of fantastic - Azoora (London, UK & Åre, Göteborg Sweden) "Azoora" are a blend of acoustic electronica which combines that dreamy shoe-gazing feel with a charming British indie twist. They have recently released their latest EP The Second Coming. This is their 4th EP and again a big step forward for this amazing band. Beautiful timeless popsongs mixed with electronic burst-outs and a master production. Lean back and let it wash over you! "Every time I listen to new Azoora tracks I can see style, technique and production improve. Well worth getting your hands on this.” - Rowley Cutler www.myspace.com/azoora Gary - Stages of Dan (London, UK) Formed at the crack of 2008, Stages Of Dan are a London based trio made up of Chris Aliano (Guitar/Vocals), Chris 'Big Chris' Bryant (Bass/vox) and Guy Davidson (Drums/vox). Lots of live show dates coming up so check out their MySpace at: www.myspace.com/stagesofdan Icons among us Jazz had become synonymous with old men listening in respectful silence to music based largely on the movers and shakers of the past century. Now there is a fresh breeze of "jazz with attitude" stirring things up. It really does deserve your attention and that is why a series of documentaries has been made, shining a light on some pretty remarkable and exciting musicians with good stuff to say as well as play. "It's about time someone had the balls to do a documentary like this" Jamie Cullum (jazz singer, multi-platinum artist) www.iconsamongus.comwww.myspace.com/iconsamongus Abataka - Kinobe and Soul Beat Africa (Kampala, Uganda) Kinobe (pronounced CHI-NO-BAY) is a brilliant multi-instrumentalist from Uganda whose early abilities in traditional African music quickly garnered acclaim on the world stage. Born in 1983 near Lake Victoria, he began playing music at the age of five, and five years later travelled to the Netherlands with a group of musicians for his first international performance. It was this trip that introduced him to the diversity of musical traditions throughout the world, opening his ears to new sounds, and launching a life-changing interest in world music. In the years that followed, Kinobe traveled the African continent, performing with such figures in African roots music as, Youssou N'dour, Salif Keita, Angelique Kidjo, Oliver Mtukudzi, Baaba Maal, Ismael Lo, and many others. He is a lifelong student, teacher, lover, and purveyor of the great diversity of African musical traditions. Soul Beat Africa is the new voice of Ugandan music, the inspired synthesis of African roots and world music, of traditional and modern instrumentation. These musicians represent the new vanguard of Ugandan performers, gifted instrumentalists steeped in the music of their homeland, but with ears opened to the sounds of the world at large.  Kinobe & Soul Beat Africa "Abataka" (mp3) from "Kinobe & Soul Beat Africa" (Multicultural Media) More On This AlbumAll the way down - Jeannine Hebb (Brooklyn, NY) Jeannine Hebb, an award-winning songwriter and vocalist, has been studying, performing, writing, and rocking out since she was 11. At 20, Jeannine graduated magna cum laude from Berklee College of Music, having studied with some of the best in the business (Gabrielle Goodman, Pat Pattison, Livingston Taylor). Great track on video on YouTube. http://sonicbids.com/JeannineHebb http://myspace.com/JeannineHebb El Naranjal - Rogelio Gutierrez (Mexico?) No information available. If you have anything please let me know, it's peter [at] suffolkandcool.com Rogelio Gutierrez "El Naranjal" (mp3) from "Polkas Famosas 18 Exitos" (Modiner) Buy at Rhapsody Stream from Rhapsody More On This AlbumMadame Pamita dates in UK May 14 The Gladstone Arms, London, SE1 1QN May 15 The Alma, London, SE19 2TA May 16 Matsu, London, E3 4PL May 17 Dr. King's Jailhouse/East Dulwich Tavern, London (East Dulwich), SE22 8HJ May 19 The Cricketers Arms, Keighley West Yorkshire, BD21 5JE May 20 The George Tavern, London (Stepney), E1 0LA May 21 The Harlequin, Sheffield, S3 8GG May 22 Brooks Blues Bar/Telegraph pub, London, SW15 3TU May 23 The Lantern Theatre, Sheffield (Netheredge), S7 1NF www.madamepamita.com Say no More - Enrico Crivellaro (Italy) From the album Mojo Zone, recorded in Udine, Italy. Enrico Crivellaro is a former protege of Ronnie Earl, Duke Robillard and Kenny Burrell, ENRICO CRIVELLARO has fast become one of the most dynamic and inventive young guitarists on the Blues Scene today. Best known for his guitar work with the James Harman Band, Janiva Magness, Finis Tasby, Lester Butler's "13" and the Royal Crown Revue. Enrico has stepped up to the plate and recorded a truly genre bending all instrumental Blues Guitar showcase with MOJO ZONE.  Enrico Crivellaro "Say No More" (mp3) from "Mojo Zone" (Electro-Fi Records) Buy at Rhapsody More On This AlbumComments[2] |
Wed, 22 April 2009  Remix is a bit of a theme this week, with a couple of very interesting initiatives encouraging you to have a crack at "the dark art".After a false start to the Kerplunk (our own form of free-style Pétanque) season at the Three Horseshoes pub in Charsfield last week, we are hoping for less rain tomorrow evening. Our rules are few and far between with insults freely traded, a few good beers consumed and absolutely no scores kept; it is purely for laughs. At some stage we may even stream the proceedings live. Now there's a frightening thought. Bontemps Roulez - Brother Joscephus and the Love Revival Revolution Orchestra (NY, NY, USA) Brother Joscephus and the Love Revival Revolution Orchestra are an 11-piece explosion of love and righteousness specializing in Groovy New Orleans-inspired Roots Rock/Soul with a Gospel feel but without the religious overtone - kind of secular gospel! If you want to hear more, I first played BroJo on SnC 160 around a month ago and George Smyth featured Bro Jo on the Eclectic Mix podcast last week at www.eclecticmix.com www.brotherjoscephus.com/ www.myspace.com/brotherjoscephus Kira Fontana has been in touch this week and turned me on to a remarkable new(ish) talent. "I've recently been tuning into one of the most amazing things going on in the world of music. If you don't know about him yet, 28 year old Venezuelan phenom Gustavo Dudamel is an electrifying force." This flamboyant, passionate and young, Venezuelan conductor is one of the biggest stars in classical music. Bob Simon's CBS report here or at: www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=3841774n Watch CBS Videos Online Home - Kira Fontana (LA, CA, USA) On her debut album, The Inner Revolution, songstress Kira Fontana triumphs in embracing an emotional rawness without fear, while also exploring a soul-searching mysticism that's undaunted in recognizing life's ever-changing moves. Like Sinéad O'Connor and Tori Amos before her, the San Francisco Bay Area-born artist approaches such a task with unshakable power. Another of the tracks from Inner revolution has a video on YouTube: at www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrZrUM7W2lU www.kirafontana.com Real World project I've been quite intrigued by a project set up by Real World called Real World Remixed which takes home mixing a stage further. As the site describes the process: "Download our 'sample packs' - multi-track recordings. Use the 'sample packs' to create remixes of the original tracks using whichever software, technology and techniques you want, but please don't infringe anyone's copyright. Upload your mix back to this site and join the community in voting, commenting and discussion in the forum." Samples from Games without frontiers - Peter Gabriel. My favourite remix .. so far, Deaconesque's "Tumbledown to the piccolo snare" remix. You can hear the whole remixed track here. There are currently 14 packs of materials to download and remix. The latest pack is a collaboration between Real World Records and World Sessions of Setal by Daby Touré. There are some mouth-watering sounds … Check it out for yourself at: http://realworldremixed.com What Walks Outside My Window? - Christopher Rees (Llanelli, UK) Title track from his fourth album. San Francisco may sound an unlikely place for a young guitarist, singer and songwriter from Llanelli (South Wales) to start his musical career but that's where the story begins for Christopher Rees. In 1994, after playing guitar and developing his song writing skills during his time at Cardiff University he packed his bags and like his hero John Cale bought a plane ticket to New York. Katy Rowe adds her irresistible violin to the frenzied bluegrass of Kicked Out By Love and drummer Dan Tilbury (The Snakes, Redlands Palomino Company) provides inspired drumming throughout. Rees stretches himself to take care of all other instrumentation including guitars, banjo, mandolin, lap steel, church organ, piano, bass, choral backing voices and chapel shaking, foot stamping, hand clapping percussion! The track is from IODA so there's a free download here.  Christopher Rees "What Walks Outside My Window?" (mp3) from "What Walks Outside My Window?" (Red Eye Music) Buy at Rhapsody Buy at iTunes Music Store More On This Albumwww.christopherrees.co.uk www.myspace.com/christopherrees Conversation with Clare Veniot this past few days - 46Bliss. They have been running a remix project in the form of a competition for others to remix their music. In fact they made a bunch of tracks available and had a fantastic response from remixers around the world, the best of which are released on two albums Remix me away: volumes 1 and 2. They are available from CD baby and iTunes. I played 8 o'clock train a few weeks ago on SnC161. That was a remix by PKP Express of a track on the 46-Bliss album Wish me away. I realised that I'd only heard remixes, so Clare very kindly offered to sent the two original CDs over from Brooklyn. Great listening they are too. The barn has been resonating to them since they arrived on Monday morning. The way you are - 46 Bliss (Brooklyn, NY) Take a look at www.acidplanet.com/46bliss while you can to discover the winning remixes. www.46bliss.com/ From Dave at The Bugcast (www.thebugcast.org/) I'm having a serious problem with my some of my shows not playing back on the iPod Touch/iPhone. It's intermittent and inconsistent. Any problems with SnC playing on anything? If so, please let me know, peter@suffolkandcool.comApparently shows that don't play on the iP* do play back successfully on iTunes itself. Badness Outta Style - Peter Runks (Nassau, Bahama) Tawanto Saunders A.k.A "Peter Runks" was born on November 12th 1977 on New Providence island (Nassau) Bahamas. Peter Runks grew up in the ghetto and faced all of the struggles and pressures that ensued. Peter Runks pursued his talent for singing and recorded his first album titled "Divine Vessel" in September of 1998 with Bahamian producer Dillon McKenzie at Commonwealth Recording Studio in Nassau,Bahamas.This endeavour led to an American state to state tour with L.G.Wise and D.C.P in the year 2000. In July of 2001, Peter Runks made a musical pilgrimage to the birthplace of reggae music, Jamaica, to record the first set of singles for his Sophomore album entitled "Let Loose The Prophets". While there he recorded at Anchor Recording Studio with producer Rudy Valentino and worked with noted producer and sax player Dean Frazier. He recorded his debut single "Save Your Soul" on the "Copy Cat" riddim produced by Ray Ambrister for Buff Boo Records. In July of 2008, Peter Runks recorded his second single titled "Badness Outta Style" on the "Promise" riddim also produced by Ray Armbrister for Buff Boo Records. Peter Runks is the Vessel of Divinity, Ordained by the Trinity, Preaching Lyrically and Substantially, Righteousness with Integrity, Which shall Subdue the Wickedness of Humanity, who pervert Justice with Wrong Concepts and Profanity. He's just a Subsidiary, Shedding Light and Truth where there is Fallacy, Bestowing Strength to the Weak and Weary, Giving Thanks to the King of Glory, Jesus Christ His Majesty...Bless. The Divine Vessel just Manifest. www.myspace.com/peterrunks iTunes reviews and ratings I think it's time to spread the word about Suffolk 'n' Cool. It would really help if you would take a couple of minutes to rate and review the show in iTunes. You'll be able to access your home "My store". I think you just need to follow this link. If not, log in to iTunes, search for suffolkandcool, click on the SnC logo and then you'll be able to "Rate this podcast" and "Write a review". If you want to leave a rating or review on another store that would be great. It is a little more complicated but not too bad a process. If you go to the iTunes front page, right at the bottom you can switch to another store (e.g. UK, USA, Australia, France, wherever), find the show, drop the rating and review in and return to the front page to go back to your home store. Thanks, eversomuch, that's really appreciated. The Optimist - Stan Harrison (NY, NY) Stan Harrison has recorded and toured with some of the most outstanding people in the music business, including David Bowie, Radiohead, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Serge Gainsbourg, Duran Duran, Talking Heads and many others. Now, he is stepping out as a solo artist with a CD containing 10 of his original instrumental and vocal compostions, accompanied by artists such as Philip Bailey and Phoebe Snow. www.stanharrison.com www.myspace.com/stanharrison Codger posted a comment on the shownotes (you can comment too by clicking on teh comment link at the end of each show's notes) to suggest that in playing the polka track last week I'd turned the weirdness up to 11. Taquito Militar - Orquesta Típica Argentina (Argentina) From the album Tangos Famosos (Instrumentales y Cantados) Vol. 1  Orquesta TÖpica Argentina "Taquito Militar" (mp3) from "Tangos Famosos (Instrumentales y Cantados) Vol. 1" (Modiner) Buy at Rhapsody More On This AlbumComments[2] |
Wed, 15 April 2009  A rather quirky show with some great tunes from around the world.Having said, in the show, that spring had arrived in Suffolk, I'm now frantically trying to get the show uploaded before the current thunderstorm knocks the power out completely. UPS has been working every few minutes so I've not lost everything … yet. This week's picture is one of the very few bits of Marley memorabilia I have, a very used plectrum. How do I know it was his? Because I bought it, a few more and a couple of Fender Twin Reverbs for the band - at Manny's Music Store in NYC! Rolling Higher - Lucy Bonilla (Bellerose Manor, New York, USA) Lucy has expanded her tour grounds from Canada down the U.S East Coast. She recently completed her third release at The Clubhouse in Rhinebeck, NY, under the expert guidance of producer Jim Weider (The Band, Bob Dylan, Mavis Staples, Los Lobos). She also welcomed the creative writing talents of Dean Batstone, Jerry Lynn Williams (Eric Clapton) and Jim Weider (www.jimweider.com) to pen various tracks. The title track, Rolling Higher, combines Lucy's feisty vocals with slick guitar licks that hearken to blues greats of yesteryear. The album also includes a re-recording of the first and only song Lucy ever wrote on piano, "Lonely Goes". www.LucyBonilla.com cdbaby.com/all/lucybonilla Tomorrow - Kiran Hungin (London, UK) Originally from the north east of England, Kiran Hungin has been playing solo on the London acoustic circuit for a few years. I had the good fortune to see and interview her in Norwich for SnC 040 back in November 2006. (The interview starts at about 15 mins). "i have had the good fortune to work with some amazing musicians, but i had just always craved that feeling of having a musical family; a little crew to join me in the the ups, downs and everything in between. and to be honest, i just want a band behind my tunes.. to add that much needed element of 'kick-ass ness that i want!” A little over a year ago she took the step of creating a band."i'm so happy with the band. it is honestly the first time i just feel like the music is totally how i envisaged it from the early demos, when i was playing only a piano part, but hearing much more in my head.” You and me - Kiran and the Nght Owls (London, UK) From the EP The Worry Tree The production is top notch. Without too much fancy arrangement the integrity of the songs is retained totally intact. The band underpin the songs which, with a less accomplished singer, might be described as a sparse touch. On this album it is as though the band is filling the sound out a little whilst taking a step backwards to allow Kiran's voice find its full expression without straining. The result is magic - a dreamy quality is there but the songs are direct and heart-felt. UPDATE: The EP will be in the iTunes store in a few weeks but it is much better to buy physical CDs direct from Kiran - besides which, the band gets all the money which helps support the music; good for everyone. Contact Kiran through MySpace or at kiranandthenightowls@hotmail.comSorry. Yes, there were some gig dates here but it transpires that they were for last year - and all my efforts in trying to pronounce the unpronounceable were in vain! I'll update with current dates as soon as I hear. www.kiranandthenightowls.com/ www.myspace.com/kiranandthenightowls How many miles - Sarah Bear (London) When I asked Sarah for this track she replied: "Wow, how many miles is very old.. i think that was my first bit of production! Josh (AKA Everyday Junglist) has done a blinding new version in Yoda Room. Indeed i showed up and put a vocal on the end." www.myspace.com/sarahbearsoundswww.myspace.com/theyodaroom Island 50 celebrations are coming up next month for the once indie label. Film director Phil Low who also worked at Island was in touch this week to remind me that founder Chris Blackwell received a special honour at the Music Week magazine awards in London a couple of weeks ago being named as "the most influential figure in the last 50 years of the British music industry." He was picked from a shortlist of 20 including Sir George Martin, who signed and produced The Beatles. CB set up Island Records, with £1,000 in 1959. By co-incidence Music Week is also marking its 50th anniversary this year. The label signed pioneering artists including Jimmy Cliff, Traffic, Nick Drake and Roxy Music in the 1960s and '70s, and, of course, CB discovered future reggae legend Bob Marley in Jamaica in 1972. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7990614.stm www.island50.com Bang Bang - Nadine Loren (LA, USA?) Swiss-born singer/songwriter, Nadine Loren attributes her unique style to her upbringing in both Germany and New Zealand. A true artist, Loren combines musical genres, fusing various styles with an obvious European influence. Her highly anticipated debut album, Living in Wonderland launched Thursday, November 13th, 2008. Loren's songs combine folk, electronic, pop and rock music elements and feature English, French and Italian lyrics that utilize operatic influences to add a quirky theatricality to her melodies. Two of her songs, Wonderland and Look Me in the Diamonds, were recently picked up for a European compilation entitled 'Bad Girls Don't Cry' also featuring Duffy, Ayo, and Amy Winehouse. www.nadineloren.com/ www.myspace.com/nadineloren Angels - J.S. Marti (Palma de Mallorca, Spain) Recommended by Organic Despair ... again. It is on Jamendo so get over there and get it for yourself. "This collection of songs was composed at a time that dictated that my music should be direct, without many devices, so I decided to only record it with acoustic guitars and voice there isn't even any reverb." www.myspace.com/jsmartimusicChris Blackwell on signing with labels www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWiCie0-NZM Je t'aime je t'aime - Lola Dutronic (Berlin, Germany and Toronto, Canada) A French Pop/Electronica duo, who sing really interesting material in both French & English. Je t'aime je t'aime is from the new 3rd album, LOLA DUTRONIC IN BERLIN recorded over a 3 week period in an abandoned Berlin apartment, and mixed in Toronto. it also features the legendary Mike Garson (of David Bowie's Aladdin Sane fame) on piano. "We divide our time between Berlin and Toronto. We've put out three albums so far: "THE WORLD OF LOLA DUTRONIC", the Grammy Award nominated* "THE LOVE PARADE" and our newest album, "LOLA DUTRONIC IN BERLIN". We've also appeared on several compilation albums and repackages in Asia and Europe. Available on iTunes and on CDBaby.com at http://cdbaby.com/cd/ldutronicThere is also a wonderful track Brigitte Bardot on their MySpace. www.myspace.com/loladutronic Sign spotted in an Aldeburgh hotel window on Monday: Locally caught fish served daily on our menus Chimer (alternative version) - Trolley (Halifax, United Kingdom) From the Jamendo album A Companion For Joey : PedigREMIXED Please note : This is NOT a new Trolley album. (A new Trolley album is underway, however.) www.myspace.com/theremedialsetRather, it is a collection of Remixes, Outtakes and Alternative versions of tracks recorded around the period of "Pedigree Joey" (The 2nd Trolley album). As its title suggests, it acts as a companion to that album - rather than just being the bits that weren't good enough to be included in the first place. Whilst this is a fairly madcap and lunatic sounding bunch of tunes, it's hopefully a blast of high-octane fun to listen to. I do still think it holds together as a surprisingly cohesive whole, despite its unhinged and chaotic sound. The aural equivalent of dropping acid, then going to an all-night funfair. La Capsula - Los Hnos. Prado (Mexico) From the album Las Majores Polkas. Download it free using the IODA link below.  Los Hnos. Prado "La Capsula" (mp3) from "Las Mejores Polkas" (Modiner) More On This AlbumMy Happy - Lindsay Katt (NY, NY) She is a new name in the landscape that welcomes female singer-songwriters. Her style however, is entirely her own. Self-taught, in the mountains of Montana, she developed her own unique process, taking chances with her sound and lyrics. The resulting melodies are haunting, uplifting, poignant and quirky. Filling Venues in NYC like "The Cutting Room” and "The Knitting Factory” Lindsay held her CD release party for her debut record Picking Out Boxes at "The Living Room" in NYC in February. (Mastered by Legendary music engineer Greg Calbi) She is so excited to be able to finally share the product of her hard work. www.myspace.com/lindsaykatt Comments[1] |
Wed, 8 April 2009  Recovery from Podcrawl is progressing as quickly as can be expected. The day started wonderfully well for Jeremy G and I at the very welcoming Market Coffee House near Spitalfields Market in London. Apparently a former market pub (from when Spitalfields was a proper market with pubs all around to quench the thirst of market porters, often from very early in the mornings) it is now meeting the urgent needs of caffeine starved podcasters. You'll find it at: www.marketcoffeehouse.com/ Since I was driving it was a day of light drinking but it was still a blast and very tiring. She blows my socks off - Too Slim and the Taildraggers (USA) On Burnside Records. No more info than that. Download it via this link.  Too Slim And The Taildraggers "She Blows My Socks Off" (mp3) from "Wanted: Live" (Burnside Records) Stream from Rhapsody Buy at Rhapsody More On This AlbumHieroglyphe - Spleen (Argenteuil, France) From the album Les algorythmes de venus on Jamendo (2006) + The Job - Spleen From the album For the great dj also on Jamendo - released a couple of months ago. The Spleen project started in 2002 and is still going strong. http://perso.orange.fr/Spleen.Music/ www.jamendo.com/en/artist/spleen Keira tells me that Get Wanted has line-ups prepared for the spring summer period including performances form Pharaohs, The Gadsdens, Royal Treatment Plant, The Worldonfire, The First, Haunted by Humans, and Fighting Fiction. Just £7 on the door or a laughable £5 in advance www.myspace.com/getwanted Old Fashioned - Mathematics (Somerset, UK) 3 piece band from Somerset (that's near Bath, where Colin Gazely is baased). They've had interest from major labels such as Mercurty Records and have recently played on Radio 1. They are playing the Get Wanted gig at Mother Bar in London"s fashionable Shoreditch tomorrow night 9 April. 8 Apr 2009 [SKIVING SCHOLAR] Plymouth w/ Swim Team 9 Apr 2009 [333 MOTHERBAR] Shoreditch, London w/ wehaveagetaway 13 Apr 2009 [CLUB ELUSIVE] Ashford, Kent w/ Nick Harrison + Lights Go Blue www.myspace.com/mathematicsband Scenester Ma Ma - The Danforths (St. Paul/Minneapolis, MN, USA) From the album Amphibian on Modern Record Label "The Danforths are not only a high-five between three incredible musicians, but also an ethereal holy trinity that is the one real Chris Danforth. Pluralizing his name and using it as the nom de plume for his projects alludes to the kind of musical schizophrenia from which Danforth suffers. His head is filled with so many sounds, structures and ideas that he is forced to allow each voice to have its turn at the helm. The Danforth hone perfectly amalgamated quirk-pop to a more mature conclusion. Combining found sounds, field recordings, synth and guitar-led songs, they craft lo-fi psych pop that Ink 19 called "an orchestral, angular, epic take on panoramic sunshine music like some long-lost Elephant 6 track calling in from the twilight zone."
 The Danforths "Scenester Ma Ma" (mp3) from "Amphibian" (Modern Radio Record Label) Buy at Modern Radio Buy at iTunes Music Store More On This Albumhttp://podcrawl.blogspot.com/ Book of clouds and rain - Secret Archives of the Vatican (UK) From the Babylon Halt album which is available from brokendrumrecords.com Die to live (original remix) - Luthea Salom (NY, NY) From Sunbeam Surrounded By Winter Tour dates in Europe: Tue, April 14 - 19:00 - eppingen, baden-württemberg Thu, April 16 - 20:00 - kassel, germany Sat, April 18 - 20:00 - hamburg, germany Sun, April 19 19:00 - berlin, germany Mon, April 20 - 21:30 - frankfurt, germany Tue, April 21 - 20:00 - tier, germany Wed, April 22 - 20:00 - mc muller's irish-american pub, linnich-kofferen Thu, April 23 - 20:00 - bochum, germany Sat, April 25 - 21:30 - munich, germany Then to Spain in June details from her site at: www.lutheasalom.com/ www.myspace.com/lutheasalomsongs Debt Collector - Blessed House (UK) From the Holy Residents EP. Blessed House are 2 mc's (Guest House and Bibs) representing Leeds, UK. They've been rapping for about 5 years and doing live shows for about 3 years. They have played in Leeds, Cambridge, Buxton, Huddersfield... Blessed House have worked with numerous producers but their main producers are Organised Mess. Organised Mess is a collective of UK Hiphop producers based in Leeds and Oxfordshire. Members include Potentc, Grndyzr, Melon and Stature. BudaBeats netlabel has some interesting music available www.budabeats.com/releases.htm Comin' Home - Memphis Nights (Australia) Music Submit From the excellent 14 track sampler album spanning the choice works of the previous releases and most popular tracks "Tales from Tin Alley". Australian artist - with the American Name. Old School Funk/Rock and Blues - Meets new School Sounds. The result.....Memphis Nights. I started off in the city of Melbourne, Australia, and fled to the country for "The peaceful life". The deal was to hibernate for a decade or so, and it was there in my little van in the High Country that I wrote and recorded on cheap audio cassettes. About 350 songs later the quiet life went loud. Emerging to put together a 4 piece swamp/rock band: "The Swamp Cats", we played for 5 years in just about every backwater bar, party and major festival that was going at the time, and its was during this time I was given the name of Memphis Nights because of the American influences and style of music. Having such a large number of originals and having played the regional circuit for so long I soon out grew the scene and needed bigger and better things. At the end of 2003 some guy in a suit convinced me to head back to the city, having to leave the band. So, as a soloist with my Bass guitar and my own recordings, I played with a variety of musicians and played at all levels and classes of venues achieving minor successes, while pursuing a market for the recordings. The market in Australia is a strange one….in 2008 I made my voyage to Europe. Armed now with 5 finished albums and a new hunger to re-invent and re-launch again. Working with new musicians and a fresh look, I record and and plays live with a new band while looking to market the music to Europe, Asia, America and beyond. With a blues voice, working with drum and bass techno samples, I'm half country - half city. A guy who had to escape the small alpine Australian country van for Europe…. www.myspace.com/memphisnights www.cdbaby.com/memphisnights Comments[0] |
Wed, 1 April 2009  My thanks to Pete Cogle for pointing out that I'd left the MP3 file out when publishing the show last night. Doh! It is in now but if you subscribe to the show and found 161 a bit quiet, you may need to download it again. Sorry. PS Thanks to Graham Holland for posing for the picture too :) A frantic week again with yesterday spent in London, loads of work pressure and Podcrawl to plan for as well as hosting the AMPed show for Monday. Some great and varied music again this week with quite a few tracks from New York and others from Los Angeles, Ontario, London and Buenos Aires. It seems to be spring around The Barn. Quite a few frogs have been making their way to the pond today (right), with just one thing on their mind and I'd say you can see it in their eye. My Machine - Queen V (New York, NY) From the album Death or Glory. My Machine, is an unrelenting, speeding ride, is about being "a proud sexual woman in the face of all the guilt and shame women are supposed to feel." She explains, "It felt good to vent my frustrations with people who are afraid or intimidated by my Catherine The Great size appetite for passion and intensity." V makes her case for wanting to "just get down to it," with her deep, heavy breaths layered over Tom Morello's ferocious guitar riffs." www.queenv.com www.myspace.com/queenv 8 O'Clock Train - 46 Bliss (New York, NY) The voluptuous alto voice of Clare Veniot gives way to a satiny upper register that feels timeless in its simplicity, providing a perfect balance to the technological mastery of vocalist, programmer and keyboardist David Cooper and electronic drummer Jack Freudenheim, creator of ambient music software Sounder. 46bliss, perhaps best known for their song The Way You Are featured on the show Veronica Mars and CSI-NY, and In A Long Time, one of the most played songs in podcasting, are releasing a 2-CD set of 46bliss tracks reworked by remixers from 6 countries. The 46bliss campaign in support of the CDs is called 20 remixes in 20 weeks, during which they will release a remix a week to the public via PodsSafe Music Network, Myspace, Facebook etc. www.46bliss.com/ www.myspace.com/46bliss Nothing less than you - Stan Harrison (New York, NY) Stan Harrison has recorded and toured with some of the most outstanding people in the music business, including David Bowie, Radiohead, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Serge Gainsbourg, Duran Duran, Talking Heads and many others. Now, he is stepping out as a solo artist with a CD containing 10 of his original instrumental and vocal compostions, accompanied by artists such as Philip Bailey and Phoebe Snow. www.stanharrison.com www.myspace.com/stanharrison This sentence will ruin/save your life - Born Ruffians (green go remix) (Ontario, Canada) Guelph, Ontario's shouty dance funk pop band, Green Go comprise Ferenc Stenton, Jessica Tollefsen, Kyle Squance, Mark Andrade, Adam Scott. They are releasing the Green Go Remix Project Vol. 1. Explosive remixes of everyone's favorite Canadian indie rock tracks from Born Ruffians, the Rural Alberta Advantage, Women, Gentlemen Reg, and The D'Urbervilles are re-wrapped in the synth heavy, freak out inducing, sweaty ways Green Go have become so well known for. GoGreen are gearing up for the release of their debut full-length album, Borders, at the Ebar in Guelph! On 16th of this month (April). A whole string of live shows around Ontario and Quebec this month. www.greengomusic.com Invisible - Wendy and Lisa (Los Angeles, CA) From White Flags of Winter Chimneys. Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman, better known as the legendary duo Wendy and Lisa, have released their new album, White Flags of Winter Chimneys. White Flags of Winter Chimneys is Wendy and Lisa's first album since 1998's Girl Bros. Self-produced and self-released by the duo, the album is a gorgeous kaleidoscope of song-compositions with influences ranging from trance to electronica to 70's funk and straight up rock and roll. You should be able to stream the entire album right here. http://wendyandlisa.com www.myspace.com/gbnmusic Ice Cube Massage - Lord Numb (UK) From the current Numb the pain album from Dedpop. Lord Numb is one half of revered DJ duo The Reject Club, the other half being Spidersleg. They play regularly in Holland and at various select venues in Olde Lahndan Tahn, init? Lord Numb has been supplying electricity for the Monkey Machine since the glorious death of all music. He favours the guitar and synthesizer above all else. The 2008 EP Comfortably Numb is also available for free download both are at: http://dedpop.co.uk/lordnumb www.myspace.com/lordynumb Podcrawl on Saturday www.podcrawl.blogspot.com/ AMPed on Monday The show, AMPed 173 will be available from Monday. While you’re their take a listen to some of the other shows in the player. There are links to all the member podcasts on the front page of the AMP site or on the links page at Suffolkandcool.com http://musicpodcasting.org La Luz del Ritmo – Los Fabulosos Cadilacs (Buenos Aires, Argentina) From their album of the same name on Nacional Records. Recognized for their groundbreaking fusion of ska, rock, tropical, punk, reggae and Latin rhythms, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs Back after a seven year hiatus, Buenos Aires's acclaimed Latin-rock outfit, Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, have reassembled to release the highly anticipated La Luz del Ritmo (The Light of Rhythm). They became stars in their native Argentina throughout the late 80s before propelling the Latin Rock genre into the international spotlight in the 90s. Songs like "Matador" and "Mal Bicho" were anthems for a generation and inspired thousands of youth and musicians across the globe. Los Fabulosos Cadillacs’ reputation led to recording collaborations with a variety of stars including Mick Jones (of The Clash), Celia Cruz, Ruben Blades, Deborah Harry (Blondie), Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth (of the Talking Heads).  Los Fabulosos Cadillacs "Malbicho" (mp3) from "La Luz Del Ritmo" (Nacional Records) Buy at Rhapsody Stream from Rhapsody More On This Album |
Wed, 25 March 2009  I'm back from The Bahamas and still somewhat jetlagged after 18 hours or so travelling including an almost sleepless red-eyed special trans-Atlantic flight. Yes, the sea really was that clear and an amazing colour. From the position of the rudder on the wreck of the Imperial, the final command was probably "left hand down a bit ... NOW!"Steppin Up - Ramblin' Dawgs (E. Brunswick, NJ, USA) From the album Rockin Blues The Ramblin Dawgs are an energetic rock driven modern blues powerhouse, formed in late 2007 and making waves throughout their local New York / New Jersey communities with energetic rock driven modern blues performances. Driven by Carlos "C-Dawg" DC's soulful vocals and tasteful guitar playing, Raul DC's thunderous drumming, Rick Frank's screaming Hammond organ, and Jonas Landau's rock solid grooves on bass, the buzz continued in 2008 as the band performed relentlessly. www.ramblindawgs.com/ www.myspace.com/ramblindawgs http://cdbaby.com/cd/ramblindawgs I've just had 24 highly enjoyable hours in London including an evening at the QuecumBar in Battersea which is the adopted home of French swing jazz (a la Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli). Just a jam night but a very high standards of musicianship, very good food and a great atmosphere. www.quecumbar.co.uk Have faith believe - Tom Browning (Parkend, Gloucestershire, UK) I had a MySpace friend request from a young British musician called Tom Browning deep in the Forest of Dean a couple of days ago. I think it is the straightforward honesty of his playing that appeals. "I'm soon to be playing in pubs once I've got a covers set together. I also hope to be going on the stage with a set of orignals too! I play a Taylor 110-E." www.myspace.com/tbrowningmusic This Is Not The Fire - My Tiger My Timing (London, UK) Another contact through MySpace. My Tiger My Timing are Anna, James, Harrison and Gary and formed in 2008 in south east London. Their debut single This Is Not The Fire is produced by Andy Spence of New Young Pony Club and released April 6th 2009 on download through Silver Music Machine. 31 Mar 2009 Cargo w/ Yo Majesty, London 4 Apr 2009 Big In Japan @ 60 Million Postcards, Bournemouth 11 Apr 2009 Be @ Proud, London 17 Apr 2009 Blow Up @ Chorlton Irish Club, Manchester 24 Apr 2009 Slutty Fringe @ Cargo, London 1 May 2009 Hinterland Festival, Glasgow 15 May 2009 The Great Escape, Brighton 28 May 2009 Broken Yolk @ Bardens Boudoir, London www.myspace.com/mytigermytiming I hope you'll never come back - Organic Despair (Montpellier, France) Organic Despair haas recommended quite a few albums through Jamendo - all are worth a listen. Now it is his turn to get a play. "Passionné de musique Organic Despair anciennement "Jesus First Christ" s'éprends de jouer de la guitare.... un premier groupe rock psychédelique né mais se disloque assez vite.. From The Unfaced Album on Jamendo. http://organicdespair.jimdo.com/ www.jamendo.com/en/artist/organic.despair The Empire - Danny Shayler (south-west England) Danny Shaylers songs contain a healthy dose of cynicism about nationhood and the power of one nation over another. A sentiment that I fully endorse. It has taken a while to get this track from singer, songwriter and actor Danny onto the show after my chum Nicky Valentine met up with him when they were both appearing in the UK hospital drama Casualty (I think Danny was Nicky's patient). Danny plays guitar in Chris Jagger's band "Atcha" and has recently put a band together to play his own music. www.myspace.com/dannyshaylerband I've been converted - Kelly Joe Phelps (Oregon, USA) Kelly Joe Phelps is a musician and songwriter from Oregon State who is well-known as one of the best living "bluesman" and lapslide guitar players. From the album Lead me on due for street release in a couple of weeks on April 15 although the digital version has been available for a month or so. Actually, I think it is a re-release of quite an old album. "Hundreds of gigs and bloodied fingers led up to his first recording for Burnside Records, an independent label based in Portland, Oregon. 'Lead Me On' was released in June 1994, representing a recording session that was to set up the Kelly Joe Phelps standard for recording practice: "close your eyes and play". Download the track free here: Kelly Joe Phelps, Kelly Joe Phelps "I've Been Converted" (mp3) from "Lead Me On" (Burnside Records) Buy at iTunes Music Store Buy at Rhapsody Stream from Rhapsody More On This AlbumSome Day Baby - Kat Danser (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) I played a track from Kat Danser a few weeks ago and subsequent correspondence has resulted in the arrival today of her CD Somethin' Familiar. Her '"Swamp Blues" style is delivered on the waves of her deep, resonant vocals and the soulful voice of her Weissenborn lap slide guitar. She is one part backwoods juke joint, one part plow puller and two parts dusty ol' canvas tent revival. Kat serves up a refreshing and original approach to roots, blues and gospel music in the 21st Century. Kat is a national touring and recording artist, based in Edmonton, Alberta. Early in 2007, she released her second full-length album, filled to the brim with eleven new roots, blues and gospel originals. This album is a richly textured exploration of 'sin and salvation' featuring west coast guitar maniac Steve Dawson (Zubot & Dawson) and the legendary Linda Tillery. Me, I just love the sound and the songs - here is a talent to be reckoned with. www.katdanser.com/ www.myspace.com/katdanser A child shall lead - Brother Joscephus and the Love Revival Revolution Orchestra (New York, NY, USA) Brother Joscephus and the Love Revival Revolution Orchestra are an 11-piece explosion of love and righteousness specializing in Groovy New Orleans-inspired Roots Rock/Soul with a Gospel feel. BroJo is more than a musical and visual spectacle, it's a movement - a Revolution of Love. No one on the planet brings it quite like Brother Joscephus - righteous, feel-good music with a message of positivity. www.brotherjoscephus.com/ www.myspace.com/brotherjoscephus Comments[0] |
Wed, 18 March 2009  A rather different sort of show from Long Island in the Bahamas so it just seems right to pull up a selection of Caribbean feeling tunes off my MacBook, even if most of it originates in Europe. I think it is all available from Jamendo at www.jamendo.comThis week’s show has, I suppose, been part sponsored by Max’s Conch Bar where Gary (right) kindly provides a wi-fi access point (at a modest cost of two beers - which you also get to drink!) for the south of the island and by Dave and Fiona Lincoln who have generously provided hospitality, great conversation, diving facilities and transport to Max’s. So, next time you’re feeling peckish in the Bahamas or anywhere else, check out Max’s for the finest fresh made conch salad and a Kalik beer. It’s on the Queen’s Highway at Deadman’s Cay, Long Island. I'll update these shownotes and give the album links when I get proper internet access at the weekend. (Done) Don't forget the spirit of the message on the wall at Max's: Life's journey is not to arrive safely at the grave in a well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "Holy shit, what a ride." I'll update these shownotes and give the album links when I get proper internet access at the weekend. (Done) Subsistance - YAM (Preignac, France) From the album Demo. They now have a full album called Live available on Jamendo. www.jamendo.com/en/artist/yam http://yamstaff.nuxit.net Here we come - Screamin' Tubes (Marseille, France) From the album Do you reggae? www.jamendo.com/en/artist/screamin.tubes www.zoumail.com/screamintubes Every other day - Metisse (Forbach / Saint-Avold, France) From the album Jeunesse. http://www.jamendo.com/en/artist/metisse http://metissereggaesite.free.fr It's time - Screamin' Tubes (Marseille, France) From the album Screamin" Tubes www.jamendo.com/en/artist/screamin.tubes www.zoumail.com/screamintubes Dialogue de sourds - Danakil From the album Dialogue de sourds Frustratingly, I can't find it on Jamendo any longer. If you can find anything, please let me know. This is too good an album to simply disappear! First Riddim - TRIBUMAN & Jammin' Orchestra (Strasbourg, France) From the album New Style in a New Vibe. www.patchworkproduction.fr/tribuman.html www.jamendo.com/en/artist/TRIBUMAN_Jammin%27_Orchestra N'dogoni i toloman lö - Taya Wooden (Abidjan, Ivory Coast) From the album Mone Zion www.jamendo.com/en/artist/tayawooden http://tayawooden.blogspot.com 23 maggio - Men in Route (Padova, Italy) From the album 'Ndemo! www.jamendo.com/en/artist/Men_in_Route http://www.myspace.com/meninroute Wisdom - Taya Wooden (Abidjan, Ivory Coast) From the album Mone Zion www.jamendo.com/en/artist/tayawooden http://tayawooden.blogspot.com Comments[1] |
Wed, 25 February 2009  45 minutes or so of the finest new music from around the planet - well, from Germany, New York, UK, India, Georgia, Italy and Gravesend! Spring well and truely sprung on Saturday in Aldeburgh here on the Suffolk coast (right), where us celebs hang out together ;-) C'mon Babe - The Dots (Dresden and Berlin, Germany) If the sound is vaguely familiar - it doesn"t surprise me because The Dots also opened last week's show. From the 2007 album Fashion For The Dressed And Naked, available on Jamendo, as is the 2008 5-track EP Fake modern love songs. Art Hustle - Vocals, Percussion C.Blitzschutz - Bass, Vocals MKO Swillus - Organ, Vocals Dr.Valentine - Guitar, Vocals Nils A. Antiknock - Drums and Percussion www.the-dots.de/ www.jamendo.com/en/album/25550 Die to Live - Luthea Salom (New York, NY, USA) From the excellent Sunbeam Surrounded By Winter, produced between NY and Skopje, (Macedonia) by Malcolm Burn and Luthea herself. www.lutheasalom.com www.myspace.com/lutheasalomsongs Faking the Thousand Mile Stare - Catgut (UK) A new album from the enigmatic Catgut who, quite fittingly produces quirky, idiosyncratic and quite charming songs. Catgut is based somewhere in the UK and reveals very little about himself. Do visit his site though. www.littlecatgut.com Mystic Dances - Sagnik Basu & Krishnaroop Chakravarthi (Kolkata, India) From the Jamendo album Sheherezad - The Tales of the Wandering Prince. "We began playing by playing unconvention in front of convention... What we mean is we experimented in the classical genre in front of rock appreciating crowd. What came in the end are two albums after which we discovered who we truly are. At the end of Shehrezad we incorporated all that the new world of music has to offer - New Age, Fusion, Ethnic etc and this evolution will continue years after Shehrezad. Shehrezad is close to our heart because in it we have incorporated all we have learnt in the journey of music. Sagnik - Sarod, Keyboard, Bass, Drum Arrangements Krishnaroop - Tabla, Duff, Khanjira, Voice on Sheherezad Sarang Sheth - Vocals Prem Joshua - Mantras in Guru - The Master www.jamendo.com/en/album/37207 Fusion - something of a dirty word - and I'm not the only one to think so. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Kay I Know It Sounds Funny (The Spank Me Song) - Woof / Ken Clarke (Georgia, USA) A thoroughly odd track - it almost feels politically incorrect - we're all victims of the thought police aren't we? Ken Clark, Rick Fowler, Sherry Joyce, John Williams www.myspace.com/woofwoofband Codger's been earning his keep as the interwebs plumber over the past couple of days, helping me shift a site from one hosting provider to another. My worry is that he suggests payment in beer and my suspicion is that he'll be expecting payment when we meet up for the podcrawl. Oh dear, dear dear. He played a track by Sardinia Bass Legalize on the Dub Zone (http://thedubzone.blogsome.com/) Barricada (feat Dr. Boost) - Sardinia Bass Legalize (Sardinia) From the excellent album Visions Of My Land released May 2008 through the A Quiet Bump net label, based in Sardinia. "Sardinia Bass Legalize project started in July 2006 after a period of collaborations between King Kietu and Sensitivedub. Dr Boost from 'Big Island Family' was the vocalist of the 'Tostoine Dub System' project together with King Kietu, from 1999 to 2005. 'Sardinia Bass Legalize' began as an evolution to the 'Tostoine' project.. This is a second chapter by Sardinia Bass Legalize for the Aqbmp label. Comprising seven visions of the Meditrarranean island of Sardinia, by King Kietu and Sensitive Dub with Dr. Boost vocal featuring on Barricada." Barricada was produced and mixed by King Kietu @ Big Island Studio - Olbia - Sardinia (Italy) Born here - extended version (by Arrogalla) produced and mixed by Arrogalla @ Radio indipendèntzia Studio - Bologna (Italy) www.aquietbump.com Let it go - Alexis Vear (Atlanta, GA, USA) In 2004 Alexis released her debut album, Never Give Up, an acoustic record full of heart and soul. Alexis was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. After relocating several times, in 2005 Alexis moved from Greensboro, North Carolina…. to Atlanta, Georgia….. where she has enjoyed a vibrant and supportive music scene. In late 2006 she began working with local Producer Geoff Melkonian who"s past credits include Modern Skirts, Megan Coffee, and YOU just to name a few. Her newest release Let It Go is a very strong album that you can get from CD Baby, iTunes and elsewhere.. www.alexisvear.com/ www.myspace.com/alexisvear http://cdbaby.com/cd/vear2 Crashland - Tom Allalone & the 78s (Gravesend, Kent, UK) From the album Major Sins (Pt. 1). The band are headlining the Get Wanted gig at 333 Mothers Bar on 10th March along with Komla and The Yakataks who both received great support when they played Get Wanted back in December. With more to be announced...check out www.myspace.com/getwanted for updates. Tickets: £5 in advance, £7 on the door. "...This impeccably dressed troupe plays blisteringly energetic and classic rock'n'roll (think Elvis Costello and The Attractions covering Billy Fury by way of The Godfathers), and does it very well indeed too." The Times "...This check-shirted Gravesend chappie and his backing band have filled our heads with dreams of the Happy Days diner and thousands of unjustly unloved Vincent Vincent albums. Ace." The Fly www.myspace.com/tomallalone There is likely to be a break in transmission for a couple of weeks or so but if you're feeling short of music there is loads in the S'n'C, archive accessible right here in the shownotes - see the player top right? Subscribe through iTunes to make sure you don"t miss a beat. I'm already looking forward to getting back into the normal swing for sure from 25th March. If I don't catch you before then have fun and enjoy your music. Comments[0] |
Wed, 18 February 2009 What a relief to be getting back into some interesting music again. Most of the week having been spent catching up with mundane admin stuff, VAT (tax) returns included. Really very cold over the weekend when Roy and Gwyneth came to visit - but we had a good time anyway, despite the fact that there is no central heating in the house. Then on Monday suddenly spring arrived to the extent that I was able to put the roof down on the car and still be comfortably warm. There is hope folks. The Boys are Alright - The Dots (Dresden and Berlin, Germany) "THE DOTS play rock music with unusual boldness" according to Babel Fish and who am I to argue, except that the English version of their site suggests that "THE DOTS play British indie-rock". From the 2007 album Fashion For The Dressed And Naked, available on Jamendo, as is the 2008 5-track EP Fake modern love songs. It was recommended by Organic Despair through Jamendo. Art Hustle - Vocals, Percussion C.Blitzschutz - Bass, Vocals MKO Swillus - Organ, Vocals Dr.Valentine - Guitar, Vocals Nils A. Antiknock - Drums and Percussion www.the-dots.de/ www.jamendo.com/en/album/25550 Forget about love - AnnieMac (Ashland, Oregon, USA) AnnieMac's original music is a tasty mix of R&B riffs, soul grooves, with a rock 'n' roll edge. Their vibe is reminiscent of earlier eras, but with a sound all their own. Since starting AnnieMac in January of 2006, Joe Diehl and Annie McIntyre have brought the band from playing in McIntyre"s living room to being heard in Starbuck's all across the world with their new CD, Ignition. McIntyre and Diehl rediscovered each other years after the musicians, who had played together in one of McIntyre's former Bay Area bands, had moved separately to the beautiful southern Oregon town of Ashland. From the album Ignition which is available at CD Baby, Amazon and iTunes. www.anniemacmusic.com/ www.myspace.com/anniemacmusic cdbaby.com/cd/anniemacmus Ils m'ont tous dit... - Outred'encre (Serignan, France) From the album Le Refus. A posthumous album for dOutred'encre after the release of which singer and comnposer Alexis Guerin quit the band. And I guess that"s about the end of the story. The album was recommended by Organic Despair - from whom I've had a few good suggestions. www.jamendo.com/en/album/35486 I want to know you - Jean Synodinos (Austin, Texas, USA) From the album Lucky. It has been a while since I played anything by Jean. I was hoping to meet up with her at SXSW this year but I've decided not to go, I've just not been able to fit that in with all sorts of other commitments. May try to get over for NXNE (Toronto) in mid-June. If you know anything about NXNE, give me a shout I'll be very pleased to hear from you. Third Coast Music says: "Synodinos is amazing... she has excellent moves as a songwriter and is an accomplished acoustic guitarist, but her big gun is the marvel that is her voice." There is a nifty video on her site. www.jeansynodinos.com/ www.myspace.com/jeansynodinos Angry Busdriver - CSW Studio (Madrid, Spain) Gael22 recommended an EP by the C.S.W Studio a.k.a. "The Bobby Experience" - an open-minded Ambient/Experimental/Progressive project. They are open to all kind of collaboration. From Les Fonds De Tiroirs (2008), is one of five albums on Jamendo http://thebobbyexperience.blogspot.com/ www.jamendo.com/en/album/20662 I played Pauline's Taylor's track Hackney Crystal on SnC a couple of weeks ago and I submitted it to the Association of Music Podcasting weekly update show AMPed. It is included in AMPed 166 presented by Daniel Johnson Jr. of "Journey inside my mind” podcast out of Cincinnati, Ohio, who seemed to have a bit of fun with this show's name. http://journeyinsidemymind.com/ Excerpt from AMPed 166 There is a link to JIMM and all the other AMP member podcasts on the Network links page on the SnC site. Solo Flying Mystery Man - Pauline Taylor (London, UK) From the album A Simple Life www.paulinetaylor.co.uk www.myspace.com/paulinetaylor Gnawa of Power - Secret Archives of the Vatican (UK) Codger played a couple of track recently which reminded me how good they are. "We mix drum'n'bass, breakbeats, dub, dubstep and triphop with flavours of Indian, Persian, Turkish and Arabian traditional music and more, Recently we've been exploring some Moroccan influences and we did a couple of small gigs in Morocco last summer." From the album Babylon Halt available an mp3 download from any number of sales sites including: iTune, Amazon, Rhapsody and eMusic. Full list on the SAV site. www.brokendrumrecords.com/ AMPed is now on Twitter http://twitter.com/musicpodcasting Street Sound - The Pimps Of Joytime (Brooklyn. New York, USA) Played a track from the Pimps a while back - high time for another. The genre-defying Pimps of Joytime pay homage to funk, afrobeat, latin and hip hop, combining loops and live playing in a way that is seamless and infectious. The joyful noise you'll hear is a heady musical gumbo sure to get you moving. Their eclectic debut album High Steppin' is available now on Wonderwheel Recordings. www.pimpsofjoytime.com/ www.myspace.com/pimpsofjoytime Comments[1] |
Wed, 11 February 2009  An all N. American selection this week. Honestly, I don't plan it that way.Sadly I'm now flying the show solo, since my producer, companion and great friend Artois (right) was diagnosed with fairly advanced liver cancer on Saturday and immediately put down. I think a few of us have seen enough pain for one lifetime. I just hope someone will be able to do the same for me when the time comes. NO, not yet you fool! She got too big for her body - Neal Fox (FL, USA) Another outing for the magnificently cunning Fox by the name of Neal, this time with resonance of In the Midnight Hour I rather thought. What do you reckon? I really don't need to say much about Neal. His work speaks for itself over at www.wireduck.com Putting on my Catsuit - Sez Guiljan (San Francisco, CA, USA) From the album On to the Next released just a couple of weeks ago. Sez began playing piano at the age of four but a few years later traded it in for the classical viola. She taught herself how to strum guitar at sixteen and since then has picked up the cello, bass, Autoharp and accordion. Sez Giulian moved to San Francisco in 1997 from Philadelphia. Since then she has gigged regularly throughout the city's bars, cafes and theaters as well as recorded with top local musicians. On to the Next is a blues-and-jazz-infused indie collection of 14 intimate songs. Giulian also skillfully plays all of the instruments on the album. Her songwriting is sharp, catchy and unpredictable, and her lyrics are wry and clever poetry. The album is be available online and digitally through iTunes, Amazon, eMusic, Rhapsody and others. Visit her site for a list of sales locations. www.sezg.com myspace.com/sezalicious Spivey have put a clip from Suffolk'n'Cool 155 onto their MySpace player - neat idea chaps and much appreciated. See what I mean at www.myspace.com/spiveymusic while you're there you'll be able to check on their live dates coming up in Dallas on Saturday then a couple of dates in Lubbock, Texas, where Buddy Holly was born. (Isn't it the 50th anniversary of Buddy Holly's death this week?) Ruleta rusa - Cordero (Brooklyn, NY, USA) From their album De Donde Eres. Fronted by Ani Cordero and her nail-it-to-the-back-wall voice, Cordero can set the scene for a golden, reverby, south of the border sunset or an ill-conceived encounter with a stranger in the back booth of a dimly lit bar. This powerful, Brooklyn-based quintet (horns, re-verby guitars and a drummer that defies you to NOT get out of the chair and shake it) is equally at home amongst the New York art rock scene or the vibrant Rock en Espanol movement, pegging both with heaping amounts of sassy spontaneity and sexy Latin styling. Cordero's sound and aesthetic has nothing less than an undeniable romantic flair. Before stepping to the front of the stage and settling down in Brooklyn with hubby Chris Verene (formerly of Rock*A*Teens), Ani played drums in the much acclaimed surf outfit, Man or Astroman?. Cordero has toured and recorded with a winding cast of notable characters, including Calexico (the fruit of a recorded, but never released collaborative album). They've also supported Neko Case on her 2004 Tiger Sessions Tour and have shared bills with everyone from Los Lobos to Rosie Thomas and Lucero. www.bloodshotrecords.com/artists/cordero/ http://corderomusic.com/ www.myspace.com/corderonyc Big Log - Chrissy Coughlin (New York, NY) From her Look Ahead album. Chrissy's seasoned voice coupled with her warm personality are an unstoppable combination. 2008 was been a good year for this New York City based singer-songwriter. The winter was full of excitement moving to and 'officially' becoming a 'New Yorker', the spring delight of releasing her new CD, Look Ahead, and the summer and fall have been chock full of performances to support her new release. www.chrissymusic.com www.myspace.com/chrissycoughlin Drip Dryin' - The Two Man Gentleman Band (New York, NY, USA) America's premier itinerant neo-vaudevillian swing duo. From the very eponymous album Drip Dryin' with The Two Man Gentleman Band on Serious Business Records. The record release concert is being held this Friday, 13th at The Jalopy Theater in Brooklyn. Dear Friends, You can download a couple of tracks quite free from their site.Our record release spectacular promises to be no less than, well, spectacular. It features us, Curtis Eller (our favorite acrobatic yodeling banjoist), and the Minsky Sisters (the loveliest and most talented tap dancing duo we could ever dream of). Join us, won't you? Friday, Feb 13th, 10pm The Jalopy Theater 315 Columbia St., Brooklyn, NY Click here for Directions $10 admission What's that you say, gentlemen? Friday the 13th and Valentine's Day Eve? Indeed. Frightening and Romantic, a perfect summary of The Two Man Gentlemen Band. www.thetwogentlemen.com www.myspace.com/twomangentlemenband Strangest places - Astronauts of Antiquity (New York, NY, USA) Astronauts of Antiquity have bridged various musical worlds to create a realm all their own. And while their journey has taken them around the globe, on their new album, Rocket Science For Dummies, they have brought it all back home, delivering an album that is seamless and mesmerizing. Their music has been called everything from "urban-electro-organica," to a "jazzy, neo-soulful, electronic exploration," but more than any genre, what defines Astronauts of Antiquity is the musical and life partnership of India on vocals and B. Rhyan on guitars. The two first ran into each other - literally - at the airport, while India was rushing to make a flight. Three years later, the two once again encountered at one of India"s performances in Milwaukee. Backstage after her show, B. Rhyan was instantly captivated by India and sensed something more than simply a kindred spirit - he saw the possibility of a music and soul partner. (Only years later did the two recall their original chance encounter, which made their meeting feel even more like destiny.) Originally an alternative rock act, India, and B. Rhyan birthed what would become Astronauts of Antiquity at of all places, a festival they were playing in Poland. India recalls, "We were an alt/rock band, but the last song we did was a dub influenced song, and the people went crazy. I think we were all like, 'Holy Shit, we're on to something here!" www.astronautsofantiquity.com/ www.myspace.com/astronautsofantiquity Bartalk - Erik Scott (Chicago and California, USA) A session man through and through I suspect. Best known for his work with Alice Cooper, Sonia Dada, and Flo & Eddie, Erik has also recorded with dozens of other artists, including Carl Palmer, Kim Carnes, Pops and Mavis Staples, and Signal. In addition to providing soulful low notes, he is a composer/producer who has written and recorded for movies and TV. www.erikscottbass.com Twitter and real networking Ariel Publicity www.arielpublicity.net My Baby - Kat Danser (Edmonton, Canada) From Kat's 2007 album Somethin' Familiar. Her 'Swamp Blues' style is steeped in early roots and blues traditions and delivered by her deep, resonant vocals and the soulful sound of her Weissenborn lap slide guitar. Much like a long stretching railroad track, Danser draws a direct line from the Canadian prairie to the Mississippi Delta. She is one part backwoods juke joint, one part plow puller and two parts dusty ol' canvas tent revival. Kat Danser delivers a refreshing approach to roots, blues, and gospel music for the 21st Century. A multi-instrumentalist, Danser plays the Weissenborn Hawaiian lap slide guitar, a vintage acoustic Gibson, National steel resophonic slide guitar, a tack head banjo and the Zydeco scrubboard. Danser is currently in production of her third full-length acoustic roots and blues album, is filming a documentary entitled Women in Blues: Turn the Page and is an Ethnomusicology graduate student at the University of Alberta. You can download that track and order the CDs from Kat's site. www.katdanser.com www.myspace.com/katdanser Comments[1] |
Wed, 4 February 2009  A strange situation arose this afternoon. Just before recording the show we seemed to have two Suns. The second bright patch really was in the sky, rather like a very short bright section of rainbow. I guess it must have been something to do with the atmosphere and the low temperature.Some unusual diversions this week too - even into the world of rap. No hang on, this is interesting. Lots of music from the PMN this week and it just happens that all but a couple of tracks are from the USA. Glide - Woof Woof / Ken Clarke (Georgia, USA) Ken Clark, Rick Fowler, Sherry Joyce, John Williams Gig coming up at The Classic Centre in Athens, Georgia on 21 Feb One unusual song on the MySpace "The spank me song” - take a listen. www.myspace.com/woofwoofband Lips - Spivey (Dallas, Texas, USA) Ryan Spivey: guitars, vocals, synth... Josh Boucher: drum programming, bass, keyboards, backing vocals The lost art of classic radio hits, the lonely cowboy songs, the palate of sounds in psychedelic rock, and the underlying groove are the ingredients of SPiVEY's music. www.spiveymusic.com/ www.myspace.com/spiveymusic We can fly - Lachi (Brooklyn, NY, USA) From the album Ugly Beautiful. Independent Music Awards finalist Lachi has lured the hearts of many with her honest lyrics and enchanted sound. Lachi is a powerful and enchanting singer/songwriter, who's music can best be described as piano-driven, jazz-influenced alternative rock. Sultry, smooth, intelligent and bold, Lachi commands cleverly crafted, insightful yet quirky lyrics. They steer away from mediocrity and carry with them a message of natural beauty and internal conflict, managing to captivate the hearts of many. She holds a deep connection with her music, which can be felt and shared with everyone who watches her on stage. Along with band mates Andrew Boxer on drums, Andre Donatien on guitar and Jamie Diaz on bass, this Manhattan-based singer/songwriter reveals her heart and mind as she unleashes her eclectic musings. www.ulachi.com www.myspace.com/lachimusic www.cdbaby.com/cd/lachi Tuesday - E.P.Hall (Indiana, USA) I can't believe that Suffolk'n'Cool is the only podcast to have picked up on E.P.Hall on the PMN. e.p. hall is a songwriting project based in bloomington, indiana known for its sentimental vocals, bookish lyrics, growley synth lines, and fingerstyle guitar. The project's influences include various diy, new weird america, and freak-folk mini-movements. www.ephall.com/ Good Evening (Dream Big) - Outasight (New York, NY, USA) When Outsight's music bursts out of the speakers, what emerges is the sheer musicality of what he's doing - a combination of catchy hooks, masterful flow, intelligent lyrics and irresistible beats. The New York based rapper has lived a life completely immersed in music of all kinds, and it shows in the range and quality of his records. His upcoming album, From Here To Eternity, will be forcing Hip-Hop tastemakers to continue to take notice of this supremely talented rapper and singer, and is sure to expand upon his growing fan base. Show at the Blender Theatre at Gramercy in NY on February 16 at 8pm www.thriftshophiphop.com/ www.myspace.com/iamoutasight Cruise Control - Azoora (London, UK & Åre, Göteborg Sweden) "Azoora" are a blend of acoustic electronica which combines that dreamy shoe-gazing feel with a charming British indie twist. They have recently released their debut EP Tall Tales in which they have two alternative takes of each of their tracks, having both original tracks, and remixes. www.myspace.com/azoora Hackney Crystal - Pauline Taylor (UK) The former ballet student and hardcore tequila drinker released her first, self-titled album across Europe in 1999 to critical acclaim. Her music has been described as a blend of 'folking soul' and 'urban campfire blues'. After a break from the live scene, Taylor returned in summer 2005 with a spectacular opening set for Morcheeba at Somerset House. Taylor released the beautiful A Simple life in the same year having just signed a major publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music. She also features on both Dido records, P*NUTs debut album Sweet As (Cheeky Records/BMG, released Sept 2003) and Jason Sparks Heroes and Villains (Botchit and Scarper, released 2004) and has written with ex spicegirl Melanie Chisholm and new artists Kristian Leantiou, Paolo Nutini, Belle and The Hempolics. Pauline recently signed a record deal with new and exciting indie label Fred-Label and is currently working on her third album due for release in Autumn '07. [What makes me think the bio is a bit out of date? P] www.paulinetaylor.co.uk www.myspace.com/paulinetaylor Walk Away (Sunburn in Cyprus mix) - Lovespirals (LA, CA, USA) This is from a collection of remixes of chillout duo Lovespirals. Anji Bee sensual vocals and Ryan Lum's soulful guitar & keyboards have been remixed by numerous artists in various styles. Anji has her own show The Chillcast with Anji Bee at www.anjibee.com/ www.lovespirals.com/ Comments[1] |
Fri, 30 January 2009  John Martyn 1948 - 2009My personal tribute to a fine musician and big man. Selecting just a few clips to play has been a painful process, not because of the memories it brings back but because there are so many masterpieces that have to be left out. Another great sadness is for all the people who never experienced him play live and now, never will. With twenty mainstream albums (and almost as many side project releases) to his credit, there is lots of music to listen to and it sounds as fresh and exciting today as it did when first released. Solid Air and May you never are taken from Solid Air (1973) and Rainbow and Fisherman's Dream are from Sapphire (1984) [not 88 as I said]. There is a great clip from a BBC documentary about John at: www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/music/features/john-martyn.shtml www.johnmartyn.com/ (Audio reposted) Comments[2] |
Wed, 28 January 2009 A "roit ol' mix" of music this week. You'll appreciate that despite the name of the show, most of the music I play comes from pretty much everywhere else in the world. This week is unique in that two tracks have connections with Suffolk. 'til the wheels fall off - That was Something (Michigan, USA) That Was Something wants to make music that after all the trends, clothing and styles are over, still stands tall with an original pop sound that is still easy for people to familiarize themselves with. Their new EP, Down, But Not Out, produced by Rob Freeman (Hit The Lights, Cobra Starship) Some gigs, with The Somophore Attempt and Go Crash Audio, coming up: 1 Mar The Mint Los Angeles, California 3 Mar The Unity Center, Roswell, New Mexico 5 Mar Jack's Patio Bar, San Antonio, Texas 6 Mar The Max, Dallas, Texas 9 Mar Jerry"s Bait Shop, Kansas City, Missouri www.myspace.com/thatwassomething If I was a seed - Charlotte Greig (Cardiff, Wales) It's strange the way that music finds our ears. I was doing some work on a project here in the village and I found that the local school (for 5-11 year olds) was mentioned in an singer's bio. "I first learned traditional songs as a child at a village school in Charsfield, Suffolk (Ronald Blythe later wrote about the village in his book Akenfield) If I Was A Seed was recorded during the Down In The Valley sessions, but only previously released on a Bucketful Of Brains sampler. However, she has five albums as well available from her site along with a couple of free tracks. www.charlottegreig.com/ www.myspace.com/charlottegreig Falco Hase - Project Mahlen Goscht (Cottbus, Germany) From the album #3 Doktorium [The ElektroBaer Sessions] www.elektrobear.com/ Tunes at the Shoes at the weekend - assorted accordions, banjos and hammer dulcimers gathered at the Three Horseshoes in Charsfield for some fine traditional Suffolk music and a few pints of equally fine Victoria Bitter on a very cold and frosty night. Not much singing this session but some great tunes, generally played in sets of three, as you"ll hear. The regular music night is held on the second Friday of every month and it is completely free. If you want to know what's happening and about the beers you can register for Ale Mail the weekly beer oriented newsletter from Martin and Emma. Just drop a message to me and I'll pass your address on. An image of you - The Chatham Singers (UK) The Chatham Singers is the latest outlet for Billy Childish's blues work. Their first album was released in 2006 and although Billy had been playing and recording blues for over a quarter of a century, this is the first LP has made in this genre in for many years. As well as featuring great tunes, Heavens Journey also served as a showcase for many new poems that have been recorded by this legendary painter, writer and musician. Julie is American by birth and her father's family are free Blacks and Winyah Indians from North Carolina. The Chatham Singers are: - Billy Childish - Vox / Guitar Nurse Julie - Vox / Bass Wolf Howard - Drums and & 'Bludy" Jim on Harp On the new album they are joined by guests James Taylor (The Prisoners /James Taylor Quartet) on piano and Hammond, Graham Coxon (Blur) on occasional guitar damagedgoods.co.uk/band/?c=The-Chatham-Singers Closer to being here - Rendezvous Park (Helsinki, Finland) Jamendo rec by Organic Dispair Rendezvous Park started in January 2008 when Kai Kousa and Mikael Nousiainen decided to put together little demos and improvised tracks they had been recording on the side of their other band project. It was felt that these tracks wouldn't fit into the massive blues-rock soundscape of the other project, so they decided to have another band just for these songs. What started as a simple side project has now evolved into something more serious. Musically they draw influences from French minimalism, post-rock, movie soundtracks and diverse collection of artists. They write, perform, mix and produce all their material. Rendezvous Park is: Mikael Nousiainen - piano, glockenspiel, percussions, drums programming, recording and mixing Kai Kousa - electric guitar, acoustic guitar, electric bass, music videos and graphic design http://rendezvouspark.wordpress.com For your love - Marching Band (Linköping, Sweden) Formerly known as Second Language, Erik Sunbring and Jacob Lind realized their musical connection while attending college. Together, they began to play around with an array of more eccentric musical instruments such as xylophone, marimba, banjo, vibraphone and unique vocal harmonies. The result of this experimentation is found within their eclectic 12-track album. Their critically acclaimed debut album Spark Large features an assortment of instrumentation that delivers atmospheric folk and Indie-Pop. http://marchingband.se/ www.myspace.com/marchingband  Marching Band "For Your Love" (mp3) from "Spark Large" (U & L Records, Inc.) Buy at Rhapsody More On This AlbumMilitante - Carlos de Nicaragua (France, Barcelona) Carlos Wiltshire, alias Carlos de Nicaragua, was born in Bluefields, on the Nicaraguan Atlantic coast. His name is not only in reference to his country of birth but mostly in reference to the legendary Indian chief Nicaraocai, philosopher, ferocious warrior and fighter. Carlos de Nicaragua was one of the precursors of the sound system concept in Paris. In Paris, latinos, french and africans dance during the concerts under the blazing fire of a Nicaraguayan named Carlos and his band "Familia", pioneers of the salsa reggae style. His admiration for the reggae prophets Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear [...] pushed him to dedicate himself to this music, reinventing it and mixing it with the tumbao of dancing rhythms from the Bronx and other great salsa capitals. Carlos is about to launch into a tour as he explained: yes I Suffolk There is a video that you just have to see at: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MHqYGt6ejqEHappy New year...Jah Bless. What a gwaan I & I music a rule. I will be in Germany on tour fi the release of I new album MILITANTE .2O/2/2009 TO 28/2/2009 Soon. BLESSINGS. CARLOS DE NICARAGUA www.myspace.com/carlosdenicaraguayfamilia http://cdbaby.com/cd/carlosdenicaragua Comments[0] |
Wed, 21 January 2009  Congratulations are due to the people of the USA for electing Barack Obama to serve as their president. The inauguration yesterday was hugely impressive (even on TV here in the UK) and gives confidence that enough of the people are behind him to bring the perception of USA back into the realm of civilisation again. UK next? Having said all that, most of the music this week seems to be from Canada and France. Oh well. This city's a mess - Said the Whale (Vancouver, BC, Canada) Although Said The Whale's sounds may sometimes be labeled "poppy" and "bouncy", the band makes it clear within the first ten seconds of listening that it is NOT a band to take lightly. This is indie pop-rock at its finest! Howe Sounds/Taking Albonia builds on the success Said The Whale has already attained in Vancouver. It's apparent that Said The Whale is a product of the thriving independent music scene in Western Canada and the Northwest USA, yet Howe Sounds proves that they are still able to stand out as a compelling up-and-coming band. The collective brainchild of Ben Worcester and Tyler Bancroft, now recently turned five-piece band, Said the Whale has accumulated a solid fan base from a litany of previous bands (My Buddy Dave, The Millionaires, WordsOverMusic), and Said The Whale are quickly winning over new fans with every show. March 6 - Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret www.myspace.com/saidthewhale AMPed show162 went up on Monday - if you'd like to check it out please do at musicpodcasting.org the player is on the left. Weight in Gold - Tony Kehoe (Liverpool, UK) Our Graham at It's a Frog's Life Acoustic Podcast put me onto Tony Kehoe. Tony is a returned native of Liverpool and is building a reputation for himself having taken to playing and singing around 8 years ago. www.myspace.com/kehoesongs Prairies - Ours to Destroy (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) Ours to Destroy are a band from Calgary Alberta with a talent for adding modern indie edge, psychedelia and found sounds to folk music. We call it Anarchist Folk Rock. Anarchist Folk Rock: a genre where compositions start in the realm of folk or rock with solid story telling and melody but venture deep into the realm of experimentation. "We've released a bunch of tracks off our first album as free downloads. The entire album will be released over the next two months as we gear up to release our 2nd full length album during 2009." All the tunes on their MySpace are available for free download. Go to the band's MySpace blog for links & full info. www.OursToDestroy.com www.myspace.com/ourstodestroy http://cdbaby.com/cd/ourstodestroy G Spot Jeremy Gugenheim called by with a track for us from his blues podcast. It's not that often that The G Spot comews to find you! www.smallsystems.co.uk/thegspot Nos Larmes - The Duo (Paris, France) Claude Langlois and Pascal Mikaeliain who have been playing together and apart for the past 10 years. Jeremy will doubtless tell you more on The G Spot BTW Nos Larmes actually means "Our tears” 14 Feb The Duo en Quartet à Le Belvédère, CHAMPIGNY/MARNE, Ile-de-France http://pagesperso-orange.fr/theduo/ www.jamendo.com/en/artist/theduo feat project instruu 2 - Stouffi the Stouves (Lille, France) From the Jamendo album the featuring project volume 2 A very interesting, experimental setup taking snipets from other people and making something quite extraordinary from them. Vavrek says, "the third track...inspired my own little personal revolution. :) love it !!!!!!!!!” www.jamendo.com/en/artist/STOUFFI_THE_STOUVES PC Podcast show 250 will be going up on Saturday Congratulations to Pete Cogle and my thanks for putting me onto some of the more wonderful (and sometimes weird) music. www.petecogle.com Bodmin Dubbing - Bagas Degol (Penzance, Cornwall, UK) The band is Rick Williams (clarinet), David Twomlow (bag pipes and soprano saxophone), and Dave Trahair (tabor drum and percussion). From Penzance in the far west of Cornwall, BAGAS DEGOL has a fast growing reputation on the Cornish music and dance scene with their distinctive style of traditional music delivered with a powerful, raw edge. Their name in Cornish means 'Feast Day Band' in recognition of the occasion for which they originally came together - to accompany the famous Tom Bawcock's Eve lantern procession in Mousehole. From their magnificent album Party like it's 1399, still (just) available from Cornish Music - but hurry. http://cornishmusic.com Skeletons in your closet - Rick Fowler (Georgia, USA) I played a track from Rick in the summer. Rick Fowler's musical honesty creates an unsurpassed morphic resonance between him and his listeners. With a raw soul reminiscent of early Johnny Winter and aural suspense akin to Trower, Fowler delivers the energy, joy, anger and torment found in the very best of blues-rock. His album Back on my good foot is available direct from his site or from CD Baby. http://rickfowler.com/ www.myspace.com/rickfowlerband Cradle - The Joy Formidable (Mold, N. Wales) The Joy Formidable are Ritzy Bryan, Rhydian Dafydd and Matt Thomas The beginnings of TJF began several years ago, when school friends Ritzy and Rhydian chatted on a night out in their hometown of Mold, North Wales. Both opinionated and madly into music, an instant respect was formed and they began meeting regularly at the legendary Buckley Tivoli; then a North Walian mecca for local and touring bands. It was a source of much inspiration to the musically aspiring pair; alongside Ritzy's parents enormous, exhaustive record collection. Nevertheless, in an otherwise provincial, sleepy setting, itchy feet and a fleeing were inevitable; Ritzy to Washington DC and Rhydian to Manchester, where they enjoyed separate but strangely parallel journeys as singer songwriters. It was a single phone call that reunited them, this time they would write together, but it was little known that a more intense partnership would develop between them. www.myspace.com/thejoyformidable Comments[9] |
Wed, 14 January 2009  The snow has gone but after a prolonged very cold spell. Perhaps we do need some form of central heating in the house - for next year. As I came over to the barn early this morning, the moon was still glinting through the trees.Hot tips - The D'Urbervilles (Guelph/Hamilton/Toronto, Ontario, Canada) The D'Urbervilles began in the Toronto suburb of Oshawa, Ontario as a means for childhood friends and underagers Tim Bruton (guitar, synth) and John O'Regan (vocals, guitar, synth) to see rock shows at local bars. These enterprising young men played a few gigs and liked performing enough to keep the band together even after they had reached the legal drinking age. After a few months they had left town for arts school at the University of Guelph, Ontario, where they met future band member Kyle Donnelly (bass). Since adding drummer Greg Santilly following the album release, The D'Urbervilles have not only further refined their raw yet heartfelt brand of carefully measured exuberance, but finally got themselves a van and hit the road for real. Touring invites soon arrived from respected Canadian acts such as You Say Party! We Say Die! Keep an eye out for The D'Urbervilles in 2009 when they unveil a new collection of casually devastating pop songs at South By Southwest showcases and venues across Canada and the United States. www.myspace.com/thedurbervilles Singer/songwriter Brenda Xu was born in Harbin, China (near Russia's southern border), arriving in the U.S. to live with her grandmother at age five. When she was ten, her mother joined them and began teaching Xu piano. She was in high school when she got her first guitar and began writing songs. "When I first played around town at open mics, it was a little duo with a friend of mine. We played three shows, but then I started writing songs on my own." Her first local solo gig was in January 2007 at Hot Java Cafe in Carmel Mountain Ranch. She sometimes performs and records with guitarist Ivan Cheong, occasionally with a bassist as well. brendaxu.com www.myspace.com/brendaxu She's coming - Azoora (UK) "Azoora" are a blend of acoustic electronica which combines that dreamy shoe-gazing feel with a charming British indie twist. They have recently released their debut EP Tall Tales in which they have two alternative takes of each of their tracks, having both original tracks, and remixs. www.myspace.com/azoora Before Beauty - Secret Archives of the Vatican (UK) We mix drum'n'bass, breakbeats, dub, dubstep and triphop with flavours of Indian, Persian, Turkish and Arabian traditional music and more, Recently we've been exploring some Moroccan influences and we did a couple of small gigs in Morocco this summer. Quite a few tracks available for download from their site. www.brokendrumrecords.com/ myspace.com/secretarchives Isn't that so - Bethany and Rufus (New York, USA) "Unbelievable!" is the word most used by audiences when first hearing Bethany & Rufus whose cello and voice duo breaks new musical ground, sliding with seamless ease between groove, jazz and a gritty, unvarnished approach to traditional folk music. www.bethanyandrufus.com/ A reason to Dub - King Dubby (Angers, France) From his brand new album Chapter 3 available on Jamendo. "Voici mon 3ème opus feat. myself. Mélange de mes influences reggae, dub, dub roots....et plus encore... I hope that u will enjoy it !!!! Téléchargez le, critiquez le , bref faites le vivre !!!!!!" kingdubby.hautetfort.com/ Download the album from Jamendo Skanking Fool - The Uptones (Berkeley, CA, USA) Formed in 1981 in Berkeley, while they were still in high school. The Uptones were the first band devoted to playing Ska on the West Coast. The Uptones played to skanking crowds all over the West. Several of their recordings were regional hits, and for a time they were the most popular band in the Bay Area. www.uptones.com/ www.myspace.com/uptoneska  The Uptones "Skanking Fool" (mp3) from "Skankin' Foolz Unite!" (Fun Fun Fun Records) More On This AlbumMoody - Do-Up (Russia) Band's composition: Karina Karinian - voice Papa Lion - voice Alexander Bogomolov - keyboard Evgeny Timshin - bass Ignat Kravtsov - drums Vadim Shukurov - sampler, flute DO-UP band got together in 2006 in Yekaterinburg. Having introduced the first concert program, DO-UP become a constant guest at all type of fashionable events, presentations, and fashion shows. In 2007 DO-UP celebrated its 1 year anniversary playing their solo, they also presented their radio program «DO-UP time» that has already become something of a cult. The joint performance with such legendary groups as "De Phazz" in 2008 and later with "Touch & Go" became the turning point in the biography of the group. These concerts had a tremendous success in front of thousands of listeners, which has proved the relevance of Do-UP"s work not only to smaller premises, but also to the large concert halls. http://do-up.ru/ Download the Acoustic Lounge album from Jamendo This week I'll be presenting AMPed - the weekly showcase for the Association of Music Podcasting. I"ll not be picking the tunes, they are submitted by member podcasts so there is bound to be a bit of variety. It's my first time presenting the show so by all means get along after Monday and see what a mess I"ve made of it! musicpodcasting.org Galway Girl - Sharon Shannon and Steve Earl (Ireland) The title track of the Best of Sharon Shannon was written by Steve Earle while he was spending some time living in Galway writing a book. It was first recorded by Earle and Shannon in 1999 for Shannon's hugely successful 'Diamond Mountain Sessions" album. The song has been gaining in popularity ever since, boosted by since the airing of the Magners cider ads in which it featured. Mundy has been performing the song at Sharon Shannon Big Band shows across the country in recent times and had the opportunity to perform it with Steve Earle at last year's Cambridge Folk Festival much to the festival goers' delight.  Sharon Shannon, Steve Earle "The Galway Girl" (mp3) from "The Galway Girl - The Best Of Sharon Shannon (Bonus Track Version)" (The Daisy Label) Buy at iTunes Music Store More On This AlbumSig tune: Happy - Jimmie Bratcher (Missouri, USA) www.jimmiebratcher.com/ Comments[4] |
Wed, 7 January 2009  It's still really unusually cold here in eastern England. It means that the caffeine intake has been moderated because the water supply pipe to the Barn is frozen solid.However, the novelty is wearing off now and I am resolved to get a proper hearting system into the house before next winter - this is rather a recurring new year resolution! Mister Highway Man - The Aces (California) The Aces have attitude and a different idea of how to play Blues. They reduce the Blues to pounding riffs and a distorted wall of sound topped by wailing harp. They were among the first to absorb and recast the drone riff-based Hill Country Blues style, and The Aces do that their own way. They have their own slicked back greased hair in a wind-tunnel look attached to a permanent sneer and a pushy stage presence. www.acesfan.com/ A message from Jez, percussionist and more with the Dana Wylie Band. Bow and Arrow - e.p. hall (Indiana, USA) e.p. hall is a songwriting project based in bloomington, indiana known for its sentimental vocals, bookish lyrics, growley synth lines, and fingerstyle guitar. The project's influences include various diy, new weird america, and freak-folk mini-movements. www.ephall.com/ www.myspace.com/ephallmusic Fuck the Fed - Neal Fox (Florida, USA) Following on from his excellent Something's Wrong last week. The track that I implored you to look at on his site. Even if you've herd it now, do it anyway. Follow the link to "stuff" and check out Neal's other work while you're there. www.wireduck.com African Dream - Halo and Kemal MN2S Classic Dubs is a stunning collection of Milk n 2 Sugars (MN2S) masterpieces edited by Halo, featuring some of house music's most momentous moments and encompassing nearly a decade of classic MN2S Dubs available from (amongst others) Beatport - search by label: MN2S Recordings, then by Artist Halo and it'll pop up. Thanks to Dave at Milk 'n' 2 Sugars for making that clip available. www.mn2s.com/ www.beatport.com How it ends - DeVotchKa (?) It wasn't too long ago that a weary band hauling a violin, a tuba, an accordion, and trumpets into rock club were told they must be in the wrong place; when a band fusing musical elements from across the globe needed to fight to be considered a rock band instead of being marked by the dubious 'world music" tag. A decade ago, DeVotchKa drove an overstuffed tour van onto a very different musical landscape. Ten years later, it seems the world has caught up with them. How it ends is the title track of this seminal release from DeVotchKa currently scores the trailer for Gears of War 2, one of the most anticipated video games in history (for more information, please visit www.gearsofwar.xbox.com). Much of the album is also featured in the indie-hit movie, "Little Miss Sunshine.” 01/30/09 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore 01/31/09 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore 02/02/09 - West Hollywood, CA - Viper Room 02/04/09 - San Diego, CA - The Belly Up 02/05/09 - Tempe, AZ - The Clubhouse 02/06/09 - Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre 02/07/09 - Lubbock, TX - Jake's Place Sports Café 02/08/09 - Austin, TX - La Zona Rosa 02/13/09 - Denver, CO - Paramount Theatre http://devotchka.net The Unruly Ones - Dana Wylie Band (England, Canada, Taiwan) I played a couple of tracks a few weeks ago on SnC148. You'll find more about the band on the shownotes for 148. High time for a bit more from this excellent band of highly skilled musicians who I think are still in Taiwan - wise move! www.danawylie.net/ www.myspace.com/danawylieband If you are in London next week and fancy a night out you could do a lot worse than shuffling along to 333 Mothers Bar in Shoreditch where Get Wanted has outgrown Mondays and moved to Thursday nights. On the bill are: Leters from London, The Super Nashwan Kids, Bright Young Sons and The World on Fire www.myspace.com/getwanted Good thing - Robben Ford (California, USA) Robben Ford is one of the premiere electric guitarists today, particularly known for his blues playing as well as his ability to be comfortable in a variety of musical contexts. A four-time Grammy nominee, he has played with artists as diverse as Joni Mitchell, Miles Davis, Bonnie Raitt and more. www.robbenford.com/ The G Spot Jeremy Gugenheim's blues podcast is available. In iTunes, just click Advanced > Subscribe to podcast and type or copy in the feed address: http://sse.myzen.co.uk/thegspot/?feed=rss2 Sig tune: Happy - Jimmie Bratcher www.jimmiebratcher.com Comments[0] |
Wed, 31 December 2008  Another grey and cold day in the UK with frost hanging around all day and the prospect of freezing fog overnight. At least the weather can only get better.The music will, I hope prove cheering with a slightly longer show this week including a track from my "Find of the year 2008" - Luthea Salom (right). Hesitations and Cliches - Verona Red (Chicago, IL, USA) Chris, Mike, Tony, Taz Date: 2 Jan 09 Venue: Martyrs' Address: 3855 North Lincoln, Chicago, IL, 60613, US Details: Verona Red 9:30 Dirty Blue 10:30 Cobalt & The Hired Guns 11:30 www.myspace.com/veronared Nightmares and appointments - Jenny Gillespie (Chicago, IL, USA) Jenny: vocals, piano, guitar Josh Stewart: cello and bass Alan Ollendorff - pedal steel John Knecht: drums Jenny has worked as a waitress, a nanny, a hair model, a bed and breakfast concierge, a poetry teacher, and currently, a children's literature editor. But music has always remained her north star. Born in central Illinois, she has lived in Virginia, Rhode Island, Paris, and Austin, Texas, and currently calls Chicago home, where she performs with her band and soaks up the seasons of a vibrant city. In 2008 she recorded Light Year, her first full-length album, funded mostly by donations by fans, at Steve Albini's Electrical Audio with additional production by Darwin Smith at Austin's Cacophony Recordings. Anticipate a West Coast tour in spring 2009. The album which will be available tomorrow Jan. 1 on iTunes and CDbaby. UPDATE: "Hi Peter. Thanks so much for featuring Nightmares on your great show.
Unfortunately the CD won't be available for sale until January 15 due
to some complications with the art work (missing font files! ahhh!) If
you want to note that on your show notes, that would be great." Consider it done Jenny! Those font files are elusive little chaps - hope you manage to round them up. Perhaps if any anyone spots them - probably looking a bit lost and hungry by now, they could just let us know where they are and we'll get the font warden to bring them in. ;)www.myspace.com/jennygillespie Gorgeous Behaviour - Marching Band (Linköping, Sweden) Formerly known as Second Language, Erik Sunbring and Jacob Lind realized their musical connection while attending college. Together, they began to play around with an array of more eccentric musical instruments such as xylophone, marimba, banjo, vibraphone and unique vocal harmonies. The result of this experimentation is found within their eclectic 12-track album. Their critically acclaimed debut album Spark Large features an assortment of instrumentation that delivers atmospheric folk and Indie-Pop. They have a gig at Luminaire in The King's Head in Kilburn, London on 8th Jan. http://marchingband.se/ www.myspace.com/marchingband  Marching Band "For Your Love" (mp3) from "Spark Large" (U & L Records, Inc.) Buy at Rhapsody More On This AlbumUtopie - San'jyla (Vannes, France) From their first album Premier Pas, which is "le fruit d'un travail commencé sur scène et dans les caf'conç du grand Ouest.” Là où l'envie de partager des bonnes vibrations sont plus fortes que tout. Le groupe est composé de : - D'une section rythmique (batterie - basse - percussions - guitares - claviers) - D'une section de soufflants (flûte traversière - sax ténor - sax alto) - De chants (2 leads, 1 choeur). www.sanjyla.com Something's Wrong - Neal Fox (Florida, USA) Something's Wrong, is a kind of primer for the song I'm not going to play this week called "Fuck the Fed". Really you do have to see the video. Follow the link to "stuff" and check out Neal's other work while you're there. Such a talent. www.wireduck.com Upon seeing Simone - Stewart Francke (Detroit, USA) With hard work, great songwriting and soulful singing, Stewart Francke has found true indie success in today's rough & tumble music business. He's made ten highly praised CDs, the most recent being Stewart Francke Alive And Unplugged at The Ark, to be released in on January 20, 2009 through Blue Boundary Records and Burnside Distribution. His previous CD, Motor City Serenade, was recorded with the legendary Motown session band the Funk Brothers. Stewart has sold 50,000 records-all without a major label and its promotional muscle. Building his devoted audience one person at a time over the years, Stewart is now known as one of the most exciting and beloved live performers around, playing his own headlining shows as well as support touring with the likes of Sheryl Crow, Warren Zevon, Steve Earle, Chris Isaak, Robert Cray, Shawn Colvin, Hall & Oates, Michael McDonald, Stevie Winwood, Eddie Money, Foreigner, Chicago, & many others. Now performing with his own Detroit Soul band, Francke"s show is exciting, smart, humorous, and loaded with a warm, soulful vibe that makes every night pure magic. www.stewartfrancke.com/ www.myspace.com/stewartfranckemusic Murray's Wives - Ruth Theodore (London, UK) Another track from Worm Food, Ruth Theodore's fine debut album. 13 tracks of beautifully twisted, political and personal mayhem. Her style of delivery makes you really listen and the effort is well worthwhile. You can get the album as MP3 from Jamendo but do yourself a favour and go to her site and get it in gleaming CD quality for just £9.99 www.ruththeodore.com www.jamendo.com/en/album/17052 When I'm dead write me a song - Pie Boys Flat (Queens, New York, USA) From their album Uproot the Island. Pie Boys Flat hit the NYC music scene in 2003 with their unique blend of Reggae, Blues, and Funk. Their writing shows influences ranging from Bob Marley to Jack Johnson to Sublime to Paul Simon and has melded into a form of ethnic Rhythm and Blues that sits firmly in the pocket of a style all its own. Laced with soaring three-part harmonies, their music is the manifestation of a many year friendship and collective musical intuition. Patrick Hambrick (Guitar/Vocals), Fitz Harris (Percussion/Vocals), and Jason Liles (Bass/Vocals) met in the late 1990's at Shenandoah Conservatory in Virginia, where the trio formed a bond that is now apparent in both their writing and performing. www.pieboysflat.com myspace.com/pieboysflat Accidents - Luthea Salom (New York, NY, USA) From Luthea Salom's fine new bittersweet album Sunbeam Surrounded By Winter produced between NY and Skopje, (Macedonia) by Malcolm Burn and Luthea herself. I think that if pushed to make a choice I'd say that Luthea is my find of the year 2008. Then the struggle is to narrow the choices to a single track. On the face of it, just another girl with a guitar, but there is something else which I find utterly entrancing about the music from Luthea who is part Spanish and part Canadian. www.lutheasalom.com www.myspace.com/lutheasalomsongs Thanks to all the artists, labels and enlightened managers who have seen the benefit in making their music available for me to include in the show over the past year. Your trust in the new way of working is appreciated. Comments[0] |
Wed, 24 December 2008  Energy levels were running very low earlier today but 45 minutes or so of interesting music has sorted that problem out completely. It really must be the cheapest therapy available - and pretty damned effective too.A rich mix of styles and challenges for you in this week's show including a rare phenomenon and on, and on ... - a sing-along track on Suffolk 'n' Cool, right at the end. Of course, the combination of Lauren Fincham and strong coffee could have something to do with it! As the inspiring Ashley Brilliant says: "I have explored and rejected every other possibility, life, after all, is for having fun." R'N'R en la radio - BadRriles (San Roque, Cadiz, Spain) Pepe: Voice Juan: Drums Miguel: Bass Andres: Guitar www.myspace.com/badrriles Something in the air - Lauren Fincham (Jacksonville, FL, USA) Southern eclectic folk artist, Lauren Fincham has performed in, and organized several Indiegrrl concerts and benefits. Discography: Perfect Pain - 2007 Burning Tree - 2001 Show & Tell - 1997 She is currently working on new cds and songs, watching the eclipses, and seeking that ever elusive perfect cup of coffee. www.laurenfincham.com/ www.myspace.com/laurenfincham Sweet swing - Trafic de Blues (Chateau du Loir, France) Jamendo From the excellent and very varied album Fin de Cavale. Roman Stadnicki (TOURS) : Harmonica Jonathan Truillet (TOURS) : Guitare Solo Lénaïc Hureau (NANTES) : Guitare Rythmique Fabrice Lecoffre (TOURS) : Basse Fabien Beillard (AIX EN PROVENCE) : Batterie Pierre Poussin (TOURS) : Sax Alto Damien Brosseau (TOURS) : Sax Ténor Vincent Foussard (CHOLET) : Trombone Alexandre Loyau (RENNES) : Percussions www.traficdeblues.fr.st - which doesn't seem to work so go for: www.jamendo.com/en/artist/trafic.de.blues Trafic de Blues featured on Jeremy Gugenheim's The G Spot - a brand new specialist blues podcast which is being crafted by Jeremy Gugenheim. The first show went up last week and I hope we can expect more. It"s really good to have someone who knows a bit to guide you through a form of music. You can subscribe through iTunes. More about how you can find the G Spot when Jeremy gets back and can tell us! Let me in - Stereoaccident (Noord-Brabant, Netherlands) As of 20-04-2008 StereoAccident continued under the name Signal to Shore, Comprising of Vocalist/Singer-Songwriters Chris Valentijn and Australian Shaun S Marshall. Signal to Shore are the lastest acoustic duo out of The Netherlands. With lilting melodies, powerful vocals and hook laden tracks they are sure to have written one of your new favourite tunes. Comprising of Vocalist/Singer-Songwriters Chris Valentijn and Australian Shaun S Marshall, Signal to Shore creates and performs songs in their purest form, 2 guitars and vocals. Cutting out all the extra bells and whistles the songs have a honest and pure feel. Take a listen to an acoustic version of that song at: www.myspace.com/signalstoshore Solid Ground - Poxfil (France) I’ve played a few Poxfil tracks but I know little about the artist, except that: Poxfil est un collectif de moi tout seul. Y'a plus personne qui veut jouer avec moi, sauf peut être mon pote Georges, mais il me coûte cher en pack de bière ! So Poxfil is a collective him himself all alone, but if he thinks beer is expensive in France, he should try to UK. Three albums are currently available on Jamendo.www.poxfil.net www.jamendo.com/en/artist/poxfil Spankology - AfterThem (East Brunswick, NJ, USA) Afterthem describes their sometimes polished...sometimes raw music as "Avant Garage Funk"...Keyboardist and alleged vocalist Dave George sites Frank Zappa as one of his musical heroes .... Lead vocals are done mostly by Joy Epting but they also have featured guest singers Laurel Barclay (of New York rockers "Daddy") and Liz Matta ... who also plays sax but neither are on this track - I think. Dave says you should hurry and buy their music while it is still inexpensive because even as you read this they will be attending conferences and seminars so they can take their music to the "next level". Windy Jones...Bass... D.George...Keyboards... Joe Positive...Guitars... Richard Johnson...Bass Tomar DeFresco...Vocals Giraffe is taken from their new CD Time Is Fun When You're Having Flies cdbaby.com/afterthem8 www.myspace.com/afterthem Lying back - Fire in our eyes - Azoora (Göteborg, Sweden and London, UK) "Azoora" are a blend of acoustic electronica which combines that dreamy shoe-gazing feel with a charming British indie twist. They have recently released their debut EP Tall Tales in which they have two alternative takes of each of their tracks, having both an original, and respective remix to tantalise most tastes. The album Long Time Standing is well underway to being completed this year. It will offer more of a wide mix of genres, being a double album with original and remixes presented separately. London based multi-instrumentalist John Purcell produces the band. Vocals are provided by the songwriter Paul Loader who now lives in Göteborg, Sweden and travels back to London to record in the studio with John, Ben Cochrane provides live drums and Trudi Laurence the fantastic backing vocals. www.23seconds.org/azoora.htm www.myspace.com/azoora Dancing with my Brother - Entire Cities (Ontario, Canada) Entire Cities are riding high on the success of their latest album, Deep River, the product of ten musicians using banjos, violins, flutes, pianos, minimoogs, singing saws, trombones, whatever else they saw fit to bring their work to life. The result is a heady mix of country, indie, gospel and rock. www.myspace.com/entirecities Can't beat fun - Thom Hopkins (Oregon, USA) From his album Cloud Writing. www.thomhopkins.com/ Sig tune: Happy - Jimmie Bratcher www.jimmiebratcher.com Comments[1] |
Wed, 17 December 2008  Still rather chilly here in Suffolk - a kind of deep persistent cold that permeates the house ... and my poor old bones! A pretty impressive sunrise this morning over the meadow with the old oak trees against the sky.The Winter Blues - Robin Grey (Hackney, London, UK) I thought I had played a track by Robin a few weeks ago, but now I can't find it. I've certainly been listening ... a lot ... having been put onto him, through Jamendo, by Carolyn who points out that he was responsible for mandolin and bass on Ruth Theodore's excellent album Worm Food which we've heard a couple of tracks from on this show as well as playing bass on the Blue Swerver album which, again we've heard on SnC. The Winter Blues is from his album I love Leonard Cohen on Jamendo. Robin is normally located in a small white room with a blue door tucked away in a leafy corner of Hackney, East London, where he makes music. Inspired by the timeless work of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and Ani Difranco amongst many others, he colours in his songs about love and life with guitar, banjo, ukulele, mandolin, piano, double bass, organ, percussion toys, and any other instruments he can afford and fit into his little studio. Robin has asked if I can recommend any places locally where he could come and play. He is also on the lookout for potential house gigs, so if you have a decent sized room and can muster a respectable size crowd give me a shout and I'll pass the word on. Alternatively send Robin a message through Jamendo or his site. www.robingrey.com www.myspace.com/robingrey Ladylike - Amber Ojeda (San Diego, CA, USA) I'll admit to being surprised that I really liked this. I'm not normally a great can of soul and R&B but this is magic. Amber Ojeda is a singer- songwriter based out of the San Diego Metro area. Equal parts talent and ambition Amber has managed to precisely dial into the new digital world of music. She is continuously included on the MySpace Top 100 Artists Charts in the Jazz/Soul/R&B division. Her music can most recently be heard on the Style Networks new hit show "Dress My Nest" in addition to feature film placements. Amber's musical approach centers around the blending of jazz and soul with hip hop undertones.. Her voice lends itself to the likes of Jill Scott and Alicia Keys with the poetic flow of Erykah Badu. With a growing fan base, looks and a distinctive voice, Amber is destined to be in the R&B/Soul/Jazz annals of music. PLEASE ENJOY FREE DOWNLOADS OF MY MUSIC AT www.trueanthem.com/amberojeda www.amberojedamusic.com/ www.myspace.com/amberojeda Message from Andy Fidler expressing his appreciation for the wax cylinder recording by Madam Pamita on last week's show SnC147 A message from Madam Pamita: Hi Peter! The pix are on the new Gallery page on the main SnC site.I love your show - thank you so much for including me as part of such a great mix of music...and for reciting my copy with your spectacular brit enunciation! As it should be! As it should be! As an old punk rocker from way back, i feel like i fit right in your show - old time music is punk rock circa 1915! That's what's great about podsafe network... i get turned on to such terrific podshows, such as yours! Needless to say, I've subscribed via itunes, so i'll be listening in often! yes, i recorded these tracks on real wax cylinder equipment from the late 1800s - absolutely no electricity used in the process! It was an amazing experience. i've attached two photos - one of me in front of the recording gear and one of the actual cylinders to prove i'm not making this up. I saw a production of "Marie" a one woman show which takes a look at the life of Marie Lloyd, the Queen of the Halls around the turn of the 19th/20th centuries, which as a review in The Stage says: "Elizabeth Mansfield, as Marie, describes the music hall atmosphere in three or four lines of dialogue and immediately the audience can see, hear and smell a crowded music hall. Mansfield is as spiky and wonderfully bawdy as Lloyd was. The songs are made very much part of the narrative and many are sung, as was the fashion, with an opening spoken verse. Mansfield has the audience joining in the chorus and, at the same time, enjoying her performance and voice - the very essence of music hall. She confides in the audience just as a music hall star would. When the play is over, the audience leaves with a greater understanding of the impact of Lloyd on popular entertainment." Madam Pamita is planning a trip over to the UK to play a few dates and hopes that one will be near Suffolk. I hope so too. OK This is the pops - Orpheos (Berkeley, CA, USA) Bay Area producer Orpheos DeJournette stands poised to write the next chapter in a revelatory musical journey with the release of his debut LP, The Mirror With No Reflection. An accomplished multi-instrumentalist, Orpheos first broke ground as co-founder of West Coast dance pioneers, Mephisto Odyssey, enjoying both popular and critical accolades long before electronic music had hit the mainstream. After a string of seminal original productions made their mark on dance floors and in after-hours parties worldwide, the group was chosen to remix the Jane"s Addiction comeback single, So What. The four Mephisto remixes charted on Billboard's maxi-singles chart for six weeks and remain the only remixes ever sanctioned by Jane's Addiction. A slew of remix work for Static-X, Los Amigos Invisibles, and Soul Coughing followed. Never one to remain content with past achievement, Orpheos amicably left Mephisto to begin work on his solo artist career. Four years in the making, the LP of his new material infused with shockingly original production work, as the producer has meticulously and single handedly written, produced, engineered, mixed, and mastered every song and created each sound and vocal from scratch. The Mirror With No Reflection LP possesses a sense of craft and an individuality sorely lacking in most contemporary music. That said, listeners will note hints of Massive Attack, David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails and Pink Floyd supercharged with a groove-oriented attack that is immediately accessible, but, ultimately, unique to Orpheos alone. www.orpheos.net/ www.myspace.com/orpheosmusic Pat Steir - Cagey House (Maryland, USA) Cagey House has been releasing free podsafe music since 2005--through Umor-rex, Nishi, and Jamendo. "There's a new Cagey House album on Jamendo. [which I couldn't find last month] It's called Earth Covered A-Frame. Most of the tracks have been up here before. Lots of them have computer-generated vocals. It's pretty nice, if I do say so myself.” www.myspace.com/cageyhouse www.jamendo.com/en/album/33394 I'm always here for you - Josh Charles (Brooklyn, New York) I played Josh"s song The Answer a month ago on 144 but thought you'd be interested to hear something a bit more bluesy with a brilliant deep south piano sound. A very straight recording with no discernable enhancement to the voice - what you hear is what you get. "Since I was a kid, I've played the gamut -- the worst dive bars with piano keys so jagged that I cut up my fingers every night, some amazing concert halls, outdoor festivals, great clubs and even floating theaters at sea. My mentor/teacher and friend is Dr. John and I can say that I am blessed to have had the opportunity to learn from a master." Josh has just released his debut Josh Charles EP which features members of Dr. John's band, his touring band, and was recorded in New Orleans and New York. www.joshcharlesmusic.com/ www.myspace.com/joshcharlesonline I want your love - Axisgallery (UK and Italy) The nucleus of Axisgallery are Brit Nick C and Italian Paolo Baldini who met in Florence in 2004 while DJing the local nightclubs on a European Tour . Both have a leftfield approach to music and soon started working together on remixes of old rock songs such as Billy Squiers 'Stroke' and Black Sabbath's 'Neon Knights' which rocked the local dancefloors . Drafting in old friend and socialite Princess Anya LeGalle on vocals and a boozed out Scottish guitarist Pip 'maddog' Kiernan - they set out to create their first album 'Dynamics Of Synergy' Axisgallery have just released their third album Disturbing Behavior which references their experience of 'Haut de la Garenne' and refines their sound to a more mainstream Rock/Dance crossover. www.axisgallery.co.uk/ www.myspace.com/axisgallery Message from Jez, guitarist, percussionist and formidable harmonica player with the Dana Wylie Band. We're touring in Asia at the moment, Taiwan to be precise. I just got back from listening to a fantastic Finnish Jouhikko (kind of sarangi/fiddle-like thing) player here in Taipei. He's called Pekko Kappi, and is quite something. I finished listening to show 144 and will check out some other episodes when I wake up. It's a great show. Contrast! Colour! Yes! The whole idea of podcasting was immediately appealing, but yours is so f*%king good. Glad to hear such a wide taste in musicks. St James Parish Bus and One Lucky Bastard - Dana Wylie Band (England, Canada, Taiwan) Graham Holland at It's a Frog's Life Acoustic Podcast suggest that the band contact me. Moving to Taiwan in 2003 in search of a quiet place to write, she was surprised to find herself immersed in a thriving ex-pat music scene. When she played her demo for Englishman Jeremy Hellard, he said, "I'd have liked that better if I had played on it", and the Dana Wylie Band was born. A swinging drummer, guitarist, vocalist and uniquely expressive harmonica player, Jez proved the perfect accompanist, moving seamlessly between the various idioms in which Wylie chooses to compose. After more than a year of touring Taiwan, including two long-term residencies in Taipei nightspots, they moved to England and joined forces with virtuosic and in-demand jazz bassist, Nye Parsons. Nye has developed a formidable reputation over the last decade, and his lyrical, melodic style hovers between jazz and folk and perfectly complements Dana's fluid song-writing. www.danawylie.net/ www.myspace.com/danawylieband Do Rasta Works - Jah Jah Yute (Jamaica) From the 2007 album Words Power on Sound. Jah Jah Yute was born with the name Steadman Shearer, in the parish of Hanover, Jamaica in a little district called Rock Spring. His father owned a nightclub with a sound system called Sir King B. Jah Jah was first performing as a DJ, on this sound system. One evening Jah Jah heard the Sound System of Black Star playing and during entertainer time, instead of dj-ing he started singing free style of his spiritual meditations. Jah Jah went to Kingston and was introduced by a friend to the owner of Mixing Lab Studio where he met Bunny Wailer, Yellow Man and others. While visiting Montego Bay he was directed to African Symbol Studio where he recorded his first couple of songs, "Do Rasta Work" and "Too Much Slackness Inna Di Music". www.jahjahyute.com/ www.myspace.com/jahjahyute68 http://cdbaby.com/cd/jahjahyute Comments[0] |
Wed, 10 December 2008  A really interesting selection of music again this week, quite a bit from the UK plus tracks from Nashville, New York, California and Denmark. There are a couple of rather quirky tracks that you should look forward to.Really cold, even in the barn, as I put the show together, but probably not as cold as it is out on the Dunwich marshes by the Suffolk coast where these semi-wild ponies keep the vegetation down and where Dartmoor ponies are being used to regenerate the landscape after years of commercial forestry. Once, Twice, Again! - Dartz! (Teeside, UK) From the sampler album from Deep Elm "Bonfire of Trust". "In the last few years the northeast corner of England has produced a cluster of post-punk bands with a penchant for spiky riffs and melodic vocals. The Futureheads and Maximo Park have garnered the most critical attention, but Dartz! are now making waves of their own. Once, Twice, Again! reminds us that, first and foremost, the band is here to make you move. Still, pigeonholing DARTZ! as anything other than an extremely intelligent, complex and exciting band would be doing them an injustice. Off-kilter riffs and catchy choruses rip a melodic groove into your brain while intersecting instrumental passages are compelling enough to keep the hipsters zigging and the punkers zagging. 20 Dec Academy 2 Newcastle UK. www.myspace.com/darts www.wearedartz.com/  Dartz! "Once, Twice, Again!" (mp3) from "Deep Elm Sampler No. 8 "Bonfire of Trust"" (Deep Elm) Buy at Deep Elm Records Buy at RhapsodyEnough of you - The Sugar Dames (Nashville TN, USA) Nashville, Tennessee has long been a city revered for it's music, but if you should ever wander into the outskirts of the city you might encounter the unique and wonderful sounds of a seductive duo known as The Sugar Dames. Amongst lonely antebellum homes, farm relics and rolling hills the Dames have been hiding away--hard at work on their first project. Jenn Palmer and Christina Elen are hardly your typical musicians. Having both been solo acts for 5 years and have been a group for the past two years, The Sugar Dames deliver music that is a hybrid of the past and present, an all encompassing style. "We're influenced by anything and everything from the alternative genres to the classics, from Debussy and Tom Waits to old black gospel and Etta James." says Palmer. You can get the album Sirens of the broken heart from iTunes. www.myspace.com/thesugardames Tammy is Lez - Esiotrot (UK) From their excellent album Seven Apples Cat, Matt, Adey and Duncan formed Esiotrot in the late 80's when they got together to play Tortoise covers backwards. Soon Thomas Stimson joined on vibes, and they went on to perform a series of incendiary live shows, which so inspired Roald Dahl that he was moved to name his latest book after them. After the recording of their now legendary debut album "Schmesiotrot" they recruited brass section Thom punton and John Edom, to record some overdubs and play some shows, and they ended up never leaving. After releasing an EP on unpopular records, and playing a radio session for Hugh Stephens, Esiotrot went on to record their great lost album, 7 apples, which is now due to see the light of day as a series of split seven inches. Esiotrot's first EP sold out, but now available to download on itunes and napster (under Esio Trot rather than Esiotrot, if you wonder why you can't find it!). 15 Dec (Monday) they are playing the Get Wanted night at 333 Mother Bar on Old Street, EC1 in London along with Komla, The Yakataks and Ryco Saints. www.myspace.com/getwanted www.myspace.com/esiotrotschmesiotrot F for Fake - ray On (London, UK) frank okolo (hum) matt donovan (drum) shane gilliver (strum) My thanks to Jessie for spotting the band and organising the contact. www.myspace.com/rayonmusic www.rayonmusic.com Slow Guns - The Homosexuals (New York, USA) The Homosexuals are often credited as godfathers of the D.I.Y. movement, Bruno Wizard with guitarist Anton Heyman, bassist Jim Welton and a cast of revolving collaborators accumulated a treasure trove of other-worldly art-punk in the late 70s and early 80s, shunning the sniffs of big-label bloodhounds, only sporadically performing, and self-pressing tiny quantities of their own records only to disband completely by '83. Serious Business Records proudly presents Love Guns?, the first piece of new vinyl issued by The Homosexuals since the early eighties. The band's first ever US tour recently concluded with mesmerizing original writer / vocalist / auteur Bruno Wizard fronting a young band of tough-as-nails New Yorkers. The three songs that comprise the heart of the Love Guns? EP are "Slow Guns," a full-scale 70-s styled, hook-laden, anti-establishment punk anthem, "3AM (Pink Pony)," a sweet, slow building slice of bedroom pop, and "Don"t Touch My Hair," a future-world mutant-disco dance-floor banger. The Love Guns? EP is being initially released as a hand numbered 300-piece 10" vinyl pressing. Bruno Wizard has hand written a story across the entirety of the 300 pieces, with a unique sentence, a fragment or a few words appearing on each copy. Fans can compare their unique inscriptions, upload photos, and slowly piece together the entire story at www.thehomosexualsloveguns.com. This pressing is extremely limited so interested parties should order their copies NOW. http://seriousbusinessrecords.com/releases/show/45-Love-Guns- He's in the Jailhouse now - Madame Pamita (California, USA) "In the spirit of bounteous munificence, Madame Pamita presents the most tantilizing, most mesmerizing, most edifying experience of augury and prognostication the world has ever known. This mystic seer and musical prodigy does nothing less than spiritually transform those who witness her act. The powers of the vibration of unselfconscious music coupled with the mystical science of fortune telling allow her to access the depths of the human soul and once there to tranfigure it with the power of divine light." She travelled to Long Island, New York to make 13 wax cylinder recordings. Enter into the curious and sublime world of Madame Pamita's Parlor of Wonders, an old-time medicine show filled with mysticism, music and melodrama: an entrancing array of spectacles both quaint and queer! Madame Pamita plays songs written both by herself and by those who have moved on to the great beyond - rural blues, old time, jug band and proto-jazz numbers about romance and revenge and mirth and mayhem. www.madamepamita.com/ Låter fra Selsø - Selsølåter (Denmark)  Selsølåter "Totur fra Selsø" (mp3)(GO' Danish Folk Music) Buy at Rhapsody More On This AlbumChicken on a Raft - Pyrates! (Exeter, UK) direct Pyrates! was finally formed properly as a band during the summer of 2006, an offshoot of the pirate nights we've been having around Exeter for the last 3 years, there are only so many verses a group of drunk people can remember during a night out! Pyrates! are a sea shanty, folk, drinking, rock, songs of the sea type band, performing a variety of traditional, revival and alternative folk music all in our very own musical way! www.myspace.com/ukpirates www.pyrates.co.uk/ Out of it - Brad Sucks (Ottawa, Canada) Title track from the album recommended to me by equalconquest over on Jamendo. With his cheeky, disillusioned, home studio-recorded folky yet rocky songs, Brad, a 31-year-old musician from Ottawa, inevitably gets compared to Beck quite often. As much as it can be a compliment, no artist likes to be told they sound like another; but by now Brad has gotten to terms with the parallel. "It used to bother me, I took it as 'hey you're a crappy Beck impersonator with no ideas of your own!' But other musicians told me they get compared to Beck all the time also. So maybe it's the musical equivalent of 'tastes like chicken'. On the other hand, getting compared implies getting heard. Brad started posting demos on the internet a few years ago, then released his first album, I Don't Know What I'm Doing, at the beginning of 2007, which started getting him some attention pretty far away from home. That's even how he got around to exotic places like Jamendo: "I started selling a bunch of albums to Europeans and got some emails suggesting I put my stuff on Jamendo. After I got enough, I finally checked it out and it looked like an interesting crowd of people. Lately I've been digging Professor Kliq a lot, for example." Eventually, his music circulated in ways he wouldn't have imagined, ending up in ads for cars and condoms, or with "heroes of mine saying they like my music" and "artists doing well these days citing me as an inspiration. That feels awesome." So now would probably be a good time to take things to the next level professionally. Brad has been considering getting help with press and booking gigs. But in the meantime, he's managing everything alone, while hoping that the new album, Out Of It, makes his music income go up (he's also into web design). "I'd like to do a bit of touring in the new year but Ive got to figure out if it makes sense money-wise. Other than that, I've got a lot of music I'm working on, as well as some stories and a few other things that I'm excited to get to." www.bradsucks.net/ www.jamendo.com/en/album/31187 Sig tune: Happy - Jimmy Bratcher www.jimmiebratcher.com Comments[2] |
Wed, 3 December 2008  A couple of electronica tracks on this week's show from a very cold Suffolk along with some fine music from around the world. A call from one of our featured artists gives an insight into the life of a hard-working independent musician.Most of the leaves on the trees outside the barn are gone now. Those Damn Things - Ahmond (Brooklyn, New York, USA) Ahmond is a singer-songwriter and instrumental composer. He has just released a self-produced debut album called A Boy You Once Knew. On the album, and in live performances, you will hear Ahmond playing a variety of folk instruments such as mandolins and woodwinds, as well as heavier electric guitars. Violins, cellos, and percussion often accompany Ahmond's haunting voice like on the epic track Go to Africa, which is getting Graceland comparisons. www.ahmond.com/ www.myspace.com/ahmondband Littleblood - Jenny Gillespie (Chicago, IL, USA) Jenny: vocals, piano, guitar Josh Stewart: cello and bass Jenny Lee: violin Wendy deBias: bgv John Knecht: drums Oops. Correction: Jenny just got in touch to point out that the above is the live band line-up. "This however isn't the lineup that is featured
on Light Year (except for Josh on bass/cello and John on drums.) I
actually DID do all of the harmonies for every song on Light Year. My
boyfriend Andrew Mason played accordian on "Littleblood" and Adam
Ollendorff played pedal steel." [Thanks for letting us know Jenny.] Jenny has worked as a waitress, a nanny, a hair model, a bed and breakfast concierge, a poetry teacher, and currently, a children's literature editor. But music has always remained her north star. Born in central Illinois, she has lived in Virginia, Rhode Island, Paris, and Austin, Texas, and currently calls Chicago home, where she performs with her band and soaks up the seasons of a vibrant city.In 2008 she recorded Light Year, her first full-length album, funded mostly by donations by fans, at Steve Albini's Electrical Audio with additional production by Darwin Smith at Austin's Cacophony Recordings. Anticipate the release in January 2009, along with a West Coast tour in spring 2009. The album which will be available Jan. 1 on iTunes and CDbaby...and if you want to be alerted to it, to email Jenny at begtodiffa@gmail.com. If you really can't wait, get along to Green Genes in Chicago on 18 Dec to catch Jenny live. www.myspace.com/jennygillespie A clip of a well known song … Fly like a beagle - Transient (Gloversville, USA) A prolific artist with loads of stuff for you. a sudden soft implosion of noiselessness is a special release for Dusted Wax Kingdom by Transient - your ticket for a colourful journey from oldschool breakbeat worlds through experimental trancy ambience to glittering IDM planets in new downtempo and trip-hop dimensions. I was put onto him my a fellow traveller in the land of Jamendo "sapiensfx” who describes the album as "10 stars, great tunes and a must have" He (or she)'s dead right. I could have played any track from the album, They are all quite different but hugely engaging. www.noisyvagabond.com Join Jamendo (free) and not only will you have access to more music than you'll ever be able to listen to (currently a little over 13,000 albums) but you could go to my page at www.jamendo.com/en/user/clithers click to add yourself to my friends and we share links to interesting finds. I know I'll never find all the good stuff on my own! Kick and Holler - Dare Dukes (Savannah, Georgeia, USA) The songs that make up Dare Dukes' new album, Prettiest Transmitter of All, are a striking combination of incisive intelligence and sweet, doleful hooks. Looking past the shiny surfaces of American life, the singer-songwriter chronicles the everyday world, mining the margins for the eccentric characters and bizarre events that are the heart of his music. "America is a crazy, scary, and fascinating landscape," Dare says. "The reality is a lot more interesting to me than what the nightly news depicts. The way I see it, it's a place filled with eccentric characters, all on their own strange mission--some nuts, some saner than the rest of us. These missions, these people, they are what my music is about." I was chatting with Dare earlier and he was telling me that he's off to Vietnam for 3 weeks to eat lots of delicious food! He's also got a couple of great shows coming up in Athens, Georgia in the new year with a couple of great bands, Producto and Don Chambers + Goat, the latter of which is a Valentine's day extravaganza, whatever that is, but Dare's going to have to try and write a few songs for the occasion - he says his songbook is sorely lacking in love songs. www.daredukes.com www.myspace.com/daredukes Sandy - Grace Valhalla (Nancy, France) Great to hear that Grace Valhalla has a new album out on Jamendo it's called Summer Camp. Hello ! http://gracevalhalla.hautetfort.com/After more than a year, I publish my new album Summercamp. I'd have liked to finish it earlier, but it isn't always easy to find time (and inspiration!) for composing. I hope those who waited after it will forgive me, and that they'll not be too disappointed! You'll find many analog sounds, 8bit sounds and guitars in this album. I wanted something warm, a soft music of summer; the summer is over now, but I hope this album will remind us of its memory, and extends it a little longer. I sincerely thank all those who supported me so far, leaving me messages here and there, wrote to me, donating me, encouraged me... I wish you a very good listening. Musically, Grace http://myspace.com/gracevalhalla www.jamendo.com/en/artist/grace.valhalla Terje Nordgarden called in from Bologna, in northern Italy… Path of Love (piano version) - Nordgarden (Oslo, Norway) Almost an extra track on Nordgarden's current album, this minimal piano version of the title track just blows me away. If you have suggestions for places Terje could play, perhaps around New York next spring, let me know and I"ll pass on the word to the man himself. www.myspace.com/nordgarden Comments[1] |
Wed, 26 November 2008  OK, I'm getting travel sick - or at least sick of travel now. However, the journey back from Birmingham tonight was lightened by a look in at the Eurostar station at St Pancras (London). This delightful statue of the windswept (and train loving) poet Sir John Betjeman is in stark contrast with the champagne bars which are doing a roaring trade with "the suits" this Wednesday evening. Recession, what rece$$ion? It feels like time for a break, especially since the winter arrived this past weekend with a good bit of snow which actually settled for a day or two - this is really unusual in November, we don't normally get any snow until January at the earliest. Ah well, Belfast on Friday! The Wailers didn't like snow in November either. Hillbilly Hip Hop Shuffle - Ashley Davies (Melbourne, Australia) I found Ashley Davies' music a couple of weeks ago on Music Submit but it wasn't downloadable. However, Ashley sent me the CD Muscledrum Music 2 from Melbourne, Australia, and now it is here safely in the studio in Suffolk. One half of Matt Walker and Ashley Davies, he won an ARIA award and opened forn the likes of Bob Dylan and Patti Smith< Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, The Cruel Sea, Gomez and ZZ Top. With his new solo project Muscle Drum Music Volumes 1 and 2, Ashley Davies comes to the fore as one of the great drummer-songwriters. A thrilling rhythmic adventure, Muscle Drum Music was recorded almost entirely by Ashley on two drum kits, guitar and harmonica, with no loops or samples. As the CD sleeve says "All instruments on this recording were played." Find out more at: www.ashleydaviesmusicanddrums.com www.myspace.com/ashdaviesmusic Sadly I'm not at the Jamendo show in Paris tonight but I hope it is going really well. If you have been, give me a shout and let me know. No lack of travel at the moment, just not to the right places. I was in London AGAIN on Friday and Monday which was a 16 hour day. Travels again today in Birmingham and on Friday another flight to Belfast in Northern Ireland for a few hours - I just need to get through this week and that's it for a while. L'ete en Hiver (Summer in Winter) - Maurice Gainen (Los Angeles, CA, USA) The smooth flowing vocal stylings of Karoline Blandin adding her Parisian French flair in L'ÉTÉ EN HIVER (SUMMER IN WINTER) Producer-Engineer-Saxophonist and Flutist, Maurice Gainen can take you around the world in 50 minutes and seven seconds in his new CD, 7 CONTINENTS-GLOBAL JAMS. This musically diverse masterpiece - two years in the making, features a total of 38 musicians and was created from sessions on the Internet, actually traveling the miles as the title boasts to Antarctica, North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Australia and Asia. "I was finishing my last CD, JAZZ FLUTE JAMS in summer '06. I was reflecting on how I had done music from many parts of the world over my career. So why not make a CD with at least one song from every continent? The songs could be original or traditional....no limits on style. That was not such a daunting proposition living in a place like LA with musicians from so many places and so many musicians versed in styles from all over the world. But I decided to set up a challenge for myself having at least one principal musician in each song actually BE ON that continent. So it was that musical and technical challenge, combined with the fascination of finding and interacting with new musicians all over the world that inspired me. I have been rewarded many times over by the friends made and relationships nurtured on this journey. This is a landmark recording for me. It is one of those special life/career markers that we all hopefully get from time to time." www.mauricegainen.com/cds.html cdbaby.com/cd/gainen3 Book of Lies - Miranda Vettrus (Salem, OR. USA) Miranda Vettrus grew up in an amusement park, makes horror movies with her younger sister, Mariah and writes Go Go's inspired songs at 3 in the morning. By the age of 5, Miranda had already jumped off a 100 foot crane thrill-ride dubbed the Sky-coaster dozens of times. She's written dozens of songs and continues to grow her catalog by the day. Her other interests include catching salamanders, playing basketball, and hanging out with her pet goats. "My guitar's become my prized possession, then my Mac laptop," Says Miranda. "I love singing and performing. I hope to be doing this for a long time!" EP Book of Lies is available on iTunes and Amazon through her site, where there's also a rather fine video: www.mirandavettrus.com/ www.myspace.com/mirandavettrus http://mirandavettrus.com/music.html 100 Little Reasons - Hundred Little Reasons (UK) 100 Little Reasons are Andrew Grimes and Jim Crane. Find out just a little about them at: www.myspace.com/hundredlittlereasons iTunes review, my thanks to Graham. If you'd like toi add a review for Suffolk 'n' Cool you'll find the show on iTunes (search for Suffolk) or use this link to Suffolk 'n' Cool on iTunes http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=121289766 Kou Chou Ching - Tiu Tiu Ssu Hsiang Chi (MoShang Little DingDong Mix) (Taiwan) MoShang is a sound jeweller who blends downtempo electronica with Chinese instruments and sounds from the streets of Taiwan. OK, so it is probably the most challenging of the 14 tracks on the Asian Variations album - not challenging for you - for me, in telling you what it"s called! Get comfortable... Discography: Made in Taiwan (2004) [CD Baby, iTunes, etc.] Chill Dynasty (2006) [chilldynasty.com] http://moshang.net/ Motherless Child (Moshang Remix) - Lovespirals (California, USA) Title track from the EP in fact, all the tracks are the title track! Anji Bee's sensual vocals and Ryan Lum's soulful guitar & keyboards have been remixed by numerous artists in various styles. This is a collection of remixes of the chillout duo Lovespirals by Chris Caulder, The Black Channel Citizen, Hungry Lucy and Karmacoda as well as a couple of remixes of their own. You can buy Lovespirals music trough an unbelievably comprehensive selection of on-line stores that you'll find on their site. www.lovespirals.com/ Do check out Anji's excellent Chillcast at: www.anjibee.com P'tit bonheur - Serge Cabon (Quimper, France) Very light ion information here but there is just one track on Jamendo which you are welcome to download for yourself. Classic French chanson with a really interesting twist. www.myspace.com/sergecabon www.jamendo.com/en/album/31551 Gabor's Electrical Language is 150 this week. If you"ve not had a listen, DO. He finds some excellent music and is at: www.electricallanguage.co.uk Mayonme - Carlos de Nicaragua y Familia (Le Havre, Normandie, France) Carlos Wiltshire, alias Carlos de Nicaragua, was born in Bluefields, on the Nicaraguan Atlantic coast. His name is not only in reference to his country of birth but mostly in reference to the legendary Indian chief Nicaraocai, philosopher, ferocious warrior and fighter. Carlos de Nicaragua was one of the precursors of the sound system concept in Paris. In Paris, latinos, french and africans dance during the concerts under the blazing fire of a nicaraguayan named Carlos and his band "Familia", pioneers of the salsa reggae style. His admiration for the reggae prophets Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear [...] pushed him to dedicate himself to this music, reinventing it and mixing it with the tumbao of dancing rhythms from the Bronx and other great salsa capitals. There is a video that you just have to see at: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MHqYGt6ejqE www.myspace.com/carlosdenicaraguayfamilia http://cdbaby.com/cd/carlosdenicaragua Big Pink Blanket - Hundred Little Reasons (UK) www.myspace.com/hundredlittlereasons Comments[0] |
Wed, 19 November 2008  In London again yesterday and after a particularly stuffy-roomed meeting near the Houses of Parliament with a few rather difficult people, a lovely walk up St James' Park and through Horseguards Parade (flags fluttering in the winter sun reflecting off ancient windows) up Charing Cross Road and through Soho to meet Jessie and pass the decorations in Carnaby Street (right). It really is another world. Look carefully and you'll see that the snowman's anus is fitted with a loudspeaker. Fortunately these were not active at the time!It seems to be the season of missed gigs, I'm going to have to get my priorities sorted out. Get on with it - Val Emmich (New Jersey, USA) I played Hurts more later on SnC 141. Since then Val has joined the cast of Ugly Betty, as a recurring character. Val is playing Jesse, Betty's love interst and a musician (no type casting there then). Ugly Betty is screening on ABC in the States. http://valemmich.com/ www.myspace.com/valemmich Ibobodub - Manze Dayila and the Nago Nation (St Marc. Haiti) That song is taken from her album Solé. You may have already come across her music. Haitian New Yorker, Manze Dayila, was inspired to write "CHANGE (The Barack Obama Song)" after being invited to perform at an Obamarama rally in her Brooklyn, NY neighborhood. Inspiration for an anthem stating "Barack Obama is my president," struck one morning in the shower and the rest is now history-in-the-making on YouTube, Myspace & Facebook. This video is available for viewing and the MP3 single is available for free download on her site. www.manzedayila.com www.myspace.com/manzedayila www.cdbaby.com/manzedayila Giraffe - Afterthem (East Brunswick, NJ, USA) [Drop.io] Afterthem describes their sometimes polished...sometimes raw music as "Avant Garage Funk"...Keyboardist and alleged vocalist Dave George sites Frank Zappa as one of his musical heroes....Lead vocals are done mostly by Joy Epting but they also have featured guest singers Laurel Barclay (of New York rockers "Daddy") and Liz Matta...who also plays sax but neither are on this track - I think. Dave says you should hurry and buy their music while it is still inexpensive because even as you read this they will be attending conferences and seminars so they can take their music to the "next level" Windy Jones...Bass... D.George...Keyboards... Joe Positive...Guitars... Richard Johnson...Bass Tomar DeFresco...Vocals Giraffe is taken from their new CD Time Is Fun When You're Having Flies cdbaby.com/afterthem8 www.myspace.com/afterthem The Answer - Josh Charles (Brooklyn, New York) "Since I was a kid, I've played the gamut -- the worst dive bars with piano keys so jagged that I cut up my fingers every night, some amazing concert halls, outdoor festivals, great clubs and even floating theaters at sea. My mentor/teacher and friend is Dr. John and I can say that I am blessed to have had the opportunity to learn from a master." Josh has just released his debut Josh Charles EP which features members of Dr. John's band, his touring band, and was recorded in New Orleans and New York. www.joshcharlesmusic.com/ www.myspace.com/joshcharlesonline A really interesting set of influences here. Munya - Yaya Ouedraogo (Shimotsuruma, Kanagawa, Japan) From his album Clay Bora. Yaya Ouedraogo, 22, musician from African street is singing the message of peace with African traditional music. Yaya, for long time, has not known his age. But he never thinks it really matters. Once he was asked by his friends when his birthday is, and he answered 'Everyday'. He says that he thanks everyday for that fact that his life is still continuing, and he wants to celebrate for that fact. He is a survivor: survived through African poverty with his luck and his strong will, When he was in his mother's womb, his mother used 'African medicine' to cease his life, but he survived. When he was born, he was left in the street of Burkina Faso. www.imeem.com/people/SgBG5FZ Darkside of the Blues - Alexandria Quartet (London, Bergen and Sømna, Norway) I played this track in an "extra” mini-show that I slipped in last weekend to let you know about the very first Get Wanted night that I wanted to get to but was totally unable to make. I thought the sound here was really interesting - some great vocal work. My thanks to Øystein for getting the track to me so quickly. Based in Bergen, Norway's main student city and the country's unofficial pop epicentre, the Quartet have been holed up in studios and rehearsal rooms for the last 18 months polishing their album. Martin Skålnes - vox, git, keys Øystein Braut - guitars Kim Åge Furuhaug - drums Chris Holm - bass www.thealexandriaquartet.com This - Tryad (USA, France, etc) I've played a couple of tracks by Tryad in the past couple of weeks and I've been in touch with band-member Vavrek who tells me that Jamendo have flown him over from the States to perform a show with a live band on Wednesday of next week, 26th November. I have been trying very hard to get to get there but it just hasn't worked out, yet. I'm committed to a meeting in Birmingham in the English midlands in the afternoon and I just don't think I can get to Paris in time for the show nor the 6pm press conference. SO frustrating. If you can, it starts at 7pm and is at Glaz Art on Avenue Porte de Villette, Paris 19e quite near the Periferique. The show features three artists, the Parisian rockers Hype, Drunksouls from Aix-en-Provence (France) and Tryad. Of course all three are on Jamendo. http://tryad.org/ www.myspace.com/tryad www.jamendo.com/en/artist/tryad Promenons nous dans les bois - Drunksouls (Aix-en-Provence, France) A strange team composed by a former dictator, a pedalo world champion(the famous Brazilian star Borgelao), a vicious missionaire, an Eric Clapton sosie and a couple of Chuck Norris fan twins. Don't be scared by their troubled individual path, just listen to the music they perform together and take a look at the rather fun video at http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Bueeu_7aBeE www.drunksouls.com/ www.myspace.com/drunksouls The Galway Fiddler - Linda Welby (Galway, Ireland) A native of Loughrea, and now living in Roscahill, Co. Galway, Linda Welby has a very defined vision of where she is going and what is important to her in life. As a composer, songwriter, multi instrumentalist and singer, music has always been at the forefront for Linda. "I love music and have a great interest in people with stories to tell of the older days of singing and music". Brought up in a very musical household with sessions on a regular basis, local musicians would gather for an all-night song and dance affair. "The Galway Fiddler is an interesting song as for me it represents the real talent that can be found on the side of the street that isn't always showcased in the music industry". Other songs on the album A story to tell are more on the country side of Irish but there is a really interesting influence from the like of Pat Boone and other 1950s artists getting in there in a was that really hasn't been heard for a long time. Perhaps now is the right time. Have a listen with fresh ears on her CD baby page where you can also get the album. www.lindawelby.com http://cdbaby.com/cd/lindawelby Comments[2] |
Wed, 12 November 2008  A week of heavy travelling with two trips to London and one to Ireland four hours after completing the show tonight as well as a most enjoyable visit to the North Norfolk coast (right) to meet up with a friend from a long way in the past.There really is some great music around and I'm trying to squeeze at least some of it into the show. You're gonna lose - The Aces (CA, USA) The Aces have attitude and a different idea of how to play blues. They reduce the blues to pounding riffs and a distorted wall of sound topped by wailing harp. They were among the first to absorb and recast the drone riff-based Hill Country Blues style, and The Aces do that their own way. www.acesfan.com/ Alone - Tryad (various locations) Since we last spoke I've done two all night work sessions followed by full days, yesterday a particularly frantic day in London. Gets to feel a bit unreal here in the barn in the very early morning just before dawn. I"ve been playing my current fave album on repeat for days Tryad's Listen. Amazing variety, some possible influences come to light after a few listens. The album is available on Jamendo http://tryad.org/ www.myspace.com/tryad www.jamendo.com/en/artist/tryad I'm delighted to report that the player seems to be working just fine a gain now (actually, I think it is a new player). How is it for you? So well done Jamendo for solving the technical problem. Water - Deep 6 Holiday (Los Angeles, CA, USA) From their Awake at the funeral album Slightly shambolic sound from Deep 6 Holiday - but not in a bad way. It almost makes you listen harder.Deep 6 Holiday's music resonates with listeners because it allows them a space in which they can comfortably experience feelings that are difficult and taboo. The band's lyrical honesty, coupled with passionate performances, are meant to relate the idea that we are all going through the same types of struggles, and, in that way, we are all constantly connected. From its dark and discordant harmonies to its messages of hope, Deep 6 Holiday's Awake at the Funeral takes you on a musical journey—one in which you realize that sometimes the only way you can feel at peace is by sitting alone in the darkness long enough. www.deep6holidaymusic.com/ www.myspace.com/deep6holiday Note from Steve Marshall in the UK. Listening and storing? Just because of the sheer volume of material, for me it's mostly MP3s (of which I listen to around 400 per week), but if I really like something I"ll get hold of the CD and import into iTunes at one of the higher qualities which does make a difference. Of course, there is always the anxiety about hard drive failure but I'm pretty rigorous about backups. So, It"s amazing that I'm whinging about having to store all those CDs - they take a little less room than the equivalent in vinyl. How about you - any good ideas that we can share? Why not pop a comment into the shownotes, drop me a line to peter@suffolkandcool.com Or leave a message on the MyChingo message machine right nest to this week's show on the shownotes page at suffolkandcool.libsyn.com It really is dead easy and you can re-record the message until you get it how you want it to sound. You never know, there might even be a chance to play it in the show (no guarantees though). I've never really made a strong connection between the blues and the mandolin - just not obviously good bedfellows, or so I thought until Bert Deivert kindly dropped a track of his in the Suffolk 'n" Cool drop box. This is something of a revelation and I thank Bert for it. Seems like a Dream - Bert Deivert This song is on the cd TAKIN' SAM'S ADVICE, released by Bert Deivert, blues mandolinist and American living in Sweden. The song is included on the Yank Rachell Tribute cd at yankrachell.com Yank Rachell was the most famous blues mandolinist in the world. Right now thee a re a handful of active recording and touring blues mandolinists in the world. Came in via the Drop.io page at suffolkandool.com www.deivert.com/blues.html Graham Holland at the Liverpool-based It's a frog's life acoustic podcast generally plays acoustic music only from the UK (frankly I don't understand all this nationalism in music but that"s another matter) Anyway, Our Graham who is a lovely guy has invited a bunch of AMP member music podcasters to submit an acoustic track from anywhere which he'll feature in future IAFL shows in a "Hopping around the world" feature. I've a few ideas for a track that I'd like to send but what do you think - any favourites from previous Suffolk and Cool shows that you think should reach a wider audience. Use the same means of contact to let me know and I'll slip a couple of tracks to Graham - he'll never notice. Harper Valley pta - Samantha Dann (Queensland, Australia) I'm not usually a great enthusiast for cover versions but two factors conspired to make an exception this week. Grumbler put together an entire show (Music and Mumblings 037) of covers but I think that was just as an excuse to cram in more cheesy links than seems quite decent. I just don't know how he keeps a straight face as he does shows like that. Good on yer Grumber. A cover of the old classic Harper Valley pta cropped up from Music Submit - I don"t know if it is just that it is newer or because it is by an Australian artist but for me it just cuts it as a really fresh take. There was a great video on Samantha's site too but it has been removed. You"ll find it at http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=OgMh5fdTerY www.myspace.com/samanthamdann OK now this is getting really interesting ... salsa, reggae an unusual blend. La Jurumba - Carlos de Nicaragua y Familia (Le Havre, Normandie, France) Carlos Wiltshire, alias Carlos de Nicaragua, was born in Bluefields, on the nicaraguayan atlantic coast. His name is not only in reference to his country of birth but mostly in reference to the legendary indian chief Nicaraocai, philosopher, ferocious warrior and fighter. Carlos de Nicaragua was one of the precursors of the sound system concept in Paris. In Paris, latinos, french and africans dance during the concerts under the blazing fire of a nicaraguayan named Carlos and his band "Familia", pioneers of the salsa reggae style. His admiration for the reggae prophets Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Burning Spear [...] pushed him to dedicate himself to this music, reinventing it and mixing it with the tumbao of dancing rhythms from the Bronx and other great salsa capitals. There is a video that you just have to see at: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MHqYGt6ejqE www.myspace.com/carlosdenicaraguayfamilia http://cdbaby.com/cd/carlosdenicaragua Thanks to Ross Patzelt from Norwich, here in the UK for posting a really nice review of Suffolk 'n' Cool on the iTunes store. If you have iTunes check it out. Ross has a couple of shows of his own at www.rosspatzelt.co.uk If you'd like to post a review of Suffolk 'n' Cool, that would be really appreciated. I mentioned that I was meeting up with Nicky on Saturday after a gap of almost exactly "a lot of years” which went really well, walked on a wonderfully wild North Norfolk beach and a heartening meal at a rather fine restaurant at Holkham called The Victoria. More travels, I'm off to Belfast in a few hours, very early tomorrow morning (and regrettably back in the afternoon) so it seems only appropriate to play something from across the Irish sea, although in fact this is from across the Irish sea … and the Atlantic Ocean. Rising Gael contacted me during the week and my thanks are due to Erin for turning round my request for a track in record time to get it into this week's show. Fierce - Rising Gael (Wisconsin, USA) Rising Gael is a young Irish band that is setting the standard for modern Celtic music. The driving rhythms played on guitar and drum race with the fast fingers and electrifying bowing of the fiddle. This mix is paired with pure, powerful vocals, resulting in a rich and innovative sound. This four-piece band is comprised of young and talented musicians who share a passion for music. The versatile guitar playing of Peter Tissot delivers sweet finger-picking and driving rhythm. Added to the rhythm section are the energetic and racing beats of the bodhran, played by Jeff Olson. The flying fingers and electrifying bowing of Katie Dionne add beautiful and commanding fiddle to the band's mix. Layered in the vibrant sound of the group is Erin Ellison's powerful and nuanced vocals. In addition to singing in the band, Erin contributes graceful and technically impressive flute playing. You can order the CDs and get some great looking gear direct from their website. http://risinggael.com/ www.myspace.com/risinggael Comments[0] |
Wed, 5 November 2008  Bonfire night in the UK and my ignorance was evident in the show. At the last possible moment - just as I was finishing the shownotes Our Graham (It's a Frog's Life Acoustic Podcast) Holland sent a note through to say that his new show is up … along with a bit of info:"Here in the UK we celebrate the anniversary in 1605 when Guy Fawkes and his co-conspiritors failed to blow up King James I during the Stare Opening of the Houses of Parliament. Read more about it at www.bonfirenight.net" Thanks Graham! Dark and dank here in Suffolk this week so here's a reminder (right) of Ibiza a couple of months ago. We want our summer back! Blame it on me - The New Duncan Imperials (Chicago, IL, USA) I know it's only a few weeks since I played High School Soul by the New Duncam Imperials who have been giving Chicago and all points elsewhere a good time for the past 20 years. They have a new album in nearly eight years titled End Of Phase One. Bristling with the kind of straight-ahead-yet-twisted songs that characterize their best work, this album reveals a band that is tough, vital, and still poking rock in the ribs. It's on Pravda Records. www.newduncanimperials.com www.myspace.com/newduncanimperials www.pravdamusic.com/ A relatively laid back and in places almost chilled SnC this week. It is probably geared to what I feel I desperately need - chill, relax and get away from the computers. Saturday looks the best bet for that - meeting up with Nicky who I last saw when we were around 11 years old. Recognition could be a bit of a problem so we are meeting on a huge windswept a beach in North Norfolk where we will probably be the only two idiots foolhardy enough to brave the elements! Riley B. King - Robben Ford (California, USA) Echos of James Taylor? From the album Truth Robben Ford is one of the premiere electric guitarists today, particularly known for his blues playing as well as his ability to be comfortable in a variety of musical contexts. A four-time Grammy nominee, he has played with artists as diverse as Joni Mitchell, Miles Davis, Bonnie Raitt and more. Robben Ford will present a master class on guitar and music theory for beginning and intermediate level musicians on Saturday Jan 24th, 2009. The class will focus on the basic building blocks of music theory, chord progressions, the use of voicings, listening and improvisation. There will be an emphasis on the importance of the blues in building a strong musical foundation. www.robbenford.com Silver - Conductive Alliance (Illinois, USA) Conductive Alliance formed in 2007, when long time friends began composing music on acoustic instruments that evolved into short, powerful arrangements. Electronics, traditional ethnic instruments, and even children's toys are used in inventive song-writing. http://myspace.com/conductivealliance I saw School of Seven Bells last week at The Social in London. The sort of venue that I quite like - for sweaty rock. The beer was OK, the floor sticky and probably the most vandal proof furniture which was all built into the floors, being cast concrete blocks to sit on and put glasses on. A small venue but that's fine for showcasing a band. It did have probably the smallest stage I"ve seen in a few years though. Indeed the first band up, Daniel Land and the Modern Painters had their drummer and kit set off to the side of the stage. So far so good but oh dear, the sound was just awful. It did no justice at all to the School of Seven Bells whose singers Alejandra and Claudia Deheza might have saved the air fair and had an early night. I know they were there, they were only a few feet away from me but I heard almost nothing of them. Their keyboard and guitar work complemented Ben Curtis who was playing some very interesting stuff and constructed some remarkable layered sound with half a stage of pedals. There were real problems with the PA, although I don't envy the guy on the desk which is behind the stage (perhaps more of DJ booth) and mixing seems to be done through headphones and occasional attempts to get in front of the stage to take a listen. I"m afraid I was so disappointed that my companion and I left after four numbers. Not that the band were bad. Indeed it was evident that they were as good and perhaps more interesting than I'd expected the frustration of not being able to hear them was almost worse than not hearing them at all. Not a good call by whoever booked them in at that venue if it was for the purpose of showcasing - although, come to think of it anyone with an ear would have recognised the talent despite the sound. Connjur - The School of Seven Bells (Brooklyn, NY) From their excellent album Alpinisms on Ghostly International.  School of Seven Bells "Connjur" (mp3) from "Alpinisms" (Ghostly International) Buy at Rhapsody More On This AlbumTwo for top cat - Cagey House (Maryland, USA) PMN and Jamendo Cagey House has been releasing free podsafe music since 2005--through Umor-rex, Nishi, and Jamendo. "There's a new Cagey House album on Jamendo. [but I coundn"t find it] It's called Earth Covered A-Frame. Most of the tracks have been up here before. Lots of them have computer-generated vocals. It's pretty nice, if I do say so myself.” www.myspace.com/cageyhouse Jamendo player problems continue. On the Day I Found My Hands - The Brilliant Mistakes (Brooklyn, NY) Ariel From their album Distant Drumming. The Brilliant Mistakes are a New York City-based band who specialize in melodic roots rock brimming with smart songcraft, vintage pop sounds and lush harmonies. Fronted by two songwriters, Alan Walker and Erik Philbrook, they draw you in with infectious melodies and seductive rock flourishes, then beguile with unexpected sonic twists, insightful lyrics and provocative themes, best exemplified by such envelope-pushing kindred spirits as Wilco, My Morning Jacket and Spoon. Album sales via the band's website: www.thebrilliantmistakes.com/ www.myspace.com/brilliantmistakes How far can I push you? - Deni Bonnet (New York, USA) Yes, I know I only played Deni's track Too much fun a few weeks ago (actually it was on 129 on 6 August) but I wanted you to hear another tune from this very New York artist. Both are on Last Girl On Earth, Deni's first, new, full-length album since the 2002 release of the critically-acclaimed CD, Bigger Is Always Better, and it features a collection of new originals, an unexpected re-working of a classic 80"s song and two bonus tracks of alternate versions of two of the songs on the album. www.denibonet.com/ www.myspace.com/denibonet Codger's taking a break so, sadly no new PC Podcast and no Dub Zone for a few weeks. I do find myself listi-ening to old Dub zones whilst I'm working the absence of words is ideal. Thanks for them Pete. Struttin' - Tryad (everywhere) t r y ^ d is one of the world's first 'virtual bands'. formed across the oceans and spawned by the combination of opsound and creative commons, a growing international number of t r y ^ d members collaborate online, building a body of 'open source music' which can be freely shared, copied and remixed http://tryad.org/ www.myspace.com/tryad www.jamendo.com/en/artist/tryad Comments[2] |
Wed, 29 October 2008 Suddenly it is very wintery here in Suffolk. A cold blast of arctic air is streaming down the east coast of the UK bringing unusually low temperatures for this time of year - it was still freezing at lunchtime today. All a bit of a shock, I can tell you. Recording a little early this week so that I can get down to London for the School of Seven Bells gig tonight. We've an apparently all American show this week but it is not all quite as it appears. Intro / sig tune Happy - Jimmie Bratcher (Missouri, USA) www.jimmiebratcher.com South Roxanna Wiggle - Kentucky Knife Fight (Edwardsville, Illinois, USA) Kentucky Knife Fight is a hardworking, modest 5 piece hailing from Edwardsville, Illinois that combines the influences of early 1970's proto-punk and punk rock groups such as The Stooges, MC5, and Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers with the garage rock of late 90's and early 2000 bands such as The Murder City Devils and The Hives. The sounds of early Van Morrison and dirty blues rock work their way in to the fold, as does a sometimes subtle, and at other times, not so subtle twang of blue grass. One day, Singer Jason Holler (J-ho), guitarist Nate Jones (the Viper), guitarist Dave Wiatrolik (White Chocolate), Bassist Jason Koenig (Mr. Cool) and drummer "Handsome" James Baker met at a bar, drank way too much Stag, and formed a band the likes of which Madison County had never heard. Their first LP The wolf crept, the children slept is out now. Available at all Slackers locations, Vintage Vinyl or through any member of the band. ALso on iTunes. Dates coming up around Illinois and St Louis, Missouri. www.myspace.com/kentuckyknifefight Incomplete - Yaana (LA., CA, USA) From her album I believe in love Yaana Gupta is an Indian Bollywood actress-model-singer-writer, born in Czech Republic in the city called Brno. Yaana has been modelling since the age of 16, in the fashion cities of Europe and Asia. In 2001 she shifted to Mumbai, India where in no time she became one of India's most sought after supermodels and actresses. In 2008 she recorded her first album in UK called I believe in love and soon after that shifted to Los Angeles to pursue her music career. www.yaanasworld.com/ www.myspace.com/yaanasworld Later with Jules Holland - oh dear, dear dear! Guns or Butter - Hot Buttered Rum (San Francisco, CA, USA) Hot Buttered Rum's political, environmental, and social activism is inseparable from their San Francisco acoustic rock sound. In this election season—the most important in a generation—Hot Buttered Rum is committed to energizing like-minded citizens to enact meaningful change. Now, the band is playing political benefits to support Democratic candidates—and making available free downloads of two of their most pertinent tunes. Buy tracks through their site. www.hotbutteredrum.net/ www.myspace.com/hotbutteredrum Adeline - Noush Skaugen (California, USA) This British artist born in Stockholm to a Swedish mother and a Persian father, raised just south of London in the UK. Her time spent in France and now the States has undeniably added a special flavor to Noush's sound. Classically trained on flute, piano and saxophone Noush playedu in jazz, wind, rock and funk bands as well as the renowned London Barbican Orchestra. Noush decided to get out of her element in LA, and record the album in a totally new location. This turned out to be Nashville, Music City, where she met with an amazingly talented guitar player and producer, Ilya Toshinsky, who understood her vision for the record, and from there Lost and Found was born. Incredible musicians were found to play on the record, whose credentials are ridiculous. "All the songs were tracked in just a few takes, that's how good these guys are", She says, "I would go into the studio and sing the songs live with the whole band". Noush Skaugen released Lost and Found June 14, 2008. www.noushskaugen.com/ I'm not keen on hip-hop. Now I know that's a gross generalisation but it is what I thought and I was not aware of any exceptions, until last week when I discovered Michael Lynche. Southern Belle - Michael Lynche (New York, USA) Michael Lynche has been described as a hip-hop artist which, frankly, tends to put me off a bit but listening to him is like hearing the whole of black music in one artist but it doesn't really sound like a mash up of different styles. Existing in the space between soul, modern r&b, funk and hip-hop, his music somehow ties the tradition together while placing his own unique stamp and personality on it. Perhaps "Dirty Blues" conveys it all. Michael is playing the Cutting Room in New York tonight then he has a at the Rialto Theater in Atlanta, GA in Atlanta on Sunday. Watch out on his site for upcoming dates. www.michaellynche.com/ www.myspace.com/mlynche Double Standards - Patti Rothberg (New York, USA) Patti Rothberg is a critically acclaimed singer/songwriter whose songs have the power to take over a stadium without losing their lyrical intimacy. Rothberg's razor sharp wit and stark honesty trade barbs in the studio where she thrives in her creative freedom and at last releases an album that reflects her talent as a whole. With material that's split down the middle between hard rock and heartfelt acoustic songs. Rothberg's an electric guitar-wielding rock chick with a novelist's introspection, Patti is the rare artist who can work both sides of the musical spectrum. AT the last moment `I decided to slip a contrasting track in from Patti to illustrate my point about her voice. Wavelength - Patti Rothberg www.pattirothberg.com/ www.myspace.com/pattirothbergmusic Hurts more later - Val Emmich (Jersey City, NJ, USA) "Songs can be powerful tools…like weapons," muses New Jersey singer-songwriter Val Emmich. "In the past, the weapons of choice for warfare were swords, spears, even longbows - things that could do damage from a distance. Knives and daggers were for more intimate occasions." You might find this talk of weaponry perplexing coming from an artist discussing the significance of his new album's title. Then again, if you're familiar with Emmich and his work, you know there's often meaning lurking beneath the surface. "With knives and daggers," he adds, "you had to figure out how to get close enough to use them." On Little Daggers, Val Emmich's sixth release, he manages to do just that, drawing listeners close with great pop melodies and playful arrangements while a penetrating lyrical story unfolds underneath. "Pop music is tricky because we've been trained not to expect much meaning in it. I love big melodies, but I also love songs with a strong, lasting message. The truly great songs somehow marry the two. Lennon was great at it. Marvin Gaye, Paul Westerberg, Burt Bacharach. They all wrote super catchy songs with lyrics that struck a nerve. Those songs make you want to dance but also make you think." The songs on Little Daggers nimbly balance those two goals - they're simple yet substantial, accessible yet challenging, introspective yet danceable. They also fit together to form a cohesive whole. valemmich.com/ www.myspace.com/valemmich Comments[2] |
Wed, 22 October 2008  This strange voice is getting past a joke. It's seven weeks now … and counting. I've had a few suggestions including chest rub, applied to the soles of the feet and encased in thick socks. How totally romantic!The first respectable frost of the autumn looked good on the meadow this morning. Struttin' my stuff - Elvin Bishop (California, USA) From his new album The Blues Rolls On which harks back to Elvin Bishop's roots, paying tribute to the musicians who inspired him and who also helped give him his start. Supported by an all-star cast of blues royalty featuring B.B. King, Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks. Bishop is a slide guitar great with 45-years of blues under his belt. Rolling Stone has tagged Bishop's music as "raucous," praising his "careening slide and razor-edged bursts, all delivered with unflagging enthusiasm and wit." www.elvinbishopmusic.com/ www.myspace.com/elvinbishopmusic I know it couldn't be endorsed in the USA or in the British political establishment right now but something happened yesterday that cheers me to the cockles of my heart. Lots of other things are in a bad shape in our society but it is heartening to see that it is possible for someone have an idea (albeit a witty one), put it into action and strike a chord with far more people than was anticipated. I noticed a blog post at around 8 o'clock yesterday morning. A campaign had been started to raise £5,500 ($9,250 US) which, when matched by author Richard Dawkins, would be enough money to put adverts onto the side of 30 buses in London for four weeks bearing the slogan "There"s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." It was hoped that the money would be raised in time for the campaign to run in January. The total was reached two hours later at 10:06 yesterday morning, by 6pm, individual donations, mostly of amounts less than £10, stood at £30,186.71. If you want to see how it is doing now, take a look at www.justgiving.com/atheistbus The same line - Scott Brunger (Maidstone, UK) I played another track (What a life) by Scott way back on show 53 in Feb 2007. The sheer restrained eloquence of the song blew me away. This guy needs encouragement and a wider audience - then he can get away from playing covers. www.myspace.com/scottbrunger Half asleep - School of Seven Bells (Brooklyn, NY, USA) I was half asleep last night catching up on some listening and a track came on the Electrical Language podcast (www.electricallanguage.co.uk) that had me out of bed and searching the web for the School of Seven Bells. When my daughters were young they used to sing in the back of the car using those apparently instinctive "blood” harmonies that siblings seem to find so natural. School of Seven Bells, apart from being named after a mythical South American school for pickpockets comprises guitarist Benjamin Curtis, formerly of Secret Machines with twin sisters Alejandra and Claudia Deheza (formerly with On-Air Library!) The band gets booming beats from laptops, echoing chords from the guitar and the most amazing lilting harmony vocals. If you liked that you should be able to download it from the link in the shownotes and they have a couple of dates in London next week. Due to a very fortunate co-incidence, and a few urgent calls early this morning, I'll be at the show on Wed 29th at The Social - just off Oxford Street in central London. They are supported by Daniel Land and the Modern Painters. School of Seven Bells "Half Asleep" (mp3) from "Alpinisms" (Ghostly International) Buy at iTunes Pre-Release Buy at iTunes Music Store More On This AlbumBouba - Ablaye Cissoko, Volker Goetze (New York and Senegal) The mutual admiration society that is Volker Goetze and Ablaye Cissoko owes itself to a serendipitous meeting that took place in 2001 at the African-European Jazz Orchestra rehearsals in Saint-Louis, Senegal, where they"d been invited to open for Senegalese legend Youssou N'Dour. Despite any cultural barriers that separated them, the German-born trumpeter and the Senegalese kora player and singer discovered they had much in common, both musically and personally. Their commonalities can be heard on Sira, which is an album that reaffirms the maxim that music is the universal language. The album releases in October 2008 on ObliqSound. www.ablayecissoko.com  Ablaye Cissoko, Volker Goetze "Bouba" (mp3) from "Sira" (ObliqSound) Buy at iTunes Music Store More On This AlbumGlass Corners - Night Artery (Melbourne, Australia) Despite what your ears tell you, Night Artery is entirely a solo project. Manning all the instruments, Ross Arundale delivers off-kilter, unconventional arrangements laced with cryptic lyrics and dynamic vocals on his debut EP release Capsize your Surroundings. www.myspace.com/nightartery www.cdbaby.com/nightartery Ugly Faces - Ruth Theodore (London, UK) It has been a while since I've played another track from Worm Food, Ruth Theodore's debut album. 13 tracks of beautifully twisted, political and personal mayhem. Her style of delivery makes you really listen and the effort is well worthwhile. You can get the album as MP3 from Jamendo but do yourself a favour and go to her site and get it in gleaming CD quality for just £9.99 www.ruththeodore.com www.jamendo.com/en/album/17052 Gabor Kovaks, over at the Electrical Language podcast (www.electricallanguage.co.uk) was complaining on his show 144 that podcasts should be timed to fit with his journey to work which normally takes 40 minutes. But I don't want him to make his to fit my communte (20 seconds max). Never say never - The Itals (USA) Going back a bit for the final track. Originally released in 1985 by The Itals, a reggae vocal group formed in 1976 by Alvin "Keith" Porter, Ronnie Davis, and Lloyd Ricketts. Their following release, "Rasta Philosophy," was nominated for a Grammy Award as Best Reggae Album.  The Itals "Never Say Never" (mp3) from "Easy To Catch" (Rhythm Safari Pty Ltd) Buy at Rhapsody More On This AlbumComments[0] |
Wed, 15 October 2008  Just been over to Aldeburgh on the coast for a traditional fish and chips supper. Cold though, standing on the beach looking out at the black sea with a few ships lights on the horizon. Had to be done though to help acclimatise Jessie to the food and climate of England now that she's back from Ibiza. She has the most amazing tan though - something of a rarity in the UK this summer. A bit dark for a picture at Aldeburgh so here"s one from the English-Scottish borders taken last week.Music this week from old-timers and new timers from New York and New Zealand mixed up into a special serving with tracks from Missouri, France and either Jamaica or Switzerland. Atomic Heels - The Secret Machines (New York, USA) - PMN Brandon Curtis - Vocals, Bass, Keyboards Josh Garza - Drums Phil Karnats - Guitar The band released their new album Secret Machines yesterday, 14th October. www.thesecretmachines.com www.myspace.com/secretmachines Now I know - Lin McEwan (Baltimore, USA) Ariel Since arriving in New York, the Baltimore-native has been "gaining notice for her uncommonly deep voice" and for her "soulfully sung and well-written material"—a funky fusion of soul and pop… like Tina Turner or Mavis Staples singing over Keane (The Baltimore Sun; JustSoul). Along with her talented group of regular players, who've backed everyone from Jesse Malin to Gavin DeGraw, she's appeared at such landmark establishments as CBGB's and the Bitter End, as well as the Living Room, the Rockwood Music Hall, the Cutting Room, Crash Mansion, and Arlene's Grocery. But she still considers Baltimore home and takes her band back as often as possible. Her success marks a big change for a girl who spent her youth being told that she couldn't sing because her voice was too low. "My voice was so strange for my age," she recalls, "that when I was in the eighth grade, I had to play Santa Claus because the boys voices hadn't changed yet, and I was the only one who could do a convincing, 'Ho, ho, ho."" www.linmcewan.com/ www.myspace.com/linmcewan Sometimes Enough - The Black Seeds (Wellington, New Zealand) IODA Promonet The Black Seeds started turning heads around New Zealand following the release of their debut album, 2001's Keep On Pushing. The album received widespread critical acclaim, including being named one of the top 50 albums of the year by Rip It Up Magazine, and eventually reached gold sales status. Into The Dojo began to take shape in May 2005, when band members Barnaby Weir (lead vocals/guitar), Daniel Weetman (percussion/vocals), Mike 'Fabulous' August (guitar), Bret McKenzie (keys), Jarney Murphy (drums), Tim Jaray (bass) and Lee Prebble (sound engineer) once again converged on The Surgery studio in Wellington. The next 12 months were spent balancing constant touring duties and side projects with writing and jamming new songs in the studio. The result of this year-long creative process is 13 tracks of The Black Seeds' most mature and accomplished music to date.  The Black Seeds "Sometimes Enough" (mp3) from "Into the Dojo" (LOOP) Buy at Rhapsody More On This Albumwww.theblackseeds.co.nz Green Bananas - Jimmie Bratcher (Missouri, USA) - PMN Jimmie explained how the track came about, "Green Bananas was a moment in the studio. We were cutting the track and Brandon Draper the drummer just went off on the march at the end. We just had to go with it and build on it. I tell the story on the REV TV page of my web site it is a really cool story about living life NOW and not later.” What "later” is that then? www.jimmiebratcher.com Six out of fifteen of the tracks on the first page of the PMN this evening were "holiday” songs, including a versiobn of Oh little town of Bethlehem. How many more times do we really need to hear that. How utterly depressing. No we can't - Music for Cap (France) - Jamendo From the album I miss me on Jamendo. Minimal information on the site and on their MySpace but you can check out the album on Jamendo, then buy the full fidelity CD direct from the band. There"s a link on their MySpace. www.musicforcap.com www.myspace.com/musicforcap www.jamendo.com/en/album/5278 Having a party - Lee "Scratch” Perry (Jamaica and Switzerland) IODA Lee "Scratch" Perry (born Rainford Hugh Perry), on March 20, 1936, in Kendal, Jamaica. In the early 1970s, Perry was one of the producers whose mixing board experiments resulted in the creation of dub. In 1973, Perry built a studio in his back yard, The Black Ark, to have more control over his productions and continued to produce notable musicians such as Bob Marley & the Wailers, Junior Byles, The Heptones, and Max Romeo. With his own studio at his disposal, Perry's productions became more lavish, as the energetic producer was able to spend as much time as he wanted on the music he produced. It is important to note that virtually everything Perry recorded in The Black Ark was done using rather basic recording equipment; through sonic sleight-of-hand, Perry made it sound completely unique. Perry remained behind the mixing desk for many years, producing songs and albums that stand out as a high point in reggae history. The track is taken from his new(ish) album Scratch Came, Scratch Saw, Scratch Conquered.  Lee "Scratch" Perry "Having a Party" (mp3) from "Scratch Came, Scratch Saw, Scratch Conquered" (Megawave) Buy at Rhapsody More On This AlbumAccidents - Luthea Salom (Manhattan, NY) PMN Again saving Luthea's music 'til last so you can dash off and buy the album Sunbeam Surrounded by Winter from part Spanish and part Canadian singer/songwriter Luthea Salom. More details in the shownotes for SnC 137. Luthea will be touring in Germany soon - you lucky people. We really must get her over to the UK. www.lutheasalom.com/ www.myspace.com/lutheasalomsongs Comments[2] |
Wed, 8 October 2008  All a bit frantic this week having spent Friday driving north to Richmond in Yorkshire en route to Northumberland. Fantastic hotel in Richmond (pic) and a great time with some very old friends in Northumberland going up a ravine to a spectacular waterfall - why spectacular - rain all day had swollen the normally fairly placid beck in Hareshaw Linn to something of a torrent. Why? Jenny's birthday celebration included a surprise meeting with best part of a dozen of her oldest friends at said waterfall. Pictures on my Flickr site if you're interested. Alone in a Room With You - Looker (New York, USA) The Shangri-Las backed by the Pixies. "One collective stiletto heel in the Brill Building circa 1963 and the other in what used to be CBGB." Put the top down, turn it up, sing along. Born from the collaboration of childhood friends Boshra al Saadi and Nicole Greco, Looker began as a hot summer's experiment in Manhattan's lower east side back in 2003. Since then the band has grown with the addition of AJ Lambert on bass and Robbie Overbey on drums. Boshra AlSaadi-gtr/vox Nicole Greco-gtr/vox AJ Lambert-bass/vox Robbie Overbey-drums/vox http://seriousbusinessrecords.com/artists/show/13-Looker www.lookernyc.com www.myspace.com/looker Guardasecretos - Cordero (New York, NY, USA) Ani Cordero created and fronted a new bilingual indie-rock band in Tucson, Arizona in early 1999 and called the group by her Puerto Rican family name, Cordero. By 2000, Ani had moved to New York City and reformed the band with her husband, music/art star, Chris Verene (formerly of The Rock*A*Teens and D.Q.E. ) and a revolving backing band. Cordero eventually cemented the line-up by adding the sensitive horn and dramatic keyboard playing of Omar Akil (nephew of hit songwriter Frankie Lymon) and melodic and danceable bass playing of Eric Eble (Reid Pailey Trio). In 2006, Cordero inked a new record deal with the Chicago-based label, Bloodshot Records and expanded their reach with the release of their third studio album "En Este Momento" and an ever-growing reputation for blazing live shows. "Their marvelously rambunctious gigs usually wind up as street parties outside the venue." The Village Voice http://corderomusic.com/ www.bloodshotrecords.com/artists/cordero/ Caroline - Brian Wallen (Indiana, USA) Brian Wallen is a very busy singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist with six albums to his credit, 100 shows a year, and a unique sound all his own. He plays ten instruments, having picked up his first guitar six years ago (when he was aged ten). Brian has arranged, performed, recorded, produced and mastered everything you hear on his projects. He also has a band (Blue Lightning) which he leads playing alongside Glen Thurston, Avery Perry and Marty Price. http://brianwallenmusic.com/ http://myspace.com/bkwallen As I am - EMAR (Ontario, Canada) EMAR is an international world music artist. Born in Belgrade in the former Yugoslavia, now Serbia) and partly raised in Canada, EMAR's multicultural influences inspire her to sing and record in several languages including Serbian, Hindi, Persian, Arabic and Church Slavonic. On her debut album, EMAR: Sacred Soul, released September 3rd, 2008, EMAR worked with three renowned producers to create her ethereal, spiritual sound: Genie Award-nominated Sean Eyre, Canadian Music Awards winner for Best World Music Group 2007 - Andrew McPherson of Eccodek and noted film composer Igor Vrabac. Playing on five of the album's tracks is World Music multi-instrumentalist Boris Sichon. www.emarmusic.com www.myspace.com/emarmusic Harry Knuckles - Project Grand Slam (CA, USA) PGS plays instrumental music that features great songwriting and masterly musicianship. Melody, rhythms, grooves and skillful improvisation combine into one special sound. It's not rock, it's not pop and it's not jazz - it's Project Grand Slam! Project Grand Slam's debut album, Play, features "The Captain of Her Heart" with internationally renowned guest vocalist Judie Tzuke. Her hit Stay With Me Till Dawn was chosen by the British public as one of the 50 best British songs from 1952-2002. "The Captain of Her Heart" was an international Top 10 hit in 1986 for the group Double. "Captain" was produced by Haim Cotton and Jan Roeg. An instrumental version is also included on the album. The rest of Play features 11 original compositions by Project Grand Slam produced by the legendary Frank Filipetti (Grammy Award for James Taylor's Hourglass). The musicians of Project Grand Slam are: Robert Miller - electric bass and composes. Haim Cotton - keyboards and composes. Ron Thaler - drums Gilad Ronen - saxophone www.projectgrandslam.com Low Tide - O Death (New York, NY, USA) New York outfit O'Death's third LP, Broken Hymns, Limbs and Skin, feels like a giddy junkyard hoedown, from the panicked fiddle screeches of opener "Low Tide" to the celebratory gallop of closer "Lean-To." At times it sounds morose or contemplative, but underneath the melancholy is a gospel fervor - bashed from paint buckets, banjos, guitars and anything else in kicking distance - that defines their sound. Since 2007's buzzed-about Head Home, the quintet, which contains vocalist/guitarist Greg Jamie, vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Gabe Darling, fiddle player Bob Pycior, bassist Newman and drummer David Rogers-Berry, has evolved the possessed americana-meets-gypsy-punk of recent years into a more urgent, unrelenting celebration of life, death and everything in between. http://kemado.com/ http://odeath.net/ www.myspace.com/odeath Hasa - Abiyou Solomon (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) AIT Records proudly presents the celebrated Ethiopian musician and arranger, Abiyou Solomon, and his latest CD, In Search of My Roots. This one-of-a-kind recording truly captures the soul and spirit of eight distinct Ethiopian tribes. The traditional songs and harmonized sounds demonstrate the beauty and diversity of the Ethiopian people, comprised of many tribes that have lived in peace and harmony for thousands of years. In Search of My Roots is Volume 1 in a series of CDs showcasing unique tribal songs from throughout Ethiopia. AIT Records, Inc. is the first and leading producer of Ethiopian music outside of Ethiopia. The melodies, rhythms and instruments of Ethiopia have forged a rich musical tradition - one of the oldest in the world. Since 1990, AIT has sought to shine a spotlight on our unique culture, offering Ethiopian performers the opportunity to showcase their talents and share their country's history with the global community. Available now as a six-CD set or as individual CDs, The Ethiopian Millennium Collection features breakthrough performances by Mahmoud Ahmed, winner of the 2007 BBC Radio 3 Award for World Music; and Alemayehu Eshete. The complete set immerses the listener in an eclectic mix of signature Ballads, Chic-Chic-Ka (Iskista), Dance, Instrumental, and Traditional Ethiopian music that blends Ethiopian and Western instruments. www.aitrecords.com/ www.myspace.com/aitrecords 3 for 10 - SaReGaMa / Triplexity (France and Israel) Put out as a single this is a product of the ever fruitful collaboration between Nikila, SaReGaMa and Hamelin Bérengnier. This is actually the enhanced version in Triplexity's album Between Light and Shadow. SaGeRaMa says on his Jamendo page: "I'd like to say special thanks to all those listeners who have expressed their appreciation through donation. Besides that it's really encouraging it also helps me to purchase instruments and equipment and improve the quality of music. The best method is DONATING DIRECTLY TO ARTIST , because this way the artist gets your donation immediately with less fees." The word Triplexity is combined of two words: triplex and complexity. Triplexity is a virtual band, its members never met each other face to face, all the collaborations came to live thru the Internet. Every member comes from a different musical background, together, they blend their knowledge and inspiration and give life to their unique music with a fresh new sound. He also points out that "Audio quality of the music offered on Jamendo in best case reaches 190 kbps, which is quite reasonable for evaluational purposes but definitely not enough to experience the richness of original sound (1411 kbps). If you'd like to feel how this music sounds for real you can obtain a lossless FLAC version of this album on my website." http://saregama2.blogspot.com/ http://triplexity.blogspot.com/ Comments[0] |
Wed, 1 October 2008  It seems that we are safe from the new Circle Line or whatever was in Switzerland that the New York Times referred to as as "the Large Hardon Collider” - I can only assume that someone has put hardon into their spell check dictionary! Seems it has a touch of dysfunction problem now. There was a lot of speculation about whether we were all going disappear into a black hole but actually I'm not in the least worried. As soon as it was switched on the weather cleared up and we had a few days of what is called "Indian" summer last week. Of course that has finished now and it's more like spring with sunshine, a brisk breeze and heavy showers.High School Soul - The New Duncan Imperials (Chicago, IL, USA) From their Pravda Records album End of Phase One. Due for release next Tuesday, 7th October It's hard to believe it now, but before 1989 no band had ever combined the explosive elements of white trash culture, Dada art and Chuck Berry. There was a gaping hole in the fabric of popular entertainment and the New Duncan Imperials sewed it up. Springing to life in Chicago almost 20 years ago, the band startled the club scene with its overpowering live show and reckless disregard for boundaries, confronting unsuspecting crowds with a blizzard of gloriously heavy riffage and free-association lyrics that ran the course from the Brady Bunch to Friedrich Nietzsche. The NDI saga began in Chicago in the spring of 1989. Bored with the straight-ahead approach of the band they were in, Pigtail Dick (guitar and vocals), Skipper Zwackinov (bass, balloons, and vocal), and Goodtime Dammit (drums, drums, drums) began playing for laughs in the basement of Pigtail's mom's house. "She really, really hated us," Goodtime recalls. "That's when we knew we were onto something." The band focused on laying strange yet sharp lyrics. "Most of our songs were about food, or driving, or how to prepare intricate chicken dishes while driving," says Skipper. "A lot of people didn't get it, but the ones who did loved it." Their first gigs, noisy slugfests in cramped dives around the seedy parts of Chicago, are now the stuff of legend. It wasn't long before the band was the toast of the town, and soon one of the most widely-read rock critics in town, Bill Wyman of the Chicago Reader, had anointed them "The Best Band in the City." The Chicago Tribune followed suit (adding the word "live" to the title), and the boys were in business. www.newduncanimperials.com www.myspace.com/newduncanimperials Hell - Jen Lowe (Conneticut, USA) A real struggle to know which song to play next from Jen's album From this end of the Hallway. The entire album is beautifully crafted and Jen"s vocals are right in your ear (well it works for me). Of particular interest is the percussion. I could seriously have played any track, indeed I did a few times before picking one entirely at random! Jen Lowe is a sincere songwriter who writes straight from the heart. Her lyrics are direct and thoughtful, as she wastes no time getting the heart of the matter. Having been a full time touring percussionist and drummer with many national acts, Jen's sense of the song writing process is strong. Her blog reports that "I am going to be playing my annual Butterfly Stitcn gig on Nov. 8th at Lumberjacks Camp Ground for the Womens' Festival held there. This means I will be back in town. I am looking for a gig for Friday night. House concert perhaps? Holla if you got something." www.jenlowe.com www.myspace.com/jenjenlowe Down to the River - Kompoz (Florida, USA) I just came across this exciting use of web and digital technology. Kompoz is a social workspace for musicians. Use it to compose new music with other artists around the world. Got an idea for a song? Record a track. Upload it. Then invite others to add drums, bass, vocals or anything else! All music is created under the open licenses of the Creative Commons. Just like this show. The only problem is that I don't know who was involved in the track! www.kompoz.com/ With all my heart - Marcela (from who knows where?) A remarkably low tech recording of a very simple song - it just works. From her Number 2 album - that's the title, No. 2 I"ve been trying to find out more but to no avail. I hope we can discover something through Jamendo where you can download that track and a couple of others. If you know any more, please let me know. As you'd imagine, no website and no MySpace so no links. Can you help out? Chatting with Jayme Gutierrez who is based in Spain during the week. He has oput together a great little video as part of a competition. Now there are three things I"d really strongly suggest that you do: 1. Go to the YouTube link www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLpLXXzY6ec and check out the video. I'm sure you"ll be impressed. 2. Rate the video by clicking on the relevant star just below the player window. That's what will help Jayme in the competition but then, 3. Add a comment to make connection with Jayme and then Share by clicking the Share button. I bet there"s someone who would love to see it, and vote! www.myspace.com/jaymegutierrez Cookin' with Cohen - David Bennett Cohen (New York, USA) "Mr. Cohen isn't the average hippie gone Wall Street, he's also a certifiably smokin' barrel house rumba boogie-woogie piano player in the James Booker/Professor Longhair/Dr. John vein." More specifically he provided the distinctive keyboard sound for Country Joe and the Fish way back in the 60s. Over the years, he has played and/or recorded with The Blues Project, Mick Taylor, The Luther Tucker Blues Band, Elvin Bishop, Hubert Sumlin, Melvin Van Peebles, Happy and Artie Traum, Arlen Roth, Eric Anderson, David Blue, Tim Hardin, Norton Buffalo, Jerry Miller, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter, Buddy Miles, John Cippolina, Huey Lewis, Michael Bloomfield, Bob Weir, John Kahn, Johnnie Johnson, Jimmy Vivino, Jay Owens, Debbie Davies, Byther Smith, Bobby Kyle, Rocky Lawrence, Johnny B. Gayden, Sandra Feva and others. www.davidbennettcohen.com/ Heartbeat - Melissa Ferrick (Boston, MA, USA) Acclaimed indie folk singer-songwriter Melissa Ferrick released her 9th album Goodbye Youth on her own label Right On Records September 16TH, 2008. The album will be sold exclusively at digital retail and on tour per Melissa's request. "Touring is my livelihood, and indie retail is dead. It seems like the younger my fans get, the harder it is to get them out of their houses so I decided to give them two options to buy my new album: 1. Stay in your bedroom and download the new album, or 2. Get out of your computer speakers and have a tangible experience." The album is available on iTunes. www.melissaferrick.com/ Bonita - The Pimps of Joytime (Brooklyn, NY, USA) The genre-defying Pimps of Joytime pay homage to funk, afrobeat, latin and hip hop, combining loops and live playing in a way that is seamless and infectious. The joyful noise you'll hear is a heady musical gumbo sure to get you moving. Their eclectic debut album High Steppin' is available now on Wonderwheel Recordings. Native New Yorker Brian J founded the group in the eclectic confines of Brooklyn in 2005. As lead singer, guitarist and producer, Brian J whips the tracks into shape flanked by a 5-piece band. www.pimpsofjoytime.com www.myspace.com/pimpsofjoytime Dragonfly - Luthea Salom (New York, USA) Sunbeam Surrounded by Winter is the new bittersweet album from part Spanish and part Canadian singer/songwriter Luthea Salom, produced between NY and Skopje, (Macedonia) by Malcolm Burn and Luthea herself. This is her second album and it's evocative, immediate, poetic, luminous, personal, innovative and though rooted in different cultures, it has a clear identity of its own. This new work of 12 original songs (plus one cover - Rebel Rebel by David Bowie) doesn't only reflect the surprising energy of this devout guitar player but also her original and free spirited melodies, all lead by a sultry and at the same time, cutting voice that can sometimes be soft and sweet and others sour, but always painfully honest. www.lutheasalom.com/ www.myspace.com/lutheasalomsongs Comments[0] |
Wed, 24 September 2008  A new track from an old friend this week, plus some tunes from the rcrdlbl.com collection mixed up with the best of new independent music wherever it comes from. Suffolk and Savannah seem to be suffering the onset of autumn. Jessie took great delight in the first decent rain for months in her part of the Mediterranean. The aftermath left a great shading to the usually blue and gold sea at sunset last night. Savannah is the club/bar where she has been working since May and is right here in the picture from the Ibiza sunset cam (right). Try here for live pics. One Rock - Jimmie Bratcher (Missouri, USA) Jimmie Bratcher has been providing the signature tune for Suffolk 'n' Cool for almost three years now so he should need little introduction but it has been a while since he had any new tunes available. In fact, the previous tunes went up onto the PMN in November 2006. He also has a new album out to follow up on the very successful Red. This one is descriptively called The Electric Rev. www.jimmiebratcher.com/ Discovered rcrd lbl thanks to Pete Cogle. Quite a resource with loads of tracks available for streaming and many for download. The usual ethics apply, Creative Commons and by all means point to the site from your blog, website, MySpace or whatever. Getting traffic to the site helps support it. www.rcrdlbl.com The Miner - Bell (Brooklyn, NY) Olga Bell is a Russian-born, Alaska bred, conservatory trained Brooklynite and, on the 2008 EP she is joined by Jason Nazary, Grey McMurray, Mike Chiavaro, Gunnar Olsen and Ryan Ferreira Find out a little more for yourself at her MySpace. www.myspace.com/whoisbell Grapevine - The Bedford, Norwich (Oct 15th line-up) Ana Silvera, Azadeh and Mark Fawscett bookings at 01603 666869. www.myspace.com/grapevine4music A touch of Gotan project feel in here Bleez - Magdam (Ile-de-France, France) From the Jamendo album Escuchar "I have a rather simple objective: I count on my listeners to help itself with the realization of the album of MAGDAM! by making some gifts. They can listen to the compositions of the group besides on MySpace by typing magdam." www.myspace.com/magdamlegroupe Heal the World - Pato Banton (California, USA) From the album Destination Paradise With a Grammy nomination to his credit and international chart topping collaborations with the likes of Sting and UB40, Pato has put his mark on the world with the release of Destination Paradise. Undoubtedly his best recording, DP features 12 originals that move the body and inspire the mind. www.patobanton.com/ East of Ealing "Peter, thanks a billion for playing our song "Are we there yet ?" Listened to the rest of your show, and enjoyed it massively ! Looking at your name, were you ever related to the Suffolkn'good festival that used to happen up your way ? Its only that we want to play as many festivals /beer fests/wine tasting etc etc as poss next year....if you hear of any that might suit our punk pirate music ....let us know ! Stephanie Graffitti (for E.O.E) www.eastofealing.co.ukwww.myspace.com/eastofealing Bonus - Jayme Gutierrez (Jaén, Spain) Another track from the solidly excellent album Wompychew. I played Cats and Rats back in April. You can hear four other tracks at his MySpace. www.myspace.com/jaymegutierrez I'm becoming interested in the way that remixes take a song and transform it. Example: This Truth - Lovespirals (California, USA) Lovespirals blend Rock, Jazz, Blues, Soul, Folk and Electronica to create a dreamy, sensual vibe featuring the smooth, soulful guitar & Rhodes piano of Ryan Lum and the seductive vocals & romantic lyrics of Anji Bee. www.lovespirals.com/ www.thechillcast.com/ This Truth - Grooveblaster Mix (N. Carolina, USA) The Grooveblaster is living proof that the end justifies the means. Whether it's going head-to-head on the ones and twos with collaborators, riding the pause button on an old analog 4-track to create a fly loop with the human factor, or keying in the ill echo chamber chill, the Grooveblaster makes 'tricknology' work. www.thegrooveblaster.com Many remixes available at http://www.lovespirals.com/podsaferemix Click on the comments link at the end of these notes for news direct from Anji. Easy Street - Sean Bones (New York, USA) Sorry, I can't find any more. You can download that track for yourself at www.rcrdlbl.com/artists/Sean_Bones/music www.myspace.com/seanbones I played Play Bomb from Izzie Voodoo in last week's show and it has been in my head all week. (It seems Colin Gazeley at the Ourobouros podcast has the same problem.) I had a note of thanks from Izzie and reminder that she has her own show which I'm now subscribed to and I hope you'll be able to join me in enjoying at www.voodooquotashow.co.uk Note from Kimo Watanabe with a link to a video on his site: "What better way to close out the week than with a classic reggae track. I just posted my version of No Woman No Cry and hope you enjoy it." www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOXMjl7eXpo A final track from rcrdlbl.com which I know Codger has played in PCPodcast over at http://pcpodcast.blogsome.com/ Dance, Dance, Dance - Lykke Li (Stockholm, Sweden) Say hello to your new favorite Swedish songstress. Her name is Lykke Li, she is twenty-two years old, and her debut four-song EP, Little Bit, out on her own label LL Recordings. Recorded in Lykke Li's hometown of Stockholm and New York City, and produced by Bjorn Yttling of Peter, Bjorn and John, the songs on Little Bit are a reflection of Lykke Li's globe-trotting upbringing, marrying sounds that are diverse and worldly. Again you can download the track from her page on rcrd lbl www.lykkeli.com/ www.rcrdlbl.com/artists/Lykke_Li/music Comments[3] |
Wed, 17 September 2008  Using someone else's voice this week on account of how mine has gone missing! I was in the historic (and very small "city" of Ely (near Cambridge) yesterday to meet up with Merle and Carole, distant relations from British Columbia, who are over for a couple of weeks and will be touring England, Scotland and Wales. A warm welcome to them and to you. I'm not sure that the gargoyle up on the cathedral wall (picture, right) felt the same way. Congo Square - Chris Daniels & the Kings (Colorado, USA) Chris Daniels & the Kings is a rootsy funk and swing horn section band with a Memphis and New Orleans groove. Chris Daniels & the Kings in the tradition of Blood Sweat & Tears, Booker T. and the Memphis Horns and Tower of Power. Chris has toured Europe more than 15 times and played in the States from South Carolina to Seattle, New York City to LA. The seven piece rockin' band, called "funky-blues" by the Europeans, is an all out "horn band" celebrating their 23rd year of making great R&B,Funk, "jump blues" and rock n roll. Congo Square is from their album Live Wired which was recorded at seven gigs in Colorado, Holland and Italy. You can buy it from their website. www.chrisdaniels.com/ Sig tune: Happy - Jimmie Bratcher (Missouri, USA) www.jimmiebratcher.com/ Breathe - Jean Synodinos (Austin, Texas, USA) It's all been said in previous shows, but just in case you didn't hear… Jean is always out to push the envelope a little bit more with each song and each show. Energetically. Enthusiastically. With songs that skate between genres, Jean jumps from rock to jazz to pop in order to find the right groove and tone for each song. Known for her dynamic performances, she lives to "read the room" and deliver shows that keep audiences returning for more. Following up on her acclaimed debut CD Lucky, Jean has just released Breathe. Picking up where Lucky left off, Breathe's eleven tracks groove even harder musically and dig even deeper lyrically. The disc features thoroughbred performances by Charles Rieser on guitars (The Scabs, Boombox), Brad Houser on bass (Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians), and Rob Hooper on drums (Guy Forsythe, Colin Gilmore). www.jeansynodinos.com/ www.myspace.com/jeansynodinos H-2 - J. Blasco (Barcelona, Spain) From the album Lounge House by Javier Blasco Serrat. Not a lot of information, just: Saludos . J.Blasco. http://jaopticamusic.blogspot.com/ www.jamendo.com/en/artist/j.blasco Play Bomb - izzie Voodoo (Barnsley, UK) izzie Voodoo is a solo artist creating a vivid, highly unusual yet accessible sound. Her music maintains a dark exciting edge whilst switching between full, highly produced alternative, sometimes industrial, vocal and guitar and bass orientated electronica, and bittersweet ballads, each song led by her layers of sultry, breathy vocals. Music to die for (with tongue firmly in cheek).... Her outstanding reputation as a recording artist and producer, coupled with huge theatrical experience both on and backstage has also led to many exciting other collaborations with musicians from varying genres and from all over the world. In her recorded material she is: Song Writer, all vocals, guitars, bass, hard and soft synths, electronic percussion, engineering/production. Signed to BasilicaMusic. You can find more information about izzie Voodoo by visiting www.izzievoodoo.com www.myspace.com/izzievoodoo Eldoret - Amelia Ray (Madrid, Spain) From her album ON. The second track I've played. This is the gospel tune, Eldoret, based on the violence in Kenya ("This has the trappings of another genocide") Amelia Ray's music is at once rock, jazz, country, gospel, pop, and blues. "Once you realise how closely connected different styles of music are, you can start to play with the boundaries of those styles, and create something new and invigorating. But at the root, I'm always trying to make good, old finger-snapping music that makes you perk up your ears, and move your feet." California-born vocalist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Amelia Ray currently resides in Madrid where she performs original soul rock music solo, and with her band, The Conjugal Experiment. A young music scene veteran, Amelia has been performing in the United States and in Europe for almost 20 years. She appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, was a featured artist for Radio Campus Lille in France, and even performed in Iceland. She has shared the stage with Chuck Rainey, Elliott Randall, Rob Bargad, Maia Sharp and Kenny Aronoff, to name a few. Since her arrival in Spain, she has graced such renowned stages as Sala Clamores and The Bourbon Cafe in Madrid, and the Casa de las Conchas in Salamanca. www.ameliaray.net www.myspace.com/ameliaray http://cdbaby.com/cd/ameliaray3 You can see a video (filmed live at Zanzibar in Madrid) on her MySpace page Carry the Light - Kelly Richey (Cincinnati, OH, USA) As a teenager, Richey practiced guitar 12 hours a day. "I never set it down,” she remembers. "I took it to school, I took it to the kitchen table and if I took a walk it was strapped on." Now, when she picks up her guitar, anyone within earshot is compelled to listen. A working musician since her teens, she began her professional career as a member of the Arista Records group Stealin' Horses; in 1990 she formed The Kelly Richey Band, with whom she has become both a national and international touring artist. Take a look at her videos on YouTube at http://tinyurl.com/5orlu3 Since establishing her own label, Sweet Lucy Records, Richey has released 10 albums and a live DVD, as both a solo artist and as The Kelly Richey Band. As an extension of Sweet Lucy Records, she built a studio where she records her own music and works with other artists. Richey's involvement with music goes way beyond recording and performing. A longtime private guitar instructor, in 2003 Richey began developing a Guitar Workshop and a Blues History program to take into the schools. Richey created Music for Change, a 501(c)(3) non-profit committed to music education in today's public schools; a variety of programs offering live performances, lectures, and interactive participation serve to facilitate learning opportunities for students while keeping the history of American music alive and prospering. www.kellyrichey.com www.myspace.com/kellyrichey Hush - Ben Senterfit (Red Hook, NY, USA) Deeply steeped in roots music, Ben Senterfit"s music collapses the boundaries between the classic American singer/songwriter and retrofitted hip-shaking funky-45s. Influenced by such visionary musicians as Bill Withers, Curtis Mayfield and Willie Nelson, he delicately walks the line between hard hitting grooves, undeniable musicianship and crafty songwriting. www.bensenterfit.com/ www.myspace.com/soulwave Halfway Home - Radio Nowhere (Oakland, CA, USA) From their album Days Between Stations. Radio Nowhere is a rock/pop band from Oakland, California. A friend once told them that they sound like Pete Townshend produced by Prince, and that sums it up pretty well. The band was started by Mike Baker, who writes all the songs and does the singing and guitar playing, as well as anything else that needs doing (like, um, writing the band bio). I'm supposed to tell you about all the great clubs we've played, the records we've sold, and the rock stars we've partied with, but I think that gets boring really fast - don't you? Here"s what you should know about Radio Nowhere: 1) When I was growing up, my family would drive from the Bay Area to Idaho every summer, and my mom would make up stories to go along with what we were seeing along the highways. So I got imprinted with the whole combination of music, empty roads and stories early on - hopefully it shows up in our songs. 2) When I was six, I trawled through my dad's record collection looking for the shiniest, most colorful album cover and played the lp inside, which turned out to be Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Psychedelicized at six--it's hard to recover. 3) I write most of my songs while I'm driving, on an ancient Casio keyboard bungee-corded to the passenger seat. This is not safe. 4) I have rocked crowds of several hundred people with nothing more than an acoustic guitar and a well-timed Britney Spears cover (were they sober? No). If sound is familiar, I first played Radio Nowhere last November on show 90 so a long overdue and very welcome return. www.radionowhere.net/ Comments[1] |
Wed, 10 September 2008  Back from a flying visit to Ibiza, where my creaking old bones were taken out to Pacha well past their bedtime (we didn't leave to GO there until about 1am). My what a classy joint. We were on the guest list (of course) but a bottle of beer and a gin and tonic cost 27 euros (about £22 or $38). However the whole experience was well worth every euro cent. Utterly amazing. There's a bit of recording from the club later in the show. A Mile Above a Small Town - Christian Brown (Cedar Falls, Iowa, USA) Born in isolation on the frozen arctic plains of Fairbanks, Alaska in Dec. 1985, Christian Brown had difficulty adhering to the stern social structure of a small Midwestern college town when his family relocated to Cedar Falls, IA in 1992. Aside from a few very close friends, Christian mostly kept to himself, wasting his days developing creative pass-times, and marveling at Midwestern technologies such as TV and Radio. www.christianmbrown.com www.myspace.com/christianmbrown Back from Ibiza - what a great time, if a load too short a time. Great to see Jessie and to meet some of her friends in the amazingly close community of "the workers" who make sure that the whole club and music scene on the island keep working. Fantastically hot and bright after the grey "summer" we've suffered here in the UK. I realise now that I could have done with a week instead of a couple of days. Clair de Lune - K-valeoun (Lambesc, France) From the Paris: 1989 album on Jamendo Groupe touche-a-tout, groupe... mais tout seul ! Entierement fait a l'ordi, je me revendique des influence electro, dance et techno avec un petit faible pour la House des années 80-90. Ecoutez et donnez votre avis No website that I could see so check the music at: www.jamendo.com/en/artist/kvaleoun Delirar - Bañeros (Buenos Aires, Argentina) Ten musicians (although they look more like 30 in the photo on Jamendo) took the stage to deliver a powerful combo of songs that cover different rhythmic horizons, characterized by constant fusion between a multitude of styles: ska, reggae, rock, rumba, cumbia, tango and others. The identity of the banda is reflected in climates and passages that generate not only the touch of the various instruments, but also in the imposing and original staging that frame the show at a unique moment. The track Delirar is taken from their album Menos De Lo Mismo. www.banierosweb.com.ar Are we there yet - East of Ealing (probably W London, UK) Welcome on board the Blackship ! You are now journeying with the roots-rock crew that are EAST OF EALING. Enter the mosh pit with like minded punks , grannies, grockles and gobshites for a world trip of musical mayhem! Catch these pirates of the 21st century, they are bound for Hell or Glory........ well, since Codger has already played them I think we can make a fair guess - see what you think. Live shows coming up on Friday at Filty's, Twickenham and on 25th at Staines Riverside Club. www.eastofealing.co.uk AMP Good for musicians too: Making a song or two available to podcasters is a very cool way to get your music heard by hundreds of music lovers. Simply pick the Creative Commons (CC) license that best suits your needs. With a Creative Commons license, you keep your copyright but allow people to copy and distribute your work provided they give you credit — and only on the conditions you specify. You keep control of your intellectual property while granting podcasters limited use for free. You get exposure and podcasters get content for their programs. They will drive traffic to your website or the online store of your choice. www.musicpodcasting.org Song 7 - Trolley (Halifax, UK) From the album Very Plath. The album description reads: So, this would be the 3rd of the 3 Trolley albums. This is the one where it all came together quite nicely, and is still one I'm rather proud of. (Despite it's rather sketchy opener "Affluenza" - Why do I never manage to do satisfactory opening tracks? Too much enthusiasm to get going, perhaps). My personal faves on "Very Plath" are "Holy Mother Hindlay" which is built on a simple ominous loop which builds and builds throughout the main body of the song, before switching tack and coming to quite an anthemic close). "Song 7" which has a slightly caribean feel to it but manages to take a trip through about another 5 genres before it finishes, without sounding too forced or pretentious, and "Sisters At The Wheel", an industrial dance affair with a huge heart and sing song chorus. "Very Plath" as a whole does what "Pedigree Joey" did in its finer moments and manages to condense them into more manageable 4 minute chunks - Without the schizophrenia, but with all the adventure left intact. It took me a long time to do this one, but I enjoyed every minute." www.myspace.com/theremedialset Ibiza house music - so what's it all about then? I went to see what I could find out with the aid of Jessie Clitheroe and Sarah Malloy my two guides to the delights of Pacha and El Divino. Ok so maybe it was just because I saw Roger Sanchez working but the energy of the man is just amazing - a seven hour set! Mashitup (Shir Khan Remix) - The Young Punx (London, UK) Also recently back from filming in Ibiza for a show on Flaunt TV. It's all gone Pete Tong (from the Young Punx blog at www.yourmusiciskillingme.com "Contrary to popular belief when the above phrase is used, it hasn't actually gone horribly wrong and we haven't been invaded by the coke badgers either. It's good news. No, it's great news… Tracking us down through the power of good-taste (and great PR), Pete Tong will be playing [played] the Shir Kahn remix of 'Mash It Up' on his Fast Trax show this week (Friday 5th)." www.theyoungpunx.com www.myspace.com/theyoungpunx Comments[6] |
Wed, 3 September 2008  A very different location for this week's show since I was on the Mediterranean island of Ibiza getting an education about dance music including an unforgettable visit to Pacha and the VIP area at El Divino. Absolutely stunning and a real ear opener. My thanks to Jessie and her colleagues in Sant Antoni for arranging everything in a packed flying visit from Monday to Wednesday. Picture shows the mobile "studio" set up by the door to the apartment. Yes, that's the sea right outside the door - beautiful, and right next door to Savannah, nextdoor but one to Cafe del Mar and next door but two to Mambo - how cool is that! Tumbleweed Blues - Howlin' Tumbleweeds (Illinois, USA) Chicago Rhythm & Blues that sounds like 4 boys conceived, born, and raised in a swamp on the Mississippi Tennessee Border. www.myspace.com/howlintumbleweeds For Centuries - Roger Eno/Plumbline Remix - Dive Index (New York) A collaboration featuring vocals by Natalie Walker, Merz, Cat Martino, and Ian Masters (of Pale Saints). Produced and co-writtten by Will Thomas (aka Plumbline) who releases albums on the Hydrogen Dukebox label. www.neutralmusic.com www.myspace.com/diveindex Drop my end of the bone - Jean Synodinos (Austin, TX, USA) Jean is always out to push the envelope a little bit more with each song and each show. Energetically. Enthusiastically. With songs that skate between genres, Jean jumps from rock to jazz to pop in order to find the right groove and tone for each song. Known for her dynamic performances, she lives to "read the room" and deliver shows that keep audiences returning for more. Following up on her acclaimed debut CD Lucky, Jean has just released Breathe. Picking up where Lucky left off, Breathe's eleven tracks groove even harder musically and dig even deeper lyrically. The disc features thoroughbred performances by Charles Rieser on guitars (The Scabs, Boombox), Brad Houser on bass (Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians), and Rob Hooper on drums (Guy Forsythe, Colin Gilmore). www.jeansynodinos.com/ www.myspace.com/jeansynodinos Si Si Bueno - Riboflavin (San Diago, California, USA) They would describe themselves as 'skhitzophreninc rockers' - not because they suffer from any specific mental illness. Its simply because they refuse to be boxed into a specific genre, in one song they can be thoughtful and serious, both musically and lyrically - in another they produce a rabble rousing row. "As good as a million Zimbabwean dollah” www.myspace.com/riboflavinsd The River Song - Amelia Ray (Madrid, Spain) From her album ON. Amelia Ray's music is at once rock, jazz, country, gospel, pop, and blues. "Once you realise how closely connected different styles of music are, you can start to play with the boundaries of those styles, and create something new and invigorating. But at the root, I'm always trying to make good, old finger-snapping music that makes you perk up your ears, and move your feet." California-born vocalist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Amelia Ray currently resides in Madrid where she performs original soul rock music solo, and with her band, The Conjugal Experiment. A young music scene veteran, Amelia has been performing in the United States and in Europe for almost 20 years. She appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, was a featured artist for Radio Campus Lille in France, and even performed in Iceland. She has shared the stage with Chuck Rainey, Elliott Randall, Rob Bargad, Maia Sharp and Kenny Aronoff, to name a few. Since her arrival in Spain, she has graced such renowned stages as Sala Clamores and The Bourbon Cafe in Madrid, and the Casa de las Conchas in Salamanca. www.ameliaray.net www.myspace.com/ameliaray http://cdbaby.com/cd/ameliaray3 5-0 Blues - Corey Harris (Illinois, USA) A native of Denver, Colorado, Corey Harris fell in love with music at an early age, and made his own music with a toy guitar he received at the age of three. 5-0m Blues is from his 1997 album Fish Ain"t Bitin'. "After a debut that established his mastery of the Delta idiom, [Harris] does something really hard - proves he's big enough to fool around with it...His virtuosity springs to life." _Robert Christgau, The Village Voice Corey Harris is now half of Vu du Menz with Henry Butler, also on Alligator Records. www.alligatorrecords.com/ It's just how it seemed - Plunkett (Italy) Been played by all the usual suspects Dark Compass, Orobouros, PC Podcast et al. The independent alternative folk rock duo formed in 2004 by singer-guitarist Ian Plunkett and ex A&R and producer Lara Bartocci. The first album of this independent band is 14 Days, released in 2006. The overall feel here is acoustic, but with more sophisticated arrangements and deeper musicianship than most work in this genre. Warm, melodic, and artfully crafted songs are in the best tradition of British Folk-Rock, a succesful cross between Nick Drake, Mark Laneghan and the Beatles. Standout tracks include the starry-eyed "Picture" as well as "The River", "Up A Hill" and "Breathe". Ian and Lara Plunkett - a world-class singer-songwriter team A highly poignant and engaging album. In 2008 the duo releases the second album Folk Songs, music made and enjoyed in the interstices of a working life, in fast lunch breaks and short evenings and bone-weary weekends, music to lift up the spirit, open up emotions, reconnect people to the profound undertow of feeling that labour in the field or factory can dull and numb. Most of all, though, the music offered to us here stirs the soul: the vocal blend of Ian's warm East Anglian timbre with Lara"s dark, gently inflected Italian accent, combined with a treasure trove of punchy tunes and soaring harmonica and crunching guitar will set you up for the day. www.plunkett-music.com Fait néant - Systylé (Grenoble, France) In existence since : 01.2003 Un cri explicite qui dénonce et malmène les travers d'une vie, un appel à la conscience et à la responsabilité de chacun, une musique piquante et saccadée. Une caresse satirique qui stimule et éveille les sens d'un homme, une invitation à la communication et au partage, une musique relaxée et dynamique. Neuf musiciens, amis, dont l'envie est de diffuser une musique positive et festive, sans se voiler la face sur ce qui nous tracasse. Frapper pour se détendre, danser et s'entendre, s'étendre sur les choses qui nous touchent, toucher les durs comme les tendres. Partager... Systylé [sistailé]: auteur compositeur interprète Groupe de neuf grenoblois mélangeant le ska, le rock, le reggae, la funk, pour le plaisir des petites et des grandes oreilles => festif, coloré, pêchu, engage (Group of nine resident of Grenoble mixing the ska, the rock'n'roll, the reggae, the funk, for the pleasure of small and the large ears = festive, coloured, pêchu, engaged.) www.systyle.org Screen to screen (Beat Pharmacy remix) - Dive Index (New York) Second (and very different) track from Dive Index. Thanks to Jessie, Sarah and Nik for the "studio" facilities in Ibiza today. Comments[1] |
Wed, 27 August 2008 Harvest at last - been delayed by dreadful wet weather. The neighbours are out with their combines, tractors and trailers getting what they can from the fields around the farm. In fact, a track up to some fields passes right behind the barn, as you'll hear! Love me when I leave - The Dares (Whittier, CA, USA) When most bands tell you they've had to "grow up in public," they're talking about getting pushed into the spotlight before they've had a chance to find their voice. But for Whittier, California, trio The Dares, who started playing when twin brothers and co-founders Ben (guitar/lead vocals) and Matt (drums/vocals) Peterson were all of 8 years old, the idea was a bit more literal. These boys-to-men literally grew up in public, forming a band when their peers were still dabbling in youth-league sports and landing a major-label contract with Jive Records before they"d even finished high school. Today, as the trio's powerhouse spin on pop-punk tradition is making clear, The Dares are ready and able to grow even bigger. www.thedares.com/ www.myspace.com/thedares Define yourself - Peter Greenstone (Austin, Texas, USA) Peter Greenstone is one of the relatively small section of artists that I consider to be worthy of featuring on the show from time to time. He is an independent musician, a singer/songwriter producing his own sound from his home studio in Austin, Texas. Freely stepping across and often defying genres, Peter mixes acoustic and synthetic sounds and tones to create an atmosphere in his music that is sometimes surreal, sometimes haunting, sometimes whimsical, but always personal. You can buy his album of the same name (Broken Symmetries) or any individual track through his site. www.petergreenstone.com/ Thanks for letting a few other folks know about SnC - it is showing in the download stats. I'm not obsessed by numbers but it is gratifying to see the audience grow. Leave the Borough - The Soor Plooms (Salisbury, UK) [Jamendo] "Rural Rhesus Negative Electro Pop Punk Trash" Named after a type of Scottish boiled sweet, the Soor Plooms are an electro pop-punk group based in Salisbury, UK. They are led by multi-instrumentalist Glenn Ploom and were established in January 2007. The Soor Plooms" music features analogue synthesizer and drum machine sounds from vintage models such as the ARP Odysey, ARP 2600 and Roland CR-78. A debut double A-side single (Leave the Borough/Meet you at the Assizes) was released in January 2008 and is available from Jamendo at www.jamendo.com/en/artist/The_Soor_Plooms. A follow up single (We are the lean Men/Escape) was released in May 2008 and they can be downloaded from their MySpace. Recorded at X-26 studios, Salisbury UK. www.myspace.com/soorplooms www.last.fm/music/the+soor+plooms Aftermath - Twilight Dementia (Washington DC, USA) Twilight Dementia's music is a testament to the strength of partnership and that the whole is often much more than the sum of its parts. Their debut, self-titled album, Twilight Dementia, is a bold and daring statement of purpose that demonstrates the group's unwillingness to play anyone's game other than their own. The Washington D.C. based duo's engrossingly atmospheric and ethereal rock is the product of a duo that seemed destined to find each other. www.twilightdementia.com/ www.myspace.com/twilightdementia "What if those heavy things cracked their little brittle bones to the marrow?" - Voodoo Economics (Philadelphia, USA) From their album If::then::ininami Alison Conard - vocals, keys, guitar, electroniques, production Justin Gibbon - drums, electroniks, klang Jeremy Prouty - bass, electronics, vocals Justin and Alison were part of a now-defunct Portland band called Episodic. "Uneasy listening. This is a good thing." "It's like...Dr. Seuss mixed with metal." http://voodooeconomics.info/ www.myspace.com/voodooeconomics Pete Cogle calls by to explain benefits of AMP (Association of Music Podcasting) for listeners. www.musicpodcasting.org Message from The Clerks YEAH YEAH YEAH YEAH!! ALL THE BEST FROM GERMANY! AND MANY THX FOR SUPPORTING US ON YOUR SHOW!!! ARE WE ABLE TO GET A COPIE, TO USE IT ON OUR WEBSITE??? MAY THIS BEER TRUCK CARE FOR YOU IN 2008: |^^^^^^^^^^^^^^| || )____ |...BIER TRUCK..........| ||'|";, __) |_..._..._______===|=||_|_____) "(@)'(@)"""''"**|(@)(@)***(@) REGARDS!!! DER GERO UND DIE CLERKS At the Movies - Blue Swerver (Hackney, London, UK) We spend baffling lengths of time glueing sorrowful lyrics, shy trumpet, nimble jazz and glitchy electronica together in a refined but still slightly cut and paste manner to form a sort of Chet Baker meets Massive Attack by way of Paul Simon sound which strives forward fuelled by the honesty of our intentions and a small quota of smugness which acts as an adhesive… I've been listening to the album all week and I promise the glue works, this is intelligent song-writing, artful arrangement, skillful performances and clean recording at its best. Although slightly retro in its jazzy approach, this is very much music of our time and could just catch on big-time. It deserves to. Track credits: Guitar and Vocals - Adam Green Electronics - Contrawise Bass - Robin Grey Drums - Joe Allen Keys - Ben Oliver Produced by Marc Specter and blueswerver Engineered by Marc Specter and Robin Grey @ Sandy Lodge Studios www.myspace.com/blueswerver Contacts networks, webs and memory Some people from the increasingly distant past are clear in my mind but have no context others have rich context but there's a hole at the centre of the web, like a blind-spot, where I know there's a strong connection but I can't see it right now. Tasky - Blue Swerver Are these childhood references culture specific - let me know. www.myspace.com/blueswerver Leave The Blues Behind - Kelly Richey (Cincinnati, OH, USA) As a teenager, Richey practiced guitar 12 hours a day. "I never set it down,” she remembers. "I took it to school, I took it to the kitchen table and if I took a walk it was strapped on." Now, when she picks up her guitar, anyone within earshot is compelled to listen. A working musician since her teens, she began her professional career as a member of the Arista Records group Stealin' Horses; in 1990 she formed The Kelly Richey Band, with whom she has become both a national and international touring artist. Take a look at her videos on YouTube at http://tinyurl.com/5orlu3 Since establishing her own label, Sweet Lucy Records, Richey has released 10 albums and a live DVD, as both a solo artist and as The Kelly Richey Band. As an extension of Sweet Lucy Records, she built a studio where she records her own music and works with other artists. Richey's involvement with music goes way beyond recording and performing. A longtime private guitar instructor, in 2003 Richey began developing a Guitar Workshop and a Blues History program to take into the schools. Richey created Music for Change, a 501(c)(3) non-profit committed to music education in today's public schools; a variety of programs offering live performances, lectures, and interactive participation serve to facilitate learning opportunities for students while keeping the history of American music alive and prospering. www.kellyrichey.com www.myspace.com/kellyrichey My thanks to all the musicians and labels for their kind comments on myspace and for making their music available. Back next week probably from somewhere quite different. If you can't wait (bet you can!) Pete Cogle hosted PC Podcast from the Barn on Saturday and roped me in for a bit of conversation. You'll find it on PC Podcast at http://pcpodcast.blogsome.com Comments[0] |
Wed, 20 August 2008  Another packed show. This week, with something of an acoustic tendency. Summer still hasn't established but wrap up warm and it's still pretty good on the Suffolk coast. This week, looking across the mouth of the River Deben from Felixstowe Ferry. Sig tune: Happy - Jimmie Bratcher (Missouri, USA) www.jimmiebratcher.com/ Mind over Maria - Soundside (Long Island, NY, USA) From their new album Seconds from Sunrise. Soundside packs a set of full-bodied, full-flavored rock originality into their music. Their high energy tracks are laden with catchy vocal hooks, harmonies, staple guitars, and a rhythm section that put together has their audience reliving their songs in mind well after they are over. "Soundside brings back the old school rock sound - hard but not metal, and with a touch of grunge, minus the tortured angst." Musicdish.net www.soundsideband.com/ www.myspace.com/soundside Who we are - Jodi Martin (Sydney, Australia) Jodi spent her formative years in the remote desert region of Australias Nullarbor Plain. Jodi Martin started writing songs when she was five. Noticing this trend, her Mum loaned Jodi her tape recorder. At five, this was a momentous event and confirmed Jodi's obsession with songwriting forever. Jodi has two major album releases in Australia, Water and Wood (2002) and 15 Minutes Out to Sea (2005) out on her own label Hot Bread Records, available through CD Baby, etc www.jodimartin.com www.myspace.com/jodimartin1 Clip from Lady of the Sea - Seth Lakeman (UK) Seth Lakeman's new album Poor Man's Heaven is out now and there's a 5-track live EP available for free download at: www.myspace.com/sethlakeman You have to sign up to download and I do sometimes wonder abiout the privacy policies that these deals use. It seems as though they say that they'll not sell it on or anything but that they might change their mind later and because you've used the site now that's tough. Am I being paranoid or what? Views please. Had enough of me - Darrin James Band (Brooklyn, NY, USA) Since its independent release last winter, Thrones of Gold by the Darrin James Band has yielded glowing reviews on both sides of the Atlantic. Critics and bloggers are praising Darrin James not only as an intelligent songwriter, but also as a powerful singer and guitarist whose music has an authentic rawness and realism that speaks to audiences in a meaningful way. www.darrinjamesband.com/ www.myspace.com/darrinjamesband European Podcast Awards The Awards are apparently sponsored by Olympus and there are prizes for voters as well prestige for podcasts. You can vote for as many podcasts as you want. Four members of the Association of Music Podcasters have been nominated. To vote, select your preferred podcast(s) from these links, click Vote and rate it for content and design by clicking on the stars (The star shapes on the screen that is - rather than personally clicking Codger and I)! I think you need to sign up for the newsletter if you want to enter to win prizes. Dark Compass Dark Horse Radio PC Podcast Suffolk 'n' Cool Don't know any more about it than that I'm afraid. www.european-podcast-award.eu Better Place - Sweetbleeders (Phoenix, AZ, USA) Sweetbleeders' first full-length album bzzzz. A lush space cabaret with dreamy folk songs, analog synth orchestras, and saloon stomps; colorful ruminations on eclectic American balladry. The Players: Robin Vining--Primary singer and writer- makes sounds with guitars, keyboards, pianos, anything that can be blown into or struck soundly. Enjoys coffee and putting things in his eyes. Mark Erickson-- sonic manipulations-makes electrons bleed honey and hot vinegar. Plays with cats. guitars and keyboards and voice. David Marquez--Basso Profundo Guitaro. Casual smoker. Tears it up in the kitchen. Steven Dueck--Bangs, Clicks, and Booms. Will eat anything or body. www.sweetbleeders.com/ www.myspace.com/sweetbleeders Radiolied - The Clerks (Germany) The Clerks sind eine Begegnung der dritten Art, stammen sie doch eigentlich vom Planet Orange, der Welt des Offbeat. Von feurigen Bläsersätzen getrieben swingt und groovt die achtköpfige SKA-Band - da dauern Konzerte gerne länger als zweieinhalb Stunden. Sixties Rock, Reggae und Rocksteady machen in den Atempausen das Tanzprogramm perfekt. www.clerks.de/ www.myspace.com/skaclerks Winelight Club update - this Friday David Goo, Heather McVey, Normal for Norfolk, Caille Sims. (Clip from Heather McVey - www.myspace.com/heathermcvey www.myspace.com/thewinelightclub Waiting for the light to change - Jean Synodinos (Austin, TX, USA) Jean is always out to push the envelope a little bit more with each song and each show. Energetically. Enthusiastically. With songs that skate between genres, Jean jumps from rock to jazz to pop in order to find the right groove and tone for each song. Known for her dynamic performances, she lives to "read the room" and deliver shows that keep audiences returning for more. Following up on her acclaimed debut CD Lucky, Jean has just released Breathe. Picking up where Lucky left off, Breathe's eleven tracks groove even harder musically and dig even deeper lyrically. The disc features thoroughbred performances by Charles Rieser on guitars (The Scabs, Boombox), Brad Houser on bass (Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians), and Rob Hooper on drums (Guy Forsythe, Colin Gilmore). www.jeansynodinos.com/ www.myspace.com/jeansynodinos Everybody's looking for a meal - Blind Willies (San Francisco, USA) "Imagine the White Stripes driven by the fevered folk of Leadbelly and Woody Guthrie, and you might get some idea of where the Blind Willies are coming from." Title track from their album on Diggory Records. Blind Willies is Annie Staninec, multi-genre fiddler, and Alexei Wajchman, guitarist/singer/songwriter. They met and began playing together in the halls of San Francisco School of the Arts. They're both recent graduates of University of California at Santa Cruz. Annie has been playing bluegrass/old time fiddle for more than a decade. She's also a consummate gypsy jazz violinist. Alexei grew up in San Francisco's Mission District. After learning to play clarinet and sax, he taught himself to play guitar and began writing songs at 15. Blind Willies made their professional debut at San Francisco's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in 2004. Recorded, mixed, mastered by Lemon DeGeorge (Jolie Holland, film Genghis Blues) and Paul Carlsen (Nirvana's Nevermind, Neil Young, John Prine). www.myspace.com/blindwillies www.cdbaby.com/blindwillies The Walls of Byzantium - Secret Archives of the Vatican (London, UK) I previously played a SAotV track back in January last year so it is high time that they reappeared in the show. Vince Millett: Production, oud, fretless guitar, other guitars Louis Counter: Production, tablas, melodica, coffee Pete Sharpe: Vocals, bass, a general air of coolness Paul Midgley, Tom Gregory : Arabian percussion - frame drums, darabukas - that sort of thing! We mix drum'n'bass, breakbeats, dub, and triphop with flavours of Indian, Persian, Turkish and Arabian traditional music and more, Recently we've been exploring some Moroccan influences and we did a couple of small gigs in Morocco this summer. www.brokendrumrecords.com/ www.myspace.com/secretarchives Comments[1] |
Wed, 13 August 2008  Serious clouds around the barn this afternoon. The summer seems to be a write-off. We had half an inch of rain in a single shower this morning. Still, so much great, great music for you - all in just one rather longer show.Daisies - Sick of Sarah (California, USA) Sick of Sarah began in Minneapolis, MN in April 2005 as an all-female band with catchy hooks, unique lyrics, and thoughtful, well-crafted music. The band displays talent, passion, and an ever-present sense of humor that shapes many of their songs. www.myspace.com/sickofsarah www.myspace.com/sickofsara New listener? You are very welcome indeed. The show is about giving your ears a taste of something a bit different. Most of which will be entirely new to you. It is also about challenging a few of the preconceptions that we all carry around with us. Visions - Jack Jezzro (Memphis) DIVERSITY best describes the artistry of guitarist, bassist, and producer Jack Jezzro. His numerous recordings and productions have sold well into the millions, all while continuing to be a highly regarded studio musician and performer with an extensive resume. However, even more than that, Jezzro has a style and taste that are all his own—qualities that are a breath of fresh air to the music of today and qualities that breathe new life into the music of yesterday. His remarkable skill at simultaneously fingering melody and chord changes came naturally to him as a young listener. "I had a stack of Chet Atkins records, and that's how I learned to play," Jezzro reports. "As a kid, I"d want to play all the parts. I'd listen to a tune by James Taylor, The Doobie Brothers, Simon & Garfunkel, or whomever. I"d play the bass part, the piano, the vocal—and I'd want to do it all right there on the guitar." www.jackjezzro.com/ www.myspace.com/jackjezzro Delighted to welcome Codger back to the land of the living after what sounds like a really refreshing cruise. Good to have you back on good form. Recordings with wind noise is nothing new is it? Message from Colin Gazeley at the Ourobouros podcast: "As you may know, The Chiala L's is one of my all time favourite podsafe bands. They've just managed to record some new demos." Thanks Colin, a good one. Supergroupie - The Chiara L's (Leeds, UK ) Chiara Lucchini - Lead Vocals & Guitar. Jonny Lee Hart- Lead Guitar & Backng Vocals. Tim Oldfield- Bass Guitar & Backing Vocals. Dan Stretton-Drums & Backing Vocals. Emma Quick - Synths & Extras. After only a short stint on the Leeds scene playing tight and engaging sets at all of the city's top indie venues (Brudenell, Faversham, Cockpit et al), The L's have amassed a devout following. Recent dates have seen them venture to the country's capital to be once again brilliantly received at The Buffalo Bar, The Dublin Castle and The Old Blue Last. Their relentless touring schedule has not gone unnoticed and along with earning them significant column inches in the international Indie Press, covetable support slots with Shy Child, The Organ, The Whip,Operator Please, Ipso Facto and Vincent Vincent and the Villains. www.thechiarals.co.uk/ www.myspace.com/thechiarals The Longer I Run - Peter Bradley Adams (Nashville via Los Angeles via Alabama, USA) Peter Bradley Adams was formerly one half of the duo "eastmountainsouth" signed by Robbie Robertson to Dreamworks Records in 2002. He has just released his second solo record, "Leavetaking", on Sarathan Records. Peter Bradley Adams - piano Les Price - tenor and acoustic guitars James Digirolamp - accordion Ian Fitchuck - drums Jeff Irwin - bass Katie Herzig - vocals Recorded by Jason Lehning at Alex the Great, Nashville, TN 20 Aug Eddie"s Attic, Decatur, Georgia 21 Aug Workplay Theater, Birmingham, Alabama 23 Aug Evening Muse, Charlotte, North Carolina 25 Aug XM Radio - Live taping for The Loft, Washington, Washington DC 25 Aug Iota, Arlington, Virginia 26 Aug Gravity Lounge, Charlottesville, Virginia 27 Aug Coffee East Easton, Maryland 28 Aug Rockwood Music Hall, New York City, New York 29 Aug Lucky Star Lounge, Front Royal, Virginia and thus to France for a few gigs in and around Paris details on Peter's MySpace. www.peterbradleyadams.com www.myspace.com/peterbradleyadams SXSW - I'm planning to be in Austin, Texas (yeah, I know I said Atlanta on the show!) for the music festival in March and hoping to set up a few interviews and low key sessions. Don't know where to stay, any hints, tips and suggestions gratefully received. You can email me through the website www.suffolkandcool.com J'ai bu mon café - Passe-Fil (Tannay - Switzerland) Voice, Guitar, Sampler and Piano Mes goûts: Génésis, Ange, Brassens, Brel, le rock symphonique et les chanteurs à texts From the album Plages Folles (Jamendo) of which he says: "It is full of songs recorded between 1980 and 1996, worked over again and mp3ized at the request of my daughters who found my old cassettes. Intended to be shared with my friends." Now we are all friends www.jamendo.com/en/album/29250 Pretty Part - North American Royalty (Tennessee, USA) We play music because we love it not because it's cool to be in a band. We formed around our singer Elise Berkes and her unique writing style. The music is a collaborative effort from the groups members attempting to give our listeners an experience that is full of depth and beauty. www.myspace.com/northamericanroyalty Music submissions New feature on the SnC Site - an experiment really - there is a drop.io box for music submissions, audio comments and station IDs. Submit your music from the front page at www.suffolkandcool.com. Roger - Smitt E Smitty (Massachusetts, USA) Smitt E. Smitty is me. Born and raised in Detroit. Moved to Boston in 1985. I've been playing drums since grammar school. Never took a lesson, just knew what to do the first time I sat down behind a kit. www.myspace.com/smittesmitty Off the center - Kati Mac (New York, USA) Ariel NYC singer-songwriter, Kati Mac is a successful indie-artist and the best-kept secret you've never heard of! Her accomplishments are impressive beyond measure. She"s worked with legendary artists such as Meat Loaf, Nona Hendryx, Sting, Dr. John. She has produced 4 of her own successful CDs. She has achieved #1 and top 10 positions on various non-commercial radio stations across the U.S. Her music has been has been prominently featured on daytime television and has garnered several Daytime Emmy Award nominations. But at the heart of all that, is an artist courageous enough to tap into the depths of her emotions, both beautiful and difficult, in order to create music that resonates for herself and others. Her latest CD, Poseidon's Son, is the most fully realized expression of her talent to date - a collection of songs sure to impact all who hear it. www.katimac.com/ www.myspace.com/katimac7 Turn off your radio - beNuts (Bavaria, Germany) For many years this is Bavaria's best known Ska Band! www.benuts.de/ If you'd like to comment on the show - one way is to click on the Comments link just below here and slightly to the right! Yes, that's it. I'd really like to hear from you - tell me where you are too. Comments[3] |
Wed, 6 August 2008 Music from Brighton here in the UK, California, Niort in France, Norway, Poland, Philadelphia and New York … I thought, then a very late change to the running order (during the show) made a complete mess of my predictions! Been prepping the show early this week knowing that today was going to be a high pressure day. Still finished after midnight because of a thunderstorm that screwed up internet connection. Never mind, I think the show is worth it. Comfort Zone - Heels Catch Fire (Brighton, UK) Furious new addition to the Brighton Post Hardcore Artrock scene. Forming in the latter part of 2006. Elliot Richards - Vocals and Guitar Laura O'Rourke - Guitar and Vocals Mike Hornsby - Bass and Vocals Dale Frost - Drums 9 Aug Freebutt w/Tellison+Tubelord , Brighton 24 Aug Beachdown Festival , Devils Dyke, Brighton www.myspace.com/heelscatchfire The Moon is Torn - The Simple Things (San Francisco, CA, USA) Paying more attention to the space between the notes than the notes themselves, San Francisco-based trio The Simple Things pursues the art of musical simplicity, with well thought-out arrangements, minimalist instrumentation, and kite-string melodies. Dreamy and raw, ethereal and intense, The Simple Things' music represents the meeting place of understated virtuosity, sublime songwriting, and guts. Featuring the powerful vocals of Kaitlin McGaw, melodic bass by Raymond Ruiz, and virtuosity on the piano from Michael Gallant. The Simple Things invite you to close your eyes, visualize the images, and enjoy. www.wearethesimplethings.com/ www.myspace.com/wearethesimplethings Strange overtones - Brian Eno and David Byrne A departure from the usual policy of not playing established artists. These guys are interesting enough to deserve an exception. Their first collaboration since the pair's My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (1981). There's a free download track available now - just go to www.everythingthathappens.com/ and follow the links and instructions. From David's blog: "Today, a free track is available from the upcoming record that I did with Brian Eno. I'm hoping that folks will be pleasantly surprised at the direction we've taken and the final result. Since it's only one song, it may give a skewed taste of the record, but many told me it's their favorite track — I guess we'll see. I'm also wondering whether the web-curious will allow news of the album to spread more or less by itself. In the past, I might have undertaken all kinds of expensive marketing plans to prepare for a record release: there would be a teaser, live shows, posters, magazine ads, interviews, and advance CDs sent to writers and reviewers. We've done a few interviews, but that's about it. It will be interesting to see if audiences find out about this song — and the record — without all those marketing techniques, and solely through Internet word-of-mouth." http://journal.davidbyrne.com/2008/08/08042008-strang.html Dubbin'high - Oooh !!! (Niort, France) Decidedly avant-garde dub. In existence since : 03.2003 From the gloriously titled first album Deep inside the hooka sleep free honeybees available on Jamendo as is the more recent eponymous Oooh !!! Here is what I"ve found out about Oooh !!!: un Ouf Out, Ose le Hasard !!! d'Ores et d'Orgeat Out Hélas !!! Ostinato d'Origine Opaque, Hue !!! Os d'Oisif On Hamac !!! Ô Oisif Obstiné, Hic !!! Onde Oblongue Onirique Homogène !!! Onde Onirique Orbitale Hallucinée !!! Oncle Ouille et Ostinati Hyperboliques !!! Oasis d'Orchidées, Orangeraie, Hot !!! s'Oindre l'Oeil d'Ocres, Holà !!! Ouïr Obus, Ondes et Hoquets !!! Orange O.K., Orgeat, Hoquets !!! On Ose Ouïr, Houra !!! s'Oindre l'Ogive d'Orties, Houlà !!! Olé Olé Ou Hurluberlu !!! Ouïe Oïl Oc Hou !!! Ouïe, Ouate, Onde, Hiatus !!! Odyssée Onirique, Osmose, Hasard !!! Orgeat Ouais, Opium Han !!! Olibrius Oued Ouate Humm !!! Ovni en Orbite, Oxydé et Hirsute !!! Opter pour Orgies et Or, Hop !!! Onde Ohm Ouï Hiatus OuillOuillOuille, Houra !!! Oho Ohé Ouou Hep !!! Obsession Onirique d'un Olibrius Hirsute !!! Actually, it is FRANCK CADET : guitare ordi samplers synthé effets loopers If you do nothing else please check out the website at: http://oooh.free.fr/ www.myspace.com/ooohiii Pijany dyrygent - Samplastik (Wrocław, Poland) Samplastik jest sztuką walki stworzoną przez Mistrza Z. jako metoda obrony przed słabą muzyką bez użycia broni. Dawniej dla tej sztuki używano różnych nazw : rybne ciosy, bitne cymbały lub Okinawa-te. Co ważne jednak - nazwa Samplastik została zatwierdzona dopiero w 2006 roku - roku psa dodajmy. In existence since : 01.2006 www.samplastik.ovh.org Come to this - Kelly's Lot (LA, CA, USA) Kelly's Lot is a 4-7 piece Roadhouse Rock, Blues and Folk band that is based in Los Angeles, CA. They are known for their fun and energetic style at festivals and marathons. They tour a couple times a year and play for lots of charities. With a variety of styles it's hard to categorize this band. Watch a Kelly's Lot video at their MySpace and an upcoming gig: August 12 noon-2pm Pershing Square, Downtown Los Angeles, CA www.kellyslot.com/ www.MySpace.com/kellyslot Too much fun - Deni Bonet (New York) There are a lot of ways you could describe an artist as talented and versatile as Deni Bonet. But the simplest way is best: Just imagine your favorite singer-songwriter - with a violin and a better sense of irony. A classically-trained musician who"s performed or recorded with some of the classic names in rock and pop - R.E.M., Saran McLachlan, Daniel Lanois and the late Warren Zevon, to name just a few - and who recently toured the world with Cyndi Lauper, Bonet is now stepping into the solo spotlight with her second album, Last Girl On Earth. www.denibonet.com/ www.myspace.com/denibonet Comments[5] |
Wed, 30 July 2008  Music from The USA, Russia, Trinidad, Cardiff and Saarfen this week as your genial host Peter Clitheroe scours the world's finest sources to bring musical delights for your delectation. Ah, he's all heart! News about the SnC MySpace and the social event of the year which he missed out on by a cruel quirk of fate. It's all in Suffolk 'n' Cool 128. Crazy When She Drinks - Lee Rocker (Illinois, USA) Lee Rocker, the man whose muscular slap bass playing fuell ed The Stray Cats to the top of the charts, is making some of the strongest music of his career. Rocker, with The Stray Cats, helped reintroduce rockabilly to a mass audience. Now he's igniting the roots music fire. Lee currently has a couple of albums on Alligator Records. Most of whose catalogue seems to be on teh Podsafe Music Network now. Perhaps the PMN is making a transition from artist outlet to label shop-window. http://alligatorrecords.com/index.cfm?section=artists&artistID=150 Happy - Jimmie Bratcher (Missouri, USA) - theme www.jimmiebratcher.com I mentioned Wayne Perkins and Marley last week and was contacted by film maker Phil Lowrey who was at Island too. We think it was very shortly after I dropped out to the country … man … that Phil joined what was, at that time, the best label in the world. Not the biggest but the quality of artists was astounding. It turns out Phil had arranged a grand reunion just a couple of weeks ago of quite a few of the Island mob from the 1970s. Including Richard Williams, formerly head of A&R, now chief sports writer at The Guardian, Steve Smith who was in my first band Smith, Perkins and Smith and went on to produce Bob Marley came over from the States and someone whose iconic voice I can hear (in my head) to this day, Jess Roden. Oh well, next time maybe. Pictures on Phil's Flickr at: www.flickr.com/photos/28687229@N08 Still - Kira Fontana (San Diego, CA, USA) On her debut album, The Inner Revolution, songstress Kira Fontana triumphs in embracing an emotional rawness without fear. Like Sinéad O'Connor and Tori Amos before her, the San Francisco Bay Area-born artist approaches such a task with unshakable power. After four years of intense instruction at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, NY, and writing purely instrumental music, Fontana entered Yale for graduate studies in composition, but soon began to feel that something was missing in her creative life. With stints writing and recording in New Haven, Brooklyn, and Montreal, she finessed her way back to songwriting and composed her first song since age 13, a soothing, piano-driven ballad entitled "Still." www.kirafontana.com www.myspace.com/kirafontana We are all accelerated readers - Los Campesinos (Cardiff, Wales) Rapidly running out of LC tracks to play! You can catch them live in August at: 2 August - Manchester, A Day At The Races (with Calvin Johnson, Nina Natasia, Jeffrey Lewis and more) 3 August - Standon Calling, Hertfordshire 9 August - Japan, Summersonic Festival 10 August - Japan, Summersonic Festival 15 August - Belgium, Pukklepop 16 August - Holland, Lowlands 17 August - Brecon, Greenman www.loscampesinos.com www.myspace.com/loscampesinos www.wichita-recordings.com/ Bye Bye Blues - Erin Harpe (Boston, MA, USA) Growing up in the Washington DC area, Erin Harpe began playing the guitar in her teens taught by her father, bluesman Neil Harpe. In a genre that is often dominated by men, Erin Harpe is breaking new ground as a very accomplished female guitar player with a soulful voice and feel for the blues. Playing acoustic delta blues in the vein of Memphis Minnie and early Bonnie Raitt, Erin plays guitar and sings the blues like no other. www.erinharpe.com/ www.myspace.com/erinharpe MySpace friends can now be allocated to "categories" and we are making full use of that facility. I wanted a place for us all to get together but also to have somewhere special, limited to artists that I've played (or want to play) on the show. Quite a few people have commented that the SnC friends section is like a musical playground that you can just dive into and know that you're going to find loads of really interesting music, everywhere you turn. Now you'll find them all in the On the Show category for the great artists who had proved their worth by being featured on the show. The Business is the category for all the venues, studios, promoters, labels, etc. who keep the indie music scene on the road. If you are looking for a service - it would be a good place to browse. For inclusion, please include "Business" in the message panel when you make a friend request. Then there is the competition (nah, not really). The Music Podcasters whose hearts are in the music and who are committed to getting it out there. Of course, there is a category for Listeners - who give the buzz that makes the show such a joy to produce. I'd love to have you as a 'friend' so please click on the "Add" link and get it moving. Please put "listener" in the message panel when you make your request. You'll be very welcome. Finally there is a category for Prospects - artists who would like to be on the show in the future (for inclusion put "prospect” into the message box.) To explore the categories: 1. go to the MySpace page at www.myspace.com/suffolkncool 2. Click "Show all of Suffolk 'n' Cool's Friends" and then the categories tag. TIP: The most recently played artists are in the top friends section. Elvis - These New Puritans (Southend, UK) Debut full-length from Southend's very own These New Puritans sees the young art-punk quartet channeling their inner Mark E. Smith- and Gang of Four-isms for a sound that's remarkably fresh. Produced by Gareth Jones (Einsturzende Neubauten, Liars, Wire), taut rhythms and Wire-y guitars carry their catchy, sinuous lyrics. These New Puritans have done a lot in their brief time. Their debut EP, Now Pluvial , came about as a result of one intense, 24-hour session in October 2006 in the shed-cum-studio assembled by de facto leader Jack Barnett and his band - twin brother George (drums), Thomas Hein (bass, sampler), and Sophie Sleigh-Johnson (synth, sampler). Recorded in harsh, digital audio onto Jack's laptop, the EP was released on 7" vinyl in a limited edition of 500 copies by Angular Records, before being made available as a free download for a single day, and then deleted. Song taken from Beat Pyramid, their full-length debut, the next phase in These New Puritans' hyperbolic progression. Recorded alongside producer Gareth Jones, its songs are an ever-mutating blur of brash chords, subtle details, and taut rhythms. www.thesenewpuritans.com/ www.myspace.com/thesenewpuritans Cabin Near Paris - Sasha Ponkratov (Moscow, Russia) From his album Kaleidescope which is the most downloaded netlabel release on archive.org This link should take you straight to it. www.archive.org/compress/puls02 and this will link to Jamendo www.blue.jamendo.com/en/album/15983 or go via his MySpace at: www.myspace.com/ponkratovsasha Laura & Bren - wedding (at last) on Saturday in Cumbria. So sorry I won't be with you but I'm sure the reasons are understood. Have a great day followed by lots and lots more. Now what was that pub in Notting Hill called … Love Dis Girl - Waltah PPK (Trinidad and Minneapolis) (MS) Born and raised on the island of Trinidad. (Walter Alan Shields) aka Waltah PPK, vocalist/songwriter was involved in music from an early age. Strongly influenced by his mother's passion for music, he began giving performances as a pre-teen on the steel drum, piano and singing in choirs. Waltah migrated to the US as a young adult, where he completed his college studies. During this time the island of his birth had become infested with violence, corruption where many still fall victim to an unjust political system. This turn of events called him to return to the stage driven and compelled to be a voice of awakening, inspiration and truth. In 2004 Waltah was an original member of The Elementals; a local MPLS band that infused reggae, funk, rock and soul to create a sound that was new to the Minneapolis/St. Paul music scene. Always delivering music with a positive message, the band gave performances with international reggae superstars Lucky Dube (R.I.P) and Yellowman as some of their most notable highlights. Accompanying him are band members: Ryan Ward (Fly Ry) - Guitar Keith Raney (KMan) - Bass Andy Deckard (Randy) - Drums Together the band delivers passionate grooves that target the soul, move the body and inspire the mind. www.myspace.com/waltahppk Comments[1] |
Wed, 23 July 2008  Suddenly it is hazy mid-summer complete with flies and sweaty heat. Whatever happened to those lovely warm, fresh air days of early summer - oh yes, that's right. It rained. However, the moon rising from the sea at Aldeburgh was pretty impressive. Diagnóstico Canalla - Diagnóstico Canalla (Barcelona, Spain) From their album "LA ESTACIÓN DE LAS MENTIRAS" (as a CD from their site for 8 euros). In existence since : 06.2005 www.diagnosticocanalla.com www.myspace.com/diagnosticocanalla Oh No - KaiserCartel (New York, USA) Courtney Kaiser (vocals, guitar, xylophone, keys) Benjamin Cartel (vocals, guitar, drums, xylophone) KaiserCartel's earthy blend of folk and rock will make you laugh, cry, sing along, and want to hold hands with the stranger next to you. Warm up by the fire with KaiserCartel. Another of Ariel's great artists. 23 Jul The Beauty Bar, Austin, Texas 23 Jul Gypsy Hut, Cincinnati, Ohio 24 Jul Avant Garden, Houston, Texas 31 Jul Mama Java's Coffeehouse, Phoenix, Arizona 1 Aug Plush, Tucson, Arizona 2 Aug McCabe's Guitar Shop, Santa Monica, California 3 Aug Anthology, San Diego, California 4 Aug The Hotel Cafe, Los Angeles, California 11 Aug Kilby Court, Salt Lake City, Utah 14 Aug Shuga's, Colorado Springs, Colorado 21 Aug Schuba's, Chicago, Illinois 22 Aug Rudyard Kipling, Louisville 23 Aug The Gypsy Hut, Cincinnati, Ohio www.kaisercartel.com/ www.myspace.com/kaisercartel Brooke's Waltz - Don Ross (Ontario, Canada) The son of a Scottish immigrant father and a Mi'kmaq aboriginal mother, Don was born in Montreal in 1960 into a musical family. He first started experimenting with the solo possibilities of the acoustic guitar at the age of eight. By age ten he was playing in alternate tunings and exploring "fingerstyle" technique, a right hand discipline similar to classical guitar playing. Preferring to write original music and develop a personal style, Don's self-taught journey on the instrument has encouraged him to follow his musical intuition. The result is an unclassifiable musical style that borrows from jazz, folk, rock and classical music. When asked, Don usually pigeonholes his music as "Heavy Wood"! www.gobyfish.com www.myspace.com/donross When things go wrong … and they get put right it's almost better than them not going wrong in the first place! Alesis mixer, Plantronics headset both fixed as things should be. Minimum disruption. I had a Rick Fowler track lined up that Jeremy and I have been enthusing about for the past couple of weeks, since his appearance on SnC 124, then, as I was prepping, I came across this on the PMN. It blew me totally away. Feel So Much Better - Rick Fowler (Georgia, USA) Rick Fowler's musical honesty creates an unsurpassed morphic resonance between him and his listeners. With a raw soul reminiscent of early Johnny Winter and aural suspense akin to Trower, Fowler delivers the energy, joy, anger and torment found in the very best of blues-rock. Preacher is from his album Back on my good foot available direct from his site or from CD Baby. Credit due to all musicians on the album: BASS: Michael C. Steele DRUMS: Gerry Hansen, Bill Berry B3: Tim White, Randall Bramblett 2ND GUITAR: Jonathan Dorsey RESONATOR: Michael C. Steele BG VOCS: Sherry Joyce, Michael C. Steele http://rickfowler.com/ www.myspace.com/rickfowlerband The next track has lots of reference to the sounds of Marley when I was with the band clavinet through wah-wah and a clear nod in the direction of session maestro Wayne Perkins for his transforming guitar breaks on the Catch a Fire album which I think very cleverly made the Marley reggae breakthrough possible with a rather jaded European audience. Marley - Danakil (France) Formed in 2000 by 8 students from around Paris they have crept up to be a nine piece band: Chant : Balik Sax : Das (le coach) Trompette : Tom-Tom Trombone : Big keuj' Basse : Massif-Boris Batterie : Titi (le Duc) Guitare : Papa Dus Guitare : Fab' Claviers : Smarties After a while gigging they self-produced their 2006 debut album Microclimat. The new 12 track album Dialogue de sourds which is available as CD or MP3 download from their site where you can hear the other tracks before you buy. Also on Jamendo www.danakilweb.com/ www.myspace.com/danakilweb Mystery of Mister tba is solved - and the shownotes for SnC126 updated. Valse Chromatique - Nico Spahni (Switzerland) Prematurely born on a cold yet allegedly sunny November morning in 1972, the artist took to shaking his baby shaker at an early age and has been dabbling in manifold music styles, ranging from ambient electronica and experimental improvisation to music for film and contemporary dance, ever since. More music and videos can be found at www.myspace.com/nicospahni Call me Moon - Sputnik has Crashed (over a field of virgins) (Rouen, France) Prozac for masses est le premier album de Sputnik has crashed (over a field of virgins). Ce avant tout un projet, une ébauche, juste pour me mettre le pied à l'étrier et me forcer à réaliser des productions plus propres. Prozac for masses est initialement publié avec 3 morceaux, mais il donnera le jour à une nouvelle tentative, comprenant notamment les mêmes morceaux mais retravaillés plus tard. Call me moon est un titre qui fait honneur à une charmante jeune fille qui m'a ému bien que je ne l'ai jamais rencontrée (ça arrive). www.myspace.com/sputnikhascrashed Did you hear PC Podcast this week. Oh, Mr Cogle, the most entertaining first few minutes of PC Podcast I've heard in ages! Poor old Codger seemed to be rather tired and emotional. http://pcpodcast.blogsome.com/ All hands on deck - Rigel (Madison, USA) Shay Carlson- Fiddle, Mark Bilhorn- Guitar/Mando, Evan Carlson- Keyboards. David Steinweg- Drums/Percussion Rigel is a four member Celtic band playing a variety of instruments including fiddle,keyboard,guitar,mandolin, and drums. Rigel was formed in the spring of 2007 and just released their first CD self titled Rigel. They consider themselves a Celtic rock, jam band and fiddle band. Visit their website for more details: www.rigelband.com Comments[0] |
Wed, 16 July 2008 A quirky selection from around the globe again. Finding the tracks is certainly enjoyable; I just need another day a week to do it! Skamótxalo - Vagos Permanentes (Alcalá de Henares, Spain) In existence since : 05.2005 www.vagospermanentes.com "Ouvrez grand vos oreilles” - Jamendo. What a great slogan. Honestly - Nancy Moran (Tennessee, USA) The Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch called Moran "nothing short of a [modern-day] Joni Mitchell" and "a major creative force to be reckoned with." Dirty Linen says Nancy has "a powerful, expressive voice...stunning." Something Old, Something New is her 4th solo release and can be yours for $14.97 from CD Baby via her site. www.nancymoran.com/ www.myspace.com/nancymoran Dirty Dog - Mister tba aka Boo Boo Davis (Illinois, USA) just three guys i play sing and play harmonica one plays drums one plays guitar you don't know my name...... I am a survivor and belong to one of the last generations of musicians that write and play the blues based on first hand experience of a hard life in the Mississippi Delta. In the early sixties I went north to St Louis and was around during the heyday of the St Louis music scene (Albert King, Ike Turner, Chuck Berry and many others). During my childhood there was no time or money for me to go to school so I never learned to read and write. (Yes I have some help with this !!). However that did not prevent me to travel all over the world. Following my guiding spirit (Dave) I have found a way to deal with modern society. The blues helps me to keep my spirit high and survive day-to-day life. www.myspace.com/booboodavis Back in late May I played a track by Jennifer Greer called Ocean Liner. Today I heard that Triplexity had released a new album, Live in Triplex City which included a track that is based on Invited one of the other tracks on Jennifer's album. It features Jennifer's vocals beautifully meshed with characteristically restrained, almost sparse layered components in Triplexity"s music. Invited - Triplexity (France?) (With Jennifer Greer) Triplexity is Nikila, SaReGaMa and Hamelin Bérengnier. The word Triplexity is combined of two words: triplex and complexity. Triplexity is a virtual band, its members never met each other face to face, all the collaborations came to live thru the Internet. Every member comes from a different musical background, together, they blend their knowledge and inspiration and give life to their unique music with a fresh new sound. http://triplexity.blogspot.com/ Note from Pete Miller - loops? What loops? (Australia) Animals will hurt you - Control Escape (Ithaca, NY, USA) Control Escape are releasing their debut LP Generation of Waste, today, July 16, 2008 on Weasel Land Records. Full of double meaning and self-deprecation Generation of Waste comments on the young American experience. From the addled addict, "It ain't like I wanted it. It ain't like I'm good.... I'm back on the drugs," (Back on the Drugs) to the homesick soldier, "Sittin' in Iraq with an MRE/ yeah, Big Mac/ when I get back," (Iraq) the songs portray a generation coping with their inherited future. In support of their upcoming release Control Escape has been performing on local and college radio including Cornell University's WVBR. Erased, an early release from the album, is getting frequent play on internet radio. Their quirky music video for track 2 Kenny's Big Adventure has been picked up by BlankTV.com and CGN7 in Portland, Oregon. Political ballad Iraq is available for free download on garageband.com: www.garageband.com/artist/controlescape www.controlescapemusic.com/ www.myspace.com/controlescape Lakaboura berceuse afro - Myriam "Jah B" Matoussi (Tunisia) from her album In Trees, one of quite a few on Jamendo. Chanteuse tunisienne amoureuse de la nature née dans les montagnes en 1982 près de Byzerte, sa voix douce et envoutante nous emporte dans un voyage vers des pays inconnus et lointains, toujours mystérieux; avec coeur émotions et ressenti; dans un ensemble de plages hétéroclites. Le métissage de ses musiques donne une colorité musicale dont le nuancier n'a pas de limites. Ces albums regroupent l'ensemble de ses influences musicales, liées par l'électronique. Le jazz, le classique et les musiques du monde constituent la matière première d'un travail de collage (cut-up) non coformiste, impressioniste et transformiste à l'huile d'Olive. Dans sa réalistation, Dreadd y insere des ambiances, ses propres sons , une atmosphere orientale ornée de culture jungle qui se marient parfaitement bien avec la maitrise de la composition musicale de Sir Giwo aka Gywonimo qui permet d'y inserer des petites choses déglinguées, voir déjantées. If you found it interesting get over to Jamendo and take a listen, the tracks are very varied in style, origin and sound. www.jamendo.com/en/artist/Myriam_Matoussi Droga 2003 - THC-X (Namysłów, Poland) From their album Muzykanci (Jamendo) www.thcx.art.pl/ Dancing with my brother - Entire Cities (Ontario, Canada) Entire Cities are riding high on the success of their latest album, Deep River, the product of ten musicians using banjos, violins, flutes, pianos, minimoogs, singing saws, trombones, whatever else they saw fit to bring their work to life. The result is a heady mix of country, indie, gospel and rock. SIMON BORER -Guitar, Vox, RUHEE DEWJI -Flute, Horns, Vox, TAMARA LINDEMAN -Banjo, Vox, BRENDAN HOWLETT -Bass, Trumpet, PAUL McCRADY -Vox, Keys, Glock and PAUL WEADICK -Drums, Vox Long distance members: JOSH LYON -Keys, Accordion, Vox, STEFANIE BRUCE -Singins Saw, Autoharp and DAVID MISSIO -Guitar Available now at Soundscapes in Toronto, Brian's Record Option and Made 4 You in Kingston and online at Zunior.com www.entirecities.ca www.myspace.com/entirecities Comments[3] |
Wed, 9 July 2008  A focus on some fine acoustic music (along with some great electric rock) this week as an equipment failure and lots of changes in the set-up create a rather different sound, I think. One of the most powerful rainbows I've seen over the house last night - when there was sun as well as rain. Tonight. Just rain, and lots of it for the past 15 hours and counting. Enjoy the music! Same ol' bend - Sheila Sondergärd (California, USA) From her album Spoke too loud. Picking up the trumpet at the age of 9 and the guitar at 11 cannon-balled Sheila Sondergärd into something she couldn't wait to 'tap'. Having been inspired by each of her diverse and contrasting homes and drenched in exotic cultures her style has evolved as a copasetic [Copacetic: in excellent order - early 20th century of unknown origin. So now we know!] melting-pot of genres such as: Classical, Reggae, Folk, Rock n Roll, Punk, and many others. Sheila is not only a musician, but she holds down three jobs and in her spare time, she works on cars, & professionally trains horses. This seemingly lends to a common sense in Sheila's lyrics and music that both men and women can relate to. Becoming a staple of the SD music scene over the past 5 years, Sheila has had the opportunity to play aside many amazingly, talented artists at many great and diverse venues. She also hosts one of San Diego"s most popular and longest running open mics for 10-12 local musicians every week. Sheila is ready to bring her music to the world, and we hope you can help to be a vessel in which that is possible! And as always, thank you for supporting independent music. www.sheilasondergard.com/ www.myspace.com/sheilasondergard View from the N16 - Peter Miller (Queensland, Australia) Hailing from Australia, fingerstyle guitarist Peter Miller is a player that has been inspired by the styles of Phil Keaggy, Bruce Cockburn and many of the players like Michael Hedges from the Windham Hill label that brought us such greats as Will Ackerman and many more... "It's very flattering that reviewers can pick up that I'm inspired by such players I owe a lot to those sort of players." says Peter. His playing has a tasteful use of space, without being underplayed. His live performances are a mixture of solo and layered guitar pieces using a loopstation (JamMan) to build the multiple guitar parts. Peter has received great responses from fellow musicians and reviewers for his 2007 release "From A Distant Shore". www.peter-miller.com/ www.myspace.com/petermillerguitarstyle http://cdbaby.com/cd/petermiller Mangue sauvage - Abakuya (France) The musical project Abakuya was born with the meeting of two musicians, Jimi Sofo (Australia) and François Essindi (Cameroon), and took place in 2006 thanks to an exchange travel organized by the Akiba Association in Cameroon. Other musicians came in turn and decided to travel together... www.myspace.com/abakuya The Frog and the Princess - Brent Lewis (Joshua Tree, California, USA) Journey of Souls is Brent Lewis' newest CD. Master melodic drummer, Brent Lewis has created a new dimension in music. He uses his one and only melodic drums as the lead instrument surrounded by beautiful counter point melodies and harmonies. Brent's life is his music, and the study of tribal rhythms. His education has been intense and in-depth studying with drum masters in different parts of the world. His experience studying with the master professor Mr. Kwasi Badu of Ghana, Africa, was profound and very meaningful. Brent has travelled throughout Africa to study the roots of African music, tribal ceremonies and rhythms. His music takes ancestral rhythms from all over the world and combines them for a unique world beat. www.brentlewis.com/ www.myspace.com/brentlewisusa 15 minutes - Mal Fry (Suffolk, UK) I am a Singer songwriter from Suffolk, England and have been playing guitar for 8 years and writing songs for 7 years. Started playing live Sep 1999 (nerve wracking or what!) now have regular gigs in the local area. Well after 10 years of trying finally a modicum of success. A Dutch TV show called Hello Goodbye about Schiphol airport has used 2 of my songs "You Were There" and "In Your Arms" on 3 episodes so it just goes to show it's worth persevering. www.castmp3.com/mal_fry www.myspace.com/malvanmusic www.cdbaby.com/cd/malfry Grounded - Ruth Theodore (London, UK) A singer/songwriter like no other. With words as dangerous as her guitar playing, Ruth Theodore reminds us why songwriting is important in the first place. Refreshingly original and relentlessly imaginative. - River Rat Records Debut album Worm Food. 13 tracks of beautifully twisted, political and personal mayhem. River Rat Records supports Creative Commons. If you like what you hear, please consider buying a CD. Their releases are packaged beautifully and manufactured using 100% recycled card. £9.99 www.ruththeodore.com Bees and flowers / Joe Smallwood's Reel - Duane Andrews (Newfoundland, Canada) Heavily influenced by the brilliance of early twentieth century French Gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt, Duane Andrews' unique blend of jazz and traditional Newfoundland folk music is consistently recognized by both industry and fans with awards and accolades. A couple of duo performance with Icelandic guitarist Bjorn Thoroddsen are coming up. 14 July Atlantic Jazz Festival, Halifax, Nova Scotia 19 July The Evergreen Theatre, East Margaretsville, Nova Scotia www.duaneandrews.ca/ www.myspace.com/duaneandrews http://cdbaby.com/cd/duaneandrews2 Comments[0] |
Wed, 2 July 2008  Intro Happy - Jimmie Bratcher (Missouri, USA) www.jimmiebratcher.com/ Some amazing light on the sea at Aldeburgh. At the salon - The Mome Raths (Illinois, USA) Daniel Rath - Guitar & Vocals Tracey Rath - Bass & Vocals Sister Rath - Vocals & style Boss Rath - Drums & Handclaps The Mome Raths play raw, poppy, fast, catchy, garage punk rock that you can bust a move to, or at least we try. We like to sing about pretty random stuff. We're not the best musicians in the world but we make up for it in some way or another. We like to have fun and not take ourselves too serious cause if you ask us the music scene already has enough self obsessed overblown egos to go around. www.myspace.com/ilikethemomeraths Nobody makes it overnight - The Alice Project (New York, USA) NY-based band that specializes in melodic, hooky, tuneful pop/rock. ... Alice Leon is a singer and songwriter who's been creating smart appealing songs for one million years. ALICE WANTS TO THANK THE "POD PEOPLE" for beaming in from outerspace and creating GOOD radio for earthlings. http://thealiceproject.com/ Martin Baker was listening to Radio 4 in his car this week when, as he says, "There was an item about The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, six guys and two girls who play ukuleles of various sizes. I've just Googled them and there are several of their videos there - Wuthering Heights, Orange Blossom, Life on Mars, etc.. Though you might like to listen to something different." Yes, they were indeed on Radio 4 last weekend and I have a request in for a track or two to play on the show. The only potential problem is that they tend to play "covers" of popular songs and so copyright clearance could be a nightmare (and expensive) but I'm working on it. When I say "covers" I'm using the term in its loosest sense. I'm particularly fond of Should I stay or should I go? and Teenage Kicks - transformed into something quite else. Definitely "loose covers". www.ukuleleorchestra.com Spill - Annie Goliath (London, UK) The engaging music of Annie Goliath is urban poetry unravelling. Based in London, this vocalist/ musician has teamed up with the experimental artist known as Digital Freakswing. The result is alternative electronica soundscapes with deep undercurrents of rock and dance pulsing through...ELECTRIC! www.myspace.com/anniegoliath Merde - Tour de France (Los Angeles, USA)) Tour De France is the songwriting team of Bernadette Colomine and Samuel H Collin. Based in Los Angeles, California, Tour De France composes original songs in French. Sam and Bernadette share a mutual passion for writing hook driven songs. www.myspace.com/bctourdefrance It sounds as though Paul "The Grumbler” over at Music and Mumblngs (mumu.grumbling-dragon.com) has a great time at the Yael Naim gig in San Francicsco last week. Just as I would have expected. Dance - Nikila (France) Passion pour la montagne et l'art sous toutes formes From the album #1 (Jamendo) http://nikilart.blogspot.com/ Freon Cowboy - Bourland Bourland is from Austin, Texas formerly of The Texas Philistines, he now has his own band featuring DJ Buffalo Phil, Buster Gutbucket, Sick and Mojo playing a disctinctive brand of Hillbilly Hick Hop. What is Hillbilly Hick Hop, you say? Pseudo country music with hip hop beats and a DJ scratching. Add a washtub bass and your on your way! Basically, I like DJ music, drum loops, country music, bluegrass and punk rock. I like bands like Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, The Beastie Boys, The Sex Pistols, Scott H. Biram, The Weary Boys, Beck, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Ray Wylie Hubbard etc... www.hillbillyhickhop.com/ www.myspace.com/bourlandmusic Gas prices in the USA. Bourland reports that Opal Devine"s venues around Austin are suspending music for the summer. Distances? really feeling the pinch? Have you noticed any changes to gigs? Blue Blue - Serpentone (Oregon, USA) Played Get Free from the "studio" in Porto de Soller back in early May (SnC 116). Band formed in 2004, with the longest standing members being Erika (vox/songwriting/guitar-playing/diva-bitch), Cyrus (original drummer, who has done fill-in work since 2005), and most recently, the adorable multitasking almost-sober chick-magnet bassist known as Skot. Somehow, these three managed to eke out time on Sundays during 2007 to record an album of sorts at Marty Vincelli's "Big House." Which is a house, that is big. Many amazing musicians have supported this band by filling the rhythm slots for live shows, including Carl Keil, Morgan Grace, Sam Henry, Tom Drama, Tim Flanary, Carl Keil, nolan void, and Susan Costa. www.serpentone.com www.myspace.com/serpentone "When I play a note on my guitar and it sustains just right - for a few seconds. I have everything I need for this world." Preacher - Rick Fowler (Georgia, USA) Rick Fowler's musical honesty creates an unsurpassed morphic resonance between him and his listeners. With a raw soul reminiscent of early Johnny Winter and aural suspense akin to Trower, Fowler delivers the energy, joy, anger and torment found in the very best of blues-rock. Preacher is from his album Back on my good foot available direct from his site or from CD Baby. Credit due to all musicians on the album: BASS: Michael C. Steele DRUMS: Gerry Hansen, Bill Berry B3: Tim White, Randall Bramblett 2ND GUITAR: Jonathan Dorsey RESONATOR: Michael C. Steele BG VOCS: Sherry Joyce, Michael C. Steele http://rickfowler.com/ www.myspace.com/rickfowlerband Comments[2] |
Wed, 25 June 2008 A rather/even more quirky selection than usual this week. I've been exploring a few genres that I'm not really that familiar with. Really listening opens up whole new landscapes of music to explore. Artois woke up briefly (See photo) to have some food but otherwise has slept soundly since 08:30 yesterday Wed) morning! Weekend Tongue - Donora (Pennsylvania, USA) Jake H. met Casey a few hours after she was born. He was disappointed she was a girl and cried. Eighteen years later he got over it, and they started a band with another Jake that played bass. They became Donora and together they make melodic, dance-worthy, garage rock. www.donoramusic.com/ www.myspace.com/donora The High Road - Sharon Robinson (California, USA) Singer/songwriter/producer Sharon Robinson releases her debut solo album "Everybody Knows" on August 19, 2008. The long-time collaborator of Rock n' Roll Hall of Famer Leonard Cohen won a GRAMMY in 1985 for "New Attitude" by Patti Labelle. www.sharonrobinsonmusic.com/ www.myspace.com/sharonrobinsonmusic Tusuka Bay - Ambiguous Dreams (UK) AD, is a two piece ambient instrumental project, from England (UK). The project began in late 05, when AD's music was produced through a college controlled version of Cubase 1. Taking influence from the sounds of Akira Yamaoka's Silent Hill creations and Random Juxtaposition AD's audio output is a a maelstrom of genres, including; Ambient, NU Age, Drum & Bass, Metal and more. www.myspace.com/roubmewsick You bought song for a dollar - The Go Ahead And (Vermont, USA) Seriously funny music about non-serious, frequently geeky topics, such as foot fetishes, boring people, and forbidden love on the Death Star. The Go Ahead And is a comedy pop band who masquerades as a group of rascally young hooligans; however, all of the wacky musical hijinks perpetrated by The Go Ahead And are actually the product of just one person: Joel Abbott. Joel Abbott's story as a musician begins a few months after he was born, when his parents took him to a stoned fortuneteller at a hippie art fair in Boulder, Colorado, and the fortuneteller said "when this baby grows up he will use music to express himself." True story. www.thegoaheadand.com www.myspace.com/thegoaheadand Waitress Song - Jen Lowe (Georgia, USA) Jen Lowe is a sincere songwriter who writes straight from the heart. Her lyrics are direct and thoughtful, as she wastes no time getting the heart of the matter. Having been a full time touring percussionist and drummer with many national acts, Jen's sense of the song writing process is strong. She comes to you from Atlanta, GA where she has played and been influenced by great artists such as Angie Aparo, Keni Thomas, Jason Mraz, and Tristan Prettyman. Her stage presence is larger than life as she engages the audience in a story, a witty comment, or just her keen ability to entertain. Jen is pleased to bring to her audience her first record entitled "From The End Of This Hallway." Produced by Tim Acres and mixed by Steve Rizzo, this album will take you in from the first note. Whether on the stage or in the studio, Jen takes you on her journey that will leave remembering her sentiments for a long time. www.myspace.com/jenjenlowe Beaumont is alive - Dr Kananga From the two track album (what is an album these days) Post-apocolyptic merry melodies Dr Kananga, conspirateur au sein des Space Jahourt vous a préparé une cuisine électro qui sent bon le old school à base de hip hop, trip hop et un soupson de Jungle. Comme dirait l'autre on ne fait pas de la nouvelle cuisine et même si certaines plages peuvent sembler lounge c'est pour mieux rebondir après. Les beats sont lourds, les samples de cuivres et de violons sont jazzy et les synthés fleurent bon la fin des 70s. Le tout est accompagné de ses transitions -Entremets à base de zapping télé improbable. Beginner's Luck - Lindalou and Michael Ryge (California, USA) From the album Beginner's Luck which was originally released in 2003. They finally got around to releasing it on Jamendo in April 2008. Wild spirited teenagers surprise themselves decades later with this CD of close harmonies, true stories and adventures reflecting their love for life and each other. They've made old men cry, and young women laugh, and vice versa. Their music, while almost all acoustic, is diverse in styles, from instrumental to A cappella, from story songs and love ballads to quirky autobiographical tales. http://cdbaby.com/cd/llmr Comments[0] |
Wed, 18 June 2008  A frantic week since ... er... last week's show with the summer Podcrawl in London on Friday, being social at the weekend and a crazy but necessary trip to Glasgow (pictured) yesterday, it's no wonder that I feel a bit more "odd" than usual. Glasgow seemed to me to be changing ... into a showcase for innovative architecture but at the cost of losing its distinctive look and feel. In a few years every major city will have copied the styles of buildings and at that point they will look fresh and Glasgow will look tired with none of its traditional buildings remaining to save the day. Depressing.No use for hate - Trick Seventeen (Germany) From the self titled album from German pop/punk, melodic emo rockers Trick Seventeen. The album MAY be called Might as Well but it makes not a jot of difference. You can get it free from Jamendo at the click of a mouse from : www.jamendo.com/album/4903?refuid=117934 www.myspace.com/trickseventeen The past quite a few hours have been strange and exhausting. I did something that I argue fiercely against yesterday. One of the projects I am working on at the moment is not making the progress that it should be so I went on a day trip for a meeting with someone who may well be able to help. The only problem is that Kate was scheduled to be in Glasgow, Scotland from her base in Inverness, almost 200 miles of tortuous Scottish roads away. I'm in Suffolk, another 450 miles and 7 hours driving away. I'm reluctant to admit that I did the obvious thing, drove over to Stansted Airport and caught a one hour flight to Glasgow horribly early in the morning and came back in the evening. 21 hours non-stop travel and work with two climbs to 36,000 feet and the descents have taken their toll. (Bedding track - Peter Greenstone Somewhere over Greenland) Broken Symmetries - Peter Greenstone (Texas, USA) Peter Greenstone is an independent musician, a singer/songwriter producing his own sound from his home studio in Austin, Texas. Freely stepping across and often defying genres, Peter mixes acoustic and synthetic sounds and tones to create an atmosphere in his music that is sometimes surreal, sometimes haunting, sometimes whimsical, but always personal. You can buy his album of the same name (Broken Symmetries) or any individual track through his site. www.petergreenstone.com/ Calleso - Triplexity (mostly France, I think!) Triplexity is Nikila, SaReGaMa and Hamelin Bérengnier. The word Triplexity is combined of two words: triplex and complexity. Triplexity is a virtual band, its members never met each other face to face, all the collaborations came to live thru the Internet. Every member comes from a different musical background, together, they blend their knowledge and inspiration and give life to their unique music with a fresh new sound. http://triplexity.blogspot.com/ Sound quality in MP3 recordings like SnC Benefit of getting better quality originals such as the FLAC files that Triplexity are producing. Much better form of compression. Explained by Saregama at: http://saregama3.blogspot.com Les Soldats - Tribuman and the Jammin' Orchestra (from Jamendo) I played their track First Riddim' back in October last year high time for another. The electric piano through the wah-wah pedal reminds me rather strongly of one of the bands I worked with. While it's nice to hear a familiar sound and these days it triggers a smile, I'm, even more pleased that it quickly turns into something quite different and presents and worthwhile challenge to expectations. Please Pass the Schnapps - Copper Box (Wisconsin, USA) I played "Need a little squeeze” from Copper Box a couple of weeks ago and suggested that we needed to hear another track soon. This is the one I was thinking of. (From the PMN) www.copperboxsite.com/ www.myspace.com/copperboxband Tic-toc - Manny (Luxembourg) From Manny's Sideshow album. Recorded at Chez Manny by Luxembourg resident Scotsman Gordon Furguson aka Manny. www.sideshowmanny.com Come Clean - The Mexicolas (Birmingham, UK) Been played by both Pete Cogle at PC Podcast and now by Colin Gazeley over at The Ourobourous Podcast and now at long last, here. They are: Jamie Evans - Vocals / Guitars / Keyboards Tim Trotter - Drums / Percussion Del Carter - Bass www.themexicolas.com www.myspace.com/mexicolas Message from The Grumbler and New Song - Yael Naim Bimbo's 365, San Francisco, next Tuesday 24th. www.myspace.com/yaelnaim www.yaelweb.com/ Comments[2] |
Wed, 11 June 2008  A rum ol' mix of styles and tastes this week which I hope conspire to suit your mood. Do you find that your musical taste changes with your mood? Does your mood change with the music? Let me know, by a comment at the bottom of these notes, email or by the MyCHingo voice message system. I've was photographing for a client in Aldeburgh (right), on the Suffolk coast, on Monday. It felt like grabbing the only chance to enjoy the town on a sunny day and yet in a relatively peaceful state before the "Hooray Henry” brigade arrives for the summer. Armens à dit - Bézèd'h (Mulhouse, France) From their new album Les Illuminés. IBézèd'H, l'alliance de la guitare et du violon caricaturée comme : "DU FER DANS LA SOIE" Un savant mélange pour du Rock puisqu"il daigne enfin se marier aux présents des musiques Celtiques. La noce des énergies libère un fracassant bouquet… Avec plus de 400 concerts à leur actif ils ont partagé l'affiche avec : STATUS QUO, EV, SALLY BAT DES AILES, LES WAMPAS, MAROUSSE, ALDEBERT, LES FILS DE TEPU, MERZHIN, BLACK BOMB A… C"est ensuite l'enchaînement de Festivals et de concerts réputés … … En Juillet 2005 ils réalisent un fabuleux concert au MONTREUX JAZZ FESTIVAL. OCTOBRE 2007 : la sortie de leur nouvel album … « LES ILLUMINES » TELECHARGEMENTS GRATUITS. Note: the link may generate pop-up ads for French supermarkets! www.bezedh.com Angels of Mercy - Mike Link/Harvey Taylor (Milwaukee, USA) Normally I'm less than happy with crossover music (regardless of where it is crossing from or to) however, sometimes it just seems to work.A fascinating mix of styles in this track form Milwaukee-based studio duo (Mike Link on keys, etc, and Harvey Taylor on trumpet), with guest artists (Holly Haebig on flute, Tom Plutshack on guitars) .. groove-based tunes with trumpet improvisations, etc, fusing a jazz/blues approach to contemporary electronica...World music influences combine for an eclectic mix. www.cdbaby.com/cd/linktaylor I've been distracted this morning by news that daughter Jessie's hotel room in Ibiza was burgled while she was at work last night. Lost her treasured laptop and iPod. Hotel security appears not to be all that it might be - experiments showed that a few keys open more than the expected number of room doors. Ballarine - David (Montpellier, France) From his album Experimental released through Jamendo right at the end of last year. www.myspace.com/davidchapel Three chords - Jimmie Bratcher (Missouri, USA) If you've been listening for a long time, you've heard Jimmie every week for the past two and a half years. Happy is the show theme. Here's another more bluesy track. www.jimmiebratcher.com Fun Tashlikh - Faren Khan (Paris, France) Faren Khan is a group of cosmopolitan musicians, as surprising as they are atypical. They have found each other in France, some of them in exile from their native Spain and United States, others closer to their Mediterranean and Eastern European roots.In the image of the legendary Faren Khan - the mysterious bandit who once wandered the land from Belarus to Hungary and Romania on the back of his fierce swine, the group leads you through its remarkable and eccentric universe. Amidst traditional melodies from the Balkans and Mediterranean, we hear influences of American jazz, the Middle East and India. A nomadic path for the most nomadic of music….Klezmer music. www.myspace.com/farenkhan Note from Kimo www.sellaband.com/kimo-watanabe/ Talkers - Entire Cities (Ontario, Canada) Entire Cities are riding high on the success of their latest album, Deep River, the product of ten musicians using banjos, violins, flutes, pianos, minimoogs, singing saws, trombones, whatever else they saw fit to bring their work to life. The result is a heady mix of country, indie, gospel and rock. SIMON BORER -Guitar, Vox, RUHEE DEWJI -Flute, Horns, Vox, TAMARA LINDEMAN -Banjo, Vox, BRENDAN HOWLETT -Bass, Trumpet, PAUL McCRADY -Vox, Keys, Glock and PAUL WEADICK -Drums, Vox Long distance members: JOSH LYON -Keys, Accordion, Vox, STEFANIE BRUCE -Singins Saw, Autoharp and DAVID MISSIO -Guitar 14 Jun Cadillac Lounge - NXNE Toronto, Ontario 21 Jun Skeleton Park Music Festival Kingston, Ontario 29 Jun Sneaky Dee's - Wavelength w. Hot Panda Toronto, Ontario Available now at Soundscapes in Toronto, Brian's Record Option and Made 4 You in Kingston and online at Zunior.com www.entirecities.ca www.myspace.com/entirecities Podcrawl on Friday. "Oh dear, dear, dear ..." Yep - Nikila (Grenoble, France) Passion pour la montagne et l'art sous toutes formes From the album #1 (Jamendo) http://nikilart.blogspot.com/ Comments[4] |
Sun, 8 June 2008  Nordgarden in session at the Barn In these occasional shows artists drop by to have a bit of a chat about what they are doing, what makes them tick and, of course, to play a few tunes live for us. The guest at The Barn for this session is Terje Nordgarden who is really living the life of an artist with something to say. He tours almost continuously with loyal followings developing in Italy, Poland, Holland and the UK, not to mention his native Norway. We were delighted to have Terje stay over with us for a couple of nights (between Springsteen concerts!). We also fitted in a gig at the Winelight Club and a short radio session for the BBC. I've not previously seen a producer behind the glass shout out and applaud after a song, live on air. Terje plays three songs from his excellent current album The Path of Love: Up the Hillside The Path of Love So far away Find out more about Nordgarden at: www.myspace.com/nordgarden Recording engineer: Jeremy Gugenheim. Show in/out: Lil Diddley Vamp - DJOC http://oregonchad.com Comments[2] |
Wed, 4 June 2008 Some people have suggested that the show is eclectic. Listening to this week's selection, I think they could be right. Music from Canada, Texas, London, Germany, New York and Norway. Les fantômes – David Jalbert (Canada) Auteur-compositeur-interprète. David Jalbert naît le 5 mai 1980 à Rivière des Prairies et passe la majeure partie de sa vie à Mascouche dans Lanaudière. Dès sa tendre enfance, la musique est omniprésente au foyer; son père, un guitariste passionné, www.davidjalbert.ca/ She Walks On Water - Love = Action (Texas, USA) Love = Action is the current solo project of singer/songwriter Jacoby Jennings. The sound of the music is a collision of organic and electronic instruments but the constant is the honesty that flows through every song. Rather reminds me of The Blue Nile. www.myspace.com/loveisaction On and On - Naama Hillman (London, UK) Naama Hillman played the Winelight Club in Norwich on Friday – a very subtle, restrained, acoustic and moving set for which I offer my thanks. Nominated for an Indie Music Award recentlyOn and On is from her 2004 album Living room. She has a new five track acoustic EP (In Between the Lights) available right now for free download from her site and a new album on the way. That's something to look forward to. www.naamahillman.com Musik Macht - akustikfilm (Germany) From nature's sample board to urban voices and echoes. akustikfilm collects soundscapes on this planet and transforms them into musical film. All music by akustikfilm is licensed under creative commons (by-nc-nd) Note from Erika of Serpentone whose song Get Free I played a couple of weeks ago "thank you for that exposure on your wonderfully eclectic podcast! Much appreciated." 'Ere who you calling eclectic?" Quit Quittin' - Andy Mullen (New York, USA) Acoustic singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Andy Mullen is here to put the "song" back in "songwriter," the "blue" back in "bluegrass," and the "alcohol" back in "alcoholic." His new album, "The Toenail Jar" is available for a free digital download at his website. http://andymullenmusic.com/ Lovely note from Mune of Butumbaba (Sin Capitan on last week’s show) pointing out my inability to read the bleedin’ obvious. Of course MAJIKONVINAZION (which I even mis-spelt on the SnC shownotes isn’t unpronoucable at all! It means “magical combination” yes, of course it does! www.butumbaba.com.ar The Bumber Sticker Song - Last November (Georgia, US) They released their debut album, All the Gory Details, with Atlanta's Southern Tracks Records, founded by the late, legendary music publisher Bill Lowery. For years, the Label has developed a solid reputation of discovering and developing new talent. The album is a compilation of honest, thought-provoking lyrics that echo passionately through the voice of lead singer Luke Pilgrim. Last November’s 2nd album Over the Top or Under the Weather is produced by Steven Haigler at the renowned Southern Tracks Studio in Atlanta, home to such artists as Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Train, The Bravery, and Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band (who recorded their 2007 milestone CD, Magic, at the studio) and mastered by Rodney Mills. www.lastnovember.com From Corrientes Hi Peter :) Thanks for playing A Big Dose of Ideas and Vibe :) It was very cool that you reversed the vocals in Vibe to see what I was saying! lol... We actually are playing out about once or twice a month in NYC, Brooklyn, and Long Island. Hope you enjoy the rest of the week! ttysoon, -Ivette Oh Brother - Nordgarden (Hamar, Norway) From his current album The Path of Love. Live Session at the Barn with Nordgarden will probably go up onto this feed at the weekend. Benefit of subscribing – you get it as soon as it is released. www.myspace.com/nordgarden Sorry Simon - Jonny Dongel (New York, USA) Jonny Dongel was born in Bristol England in 1973 to an English mother and Irish father. He lived in Bristol until his late teens. After "Sodding Up" his A-levels and any chance at a proper future he moved to London where he spent a decade as a working class hero in nearly every pub and restaurant. From his album The fifth of nowhere http://jonnydongel.com/ Comments[3] |
Wed, 28 May 2008  A bit thin on the PMN this week but fortunately Jamendo is looking really good these days. Tracks from USA, Australia, Argentina and France. Getting set up this week with my chum Jeremy Gugenheim for another Session at the Barn. (Looks about right!)Lordy Lord – Davis Coen (Tennessee, USA) Blues circuit guitarist/singer Davis Coen's most recent accomplishments have included original music on the DVD release of Martin Scorsese`s PBS special 'The Blues'; backup work on the last release by Jesse Mae Hemphill, entitled 'Dare You To Do It Again' OK, so I played Davis Coen on SnC 115 a month or so ago. He’s simply very, very good. www.daviscoen.com/ La Mar - The Beautiful Girls (Sydney, Australia) "Music is a weird thing," says frontman and creative powerhouse Mat McHugh. "If you're doing it right, you're only trying to respect the spirit of it, but it seems that every step in making it is a compromise of ego and industry. Maybe you never actually get there." I suppose we benefit from their trying. Had this on my PMN playlist for a few weeks. Find their details at: www.thebeautifulgirls.com/ Spectacular storm last night. Sin Capitan – Butumbaba (Santa Fe, Argentina) Found on Jamendo which proved itself to be a wonderful melting pot of styles and genres. Desde su formación en 1993 en la ciudad de Santa Fe, Argentina, Butumbaba es una banda que se ha dedicado a la investigación y experimentación de los ritmos derivados y afines al Ska y al Reggae. A lo largo de estos años, en un trabajo constante, la banda va sufriendo. Their latest album Majiukakonvinazion is available at a few outlets in Santa Fe (Compactos, Musitop, X-Bomb, Zero extreme shop, Visual, Margat, Ropa & Roll and Magaforce) plus a whole load in and around Buenos Aires. If that’s not quite where you are, there are quite a few on-line stores listed on the band’s website and a pretty good video at: www.butumbaba.com.ar/ www.myspace.com/butumbaba Vibe - Corrientes (New York, USA) All Corrientes music is recorded, mixed, and produced by Ivette Torres in a home studio. Ivette is a Cuban-American, born in NY “I sang something and then reversed it and ended up liking how it sounded backwards so I kept it like that. I don¹t even remember what I was saying forward. I have to find the sample one of these days and reverse it back to figure out what I had originally meant to say.” One temptation too far! I-ve reversed the track in the final 10 seconds or so to reveal the original song. On Jamendo. www.corrientesmusic.com Les femmes nues – Luc Blanvillain (Orlaix, France) Can tell you very little except that this is the third track on the album Luc et les immigrés, also on Jamendo. Notes from Amy B from Gold Box Kingdom in San Francisco whose track I played last week In the shownotes but check: www.amybmusic.com Catgut whose quirky and excellent Spiders also got into last week’s show tells me that he’s got an new EP in preparation and should have it done over the summer. Definitely something to look forward to. If you can’t wait you’ll find good stuff at: www.littlecatgut.com Les champs de roses - Danakil (France) Formed in 2000 by 8 students from around Paris they have crept up to be a nine piece band: Chant : Balik Sax : Das (le coach) Trompette : Tom-Tom Trombone : Big keuj' Basse : Massif-Boris Batterie : Titi (le Duc) Guitare : Papa Dus Guitare : Fab' Claviers : Smarties After a while gigging they self-produced their 2006 debut album Microclimat. The new 12 track album Dialogue de sourds which is available as CD or MP3 download from their site where you can hear the other tracks before you buy. Also on Jamendo www.danakilweb.com/ www.myspace.com/danakilweb Need a little squeeze - Copper Box (Wisconsin, USA) A younger, more bluesy & jazzy version of the Texas Tornados fronted by a husband/wife duo Danny and Michelle Jerabek - the music is described as "polka-rock-Zydeco". There is another track that I’m tempted to slip in soon. (From the PMN) www.copperboxsite.com/ www.myspace.com/copperboxband Comments[3] |
Wed, 21 May 2008 A lot of music and quite a bit of it fairly downbeat and folky this week. To be honest, I've no idea why that should be and I sincerely hope you find the selection to be of interest. The Polka - The Gin Riots (UK) Named after the longest and hardest drinking session in living memory, The Gin Riots are a disparate bunch of boys who came together to get drunk and make music to get drunk to ... 12 Jun 2008 NXNE Festival - Toronto, Canada 13 Jun 2008 NXNE Festival @ Rancho Relaxo - Toronto, Canada 14 Jun 2008 NXNE Festival - Toronto, Canada 15 Jun 2008 NXNE Festival - Toronto, Canada 21 Jun 2008 The Gin Riots' Gin Palace Party @ The Windmill, Brixton, London. Line up TBA www.myspace.com/theginriots Great escape or ill-advised socialisation therapy? Ocean Liner - Jennifer Greer (Cambridge, MA) Jennifer Greer is a self-taught, detail-obsessed singer/songwriter/pianist who has been singing since she was a little girl. Growing up in a suburb near New York City, poetry was her first love and artistic medium. At 25 she began to write music, being drawn to the piano like a magnet. She has since gone on to write about 5 albums worth of material, only 2 of which have been recorded. Jennifer's distinctive voice which soars from earthy and sensual to sweetly lush is show-cased in her last album The Apiary, which critics have called stunning. She is a Winner for Best Adult Alternative CD 2005 from the Muses Muse. "The compelling reason to be in the unsigned issue is my band is trying to push boundaries of pop. We blend bits of jazz, funk and in classical what would be called a "tone poem". The songs deal with lots of subject matter from stuff in the news, characters from books, as well as personal experience. We work hard on being exciting and refreshing. we spend tons of attention to detail. Also, I co-run a music series in Cambridge that I founded, called IMC. So I am trying to make community happen and not just be into my career." This track recorded live, a couple of weeks ago. www.jennifergreer.com www.artsomerville.org Graffiti from Aliens - Kou Chou Ching (Taiwan) Hi,We're a HipHop band from Taiwan. Our music is inspired by Taiwan traditional music elements. We bring samples of Taiwanese folk songs and traditional music elements and mix them in HipHop to create a very unique sound. Through our music, you can hear the voices of Taiwan. www.myspace.com/koucc Dragon Dance - Laurie Lester (Colerado, USA) Placed first in the California State VOCE competition, placed in Long Beach Mozart Festival, Southern California Rotary Club International "Singer of the Year." Performs Elizabethan music/opera Innkeeper by day at www.willowpondbnb.com www.myspace.com/laurielester Lazy Day - Gold Box Kingdom (featuring AMY B) (California, USA) San Francisco based adult alternative pop/rock duo Gold Box Kingdom, featuring Amy Bruckmeier (aka Amy B), creates songs that range from confessional folk pop to cathartic trip hop. Songs are confident and provocative or bittersweet and brooding with unforgettable hooks. Produced by Jim Greer. www.amybmusic.com/ Spiders - Catgut (UK) From the album Brought to you by the letter Z. Latest bio notes on the PMN simple say: "I'm getting too old for this." I sincerely hope not. The site is well worth a visit. www.littlecatgut.com/ No one is going to help you - Little Plastic Stars (Clinton Township, Michigan, USA) From the album, Anthems for Riots. Little Plastic Stars is a one-man band with a lot of heart and soul in the words. "Music is my world and piano is my vessel." Every Wednesday a new track/idea is posted! Has given up on MySpace for posting the new tracks and has now moved over to Podshow http://music.podshow.com/music/listeners where you can search for "little plastic stars". Other information on MySpace I played "They don"t bring the noise" on SnC 114 Just got to fit another track in. Trouble is that with a new track every Wednesday, I'll never catch up! www.myspace.com/littleplasticstars A Big Dose of Ideas - Corrientes (New Yourk, USA) From the Jamendo album This Warm Saturday. There I was wondering why I was running out of energy. Corrientes is an original four piece band from NY. All Corrientes music is recorded, mixed, and produced by Ivette Torres in a home studio. Ivette is a Cuban-American, born in NY. Corrientes songs are in both English and Spanish. Check out the Corrientes' website for more info. www.corrientesmusic.com Comments[1] |
Wed, 14 May 2008  A mix of artists new to Suffolk and Cool and some seasoned favourites. Back in the studio in Suffolk this week after a hugely enjoyable and productive 11 days in Mallorca. Including a few days (right) advising music sheep on the finer points of cowbell technique.Test of concept for "digital nomadity" and it worked! Only had a couple fo half days off but, you know, it's really quite pleasant to be working in the shade of a lemon tree! Hit the weather just right though. No control - Pepper (Hawaii, USA) From their album "No Shame". The spirit of aloha is alive and well, and currently residing in sunny Southern California. Meet Pepper; Bret Bollinger (Vocals/Bass), Kaleo Wassman (Vocals/Guitar), and Yesod Williams (Drums); the three young innovative minds from the Hawaiian Islands. Pepper's summer tour has finally been announced! On this tailgate party, by popular demand Pepper will be joining Slightly Stoopid and will also serve up a treat for all by sharing the stage with dub masters, the legendary Sly& Robbie!! As a theme of this summer-time party, we are encouraging all our friends to make Tailgate 2008 the ultimate party experience! Loads of dates in Europe through to early next month then back to the west coast. Check the venues on their main site www.pepperlive.com/ www.myspace.com/pepperlive www.youtube.com/TheRealPepperLive To be loved - Joan as Policewoman (New York, USA) "Joan Wasser is the best champagne in the world. A voice so wonderous and moving that it makes everyone else's seem ordinary and mundane, the indie generation's Dusty Springfield. The Ride is the most hypnotic and majestic sad song ever and so good it will make you shiver." [Record Of The Week] From her album "To Survive" Joan's time seems to be split between Europe and the USA with loads of live shows coming up. Tonight is last date in USA for a little while as she works her way through Europe: 14 May 2008 The Mercury Lounge, New York, 9 Jun 2008 Volksbuhne, Berlin 10 Jun 2008 Classic Grand, Glasgow, 11 Jun 2008 Glee Club, Birmingham 12 Jun 2008 Scala London 13 Jun 2008 Concorde 2 Brighton 14 Jun 2008 The Music In My Head (main stage), Den Haag 15 Jun 2008 Melkweg (old hall), Amsterdam 16 Jun 2008 Nouveau Casino, Paris 18 Jun 2008 Beursschouwburg Bruxelles 20 Jun 2008 Sala Heineken, Madrid 23 Jun 2008 Tripod, Dublin 24 Jun 2008 Hard Rock Cafe, Warsaw www.joanaspolicewoman.com/ www.myspace.com/joanaspolicewoman Demolition Dub - Lion of Joppa Sound System (Edinburgh, Scotland) All it says about LOJSS on the PMN is "Ali - all sounds and noises.” There's a load more to the guy than that and he very promptly came to my rescue with an issue I was having with the ReggaeDubWise site. A good egg, I'd say. Lots of tracks on the PMN. www.myspace.com/lionofjoppasoundsystem you'll find a magnificent 14 tracks to play on his page at: http://reggaedubwise.com/members/420/ Flowers for Mel - Lawn Jockey (Illinois and Oklahoma, USA) Tom Henry and Scott Stokes. Taken from their 2000 album Jethro"s Revenge which Tom kindly sent over from The States. An album that really celebrates the acoustic guitar and the fabulous sounds it is capable of making. Some of the songs have vocals but the emphasis is always on the guitar and a few other stringed instruments. The duo actually split after the album was released but have now reformed to collaborate on a new album. The new release will contain elements of Folk, Psycho-Bluegrass, and Celtic flavoured originals, and will be aptly titled Out By The Cement Pond. Recording of the new release will occur in the coming months, and an internet release is slated for early 2009. Find out more and hear more at: www.lawnjockey.com www.myspace.com/theeqforum Manue - Bad Rriles (Cadiz, Spain) Andres (guitar), Miguel (bass), Juan (drums) and Pepe (vocals) The Codger played another Bad Rriles track, which I had been planning to play so this is just another for you listening pleasure. You can download (for free) our new cd "PUNKANDROLL" at following link (direct download - rapidshare): http://rs65.rapidshare.com/files/99586887/BAD_RRILES_-_PUNKANDROLL.rar Individual tracks from their MySpace: www.myspace.com/badrriles Speaking of The Codge, I expect he'll be getting a few early nights in this week and ensuring a good night's sleep with a milky drink and taking out his hearing aids before bedtime. Why, 'cos it is The Great Escape Festival in Brighton this weekend and I gather that his care in the community worker The Grumbler is taking him out to a few of the early evening gigs. Am I crazy? - Little Fish (Oxford, UK) Gabor Kovacs is another of the podcasters loosely described as UK based. He played the next track on his Electrical Language show a couple of weeks ago and I was immediately captivated by the sheer audacity of combining vocal, a guitar and drums (no bass or keyboards), which I know both places more demands on each to make the sound complete and also means that each is very, very exposed because there's no majority momentum to hide behind. Juju on Guitar & Vocals Nez on Percussion & Vocals Ju Ju comments of the sheer terror of playing in such a small band on their MySpace. If you want to check out the smell of fear - catch them at a small gig while you can - I have every intention of doing so as soon as possible. 14 May 2008 Oxford Punt - Thirst Lodge, Oxford 16 May 2008 Firegathering Festival - Main Stage, North of Horsham 17 May 2008 The Great Escape Festival... The Hope, Brighton 19 May 2008 The Dublin Castle - Headline, London 22 May 2008 Little Johnny Russells, Portsmouth 29 May 2008 The Carling-Academy, Oxford 31 May 2008 Play It By Ear @ The Monarch, London 04 Jun 2008 Pump Aid @ the Port Mahon (Juju solo), Oxford 15 Jun 2008 Isle Of White Festival! (Details TBC) www.myspace.com/littlefishmusic Small Answering Machine mix - Cassettes won't listen (New York, USA) Another small excerpt from this much longer track. Cassettes Won't Listen is the brainchild of New York-based, multi-instrumentalist and producer Jason Drake and is the latest in a heap of musical monikers he has realized over the years. Cassettes Won't Listen was initially just a bedroom affair; in 2004, he picked up the microphone for the first time in years and sang over a new track he had recently written. The result … future fan favorite and eventual single, "Cutting Balloons". He sent the track out to a few friends and never expected anything more. He soon saw the mp3 appearing on influential blogs. You can download a free EP "One alternative" from his site at: www.cassetteswontlisten.com/ www.myspace.com/cassetteswontlisten Sheep - Neal Fox (Ft Lauderdale, Florida, USA) An artist for whom I have huge respect. I played his track Swank-ay way back on Suffolk 'n' Cool 046 back in December 06 I have no idea why it had taken so long to fit another track in. But I was prompted by Neal being featured artist of the week at Ariel Publicity. At age 20 Neal had his first record deal. Three contracts, one music production company and 40 years later he is still producing great music. Only now, he's doing it on his own terms and his own label. His sixth release Now it's personal is coming June 3. Take a look at his myspace for loads of fascinating information and links to the guy's incredible range of creative work. www.wireduck.com www.myspace.com/nealfox Comments[1] |
Wed, 7 May 2008  Again from Port de Soller, Mallorca. I've moved the entire studio, well, the MacBook, to he other side of the building for SnC 116.Expecting quite a difference, swifts instead of sparrows plus whatever goes on in the street below. No Me Sigas - Freddy Nois (Barcelona, Spain) Just a hundred miles or so off-shore is Spain and about the closest point is Barcelona. XTN (acrónimo de Cristian) es un músico y compositor residente en Barcelona. En los ochenta formó parte como guitarrista compositor y vocalista de grupos como VALIUM 10 , FRANCIS TERGAL Y LOS POLYESTER , TEDDY NOIS (Single Voy a atracar un Burguer / Nena, Nena Vis-Distrimusic http://pastisset.blogspot.com/ Challenger fleet arrived in the port last night and I was delighted to spot Scouser Pete, who was my watch leader on one of their big boats (The Stavros) a few years ago on a voyage from London Docks to Great Yarmouth it took 3 days and night continuous sailing but I lost count of how many times we crossed the North Sea. A highly recommended and life-changing experience. www.tallships.org/ Natan I Chara - Mediterra Musica (Hamburg, Germany) An oud from Iraq, a violin from Morocco, drums from the mountains of Greece and Albania, a flamenco guitar, a jazz double bass, shepherd flutes from the Balkans, a trans-cultural saxophone, a neo-classical piano and - last but not least - prudently used electronics - they all accompany a voice of Greek-German origin. A flexible yet authentic voice that paints with all the tonal colours of the mediterranean: Greek or Turkish, Sephardic and Spanish or Italian, but also Portugese and Algerian and even from Cuban overseas, as the mediterranean went there and came back with music. "Like A Nomad" Mediterra Musica wanders through the variety of music styles without excluding the media of modern today. In times of globalisation Mediterra Musica builds a musical bridge between orient and occident, between then and now. They use the mediterranean as a platform to bring themselves into oriental trance, Balkan euphoria or judeo-hispanic melancholy. Not only with their culturally shaped personalities, but above all by their skills they create a very special universe of sound and music, a universe that knows no time or space, but only is one thing: Mediterra Musica. Stella Tsianios - vocals Ramón Lazzaroni - flutes, vocals, electronics Matthias Clasen - saxophones, flute Oliver Baumgarten - piano, guitar Ali Shibly - oud Oliver Karstens - double bass, electronics Ilias Oikonomou - percussion www.mediterra-musica.com www.myspace.com/mediterramusica Riding the dune - Double six (Italy) Already in the early 1990s, Andrea Soru & Luca Ascari were collaborating together on a musical project called "Seguira Coisa": an interesting and original mix of Samba, Latin, Reggae and Rock music. Double six aims at making their music as interesting, fascinating and pleasant as drinking fresh water in the middle of the desert. They can sometimes deliver an unpredictable blow to the stomach but overall their tunes catapult all of your senses onto the alert mode so you really feel the music with your mind, body, ears and soul. www.beatpick.com/double6 Get Free - Serpentone (Oregon, USA) Band formed in 2004, with the longest standing members being Erika (vox/songwriting/guitar-playing/diva-bitch), Cyrus (original drummer, who has done fill-in work since 2005), and most recently, the adorable multitasking almost-sober chick-magnet bassist known as Skot. Somehow, these three managed to eke out time on Sundays during 2007 to record an album of sorts at Marty Vincelli's "Big House." Which is a house, that is big. Many amazing musicians have supported this band by filling the rhythm slots for live shows, including Carl Keil, Morgan Grace, Sam Henry, Tom Drama, Tim Flanary, Carl Keil, nolan void, and Susan Costa. www.serpentone.com www.myspace.com/serpentone Stumbled upon music in the Placa Constitucio, Soller La Balanguera - Barcelona and Soller The Dub Zone cracking stuff Mr Cogle http://thedubzone.blogsome.com/ Here we come - Screamin' Tubes (Marseille, France) From their Jamendo album Do you reggae? Damn silly question really eh? www.zoumail.com/screamintubes Consuelo y Esteban - Nex2012 & DJ "H" (Rodez, France) Amateur de salsa galactique, de piano sidéral, de rythmes ensoleillés "on the rocks" comme disent les inuits, de percussions co(s)miques, de guitares hispaniques chauffées à blanc ! Cet album est pour vous!!! Quittez vos fringues, vos combinaisons spatiales et enfilez un short, des moufles et des après ski!!! ça va déchirer grave sur la banquise!!! From the album Rhythm of the frozen sun yet again, on Jamendo. I told you it was a complicaed link although it translates easily enough into English as Secret Reality. http://realitesecrete.chez-alice.fr Au bout du rouleau - Les Amis de Safi (France) From the sampler album Va voir là-bas si j'y suis ! by Artistes d'Origine (in)Contrôlée on Jamendo, of course. www.myspace.com/aoc37 Bizmo Mix 01 - Steven Shepherd From the Jamendo album Philistinism & Debauchery, which consists of just two quirky tracks. No links, no nuffin'. Of course it may just be a straight ad, and quite franky, I don't care; it's daft enough for me to play! Check Jamendo on www.jamendo.com Comments[1] |
Wed, 30 April 2008  Truly an outside broadcast for 115. The first of two "specials" from the studio on the terrace (right) here on the beautiful and breathtakingly rugged north coast of Mallorca. Thango - Forza (Norway) We mix stuff.. By mixing we mean mixing styles and influences. We do basically funk/jazz/hip hop/world beat - so there you go. It's all about music and not about genres.. We love our audience more than they love us.. and they love us a lot!! www.myspace.com/forzaonline Theme Happy - Jimmie Bratcher (Missourri, USA) www.jimmiebratcher.com So, just where are we? Well, not in a tango region that's for sure, nor even Flamenco. Around 110 miles south east of Barcelona. Sitting under the lemon trees on my terrace at the back of my top floor apartment in what was until a few years ago a village based around a small port and navel base with a local fishing boats and a few rather faded hotels from when Mallorca was a cheap and cheerful holiday destination for sun-starved Brits. Transformation is approaching completion the navel base is all but gone, the hotels are re-opening as bijou establishments. After being stood empty for a few years, Hotel Espléndido has had a 5 million euro refit and is living up to its name again. Last week played "Nothing on" by Ruth Theodore and got some ribbing from the Codger about how long he's been playing her - the usual old tosh. Her album Worm Food has been on almost continuous cycle on my shuffle for the past fortnight so here's another quirky treat. Ugly Faces - Ruth Theodore (London, UK) A singer/songwriter like no other. With words as dangerous as her guitar playing, Ruth Theodore reminds us why songwriting is important in the first place. Refreshingly original and relentlessly imaginative. - River Rat Records Debut album Worm Food. 13 tracks of beautifully twisted, political and personal mayhem. River Rat Records supports Creative Commons. If you like what you hear, please consider buying a CD. Our releases are packaged beautifully and manufactured using 100% recycled card. £9.99 www.ruththeodore.com CC Rider - Davis Coen (Charleston, S, Carolina, USA) Blues circuit guitarist/singer Davis Coen's most recent accomplishments have included original music on the DVD release of Martin Scorsese's PBS special 'The Blues'; backup work on the last release by Jesse Mae Hemphill, entitled 'Dare You To Do It Again'. Coen has been touring the U.S. since his teens, mostly as a solo acoustic guitar and vocal act, but currently joined by bass and drums performing as an electric trio. Davis commonly plays clubs, bars, theaters, and festivals throughout the Southeast. www.daviscoen.com www.myspace.com/daviscoen Apologies for the link errors last week - I have been put right and so have the links! Corazon - Corrientes (New York, USA) Corrientes is an original four piece band from NY. All Corrientes music is recorded, mixed, and produced by Ivette Torres in a home studio. Ivette is a Cuban-American, born in NY. Corrientes songs are in both English and Spanish. Check out the Corrientes' website for more info. www.corrientesmusic.com Puerto Soller is backed by the Sirerra Tramuntana a range of very rugged mountains with the highest point on the island Puig Major at 4,500 feet only a mile or so from the coast - pretty steep. The working port is very chic marina with excellent (and no-longer cheap) restaurants. Not all pleasure though. Arrived Monday evening, shopping for basics yesterday morning, work in the afternoon and prepped the show in the evening ready to record this morning. Oh, OK, mostly pleasure then! Call me lucky but I'd say that "luck is the place where preparation meets opportunity." Smug git! Cats and Rats - Jayme Gutierrez (Jaén, Spain) From the solidly excellent album Wompychew. You can hear five other tracks at his MySpace. www.myspace.com/jaymegutierrez Goodbye - Lena (Illinois, USA) Lena is Russian girl with a bio from spy flicks (and you thought Cold War was over!). Her musical curiosity is stronger than her sense of propriety. That goes for other things, too. Her self defined music genres are "soft punk" and "mock pop". You ask for a label, you get one! Lena is a Russian pianist with a sweet speaking voice, a low and scary singing voice, and a bio taken out of Hollywood spy movies. Yes, she has even been to jail on allegations of espionage. For real. Along with original material, she presents her inside-out, tongue-in-cheek versions of tunes by Dead Kennedys, Iggy Pop, Madonna and others. Band members include Alan Lake (drums and percussion), John Griffin (guitars) and Scott Parrish (bass). Alan Lake is a seasoned player who over the years has had the opportunity to play with many artists from many different fields. Among the more recognizable are: Madonna, Brian Ferry, Julian Lennon, Ministry, Brian Wilson and Sam Moore. John Griffin and Scott Parrish are recent additions to the band, they are both seasoned and very well respected musicians. Recently, the band started working with Ian McDonald, the founding member of King Crimson and Foreigner. Lena's new digital release "My Little, Temporary Loves" came out on April 27. My thanks to the really good folks at Ariel Publicity for putting me onto Lena. 05/02/2008 8:00 PM Looptopia, Chicago, IL 05/04/2008 8:00 PM Knitting Factory Old Office, New York, NY, www.lena.fm/ I'll be here for another week and a bit so I'll put a few more pictures up on my flickr stream at www.flickr.com/photos/clithers/ Down, down, down - The Expendables (California, USA) Growing up in Santa Cruz California was a laid back experience for The Expendables: surf, skate, party and play music. Since 1997 The Expendables have staked their claim in the California surf rock genre. Blending Reggae, Punk Rock, and 80's style duelling guitar solos. Geoff Weers (Guitars and Vocals), Adam Patterson (Drums and Vocals), Raul Bianchi (Lead Guitar) and Ryan DeMars (Bass). 5/2/08 San Diego, CA 5/3/2008 Pozo, CA 5/9/2008 Santa Cruz, CA 5/10/2008 Santa Cruz, CA 6/7/2008 Cincinnati, OH 6/8/2008 Louisville, KY 6/9/2008 Pittsburgh, PA 6/10/2008 Richmond, VA www.theexpendables.net/ Comments[1] |
Wed, 23 April 2008 Back into the saddle a little more this week, with some great music from around the planet: Luxembourg, Australia, New York, Michigan, London and Boston. Intro Happy - Jimmie Bratcher www.jimmiebratcher.com On with the show - Manny (Luxembourg) Brand new album Sideshow from Manny arrived this morning, of which this is the first track. Recorded at Chez Manny by Luxembourg resident Scotsman Gordon Furguson aka Manny. That first track really appealed. Quietly understated as suits the song. www.sideshowmanny.com Sir, your fashion has the cold heart of a killer - The Beautiful Girls (Sydney, Australia) "Music is a weird thing," says frontman and creative powerhouse Mat McHugh. "If you're doing it right, you're only trying to respect the spirit of it, but it seems that every step in making it is a compromise of ego and industry. Maybe you never actually get there." I suppose we benefit from their trying. They are currently on tour in the USA with The Virginia Coalition whose track Sing along I played on 109 (so that'll be about a month ago). Find their details at www.virginiacoalition.com/ Gig dates for current US tour at: www.thebeautifulgirls.com/ Small answering machine mix - Cassettes Won't Listen (New York, USA) Cassettes Won't Listen is the brainchild of New York-based, multi-instrumentalist and producer Jason Drake and is the latest in a heap of musical monikers he has realized over the years. Cassettes Won't Listen was initially just a bedroom affair; in 2004, he picked up the microphone for the first time in years and sang over a new track he had recently written. The result…future fan favorite and eventual single, "Cutting Balloons", He sent the track out to a few friends and never expected anything more. He soon saw the mp3 appearing on influential blogs. You can download a free EP "One alternative" from his site at: www.cassetteswontlisten.com/ www.myspace.com/cassetteswontlisten They don't bring the noise - Little Plastic Stars (Clinton Township, Michigan, USA) From the album, Anthems for Riots. Little Plastic Stars is a one-man band with a lot of heart and soul in the words. "Music is my world and piano is my vessel." Every Wednesday a new track/idea is posted! Has given up on MySpace for posting the new tracks and has now moved over to Podshow http://music.podshow.com/music/listeners where you can search for "little plastic stars". Other information on MySpace www.myspace.com/littleplasticstars Message in from Peter: Are you awroyt? I grew up in Suffolk and am very fond of the place. I am listening to your latest podcast now and enjoying it very much. I manage my podcast subscriptions in Rythmbox, a linux mediaplayer and so don't want to use an aggregator like Juice or itunes. Could I suggest that you make your rss feed a little more prominent on your website? I really like Triplexity. I got the flac download of the album. SaGreMa was helpful and charming. I'm going to seek him out in your archived podcasts. Have you given Ruth Theodore a listen? She's my biggest Jamendo find. Tom Waits style instrumentation, Tori Amos like voice but with a wit that Amos never showed. Cheeky folk punk with a city feeling. I was playing it last night in my taxi and it got a lot of response: very few albums do that. I was sorry to read of your recent loss. You are in my prayers. My regards, Peter, Danceswithcats Nothing on - Ruth Theodore (London, UK) From her 2007 Wormfood album (available from Jamendo.com) A singer/songwriter like no other. With words as dangerous as her guitar playing, Ruth Theodore reminds us why songwriting is important in the first place. Refreshingly original and relentlessly imaginative. - River Rat Records www.ruththeodore.com/ Thanks to Peter and the many others who very kindly been in touch. You know who you are and I am both touched and heartened by your concern. Thanks you so much. cheesy link was sponsored by Grumbling Dragon Finest English Cheddar normally available from grumbling-dragon.blogspot.com) Moving on - Threefifty duo (New York, USA) Guitarists Brett Parnell and Geremy Schulick (both Yale School of Music graduates) decided to team up and take on the world of music with a fury. Fast fingers and a keen evolution between classical and rock playing make for a "wickedly talented" group. http://threefiftyduo.com/ www.myspace.com/threefiftyduo Sweet dough baker - The Racky Thomas Band (Massachusetts, USA) The Racky Thomas Band formed in 1995 and has been performing throughout the northeast to enthusiastic audiences, steadily gaining a devoted following ever since. The band got a great boost in 1997 by winning Boston's prestigious Battle of the Blues Bands. www.digiticedmusic.com/ I would like to thank Pete Cogle for his thoughts and music at the end of PC Podcast 213. We may disagree about the fate that awaits us at the end of this "mortal coil" but I the meantime Mel, Eve, Jessie and I want to say how much we appreciated your thoughts. High hopes to be able to produce a show in the wild next week - providing internet connection is OK. If not it'll be an enforced 2 week break! Comments[3] |
Wed, 16 April 2008 What a treat - a new album Ouvrez les Persiennes from Deskaya posted on Jamendo just today. J'ai peur - Deskaya (Feurs, France) Quite a variety of styles and sounds on this six track album. Some quite restrained, others quirky some heading for traditional rock. I suppose there is a risk in producing an album for everyone which no-one actually likes but all is performed well enough and with enough passion that it is fine. When I looked at the Jamendo stats it seems that only I had found it! www.jamendo.com/en/album/22820 http://deskaya.new.fr/ www.myspace.com/deskayarockband Happy - Jimmie Bratcher (Missouri,USA) the SnC theme www.jimmiebratcher.com Suffolk 'n' Cool as usual (but not as expected) from the barn here in the countryside of eastern England. A bit of an odd week and most likely an odd and rather short show. Certainly a week the likes of which I'll never have again. Butterfly - Katie Herzig (Nashville, USA) OK, I hold my hands up to weakening sufficiently to play another Katie Herzig track - never mind, we're running out! This one is a bit more off the wall. It has a fabulous sound. www.katieherzig.com/ www.myspace.com/katieherzig La Tintinabulle - Les BoNoBoS (Toulouse, France) I just love the way the track gradually seems to be heading off the rails then just pulls itself back in time. Groupuscule festif fondé en 2003 à Toulouse (Haute-Garonne), Les BoNoBoS aiment le ska cuivré, le reggae bien roots et le rock qui dépote. Nourri de ces influences, leur son est un cocktail festif et détonnant. Un ska bien pulsé, à coup de cuivres et d'envolées cordées, alimenté par une belle énergie saturée! Another brand new release - just today from Jamendo. www.jamendo.com/en/album/22826 www.myspace.com/lesbonobos31 What was odd about this week? If you"ve been listening for a while, you'll know that my mum has been suffering with Alzhiemer"s disease for quite a while and that her situation has been getting gradually worse. On Saturday lunchtime Pat Clitheroe, my mum died, mercifully peacefully. This has triggered a strange dual reaction in me. I'm both sad and concerned for my elderly father and yet, almost elated that the years of awful pain and indignity are finally over. This week has been spent getting cause of death certificates, registering her death, arranging the funeral and contacting friends and family. The funeral is on Monday. So, I'm not in the Mediterranean where there is an empty apartment with my name on it and there was an empty seat on Monday's flight to Palma de Mallorca. A bit of hasty re-booking and good luck has secured new flights and the same apartment at the end of the month so, all being well, I'll be able to get away then. Will I be ready for it! Last track one that I'm sure Pat would have liked - she had a pretty eclectic taste in music herself was into interesting jazz and in particular music for dance. Afro blue - Triplexity (various locations) An interesting collaboration between SaReGaMa who has been on the show before and two artists that are new to me, Nikila, and Hamelin Bérengnier. The word Triplexity is a portmanteau of triplex and complexity. Triplexity is a virtual band, its members never met each other face to face, all collaborations came to life thru the Internet. It would be difficult to define Triplexity's musical style inasmuch it's extremely varied and versatile, there are no two tracks sounding alike. One time it may be jazzy, another time harsh and electronic, sometimes ethnic and organic and sometimes abstract and ambient. There are some qualities though that always persist in Triplexity's music : uniqueness, complexity, intelligence and threefold talent of the trio members. Every member has different musical background, together they blend their knowledge and inspiration and give life to the magnificent music. http://triplexity.blogspot.com/ Comments[3] |
Wed, 9 April 2008 The world seems to be behaving very strangely here in Suffolk. A couple of days ago I was watching a bee taking nectar from blossom on the trees outside the barn window as it was being brushed by falling snow. Now a heap of dead frogs has appeared in the garden. Perhaps we are in for a bit of a plague. Maybe it's the guys at Cern in Switzerland who are messing about with a bit of very expensive kit that crashes molecules into each other at great speed. It seems that some pretty fundamental particle could be created … or a black hole. I'm your generator - The Brandals (Jakata, Indonesia) PMN Formed in 2001, done drugs, drunk intoxicated liquid, done the chitlin' circuit, bleedin and dying, released 3 studio albums. Now we're gona chew you up and spit you down, you low life scummm.. www.brandalisme.com/ I mentioned Twitter on last week's show, well, I've set up Suffolk 'n' Cool up with an account of its own so that's the place where you'll see anything music or podcast related. twitter.com/suffolkandcool l'Amanite - Delph' sans les pattes (Strasbourg, France) Jamendo Her weblink from Jamendo doesn't work so I can't tell you much but I see that Gabor Kovacs played a couple of tracks by Delp' on the excellent Electrical Language podcast at www.electricallanguage.co.uk Delph's link is published as http://dede-en-bulle.0rg.fr but it doesn't seem to work. I'll update when/if I see that it is fixed. Here's a busy band. Top Drawer - Man Man (Philadelphia, USA) PMN Man Man are an astonishingly original quintet who have found the perfect berth for their gypsy-swamp-rock-carny-soul-Viking-vaude ville-punk collective. A musical contagion waiting to happen. Their next three shows at The Bowery Ballroom on Thursday, Brooklyn Masonic Temple on Friday and The Paradise Rock Club in Boston on Saturday are all sold out, so sorry if that's where you are but they have a seriously busy tour on the go taking in dates in Montreal, Toronto, Columbus, Chicago, Madison, Minneapolis, Omaha, Denver, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Indio, Phoenix, Dallas and Austin all before the end of the month! In May they'll be over in the UK and much of Europe. www.myspace.com/wearemanman www.wearemanman.com I'm actually finding Twitter to be quite useful as a really quick and casual means of keeping in touch with a bunch of folks. A bit like a cross between blogging and SMS. There are a few really neat little desktop applications with enable you to follow without having to keep your web-browser open. I'm using Twitterrific and Twirl on my Mac systems. Twhirl actually runs on Windows but let me know what else is good on Windows and we'll pass the word on. I gotta stay downtown - After Son (Huizen, Noord-Holland, Holland) PMN First played them way back in February last year (show 51) You can listen again in player. Versatility is the word. After Son is a vision transformed to a universal rock experience. The music tells the story from the perception of the eyes fixed in a experimental sound. The sound that was created is better know as the movie for your ears. www.afterson.eu/ www.myspace.com/bandafterson La Foret de Shellwood - Deskaya (Feurs, France) Jamendo Deskaya est un jeune groupe qui a vu le jour en octobre 2003 à l'initiative de Bertrand, ex-guitariste maintenant devenu chanteur. Aujourd'hui notre groupe est formé de 7 musiciens âgés de 15 à 18 ans, cependant nous n'avons pas toujours été 7... A ses débuts le groupe était composé de Bertrand et Léa à la guitare, Florent à la basse, Adrien au saxophone et au chant, et David à la batterie... Laurine a ensuite été recrutée pour placer sa voix sur le bordel pseudo musical fournit par les membres du groupe. Après quelques temps, c'est Gaspard, le petit frère de David, qui s'est plus ou moins « incrusté » ( puis il est finalement resté car on l'aime bien, même si ça reste un petit frère, et il faut dire qu'il se débrouille plutôt bien !! ). Il a commencé au synthétiseur, puis à la guitare à partir de septembre 2004 où il prit la place de Léa qui a décidé de quitter le groupe... http://deskaya.new.fr/ Too long - Yael Naim (New York) Played her song New Soul a couple of weeks ago. Yael Naim and David Donatien interview: http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1446831583/bctid1448201833 or: http://tinyurl.com/4rhyql I have to be vague about next week. I'll try very hard to get a show up but life is pretty chaotic and sad right now. Peter Comments[0] |
Wed, 2 April 2008  A rather more upbeat and largely USA-based selection this week after a fair few very late nights and early mornings the energy will come in handy. Stick with me through to the end to hear teh astounding voice of Alice Smith (right). 10 Cities Beyond - Snake and Jet's Amazing Bullit Band (Copenhagen, Denmark) Picture the Danish mutant child of Booker T and The Arcade Fire. That is from their album "Someone Will Dig This!" On their newest release, X-Ray Spirit, released March 25th, Snake and Jet concoct a most funky cocktail that brings back the gritty low-fi feeling of 70's psychedelia. www.snakeandjet.dk/ www.myspace.com/snakeandjet Papa Don't Worry - Sydney Wayser (Los Angeles, USA) Intimate and playful, placid and serene. Melancholy and dark, with occasional hints of passing sadness. This is the sound of Sydney Wayser, a twenty year-old singer-songwriter who with her French father and American mother has lived her life between Paris and Los Angeles. Sydney's music is rife with tales and adventure; it quite simply draws you into her world, delicately. From her album "Silent Parade" www.sydneywayser.com/ www.myspace.com/sydneywayser People on trains. www.lankybird.com Warrior Poet - Tomorrows Bad Seeds (California, USA) After touring the West Coast for 3 years and Hawaii 4 times in '07, Tomorrows Bad Seeds debut album is climbing the iTunes Reggae charts and are featured as one of the "Leaders of the New School". Track from the album. www.tomorrowsbadseeds.com/ A word of thanks from Michael Salisbury (on behalf of The Excitals) and Oregon Chad who says: "It's great to be back on the show again. Keep up the great promo work you're doing. More eclectic sounds will be posted on the PMN from DJOC in the next few months." I'm looking forward to them. Broken Hearts Sounds Like Breakbeats - Los Campesinos (Cardiff, Wales) There's not really a lot more I can say about Los Camps, except there's a really goofd video for teh new single on their site along with some dates: 10/4 Cardiff, Solus 11/4 Tunbridge Wells, Forum (matinee/underage) 11/4 Tunbridge Wells, Forum (18+) 12/4 LSE, Afterskoolclub @ The Quad, LONDON 13/4 Norwich, Waterfront 14/4 Windmill, Brixton, LONDON 16/4 Jailhouse, Hereford 17/4 Bradford, St Georges Hall 18/4 Camden Crawl, LONDON (venue TBC) 19/4 Camden Crawl, LONDON (venue TBC) 20/4 Hoxton Bar &amp; Grill, LONDON + Summer festival appearances to be announced soon. www.myspace.com/loscampesinos www.loscampesinos.com www.wichita-recordings.com/ Civil Revolt Part1 (DJ Point Remix) - Kou Chou Ching (Taipei, Taiwan) We're a HipHop band from Taiwan. Our music is inspired by Taiwan traditional music elements. We bring samples of Taiwanese folk songs and traditional music elements and mix them in HipHop to create a very unique sound. Through our music, you can hear the voices of Taiwan. 4 Apr 2008 Spring Scream Club Stage Ken Ding 11 Apr 2008 The Wall Live House Taipei 19 Apr 2008 Day Of Earth Concert Taipei www.kou.com.tw www.myspace.com/koucc Last night I had the rather interesting experience of being interviewed (at a distanced and by email) by a musician who I really admire. I'll let you know more about that when there's more to tell. It did mean though that I got to bed at around 2 this morning then I was in London for a few hours in the middle of the day and now it isn't even Wednesday here in the UK but it's OK because the Libsyn server is in Pittsburgh so although it is almost 2 AM here, it's only 9PM there! [update: slow server in Pittsburgh tonight so it's now 4.15am UK / 11.15pm EST - going to be close!] Tonight, Tonight - The Anabolics (Brooklyn, USA) Describe themselves as sounding like The bastard child of The Shangri-Las and The Clash. What's more: "Fresh off a jaunt across the Atlantic, we are thrilled to annouce the release of our brand new album, ANABOLICALLY CORRECT! Eleven smokin' songs that are guaranteed to get you laid. It will be available on cdbaby.com very soon (stay tuned for more info) and at our shows, along with our very pretty t-shirts (also guaranteed to get you laid) and us (guaranteed to get laid). Our record release party will be Sat., April 26th at Lucky Cat in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and we'll be announcing a few warm up gigs soon. Also, for you Philladelphiers and tattooed people and people who love tattooed people - we'll be playing at the Philadephia Tattoo Arts Convention!! It's April 18-20 and we'll have date/time details soon. 21 Apr 2008 live on Brekky Shift on WKDU 91.7 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 22 Apr 2008 live on Three Chord Monte on WFMU 91.1 FM everywhere! thank you internet. 3 May 2008 Hullabaloo! + BBQ and DJs! Daytime par-tay! @ Matchless Brooklyn, New York Anna: guitar, vocals & fishnets, Christina: bass, vocals & stilettos, Marcelo: drums, vocals & leather. www.theanabolics.com www.myspace.com/theanabolics Mariposa - Blame it on Society (Arizona, USA) From the Hyperdrive Motel album. Blame It On Society is J. Dodson's solo project which was originally nothing more than wanting to write "cheesy video game music". The project is helped along by derelict collaborators Evan Lee Arps (midi), Ellis Dee (guitar), Ivan Yakinov (special effects), and Dan Druff (drums). J.D. likes to hang out, write music, and rub shoulders with strange music-types in Phoenix, AZ and Nashville J.D. travels between Nashville, TN and Phoenix, AZ creating strange music with and without friends. www.myspace.com/blameitonsociety Penguins: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/page/item/epeng001.shtml New Religion - Alice Smith (Brooklyn, USA) Recently turned 29, Alice Smith is, on the evidence of her solo debut, For Lovers, Dreamers & Me (BBE Records), the most promising female singer-songwriter to go her own enrapturing way in a very long time. Her voice, with its four-octave range, is luscious and powerful and nuanced and finely sensitive to rhythm. Alice Smith is in Los Angeles, staying high above Sunset Boulevard at that most iconic hotel of ripened Hollywood sensuality, the Chateau Marmont. Someone asks Smith if she likes it there. "Oh yeah," Smith answers with zero hesitation, "I do." It sounds as though it hasn't changed a bit since I was living there while I was working at Basing Street West in the Capitol building at Sunset and Vine. This track New Religion is from the album. www.alicesmith.com/ www.myspace.com/alicesmith Comments[0] |
Wed, 26 March 2008  By total coincidence, the show includes three tracks from Oregon and another track from the amazing voice that is Sahib Radio (seen right, checking the spelling of his name).We've also got news of a very rare UK performance by a legendary artist and more cowbells than you can shake a stick at. Intro Happy - Jimmie Bratcher (Missouri, USA) www.jimmiebratcher.com Undress you down - Justin Hopkins and the Guilt (Oregon, USA) Justin Hopkins is one of the most prolific singer/songwriters and gifted multi-instrumentalists A&R Worldwide has come across in many years. His global appeal is just one of his many attributes. After the CD release party last Saturday at café Boogaloo, Hermosa Beach, CA. Justin and the band are playing this Saturday at The Libertine in LA then a series of dates from April 15th in Portland Oregon, Seattle, Las Vegas, down the California coast and across to Arizona so catch them if you can. www.myspace.com/justinhopkins Gotta Have More Cowbell - Rob's USteam TV channel. It's really rather fun. I get alerts to broadcasts through twitter (the micro-blog service). If you want to find out as soon as I do, join up to Twitter (free) at http://twitter.com and find me, I'm clithers then when I post to Twitter it will pop up on your screen and we can all consider ourselves members of the Crazy Canadian Cowbell Club of Saskatchewan. Oh the joy of social networking. Someone else you really should check out on Twitter is Ze Frank - you may know him from The Show which ran as a daily video show for a year and was marbled through with sheer brilliance. Well Ze is now playing with Twitter and it is simply wonderful. www.zefrank.com/ "New York City's best kept singer-songwriter secret." - Amplifier Magazine, March 2008 Right Here, Right Now - Sheri Miller (New York, USA) Sheri Miller is an authentic artist whose deep emotional honesty is unmistakable in her soulful music. Influenced by the legendary John Lennon, Etta James, Billie Holiday and The Beatles, Sheri has passionately created her own beautiful yet edgy sensual soundscape that has been on display at high-profile NYC gigs in venues like Joe"s Pub, The Canal Room, The Living Room and Bowery Ballroom. With her new debut EP, Mantra, a bit of magic was created, that has the power to extend around the world. www.sherimiller.com/ www.myspace.com/sherimiller Under the Leaves DJOC mix - DJOC (Oregon, USA) Also titled "Sous la Feuillée". A band of One. ®regon Chad lives and breathes in Oregon, U.S. Most of my experience is with electronic music making. For the past 7 years, I've been working with loop music (i.e. AcidLoops, Mixcraft); sometimes conventional, usually tongue-in-cheek. http://myspace.com/djorc http://oregonchad.com Bicycle - Strangers die every day (Oregon, USA) Equal parts Bernard Herrmann, John Zorn and Jim O'Rourke, Strangers Die Every Day makes cinematic, esoteric chamber punk that never forgets to rock. www.myspace.com/strangersdieeveryday Terry Reid at the Norwich Playhouse 7th May 01603 598598 or www.norwichplayhouse.co.uk/viewshowdetail.php?id=323 Song for a long lost lover - Dan Elson (UK) I played the excellent Pocket Monkey a while back now Dan is back with this heart felt track. Dan Elson has a little too much time and too much access to expensive musical equipment. He doesn't fancy writing gloomy serious songs, so he writes cheery songs about llamas, beards, monkeys & socks. www.myspace.com/danelsonmusic Bury me in Tombstone - Sahib Radio (North Carolina, USA) If you're looking for some super smooth, over produced, pretty pop tunes, or love songs then keep on looking. You won"t find it here. Sahib Radio's music is raw, rough around the edges, gritty, and doesn"t really fit into any specific genre. Subject matter is usually controversial, and dark. www.myspace.com/sahib 2 percenter - Williamson (location unknown) From his solidly excellent Jamendo album A few things to hear before we all blow up Grant Williamson writes about his music: "Here is what you need to know about me and my music. I make what I think of as craftsman music. By craftsman I mean those people who before life was fully corporatized, did personal work for people based on their unique skill. They built houses, they made clothes, they honed their craft and they made it their own. The things that people got from a craftsman was unique, it was personal, it was theirs. That is the way that I make music and the way that I would hope for people to enjoy it. This album wasn't made in order to get famous or land a record deal. I made it because this is the way my ear wants music to sound and I wanted to share that with my friends and anyone else that cares to listen. I will forgo a description of the style and leave it to you to listen and see what you think." www.jamendo.com/en/album/17389 Lemmings in Love - Pornophonique (Darmstadt, Germany) On Jamendo: eine gitarre. ein gameboy. ein c64. zwei typen. space invaders samples. lagerfeuergeschrabbel. gameboygedudel. auch gesang mit dabei. lowtech. lo-fi. micro. porn. From the album 8-bit lagerfeuer www.pornophonique.de/ www.jamendo.com/en/artist/pornophonique Comments[3] |
Wed, 19 March 2008  California, Nashville, Italy, Virginia, New York and Sweden are all represented on Suffolk 'n' Cool 109. I've even found space to squeeze in another track from Katie Herzig (right).Natural Disaster - The Excitals (California, USA) Billy Vondrasek: Vocals, Richard Dawson: Guitar, Mitch Salisbury: Bass, Dave Beck: Drums www.myspace.com/theexcitals Charlie Chaplin - Katie Herzig (Nashville TN) Played another track by Katie (Sweeter than this) a couple of weeks ago. Shows coming up in Nashville (inc. a few in Colorado in late March and early April) www.katieherzig.com/ www.myspace.com/katieherzig 23 Maggio - Men in Route (Padova, Italy) From their demo album 'Ndemo! 'Ndemo! is a demo (now, really?? …ok, in Venetian dialect it means "Let's go!"…Men in Route, Let's go…get it?) recorded in 2007. It contains four songs, similar to each other but each with its own particularity, www.myspace.com/meninroute SXSW sounded really good. Next year? Sing Along - Virginia Coalition (Alexandria, Virginia) Virginia Coalition is a band that has made its reputation with the blazing energy of its live shows and ability to play almost any style of music. Home This Year sees the band moving in a new direction. They've blended their diverse influences into a sound all their own with a maturity and attention to detail that shines on every track. www.virginiacoalition.com/ www.myspace.com/virginiacoalition Terrible thing - David Yazbek (New York, NY) Yazbek is a long-time cult favorite - a recording artist, vocalist and pianist known for his thrilling live performances and irreverent style. He is a two-time Tony Award Nominee, whose shows 'The Full Monty' and 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' have played in over 20 countries. His first album 'The Laughing Man' won the N.A.I.R.D. Award for Best Pop Album of the Year. He is a Grammy-nominated record producer, and an Emmy-Award winning TV writer (for Late Night with David Letterman). www.davidyazbek.com/ www.myspace.com/yazbekdavid Lift me up - Arianna Solare (Malibu, CA) Arianna Solare has created a timeless sound in her debut EP, Book of Us, that resonates with the classic recordings of the 60"s and 70's yet is unique to the contemporary music of today. Created in the City of Angels, Arianna"s birthplace, Book of Us was recorded at Los Angeles' Blue Forest Studios; featuring guitarist Angelo Vermuelen, drummer Chris Steele and bass player Henrik Linde, as well as appearances by cellist Brent Arnold and pianist Dan Trollinger. http://ariannasolare.com/ http://myspace.com/ariannasolare Update from Los PodonkOs - band members' blogs are at: www.liveinternet.ru/users/sinyx and www.liveinternet.ru/users/old_punk Angel Lee - Patric Carlson & Bluebirds (Sweden) The Cajun vibe is a bit of a surprise from Sweden but non-the-less welcome for that. Bio information and web link are allegedly on their way. Comments[0] |
Wed, 12 March 2008  A more esoteric feel to this week's show with a few particularly interesting, if slightly off-the-wall tracks from a few North American artists. Along with a couple of tracks that you just might have heard recently including one from Yael Naïm (right) that you'll surely recognise. Only mystery - Parlour Steps (Vancouver, BC) This is your brain on rock. The Canadian quartet Parlour Steps serve up music they like to call "Thought Rock,? a potent combination of thoughtful lyrics and danceable pop rock beats. Their new CD Ambiguoso is their first release outside of Canada. March 29: Railway Club, 579 Dunsmuir Street, Vancouver, BC. (604) 681-1625 April 4: Biltmore Cabaret, 395 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC. 604-676-0541 www.parloursteps.com www.myspace.com/parloursteps Like You - The Callen Sisters (New York, USA) With their unique instrumentation (Jessa - harp and vocals and Beth - guitar and vocals), soaring vocal harmonies, and unforgettable original songs, The Callen Sisters make an impact from the first listen. More than a singer-songwriter duo, they are family, friends, and musical partners. They share each other's lives, a closeness that informs their music and that is displayed to stirring effect on their self-titled debut album, which stands as a testament of shared experience, loss, and love. www.thecallensisters.com/ www.myspace.com/thecallensisters Happy - Jimmie Bratcher (Missouri, USA) www.jimmiebratcher.com SCOTTY HARD BENEFIT SHOW @ HIGHLINE BALLROOM NEW YORK CITY WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2008 FEATURING: JOHN MEDESKI / BILLY MARTIN / DJ LOGIC / JOHN SCOFIELD / SEX MOB / ANTIBALAS + Downtown NYC luminaries unite for one astonishing benefit concert at the Highline Ballroom in New York City on Wednesday, March 19 , 2008, coming to the aid of beloved record producer Scott Harding and the Scotty Hard Trust. Vancouver native and longtime New Yorker Scotty Hard has a long and varied list of production credits. At 3am on Friday, February 15, music producer Scott Harding was a victim of a car crash in which he was a passenger of a car service, returning home from a late night mixing session. The cab he was riding in was broadsided by a stolen car; the impact crushed Harding's T5 vertebrae, leaving him partially paralyzed. Scott Harding's condition is serious and like many dedicated musicians he is without health insurance and is facing very large medical and legal fees. The short term need to raise cash in order to handle Scott Harding's affairs is very real. His friends and the dedicated musical community that Scott has long been a part of quickly united, offering performances in the form of a benefit concert for The Scotty Hard Trust, a special account that has been set up by friends of Harding which helps to handle Scott"s short-term financial needs through private monetary donations. A benefit show featuring DJ Logic, John Scofield, John Medeski, Billy Martin, Bill Laswell, Eric Krasno, Neal Evans, Marco Benevento, Joe Russo, Antibalas, Sex Mob, John Ellis, Michael Blake, Vijay Iyer, Tommy Hamilton, Kevin Kendrick and more will be taking place at The Highline Ballroom, in NYC, on March 19th. 100% of proceeds will be going to the Scotty Hard Trust. www.highlineballroom.com/bio.php?id=427 Army - Los Podonkos (Moscow, Russia) A street punk band formed in 2006 which I found on the PMN without a website that I can see. If you know better, let me know. Part-time Punk - Hey Gravity (London UK) Just a snippet from the wonderful Hey Gravity who I now remember that I saw (and interviewed for the show) at The Purple Turtle in Camden. www.myspace.com/heygravity Ain't no reason - Brett Dennen (Oakdale, CA) The infectious grooves of So Much More have spread far and wide since its release. With over 2 million plays on his myspace page, 100,000+ track downloads, 40,000 records sold, TV placements on Grey"s Anatomy, Scrubs, House, The Unit, Men in Trees and a Hilton commercial spot, Brett Dennen is poised for stardom. Brett Dennen has toured extensively with John Mayer, and has 3 fall tours with Guster, Colbie Caillet, and Jon Butler Trio. www.brettdennen.net www.myspace.com/brettdennen DOreste DAdjace - Aesma Daeva (Wisconsin, USA) Aesma Daeva formed out of the early collaboration of N Copernicus (production) and John Prassas (guitars, composition) in LaCrosse Wisconsin circa 1988. Their original projects saw them working together on a remix of Darkness for COP International compilation disc Diva-X-Machina II. Operatic? Symphonic? Metal? I'd say all three in a fascinating combination with Lori Lewis taking the vocal part. www.symphonicmetalband.com/ This is How You Spell "Haha ha, We Destroyed the Hopes and Dreams of A Generation of Faux-Romantics - Los Campesinos (Cardiff, Wales) They really need no more introduction from me! www.wichita-recordings.com/ Blink and You'll Miss 'em (2008 Mix) - DJOC (Oregon, USA) A band of One. ®regon Chad lives and breathes in Oregon, U.S. "Most of my experience is with electronic music making. For the past 7 years, I've been working with loop music (i.e. AcidLoops, Mixcraft); sometimes conventional, usually tongue-in-cheek." http://myspace.com/djorc http://oregonchad.com New Soul - Yael Naïm (New York, NY) "It's a dream I almost gave up on along the way?, says Yael Naim about her first album released by Tôt ou Tard. Without meeting the multi-instrumentalist David Donatien, to whom she dedicated two years and who illuminated the artist with his talents as arranger and director, it's true that this project would have been forgotten at the back of a cupboard. Blessed with an unsettlingly pure voice and an incredible agility at composition, the Israeli singer with her jet-black hair fumbled a long time before succeeding with this collection of ballads that meander through folk and pop, with an elegiac frugality and multi-coloured fantasy. If the creation of this record was long and painful, the birth of its author as an artistic personality seems even more miraculous today, in a domain where everything seems to have been already sung or played. To the point where with Yael Naim music that was once simply beautiful has now magically found a lost grace. March 19: The Bowery Ballroom, 6 Delancey Street between Bowery and Chrystie St., New York, NY. 212-533-2111 www.myspace.com/yaelnaim www.yaelweb.com/ Comments[0] |
Wed, 5 March 2008 Feeling really good about this week's selection of music from USA, UK, France and Argentina - there now, that gives you fair warning of what to expect. Then when I tell you to brace yourself for a show that features not one but two magnificently different orchestras, one of which is playing "Something completely different" you'll know that it's going to be Suffolk 'n' Cool. Intro Happy - Jimmie Bratcher (Missouri, USA) www.jimmiebratcher.com Why can't we be friends - Trash Fashion (UK) Trash Fashion continue their path to world domination with the release their new EP Why can't we be friends? on 10 March 2008 UK and Germany tours & SXSW appearance detailed on their sites. www.trashfashion.co.uk www.myspace.com.trashfashion www.youtube.com/trashfashiontube We sat down to dinner on Saturday night to the dulcet tones of Pete Cogle and his A la carte podcast. Mmm nice! Actually I really can recommend it - it provoked all sorts of interesting conversation over the meal about music, genres and tastes. www.pcpodcast.blogsome.com Rubber eyeballs - The Kazoo Funk Orchestra (Glasgow / Toronto / Tijuana, United Kingdom) The Kazoo Funk Orchestra are an alternative indie pop collective from Glasgow, Scotland. Formed in 2005 during a finger painting session attended by chief songwriters Little Beard and Big Beard. Taking inspiration from various artists and genres, they created a unique mesh of indie, pop, rock and hip-hop. Within a couple weeks, the duo formed the backbone of the band with a few friends and had already begun recording tracks for the debut album Midnight Finger Painter. They have a new album Adventures in Fuzzy Felt Land out on Jamendo too. www.kazoofunkorchestra.com www.jamendo.com Had a fun Twitter conversation with Rob Wall and Dave Cormier in Canada while prepping the show on Sunday about the definitive cowbell song. My vote goes to Free"s "All Right Now?. The live versions on YouTube (without cowbell) are perfect for serious air cowbell. Beautiful Imperfection - Fort Pastor (Florida, USA) Fort Pastor's new release Beautiful Imperfection. They are not bashful about their stand for social reform. Blending their Australian and American roots, Fort Pastor's signature organic mixture of acoustic rock has garnered the praise of critics and fans alike. www.fortpastor.com/ If you've wanted to get the hang of playing the didgeridoo Colin Goring has posted some superb videos on Howcast. Seriously, take a look, they are just wonderful. www.howcast.com/videos/849-How-To-Play-Didgeridoo-the-Basic-Drone 2008 Academy Awards: "and the best original song is … podsafe!" Falling Slowly by Glen Hansard and Markete Irglova (who also star in the film). The film also won the Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Audience Award. Glen Hansard left school at the age of thirteen to begin performing on Dublin streets. He secured a record deal with Island Records and subsequently formed The Frames in 1990. Hansard first came to wider public attention as guitar player Outspan Foster in the Alan Parker film THE COMMITMENTS. He gradually established himself as one of Irish music's most popular talents. In April 2006, Hansard released his first solo album, The Swell Season, in collaboration with his co-star in ONCE, Marketa Irglova. Written and directed by John Carney (On the Edge, Bachelors Walk), ONCE is a nod to the classic musicals of the past, while it is also grounded in the bohemian world of struggling young Dubliners that he knew from his days as a young musician. I believe he was also bass player in The Frames for a while. www.youtube.com/watch?v=938XY6DX02w&feature=related Green Machine - Sahib Radio (North Carolina, USA) If you're looking for some super smooth, over produced, pretty pop tunes, or love songs, then keep on looking. You won't find it here. Sahib Radio"s music is raw, rough around the edges, gritty, and doesn't really fit into any specific genre. Subject matter is usually controversial, and dark. www.myspace.com/sahib Do Me A Squeeze celebrates its second birthday on Friday 7th March at Tabernacle in Tabernacle Street in the City of London. I have to admit that my daughter Jessie is largely responsible for Do Me a Squeeze and very proud of her I am too. "At DMAS we are always interested in promoting new talent, if you are a budding DJ and are interested in coming and playing for us then please email jess@domeasqueeze.co.uk for information." Chip off the old block? : Happy birthday DMAS. www.domeasqueeze.co.uk/ Boum-Boum-Affrica-China - Les Oreilles en Ballades (Arles, France) = Ears in Ballads. Mélange de styles musicaux où nos oreilles se promènent d'un univers à l'autre... surprenant. Direct rt=translation is again quite poetic: Mix musical styles where our ears walk of one universe to the other... surprising. http://christophe.kay.free.fr/les-oreilles-en-ballades/m.html This week off to the north west of England in fact I think I've engineered a morning free in the English Lake District. The first time I've been up there in quite a few years and I have to say that, tinged with a personal sadness as it will be, I'm really looking forward to getting up onto a mountain on Thursday morning. Even if, as usual, it is raining. Let's face it, it has to or the Lake District would be called the "Valley District". Festa - feat. Negro (La Cruda) - Butumbaba (Santa Fe, Argentina) Desde su formación en 1993 en la ciudad de Santa Fe, Argentina, Butumbaba es una banda que se ha dedicado a la investigación y experimentación de los ritmos derivados y afines al Ska y al Reggae. A lo largo de estos años, en un trabajo constante, la banda va sufriendo. Direct = From its formation in 1993 in the city of Santa Fe, Argentina, Butumbaba are a band that has dedicated to the investigation and experimentation of the rates derived and compatible to the Ska and the Reggae. Throughout these years, in a constant work, the band is suffering. www.butumbaba.com.ar Delighted for Suffolk 'n' Cool to have been featured as The Editors Pick on Podcast Nation this week. An email arrived out of the blue on Thursday to say "Thank you for all of your podcasts, your work is stunning, both in its quality and its consistency?. A friend has the signs of the zodiac on her kitchen wall with a couple of paras on the characteristics of each sign. I'm a Capricorn. It just said "Most prison warders are Capricorns? There"s the consistency element then! The quality of the content is down to the all the wonderful artists who are prepared to take the risk of making their music available for podcasting and to you the listener who makes it worth their creating the music and me just passing it along. Liberty Bell (Monty Python) - The Hampshire Guitar Orchestra (UK) Formed in 1999, we play 4 sizes of Classical Guitar - alto, prime, bass and contra, with regular concerts in aid of local charities. Come along and let us change your perception of Classical Guitar. www.hago.org.uk/ Comments[1] |
Wed, 27 February 2008 A slightly shorter show this week but with great tracks from Italy, New York, Germany, California, and Georgia and more from Colorado than anywhere else! However, if you were really quick off the mark you may find that you've got a very much shorter show due to publishing problems. If the show looks as though it is only 20 some minutes long you can download it again now and it should be fine. In iTunes, delete the short show, unsubscribe from Suffolk'n'Cool then immediately click the Subscribe button next to the shop name and it should all be sorted out. Sorry. Combat Circus - Talco (Venice, Italy) Title track from their 2006 Jamendo album. More from Talco later. Another frantic week so may not be as much inane witttering as usual this week. In London again tomorrow and Friday but Friday should be pretty relaxed. Another quite depressing visit to Norfolk to discuss my mum's situation with yet more medical staff yesterday but they seem to be getting the idea at last and my dad seems fully reconciled to her passing – whenever that happens. I don't remember whether I forgot to tell you about Pete Cogle's new show pcp2. A bit like BBC2 here in the UK, the show goes into rather more depth within the different specific genres featuring in each fortnightly show. http://pcp2.blogsome.com Intro Happy - Jimmie Bratcher (Missouri, USA) www.jimmiebratcher.com/ Moved and Raised - Royal Family (Georgia, USA) Introducing the Royal Family… These four gentlemen from Georgia are laying down a unique and refreshing high energy rock show. Inspired by 1970's New York art punk like Velvet Underground, Patti Smith and Television their sound encompasses modern textures and melodies. myspace.com/royalfamilyband Sweeter Than This - Katie Herzig (Colorado via New York, USA) From even the first note of a Katie Herzig tune, you know you've stumbled into something special. She just has a way with a song. Maybe it's the way she juxtaposes lyrical playfulness and whimsy with incredibly thoughtful depth and emotion. Maybe it's her stunning, delicately powerful voice. Maybe it's the sonic landscape that pulls from every direction. Doesn't really matter. The captivating effect is in full force. Katie began her career while in college as the lead singer for Boulder-based Newcomers Home. That experience lasted for eight years and took her all across the US. The band released four solid CDs that sold some 15,000 copies and built them a loyal fan base. Not bad for a bunch of Colorado upstarts. www.katieherzig.com/ Tutti Assolti - Talco (Marghera, Venezia, Italy) Title track from their album Tutti Assolti (all aquitted): ottobre 2004 - primo full-lenght, prodotto da Kob Records e Mad Butcher Records. The patchanka-combat-ska-punk project Talco was first conceived by Tomaso De Mattia. Since 2002 Talco have made frequent live appearances, which have allowed the band to enjoy an increasing degree of popularity and play alongside Modena City Ramblers, Los Fastidios, Blisterhead, Linea 77, Banda Bassotti, Atarassia Grop, Obrint Pas, Punkreas, Persiana Jones, Arpioni, Ska-j and Derozer (among others). To this day, Talco has recorded two albums, both of which were produced and distributed in Italy and Europe by Kob Records and Mad Butcher Records, with the support of Venus Dischi. The first, "Tutti assolti" (2004), was well received by the music press in Italy, Germany, France, Spain, the Cech Republic and Mexico, and sold over 2,000 copies. The second album, "Combat Circus", was released in November 2006, and was likewise positively acclaimed in Italian and European fan- and webzines, including Rockerilla, Rock Sound and Negative. Talco are among the best known Italian ska-punk bands, and have a particularly strong fan-base in Germany, where Talco gig tickets are regularly sold out. Tomaso "Dema" De Mattia - Voce, Chitarra Emanuele "Jesus" Randon - Chitarra, Cori Francesco "Keko" Rioda - Basso Nicola "Il Culo" Marangon - Batteria Riccardo "Terra" Terrin - Tromba, Cori Enrico "Cioro" Marchioro - Sax Tenore, Cori Simone "Tonello" Vianello - Tastiera, Cori www.talcoska.it Transliterator - Devotchka (Colerado, USA) The times have finally caught up with acclaimed Denver quartet DeVotchKa. Not long ago when the band unloaded their instruments - a violin, a tuba and an accordion, among others - into a rock club, they were told they must be in the wrong place. They created music that was Grammy nominated (DeVotchKa created the soundtrack for the indie smash Oscar winning film Little Miss Sunshine) without the benefit of a huge promotion team or runaway budget, instead relying only on their own efforts by self-releasing their records. And they crafted gems of songs by mixing a beautiful blend of Eastern European bohemia, American prairie rock and distinctive indie and called it pop, rather than world, music. Now, the band is au courant, poised to shine on with their Anti- Records debut A Mad and Faithful Telling. From the cinematic richness of "Transliterator" to the modern pop experiment of "The Clockwise Witness," to the soaring and wrenching "Undone," DeVotchKa have produced a career-defining record and the world is listening. Digital single out now Album: A Mad and Faithful Telling Release Date US: 2008-03-18 Release Date EU: 2008-03-17 www.anti.com/artists/view/49/DeVotchKa Sad Robot - Pornophonique (Darmstadt, Germany) Really popular on Jamendo where the track has had 22,000 listens. From the album 8-bit lagerfeuer www.pornophonique.de/ Earthquake hits Suffolk! Sounds more exciting that it was - thankfully. The Bridge - The Loved Ones (California, USA) To be memorable a band must live the fight, believing that their record—front to back, first song to last—could be it, their one chance to truly move people and make a connection. www.fatwreck.com/ Comments[2] |
Wed, 20 February 2008 Italy, Norway, France, the UK and a bit of the USA are represented on this week's show. There is energy in the air with electric violin and harmonica; interesting new artists and a blues man more accustomed to playing alongside The Rolling Stones. Some fascinating music of a genre I don"t normally play and a preview of the new single from an old favourite of Suffolk 'n' Cool. Intro Happy - Jimmie Bratcher (Missouri, USA) www.jimmiebratcher.com Goin' Down - Hell Dorado (Torino, Italy) Formed in the summer of 2006 in Turin, Italy Hell Dorado reunited different elements from local bands. Ste: Lead vocals and bass guitar Paolo: Guitars and backing vocals Turo: Guitars and backing vocals Yehudi: Drums Rock shades between geometrical rhythms, tension switches and improvised passages. Sometimes pissed off, but always through with their unique features: distorted guitars and catchy tunes. Hell Dorado's live shows live on stop-&-go's, crazy hairstyles, alcoholic tendencies and tight rhythms. www.myspace.com/thehelldorado It doesn't matter - Nick Cook (UK) Yet another batch of tracks from Nick Cook onto the PMN this week. His sound reminds me of all sorts of artists, John Martyn and Nick Drake amongst them, and yet it is quite distinctive and uncommonly expressive. Some great phrasing here. www.nick-cook.com/ Mobile - Edgar Gabriel's StringFusion (Chicago, Illinois, USA) Edgar Gabriel's StringFusion is an exciting new jazz fusion ensemble from Chicago. With former Cirque du Soleil electric violinist Edgar Gabriel at the helm, this group fuses elements of rock, classical and world music into its intelligent entertaining character. The improvisations of Edgar along with Maurice Houston (Bass), Steve Doyle (Guitar), Kevin O'Connell (Keyboards), Inderjeet Sidhu (Drums/Tabla), Sarah Alexander (Cello) and Michael Levin (Saxophone/Flute/ Clarinet), are combined with elements of jazz, funk, rock, fiddle Indian ragas, and classical music to rival any jam band. www.stringfusion.com/ www.myspace.com/edgargabriel39sstringfusion Ninetyfive - The Winning Season (Bridgewater, New Jersey, USA) The Winning Season is composed of songs written and performed by Brian Pascoe. Who says, "I do this simply for the fun of it. I love writing music, and even more so sharing it with people. Hopefully you'll enjoy.? 24 Feb 2008 Crossroads *Benefit Show* Garwood, New Jersey 14 Mar 2008 Bucks County Coffee House Flemington, New Jersey www.myspace.com/thewinningseason Contact out of the blue from Rache who is volunteering in Colombia with www.redcolombia.org Cold Blooded Man - Sugar Blue (New York, USA) Grammy Award-winning harmonica virtuoso Sugar Blue is one of the foremost electric harpists of the modern era… Blue began his career as a street musician and made his first recordings in 1975 with legendary blues figures Brownie McGhee and Roosevelt Sykes. The following year, he contributed to recordings by Victoria Spivey and Johnny Shines before pulling up stakes and moving to Paris on the advice of pioneer blues pianist Memphis Slim. While in France, Blue hooked up with members of the Rolling Stones, who instantly fell in love with his sound. The Stones invited Blue to join them in the studio. Besides his work on the Some Girls album, he can be heard on Emotional Rescue and Tattoo You. He appeared live with the group on numerous occasions and was offered the session spot indefinitely, but he turned it down, opting instead to return to the States and put his own band together rather than became a full-time sideman. Before returning to the U.S. in 1982, Blue cut a pair of albums, Crossroads and From Paris to Chicago. www.sugar-blue.com/ Wear my crown - Poxfil (France) A second track from the amazingly versatile Poxfil in just a couple of weeks - not really the sort of stuff I normally go for but this has a distinct quality that cuts through the genre. Thanks to Paul The Grumbler for putting me onto this exceptional track when he played it on mumu (http://mumu.grumbling-dragon.com/) last week. Taken from the Jamendo album Who is on my Sofa? where, for some reason it is referred to as "Were my crow" - almost surreal! The album is a must-download gem. They have a couple more albums which are also available from Jamendo and also well worth a listen. www.jamendo.com/en/album/15656 The nun who nurtured reggae At lunchtime yesterday I was delighted to be reminded of how great some public-service radio is in the UK. Radio 4, speech-based radio for people with a bit of a brain put out a wonderful gem of a programme in which Jonathon Charles tells the story of Sister Mary Ignatius Davis who ran the music programme at the Alpha Boys' School in Kingston, Jamaica. Some great reggae and ska music and some some of the greats of the genre and wonderful characters describing a remarkable woman. Give yourself a 28 minute treat while it is still available. Click this very much shortened link to hear the programme on the BBC iPlayer Berwick Road - Dave Lambert Band (Minnesota, USA) I played this track on the show before (show 50 back in January last year) but I had a very simple note from Dave that reminded me give it another well-deserved airing. The Dave Lambert Band has arrived from it's roots as a driving blues band into one of the Midwest's finest Roadhouse Remedies. Blistering renditions of 20's and 30's blues classics mixed with guitar magic and slide prowess make this one a must have in any blues/rock/guitarist collection. www.davelambertband.com The path of love - Nordgarden (Hammer, Norway) I'm delighted to have a copy of the new Nordgarden single for you it's also the title track from his new album to be released in April/May. He has a few dates in the UK in early March when he's playing Oxford, the Grapevine in Norwich and Glossop. He's back in May too. Loads of shows in Holland in March. Dates on his Myspace. www.nordgarden.info www.myspace.com/nordgarden Comments[0] |
Wed, 13 February 2008 An interesting week again I hope you'll agree that it is an interesting Suffolk 'n' Cool again. With surf from Finland to accordion from France and much else besides, I hope you'll give it a good listen and follow up on some of the music. Vincent surprice - Ronnie and His Twangin´ Little Fellow RHTLF (Finland) Ronnie and his Twangin´ Little fellow was founded by Antti and Sami in the beginning of 1995. We met by accident in Lahti City, when Sami was on the way to sell his guitar amplifier. "After a short conversation we decided to meet and test the amplifier in Sami's train room. I was not going to buy it because of my financial position, but of course didn"t tell that to Sami. In the same evening after a little while testing the amplifier we realized that we both are interesting in surf music." ANTTI KUKKOLA Guitar SAMI HUOTILAINEN Guitar and organ MATTI VIRTANEN Bass KALLE KOTIRANTA Drums www.myspace.com/ronnieandhistwanginlittlefellow Burn - Grace Valhalla (Nancy, France) From her Jamendo album Peak. I played Grace early in December and since then I've listened to at least one track each day. Grace is my alarm clock. http://gracevalhalla.hautetfort.com/ http://myspace.com/gracevalhalla Thanks to a neat little app on the Mac called Aurora which wakes the laptop up from sleep at a time of your choosing and plays whichever playlist you want from iTunes. Even sends you to sleep. http://metaquark.de/aurora Girls From Birkenhead - GK & The Renegades (Liverpool, UK) I played That's OK a couple of weeks ago and mentioned this track. ren·e·gade [ren-i-geyd] - adjective 1. an energetic, good-humoured, fun-filled experience. (i.e. "Last night was so renegade!") A charismatic, melody-driven band, Liverpool-based GK & The Renegades continue to impress fans and critics alike with their energy and ambition. Fri 15th Feb Josephs Well - Leeds Fri 22nd Feb Dry Bar - Manchester Fri 29th Feb Carling Academy - Liverpool HEADLINE SHOW Fri 11th April Dry Bar - Manchester Sun 13th Apr West Street Live - Sheffield Wed 7th May Dublin Castle - London They seem to have all bases covered with multiple sites. Do check out the excellent video on the YouTube site: www.gkandtherenegades.com/ www.myspace.com/gkandtherenegades www.youtube.com/gkandtherenegades The email beer alert Ale Mail from the Three Horseshoes here at Charsfield in Suffolk just arrived with a comment from a regular at the Shoes: As Ben Franklin said: In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria. Thanks Martin!In a number of carefully controlled trials, scientists have demonstrated that if we drink 1 litre of water each day, at the end of the year we would have absorbed more than 1 kilo of Escherichia coli, (E. coli) - bacteria, found in feces. In other words, we are consuming 1 kilo of poop. However, we do NOT run that risk when drinking wine & beer (or tequila, rum, whiskey or other liquor) because alcohol has to go through a purification process of boiling, filtering and/or fermenting. Remember: Water = Poop, Wine = Health Therefore, it's better to drink wine and talk stupid, than to drink water and be full of shit. Réveille le Hippie - Both (Metz, France) Just love the way these voices work together. Played Simple Exercise on the show (#96) from Boulogne in mid-December. Again on Jamendo www.both-world.com Good looking line-up at The Grapevine in Norwich on 5th March, Nordgarden, Cara Winter, Sean Redmond and Yum Yum a really nice venue and only £5 - book a table on 01603 666869 and check the MySpace at: www.myspace.com/grapevine4music Meets Ya Bass (Preecha Version) - Lion of Joppa Soundsystem (Edinburgh, Scotland) Ali puts it all together - synths, samples, loops - in Ableton Live 6. www.myspace.com/lionofjoppasoundsystem Note from Colin Gazeley of Ourobouros podcast www.ourobouros.co.uk who says "I've just listened to your shows from September last year onwards. Listening to SnC is like listening to PC Podcast with the weirdness increased by a factor of 10. You play some very … um … shall we say interesting music. A lot of it I wouldn't play myself, but having said that, I've lined up Luna Halo and Two Hours Traffic to play on my show." Nothing weird on this show Colin! Mazurka pour Chantal - Sylvain Piron (Steinbourg,France) From one of his three Jamendo albums Par Coeur "Here are a few tunes for listening or playing at home, or better: dancing in a jig. Simple wish to share these old tunes of our heritage, and to add my own tunes by the way. Recorded on the corner on the living-room table, no complicated things nor fantastic modernity in that !" Je joue et chante les musiques traditionnelles accompagné de l'accordéon diatonique depuis les années 70 - puis peu à peu j'ai commencé à composer mes propres musiques et chansons sur le mode traditionnel, avec l'idée qu'on ne puisse pas.Album at: www.jamendo.com/en/album/373 www.tradfrance.com Death to Los Campesinos - Los Campesinos (Cardiff, Wales) Played them before and I'll played them again. One of my favourite bands to emerge from the university scene over the last couple of years. They are on the excellent Wichita label. The new single "Death to Los Campesinos!" is in shops February 18th on CD and 7" as well as a download. The debut album, "Hold On Now, Youngster" will follow on the 25th of February and will be available on CD, LP and download. Promoting the album and single with another UK tour and a few dates in mainland Europe. Feb 14 - King Tuts, Glasgow (tomorrow) 16 - Northumbria Uni, Newcastle 17 - Leadmill, Sheffield 18 - Club Academy, Manchester 19 - Concorde 2, Brighton 20 - Plug N Play, Reading 21 - The Works, Kingston 23 - Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth A couple of live 5pm in-store gigs in Manchester (Fopp in Brown St on Monday and in Brighton on Tuesday18th at HMV in Churchill Square Shopping Centre - now that has to be seen. Details of all gigs on the Wichita site. www.wichita-recordings.com/artist.php/loscampesinos/ Pete Cogle has a promo video for his shows at http://pcpodcast.blogsome.com as he says "Only 11 minutes of your life to waste … what"s that between friends.? Comments[0] |
Wed, 6 February 2008 A really quirky collection this week, perhaps reflecting the nature of the week. I'll not bring you down with it but, take my word for it, it's been interesting again! Still got my head above water - just. Rats ass - The Norfolk Rats (Virginia, USA) Snake Oil Records artists The Norfolk Rats play real rock the way it was meant to be played. From Norfolk, VA. Matt Bastard - Drums Nasty Nestor - Guitar Vox Jeffrey Drop - Bass Vox Mark Fuzz - Guitar www.myspace.com/thenorfolkrats Keyboard Cave - Catgut (UK) Had word from Owen that he'd released more Catgut tracks. In fact a whole 7 track EP which you can download from his site free. He describes himself as producing low-tech Voice, Guitar and Keyboard based tunes. While you are on the very attractive site, take a look at the video page, rather fine. www.metacomment.com/catgut/ Noson - Poxfil (France) From the Jamendo album (with a delicious cover) Who is on my sofa? www.poxfil.net Paul Snelling (The Grumbler) was one of the prime degenerates on the Podcrawl 08 extravaganza a few weeks ago. I don't know if someone said something about his presence when he was a but a simple blogger rather than a podcaster but having seen us in action he must understandably have thought that if we could do it so could he. Have a listen at: http://mumu.grumbling-dragon.com you may be mildly amused.. Will you still be in love with me next year? - Hot Club de Paris (Liverpool, UK) Hot Club de Paris are Al (drums, vocals) Matthew (guitar, vocals) and Paul (bass, lead vocals). Al has a mortage, Matthew lives with his folks and Paul gets by. www.hotclubdeparis.com/ We believe in something unusual - Amplifico (Edinburgh, Scotland) Donna Maciocia (that's Ma-cho-cha) is a young Scottish singer/songwriter in her mid-twenties with Italian roots, the frontperson and driving force behind Scottish band Amplifico. Donna's co-writers and two best mates from school (Balwearie High in Fife), Dave Brunton and Ross Kilgour on drums and guitar, respectively. Playing together in bands since age of 13, Amplifico formed early '04 in Edinburgh, Scotland. They have since independently released 2 EPs to critical acclaim of national press + supported high profile artists like KT Tunstall, Regina Spektor+Nizlopi. Next gig is at Club Ego in Edinburgh on 1st March Check website for lots more mp3s. www.amplifico.net www.myspace.com/amplifico Take the plane - Trick Seventeen (Germany) From the self titled album from German pop/punk, melodic emo rockers Trick Seventeen. The album MAY be called Might as Well but it makes not a jot of difference. You can get it free from Jamendo at the click of a mouse from : www.jamendo.com/album/4903?refuid=117934 www.myspace.com/trickseventeen Follow me home - Breanna Paletta (Oregon, USA) OK, I played a track by Oregon artist Breanna Paletta last week and I can't resist the temptation to play out with another track from her album We Endeavour. With poignant, piercing honesty and bittersweet reflection, Paletta's lyrics speak to the joys and pain of every day life that can"t be captured in every day expression. http://breannapaletta.com/ Sorry about the rather sparse show this week. No excuse other than highly stressed and rather a lot of demands on my time. All being well, I'll be back next week, hopefully in better shape. Thanks for your patience, understanding and messages of support. All are very much appreciated. Comments[3] |
Wed, 30 January 2008 Intro Happy - Jimmie Bratcher (Missouri, USA) www.jimmiebratcher.com Jane - The Loved Ones (California, USA) To be memorable a band must live the fight, believing that their record—front to back, first song to last—could be it, their one chance to truly move people and make a connection. Enter THE LOVED ONES. www.fatwreck.com/ A few minutes of relative sanity and certainly a seriously effective distraction from all the stuff of life. Like a speeding car - Breanna Paletta (Oregon, USA) With poignant, piercing honesty and bittersweet reflection, Paletta's lyrics speak to the joys and pain of every day life that can't be captured in every day expression. Breanna is a native of Portland whose planned EP grew into a full-length album with a backing band made up of a group of friends and some quirky instrumentation. Tomorrow she's playing Imbibe in Portland with her birthday show a week later on 7th Feb. An acoustic tour kicks off on 15th Feb and blasts around most of the NW of the USA including states of Washington, Oregon, Montana and Idaho and even over the border into Canada with a date to Vancouver with a date at Lugz Coffee. Details and some great tunes on her website. http://breannapaletta.com/ Winelight club update From among the ranks of artistes from all over the world coming to play for us we are delighted to announce that on Friday 7th March we will be staging no less than one of Australia's finest singer/songwriters - MELANIE HORSNELL. Melanie will be dropping into The Winelight Club as a part of her UK tour and we are delighted (if not astonished) to have attracted an artiste of her calibre to o |
