Wed, 6 October 2010
A remarkable diversity of music on SnC this week from New York, Buenos Aires, Frankfurt and Toronto but that's just one of the tracks! We'll also hear about which artist has been selected Artist of the Month for September by Sarah Groves at Adnams who I met up with earlier today. Head brewer Fergus was recording a video at the time. You can currently see the result (and the lovely brewing vat, which is now in the cafe) at http://adnams.co.uk Somehow rain on the coast on a blustery warm day with fabulous grey clouds never seems bad. We even went for a paddle, hell yes. Even if it was by accident. There were some big waves!
Stand Back - Kopecky Family Band (Nashville, TN, USA) The Kopecky Family Band is a living and breathing collage of sorts, combining sound, people, and a DIY sensibility, exemplified in all aspects of their music and aesthetic. Whilst they hail from Nashville, Tennessee, their sound could be placed in cities as far-flung as Brooklyn, Melbourne, Toronto or London. Their infectious multi-layered harmonies, coupled with a string section to rival the Arcade Fire has propelled the band into the forefront of the hard working, fast paced Nashville music scene. The family is now embarking on a Griswald style ‘vacation’, bringing their show to New York City for CMJ in October and releasing their second EP The Disaster on the 9th of November. Like all families, Kopecky Family Band members each beat with the same heart and write in the same blood. The Family began creating music together in Nashville, Tennessee in the fall of 2007. What started as late night talks about life and dreams has now gradually and continually flowed into eccentric and beautiful music. Leading the family are singers Gabe and Kelsey, along with Steven (lead guitar), Corey (bass), Markus (cello), Benjamin (violin), and David (drums). The emotion of their music is raw and vulnerable whilst maintaining an unmistakable power and presence. The sounds created by the booming and orchestral-like septet challenge the listener’s ear while still offering simply melodies to sing along with. www.myspace.com/kopeckyfamilyband kopeckyfamilyband.bandcamp.com
Now that you're mine - Leslie DiNicola (NY, NY, USA) DiNicola moved around a lot when she was growing up, and has that unique perspective of someone who’s been “the new kid at school” a few too many times. After graduating from Syracuse University, Leslie found herself pulled in opposite directions by her love of music and her love of sailing. She reflects, “By the time I was 22 and moved to Manhattan, I had already lived in 8 different places. No matter how much you like a place, the way I liked NY, there’s a hesitancy to get too comfortable. I think that’s what kept me running off to sea so often, sailing to different countries every chance I got.” www.myspace.com/lesliedinicola www.reverbnation.com/lesliedinicola www.twitter.com/LeslieDiNicola
Gambler's Blues - Tin Pan (NY, NY, USA) Tin Pan connotes a world from the past – the most dominant and enlightened strains of American music of the early part of the 20th century – jazz, blues and American popular song. But it would be a mistake to say that Tin Pan is fixed in that past. Rather, it is music created to be enjoyed profoundly and joyously in the present. The band has created a rabid following by playing music that resonates powerfully because its intention is pure – to make people dance, smile and conjure with the spirit of music itself. On their new album, Hound’s Tooth, the band has perfected their sonic vision – effortless, wondrous and festive, feeling much like, as the band describes themselves, Ray Charles and Tom Waits at a Bourbon Street Parade. The band comprises Jesse Selengut on trumpet, lead vocals and compositions, Clifton Hyde on guitar and hollerin’, Stefan Zeniuk on reeds and boy soprano vocals, and Peter “Baby Hands” Maness on bass and some singin’. They describe themselves as a “street band,” they often play in Central Park and in the New York City transit system. It’s the embodiment of the band’s belief that their music should be accessible – literally and figuratively. With two previous CD releases, Early Jazz and Americana and Alice McNulty, they sold a total of 6000 CD’s in 2008, a phenomenal total for an completely unsigned band, and earned rave notices in the New York Times and Huffington Post, among others. www.last.fm/user/TinPanBluesBand
Teri Muhabbeta Mar Sutia (Your Love Is Killing Me) - Achanak (Punjab) I heard this on one of Pete Cogle's shows (find them all at www.petecogle.com )
Sunrise - My Education (Austin, Texas, USA) For the past 10 years, My Education have released five full-length albums full of feedback-laden guitars, swirling melodic viola, a storm cloud of a rhythm section along with flourishes of vibraphone, bells, strings and horns. After touring throughout the USA this summer, My Education is busy in the studio right now, slaving away on new material that may show its face next year. The band has been playing new material live and have been seeing audiences being floored. The new music sees My Education expand further and grow further and will be quite a surprise and an engaging listen for all fans. Major touring will commence next year seeing the band head overseas to tour as well as more touring throughout the U.S. But let us not forget the amazing album Sunrise the band released in April on Strange Attractors Audio House and Golden Antenna. The album is available on beautiful vinyl. Sunrise is available via all the usual digital retailers like iTunes and Amazon MP3 but help some truly independent record labels and buy direct from them! scott telles- bass chris hackstie - guitar chris stelly - drums james alexander - viola kirk laktas - piano brian purington - guitar sarah norris - vibraphone henna chou - cello & piano
Sarah Groves chooses the Adnams Artist of the Month for September. Sarah took on the mammoth task of selecting an Artist of the Month from five shows worth of great music. Hear a longer version of the interview on the Artist of the month page.
Morning Sun - Shayna Zaid and The Catch (New York, NY) Blending elements of folk, jazz, indie pop and cabaret, Shayna Zaid's melodically inclined lyrical work leaves traces of solace, reflection and affection. The combination of Zaid's dynamic stage presence, her powerful smoky voice and her playful jazzy swagger lends an enchanting display. A worthy winner of the AOTM. UPDATE: I have it on good authority that the Ford commercial is all over the world and has been spotted on TV in Germany. Keep your eyer's open, although I think the tune will attract your attention.
Can't see the Soul - RookieCop (Nottingham, UK) It’s refreshing, in today’s climate of fame-seeking want-it-now! fabricated pop to find an artist who values strong concepts, credibility & a depth of music that reveals more with each listen. With a number of years in the underground arts & music scene & a sneaky 2 year 'Media Music’ course under his belt Rookiecop has been quietly honing his production skills & learning to write in a number of styles. Often mixing orchestral elements, trip-hop, ambient, funk & house music, the sound has been described as filmic, dark, melancholic, warm. Rookiecop signed to Fusion Room Records in 2009 and has started to become more experimental, taking in more esoteric time signatures and sounds. Rookiecop also produces, remixes, composes music & sound design for films and sometimes experiments with video. His music has been used in several short films (arthouse, cartoon, documentary) and digital media applications.
Eyes - Neon Legion (New York, Buenos Aires, Frankfurt and Toronto) Neon Legion, the rock band based around German-born composer and multi-instrumentalist Philip Kurt Kressin. In a music landscape where many artists are concerned with shiny veneers over artistic content, Kressin demands that his work stand for something. With Empire, the debut Neon Legion album, he seeks to honor the values of his forefathers while crafting a sound that brings together elements of rock, electronic, and classical music, honoring his own personal tradition. Kressin received formal training at the exclusive art and music-oriented Frensham Heights School near London, where rock & roll is an accepted part of the curriculum. Here, he learned about Bach's harmonies and Handel's melodies, toured Europe as a member of the choir and orchestra, and rubbed elbows with the children of rock legends like Roger Waters and Brian May, often visiting the house where Led Zeppelin famously recorded “Stairway to Heaven”. After school, Kressin expanded his musical studies in London with attaining a Bachelor of Arts Degree in music at Brunel University. He specialized in composition and won the university´s Steve Thomas Memorial Prize during his second year. Upon finishing his formal education, Kressin returned to Germany, where he began two years of work at Black Solaris Studios, an old (and possibly haunted) WWII bunker in Frankfurt. Here, he produced a number of German hip-hop and electronic artists, and had his first foray into film composing with his classical score for the award-winning short film Geigensolo. The latter would prove to be a most intense experience: The film's director was partially deaf, and had previously rejected the work of twelve other composers. Because the director could not hear high-range melodies, Kressin found himself adding sub-bass frequencies, "so that deaf viewers could feel the bass in their bodies." Amid his other work at Black Solaris, he found time to record his first album, Cyan (under the name Kirt). But soon after its completion, Kressin left Germany for the sunnier climes of Buenos Aires to release the disc. "I didn't see very much light in the bunker for a couple years," he says. "I just needed some light again." When restlessness struck again, the artist set out for what are now his twin bases in North America: New York City and Toronto. "The move seemed like a logical step," he says. "I’ve always been nomadic, living in different places, establishing myself there as an artist, and then moving on to the next one, building a network of collaborators in that way." It took more than a dozen musicians in four countries on three continents to make Empire. After working out arrangements with his Argentinian group, Kressin enlisted Priestbird cellist Daniel Bensi in New York, as well as a large cast of Toronto musicians, referred to him by a mutual friend of Broken Social Scene's Jason Collett. The album's ten songs delve into existential and sometimes political topics—the nature of man, intellect vs. instinct, man vs. the environment—from an omniscient perspective, in an effort to bring clarity and truth to humanity's larger patterns. www.reverbnation.com/#/neonlegion
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Wed, 29 September 2010
Suffolk 'n' Cool 239 features music from Germany, Mississippi, California, France, Brooklyn and Boston. We've news of the CMJ bun-fight in New York, a blogging challenge for musicians wanting to get to grips with promoting their music for themselves at low cost and a couple of tracks for you to download for yourself, quite legally. Today has been damp, dark and autumnal so I got no further than the window for this pic which sums it up.
Best Friend - New Average (Berlin, Germany) New Average is a musical pop duo formed in 2009 by John New and Emma Average. Their music expresses their passion for writing pop songs with catchy hooks and strong melodies in a contemporary band sound with an all around positive feeling and a feel good mood. Influences can be found by pop music of the late 70's like Pretenders and Roxy Music and Blondie as well as from the 60's motown era. John's musical work as producer,engineer and musician in the past include acts like "We are Scientists"(crap attack), german multi platinum act "Wir sind Helden" , Indie/New wave act "The Kokoon" and many others. The debut EP Waiting time is out now and will be followed by the album in early 2011. The EP getting a great press in Germany where the duo is currently located (moved from London two years ago).
Po' Mouthing - Carson Whitsett (Jackson, Mississippi, USA) Carson Whitsett (May 1, 1945, Jackson, Mississippi – May 8, 2007, Nashville, Tennessee) was a keyboardist, songwriter, and producer. He spent time with Stax Records and Malaco Records, where he played in the house band, appearing on Paul Simon's There Goes Rhymin' Simon album He played on the 2006 Uncovered album, which featured guest appearances by Eric Clapton, J. J. Cale, Michael McDonald, Mark Knopfler, and also Waylon Jennings in one of his last performances. In addition to playing, her wrote songs including Don't Give up on Me later covered by Joe Cocker. Carson Whitsett died May 8, 2007, after a sixteen month battle with cancer. Southern Soul legend Dan Penn said of his collaborator of the past three decades that, "...he played with the most authentic R&B feel of anybody I ever worked with". This is a track from Blues Instrumentals, a sampler album from LocoBop, released just yesterday. On this track, B-3 organ master Carson Whitsett’s Po’ Mouthing is an aptly titled lament from his own LocoBop album Organic.
Dreamtime Escape Plan - Leilujh (San Francisco, CA, USA) A second track from their album Dreamtime Escape Plan which arrived in the post this week. Leilujh’s music is best described as “psychedelic pop.” Fronted by indie rock queens Marisa Chaves and Samara Violet, Leilujh blends vocal harmonies over dreamy slide guitars and hip-hop beats to create a unique retro modern sound.
Musicians' on-line marketing and PR Blog Challenge wave 3 Music Success In Nine Weeks author, Ariel Hyatt, will wrap up the Blog Challenge 2.0 with a final wave with exciting offers from Bandzoogle and Airplay Direct. Participants in the final wave, launching on October 11th, will have access to a free six month trial to Bandzoogle’s website building service, and the winner of the challenge will receive two years of free hosting. In addition, the winner will get a free one year Pro Artist Package from AirPlay Direct, a service that puts music in the hands radio stations, booking agents, promoters and music supervisors. Finally, the winner will also receive a three-month Headliner Cyber PR® campaign from Ariel Publicity to further strengthen their career. With nearly 200 participants to date, the Blog Challenge has bolstered many careers and given confidence to musicians hoping to migrate into their business and marketing mind. The nine-week challenge follows the outline of Music Success In Nine Weeks, after which, the artist will have seen significant changes in their business and fan base. First wave blogger, Buskalaska, says “Ariel’s book has introduced me to a wealth of resources that I would never have known existed, and my battered copy of Music Success in Nine Weeks will be staying safely by my side for the foreseeable future.” Music Success In Nine Weeks is a no-nonsense tutorial on establishing a career and fan base through online PR, social media and marketing. Readers also receive access to the Cyber PR® Mastermind forum, an invite-only forum that allows musicians to get feedback from Ariel and her PR team on their application of principles discussed in the book. Participants can share and refine ideas with their peers as well as receive support and encouragement throughout the Blog Challenge. For more information on Music Success In Nine Weeks, to get your copy of the book and to enter the challenge,visit www.musicsuccessinnineweeks.com
Trans'histoire - Toulouse Skanking Foundation (Toulouse, France) With the desire to bring together fans of ska in Jamaica, the Toulouse Skanking Foundation was born. A passion around this original sound out of the slums of Kingston, a mix of Rythm'and blues, calypso and mento that gave the ska , rocksteady and reggae. Having toured the world through England, here is the new wave of ska music in France : LA TSF , avec son premier maxi, « Mystic Opus ».
La Boite a sons "The LCL netlabel is proud to present " La boite a sons", a free sound bank under a CC by-nc license, supplied by the artists that released or collaborated with us. The aim of this approach is to push further the use of CC licenses and encourage musicians to share more than just their tracks : share their raw materials ! Featuring samples from ARROGALLA, DISRUPT, JAMBASSA, KOU CHOU CHING, PEAK, VINILETTE, VOLFONIQ (to be growing aver time). Many thanks to the involved artists for sharing their passion, and to the partners of this projects for supporting it." You are free to use the samples, loops and a-cappellas in your creations as long as you respect the terms of the by-nc license. The sounds are hosted by CCmixter.org OPEN UNTIL DECEMBER 31st 2010 To introduce " La boite a sons " we organise a composition contest opened to every musician. 1- Produce a track using one or several of the sounds featured in the bank You can mix the sources, tempo and style are free. Your work must not contain any copyrighted material. 2- Send it to contest[at]lclweb[dot]org 3- A first pre-selection will be promoted via freemusicarchive.org 4- A jury composed of cc music and netaudio artists will make a final selection, that will be released as a compilation on LCL www.lclweb.org/free_soundbank.htm
Att sakna - Delgarma (Lyon, France) From the LCL album Den Andra CARTE BLANCHE serie (LCLCB) : are artists that the label likes, that produce songs out of their usual musical line (dub and assimilated) "Den Andra is more than an album title : it's a september 2010 nice surprise ! A mystical inspired and an enchanting music served by a unique voice. We were looking forward to listen to it since... april 2007, so 3 years were needed to give birth to Delgarma's second album. All in all, that's not this much time for an english/swedish/french folk artefact of this kind..." LCL - september 2010 "Den Andra (that means "The second" in Swedish) marks then end of a musical work that lasted more than 4 years. Some of the album tracks are old tunes taht we finaly decided to record like “Mummy”, some others are quite recent like “Sweet as a cat”. As the recording process takes a lots of time, it reflects in the songs, like a travel thru our different musical eras, influences, and instant wishes. Thru our life changes also. We all agreed to put a little more electronic sounds, work the depth of the songs, to achiveve with this album a listening artefact, pleasant and strong. We didn't agree all the time on the arrangements, the tracklisting and the cover (aaaaah, the cover...). Wild endless debate s, hard to find majority, especially when you're four !" DELGARMA - september 2010 www.lclweb.org/audio_lp_lclcb05.htm
Adnams Coastal Clean Hear all about it at http://adnams.co.uk/news/adnams-podcast/adnams-podcast-bonus-episode-adnams-coastal-clean or perhaps you'd prefer http://tinyurl.com/38xrvaz
Little Brown Haired Girls - Frankie Rose an the Outs (Brooklyn) Frankie Rose has a reputation around here. And by here, we mean Brooklyn. And by reputation, we mean her minimal, Maureen Tucker-like beats and iconic presence in such buzz-stirring bands as Crystal Stilts, Dum Dum Girls, and Vivian Girls. Those groups spearheaded a scene that mixed the sounds of lo-fi garage, big reverb-drenched Phil Spector-produced 60s girl groups, the noise aesthetic of the Jesus And Mary Chain with a touch of Velvet Underground and a strong DIY ethic to create a sound that's influenced a new generation of bands around the world. At least that's what she's been known for up until now. As you're about to hear on her new group's self-titled Slumberland Records debut, Frankie Rose and the Outs have their heads in the clouds a bit more than Rose's previous projects. "I tried to make this album as hi-fi as possible while sticking to the sounds that I've always loved," explains Rose. "I grew up listening to a lot of musicals and Gilbert and Sullivan operas, so harmonies are a given. I also was drawn to anything spooky as a kid—'Good Vibrations' still kinda scares me. The singer/guitarist/drummer—aided by fellow Outs bassist Caroline Yes, guitarist Margot Bianca, and drummer Kate Ryan— explores her dream-pop side on the album's darker numbers. From the galloping reverb symphony of "Little Brown Haired Girls" to the tough garage swing of "That's What People Told Me" and "Don't Tred" to the soaring chords and angelic harmonies of the well-chosen Arthur Russell cover "You Can Make Me Feel Bad," it's clear that Rose has finally found the perfect vehicle for her musical inspiration. "To be honest, I like so much music," says Rose, "and never know what influences are going to come out. For me, songwriting is more about evoking certain feelings than the lyrics or anything else. Hell, sometimes I don't even know what the songs mean." The album came out on Slumberland Records last week. You can order through the My Space or in Europe through Rough Trade. www.myspace.com/saintoftherose
CMJ Panelists CMJ has announced the key industry leaders who will be sharing their experience and thoughts on a variety of critical music business issues during a whole range of panel sessions at CMJ Music Marathon and Film Festival 2010 which runs in New York from October 19th to 23rd. The sheer scales of CMJ is made clear by the latest list of artists playing shows. A staggering 700 artists have been added to the first wave. Check the current list at http://cmj2010.com/music/artists/ Within a few days the total should be around 1200! They'll be playing across more than 75 venues throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn, with daytime sessions and panels centred on NY University's campus in Greenwhich Village. Oh, and then there's the film festival too. A general admission badge for the whole festival will cost you $495.
Dying Alone - The New Collisions (Boston, MA, USA) New Collisions began in Spring 2009, when lead singer Sarah Guild and guitarist Scott Guild began swapping songs with bassist Alex Stern and drummer Zak Kahn of Britpop band The Sterns. Organ player Casey Gruttadauria joined at the same time. Sessions were booked; shows began to sell out. Three months after their first performance, the band was on tour with The B-52s and Blondie. Five national tours later, they have shared stages with The Morning Benders, Missing Persons, You Say Party! We Say Die!, and Owl City. Greg Hawkes, legendary synth-player of The Cars, became an early fan and collaborator, live and in-studio. After six months together, New York Magazine and This Week in New York placed them in the top ten of CMJ 2009. After a busy SXSW 2010, their first full-length was recorded in under ten days. Producers Sean Slade and Paul Kolderie (The Pixies, Dinosaur Jr., Radiohead, The Sounds) chose a live, direct aesthetic for the album; first takes were given preference. The result is an intense, cathartic record, reminiscent of the punk and pop classics of 1977-1983. THE OPTIMIST tells a story of decline. In their jobs, their relationships and their thoughts, the album's nine narrators confront a bleak modern landscape. With a novelistic eye for detail, songwriters Scott Guild and Alex Stern use this character-based approach to depict a culture in collapse. The album is both a personal confession and a social observation. www.myspace.com/thenewcollisions www.sonicbids.com/newcollisions www.facebook.com/thenewcollisions
High Frequency - Roots Zombie (Paris-Bordeaux, France) I love the sparceness and room to breath that he gives the sounds in there. From the album - Dub Vibration on Jamendo from Bounce to Hell Records. Roots Zombie, projet solo née entre Paris et Bordeaux en 2009, est un melting pot de sons fait maison orienté vers la dub et le ska ayant pour but d'être écouté librement via la toile. Roots Zombie solo project born between Paris and Bordeaux in 2009, is a melting pot of sounds homemade oriented dub and ska designed to be listened to freely via the web. Another album called Combat Nocturne which has vocals is also on Jamendo www.jamendo.com/en/artist/Roots'N'Zombie
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Wed, 22 September 2010
Blues, dancehall and Euro-pop each contribute to the mix on SnC 238 this week. We've tracks from Amsterdam, London, Jamaica, Germany and Canada as well as Nashville, New York and LA, along with guests Small City Calling from San Diego. On Saturday a bunch of great folks turned out for the Adnams Coastal Clean at Southwold. (Right) What a great day. An hour or two of restoring the beautiful beach in clean clear air under a blue sky, followed by fish and chips and a pint at The Harbour Inn. It doesn't get much better.
Satellite - Lelia Broussard (Los Angeles, CA, USA) “Lelia is an undeniable talent, in every way. She has it all, amazing voice, great songwriter, and overall an incredible artist. From the moment I first heard her voice, I knew there was something special going on, and when I saw her perform live for the first time at The Bitter End in New York, I was even more blown away. She has that thing everyone is looking for, the thing you can't quite describe what it is, that "it" factor, Lelia has it. She's incredible." Rob Fusari, Producer (Lady Gaga, Destiny’s Child) Acclaimed LA-based songwriter Lelia Broussard, originally from the bayous of South Louisiana, is set to unleash her third full-length release, ‘MASQUERADE’ (November 2nd, Self-Release). With masterful production by Dan Romer (Ingrid Michaelson, Jenny Owen Youngs), the album boasts an intriguing collection of driving folk/pop gems. www.myspace.com/leliabroussard
Orthadox Paradox - Hollywood Tramp (London, UK) With the party conference season in full swing in the UK and in the build-up to the mid-term elections in the USA, it seems a good time to remind ourselves about politicians. Currently creating a huge stir on the London music scene following gigs at a number of prestigious venues such as Camden Underworld, Sound Leicester Square, The Garage not to mention a gig at London Bridge station and a professional music video shot at Southwark Tube station which can be viewed on their website, the future is looking increasingly bright for Hollywood Tramp. Having supported the likes of Switches and Larrik In Love, the band have also performed at Guilfest where they started their first song to an empty tent but by the last song had it brimming with over 600 people, where even the police came in to check what was going on. Through all of this success, Hollywood Tramp have also seen their fair share of controversy including their previous bass player having too much to drink before a gig and accidentally knocking the band’s guitarist’s girlfriend unconscious, delaying their gig by 20 minutes, their ex guitarist saying something at a band meeting with Warner Chappell which single handedly ruined their chances of getting signed, not to mention mass brawls breaking out at gigs to name but a few incidents….. Hollywood Tramp claim they stay out of trouble as best as they can now which is clearly reflected in their music and their live performances. Details of future gigs along with more information about the band can be found on their websites. www.myspace.com/hollywoodtrampmusic
Who stole the Booty (remix) - Jan Mittendorp / Mixendorp (Holland) Another great blues remix from Jan who runs Black and Tan Records. He's a fine blues guitarist with a keen ear for talented artists as well as an interest in creating something new from more traditional forms. He has Boo-Boo Davis touring in Switzerland and Germany over the next fews weeks. If you're near any of the dates, get along. BOO BOO DAVIS Sept 17, Rubigen (CH), Muhle Hunziken Sept 18, Hard (A), Kammgarn Kulturwerkstatt Sept 22, Chemnitz (D), Exil Sept 23, Halle (D), Objekt 5 Sept 24, Trebsen (D), Malsaal in Rittergut Trebsen Sept 25, Delmenhorst (D), Kerem Kultur Kneipe Sept 28, Emmendingen (D), Mehlsack Sept 29, Kandern (D), Chabah Sept 30, Halfing (D), Max Wirtshaus Oct 1, Rorschach (CH), Jazzclub Oct 2, Den Haag (NL), Paard van Troje Oct 3, Hachenburg (D), Pit’s Kneipe Oct 8, Wil (CH), Gare de Lion Oct 9, Geyersdorf (D), Bluesnacht
Harlem River Blues - Justin Townes Earle (Nashville, TN, USA) Justin Townes Earle's age belies his experience. Growing up in Nashville he mis-spent his youth playing in bluegrass/ragtime combo The Swindlers and the louder, more rocking The Distributors and developing some very bad habits. During tours as guitarist and keyboardist (“…and not a very good one,” laughs Earle) in his father Steve Earle's band, his problems became untenable and he was fired. Ultimately he cleaned up his act, dropped his self-destructive habits and began to focus on songcraft. “You don’t have to be fucked up or torture yourself to write songs,” explains Earle, “I used to write a lot, a whole lot, and half those songs I don’t even remember. Now, I sit there and I write it and I finish it and I keep it.” bloodshotrecords.com/artist/justin-townes-earle www.myspace.com/justintownesearle
Indian: We are the messengers - Small City Calling (San Diego, CA, USA) From their album Oceanus. Washing up on the shores of San Diego, California, Small City Calling has taken what it means to be an unsigned artist in 2010 and raised the bar. No longer can “potential talent” stay in hiding. The bands frontman and producer, Ryan Erwin started writing, producing and mixing his own records in 2006 and is currently enrolled as a music production/composition major at San Diego State. While living in the student housing his freshmen year, Erwin met and began writing music with Kevin Adams and Jake Falzone. In late 2009 the trio decided on the band name “Small City Calling,” and released their first record The Living Room Demo. Featuring “Hold On” and “Change You” which Erwin wrote and recorded in Los Angeles earlier that year with Keith Cooper of Chamberlain Records. The rest of the 7 songs on The Living Room Demo were recorded and produced by Ryan Erwin and Small City calling in their apartment living room. In early 2010, Hanna Hoffman joined the mix and after a few more shows Small City Calling wrote and recorded The Oceanus EP, a 4 part adventure for any listener. While Small City Calling continues to write and record in their home studio, they never stop playing live shows in the San Diego Area and plan to keep infecting the internet and music scene with their unstoppably catchy blend of acoustics and electronics. P.S- we love you! Thanks to all of our friends and families who support our crazy, overly ambitious dreams! :) www.myspace.com/thesmallcitycalling
Copyright? What a murky field copyright can be. From podcasters worrying about how much of a tune can be played under US "Fair Use" laws to artists taking others' tunes as starting points to DJs sampling in their mixes. Rarely is the copying today as blatant as it used to be. Led Zepplin, for example, were always very reluctant to give credit for the songs that they largely took and re-used wholesale. Quite a few of their songs were lifted direct from the old blues guys Have a listen to Whole Lotta Love (Led Zepplin) vs You need love (Willie Dixon) Tracks were referred to by Complex.com with link to a YouTube video illustrating 10 copies at http://tinyurl.com/33jwrnj
AMP hosts Clithers popped up on AMPed 249 with Erk in Sydney Australia for a completely spontaneous co-hosting session. Next week it is Rowley presenting AMPed 250. One other item of housekeeping: Sarah's Insomnia Radio NY address isn't as complicated as I thought. If you use http://newyork.insomniaradio.net you'll end up at the right place.
Every Way Mi Go - Lady Saw (Jamaica) There are so many names for Lady Saw: The Queen of Dancehall, The First Lady of Dancehall, or the latest one: Mama Saw. The latest name, however, is quite befitting at this point in her career because she is The Matriarch for all female dancehall deejays, and arguably some female rappers. She is the first female deejay to win a Grammy (which she did with No Doubt for “Underneath it All” –Best Performance by a Duo or Group with a Vocal), to go triple platinum (with said single), to go gold (with Vitamin C for “Smile”), and to headline shows outside of her native Jamaica. That's quite an achievement for a woman in the tough world of Jamaican DJs and sound systems. Her lyrics are often earthy and direct which cuts her a credible position. Today, Lady Saw has her own production company, Hall Productions. She's produced two riddims: Blindfold and Lock Jaw. She's produced major dancehall artists Capleton, Spragga Benz, Sizzla, Bounty Killer, and Beenie Man. She's a mentor to up-and-coming artists on her imprint as well as to Ce'Cile, her artistic progeny. She's recorded for Shaggy, legendary producers Sly & Robbie, Funkmaster Flex, and Pharrell Williams of the Neptunes .
All the stars - Alexis Foxe (New York, NY, USA) Ariel Alexis Foxe is a musical provocateur. Every song on “To Have and Want More” has a flavor all it’s own. From the 1940’s Big Band feel of the title track to the futurist pop synth style of “Revel Without a Cause,” Foxe shows her unique capacity to blend a wide variety of sounds. Alexis is playing tomorrow (Thursday) night at Piano's at 158 Ludlow Street New York. www.myspace.com/thealexisfox (yeah this one is without the e)
I think I've got a suitable international SIM sorted out for my phone and my press credentials were approved today. Just got to collect my badge. The full artist line-up was also published today at http://cmj2010.com/music/artists then there's the film festival which runs alongside. A busy week I suspect.
My Radio (French Disco Mix) - Lola Dutronic (Germany/Canada) direct Marty Thau, the music impresario behind The New York Dolls, Blondie and Suicide proudly presents his latest discovery... LOLA DUTRONIC, who release their latest EP "Musique" on Red Star Digital Music. LOLA DUTRONIC are an Electronic Pop duo who divide their time between Berlin and Toronto. Singing in both English and French, vocalist Lola Dee and producer/composer Richard Citroen combine elements of French Pop, Lounge, Electro, Bond Themes and Euro Disco often within the same song. Their debut album came out in 2005, they have been featured on "The L-Word", and were up for a Grammy nomination in 2007. The "Musique" EP, features the singles "Beautiful World" and the fashionable duet "Whisper" (Co-written with Suicide's Martin Rev). It's available at iTunes, Amazon and most other digital outlets. Here's some recent press quotes: "Stunning....get ready for the gorgeousness, because you cannot block the beauty of this." - Sheena Beaston "Lola Dutronic at their lush Gainsbourg-lite best." - Mudkiss Magazine "Catchy hooks and dreamy synths that combine to create irresistible pop." - Dirrrrty Pop "If you’re going to listen to just one record this summer, let this be it." - Charley Says Pop! On a biographical note, with a background in opera and jazz, Berlin-based Lola Dee has been performing on stage in her native Germany since the age of 5, while Toronto-based Richard Citroen is a former member of Canadian "new wave" legends, The Diodes ("Tired Of Waking Up Tired"). The "Musique" EP is the great record Lola Dutronic have been threatening to make for years. http://redstardigitalmusic.com/
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Wed, 15 September 2010
Despite an interruption from the Apache helicopters of the Army Air Corps, we have a fine selection of music this week from the super-melodic to the downright raunchy. Autumn is here in Suffolk with showers and sunshine - but, hang on, that's what we were supposed to get in spring!
Dansi dans - For A Minor Reflection (Reykjavík, Iceland) Hailing from Iceland FaMR comprises of four 20-year-olds from Reykjavík, Iceland. Their music is best described as energetic, melodious post-rock, though being the natural creative visionaries they are, the band expand and even subvert their style with almost every song. Starting life as a hard rock duo in a tiny garage in Reykjavík, Iceland, For a Minor Reflection (FaMR) morphed into an indie rock trio (for a week or so) and a blues quartet (for a little longer) before finally arriving at their current incarnation: instrumental post-rockers du jour. Following a scintillating live performance at 2007’s Iceland Airwaves, FaMR were invited to undertake a two-week 2008 tour in the USA and Canada. Later in the same year the band were invited to do 15 dates with Sigur Rós on a European tour and used the opportunity to release their album on iTunes, as well as selling it on the tour. The band sold out on the 2000 albums they manufactured bringing the total sales figures of this modest demo recorded in a home studio to 5000 copies. Needless to say the tour with Sigur Rós attracted the attention of a lot of promoters which landed them a showcase slot at Eurosonic at the start of 2009 and a months headline tour in Europe early summer last year Spending the rest of the summer writing a new album FaMR chose the Sigur Ros studio in Iceland to record 10 new songs with LA producer Scott Hackwith. The album is is called ‘Höldum í átt að óreiðu’ (Heading towards chaos). Dansi Dans is on their new album Höldum í átt að óreiðu which was released in Europe last week. You can get it and other mercy from their on-line store at their website along with dates they are playing this month in Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, Dresden and Köln. In October they are playing eight straight nights in Maastricht, Utrecht, Tilburg, Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, London and Cambridge then a couple of days to travel before Aberdeen, Glasgow, Newcastle and finishing in Manchester on October 14th. www.myspace.com/foraminorreflection
Heaven (Live Orchestral version) - UNKLE (London, UK) Founded in 1994 by school friends James Lavelle and Tim Goldsworthy, UNKLE were originally categorized as trip-hop, the group once included producer DJ Shadow and has employed a variety of guest artists and producers. Loads of music used in films, TV shows and games. The Answer EP is NOW available - although this track is prom an earlier release. The iTunes Exclusive version features the six The Answer EP songs plus five previously unreleased remixes by Dave Sitek of TV On The Radio, Holy Fuck vs Ki:Theory, Team Ghost and Warm Digits. Also available today exclusively through Beatport is The Answer Remix EP featuring remixes by Tim Goldsworthy, Future Beat Alliance, Psycatron, Mr. Lager, Mitja Prinz, and Fergie. A very limited quantity remains of the limited edition CD and 12″ vinyl. Sep 18 Warsaw Music Week @ Palladium - UNKLE Live Warsaw, POLAND Sep 25 515 @ The Clarence - J. LAVELLE DJ SET SLIGO, IRELAND Oct 23 Webster Hall - UNKLE Live New York, NY Oct 25 El Rey Theatre - UNKLE Live Los Angeles, CA Oct 28 The Grand Ballroom @ Regency Center - UNKLE Live San Francisco, California Oct 30 Rock Por La Vida - UNKLE Live Guadalajara, MEXICO Oct 31 Circo Volador - UNKLE Live Mexico City, MEXICO Nov 19 Brixton Academy - UNKLE Live London, UNITED KINGDOM
Morning Sun - Shayna Zaid and The Catch (New York, NY) Well, look what just popped up on the radar. Ford have a newish TV ad out in the US for the 2011 Edge. The sound of music may be slightly familiar? Blending elements of folk, jazz, indie pop and cabaret, Shayna Zaid's melodically inclined lyrical work leaves traces of solace, reflection and affection. The combination of Zaid's dynamic stage presence, her powerful smoky voice and her playful jazzy swagger lends an enchanting display. Delighted to say that I'll be seeing them in New York next month. There is another Shayna Zaid track on Insomnia Radio New York with Sarah Morrison at http://insomniaradio.net/category/ir-regional/ir-new-york/
Fans wanting greater involvement with artists A story on the BBC entertainment and Arts pages this week points out that some artists are now selling unprecedented access - from dinner dates to five-a-side football matches oh and a few activities that are rather closer related to their music. www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11228176
Hell No - PC Munoz (San Francisco, CA, USA) PC Muñoz is a San Francisco-based recording artist, percussionist, and producer known for genre-defying projects which stretch the boundaries of funk, hip-hop, and the avant-garde. Over the past few months he has been releasing tracks as part of a project called "Micro Jams"; short tracks that say what needs to be said and no more. I've played a few on the show and now the whole Micro Jams album is available for free download from his Bandcamp page at: pcmunoz.bandcamp.com/album/micro-jams You can grab them in a range of formats but even the mp3 sounds simply gorgeous. PC also performs as leader of the all-star funk ensemble, PC Muñoz's Left Hook, which features Kevin Carnes on drumkit, Danny Zingarelli on laptop electronics and vocals, Vicky Grossi, on electric bass, and Dave Worm on vocals and percussion. Click here for a mini-documentary on the group. I hope to have some really interesting new material from PC soon which has come out of a collaboration with Joan Jeanrenaud.
Smoke - Home Video (Brooklyn, NYC, USA) - info updated 06 Oct 10
Amidst the perfected melodic waves and sampled beats rises a haunting and unforgettable voice that will reside somewhere in your consciousness for days, and after sifting through the minimal yet multiple layers, you’ll arrive at their deeper lyrical sentimentality. Originating from New Orleans, HOME VIDEO is comprised of Collin Ruffino and David Gross, high-school compatriots who have been creating projects together since their first short video in 1997. The Automatic Process will be released in North America on November 16, 2010. Building on the band’s 2009 EP, It Will Be OK EP, expect more of their best, with key songs “The Smoke”, “An Accident”, “Every Love That Ever Was”, and the title track, “The Automatic Process”. Stay tuned for updates on upcoming shows, videos, and remixes. Gig coming up at Glassland on Kent Avenue in Brooklyn on 30 Sept. with The Depression Guild and Film School.
Playing for Change A new episode is up featuring some remarkable playing by Raghuvamsa Sudha. He plays a veena, a large member of the sitar family. watch and listen at: http://tinyurl.com/29w7n7u
Why do I love that man - Angie Foster (Portland, Oregon, USA) Her new album Hurry Up and Wait was just released. Since age seven Angie has penned tunes, but her artistry is a more recent occurrence with an equally circuitous history. As a girl, she lived in Tokyo; and by the time she returned to Portland as a young the city was quickly becoming known for its thriving music scene. She honed her performance skills through a series of low-key shows (largely for her own personal growth and desire) and served as a music critic for a leading English language newspaper. It took the cataclysmic events of September 11, 2001 to truly shape her music and bring it to the forefront of her career goals. Angie’s song, Never Forget, in response to the 9/11 tragedy, was shared with friends and family; it was their overwhelming emotional response that inspired her to embark on a serious musical journey. Hurry up and Wait is available via www.amazon.com, www.itunes.com and most internet retailers. A free download is available by joining Angie’s official mailing list at www.angiefoster.com. Also, check Angie’s site for tour dates through 2011.
Adnams podcast (Southwold, Suffolk) Our sponsors have now started their own talk-based podcast and edition 1 discussing a couple wines is out now on the Adnams site at http://adnams.co.uk Don't forget, we can have a morning on the beach together (well, cleaning it up actually) on Saturday - contact Emma through the Adnams site to book your place.
Rage against death - Stouffi the stoves (Lille, France) I had a message from the band to say that Stouffi le Stouves / Eclectek have a proper website now. This seems the perfect excuse to play one of their s lightly darker tracks although, I would suggest, not as dark as the titmle implies. It is from their Jamendo album Madness which you'll find at www.jamendo.com/en/album/37759
Movember Changing the face of men's health. Raising awareness and funds for The Prostate Cancer Charity. Grow a Mo throughout November or, ask the man in your life to do so.
Pre Historiker Dub - Ras Amerlock (Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA) From the album 2010: A Bass Oddity. Whether performing with The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra as a classical solo violinist in his youth, or a Roots Reggae Dub Entertainer, opening for acts such as Burning Spear; Ras lives to perform and give JAH the glory for all that is, in this life. Ras Amerlock's Music is a reflection in sound of the Rastafarian way of life he as a Rasta in USA embraces. His current releases are heavy "old school" style dubs aiming to reflect a variety of techniques within the realm of Dubstyle sound. Ras has performed throughout the United states, North America, Russia and Europe by the grace of JAH... www.myspace.com/rasamerlockstatemonrasta www.lclweb.org/artists_ras_amerlock.htm
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Wed, 8 September 2010
Quite a bit of music from California this week along with tracks from Ontario, Glasgow, Coventry and Toulouse in France. The sea wasn't really this muddy yesterday but the movement in the water was awe-inspiring. The quick pint at The Lord Nelson wasn't bad either! Artist of the month for August is announced in this show.
Creep Me Out - Ruby Coast (Aurora, ON, Canada) Ruby Coast consists of five small town friends whose brand of high energy, sparkling indie-pop has taken them far beyond the confines of suburban Aurora, Ontario in a relatively short span of time. Ruby Coast first picked up their instruments together in late 2006, and has wowed crowds across the continent ever since with their unique formula of contagious pop perfection and boisterous blend of mod-rock and spastic yelps. Since releasing their (now sold out) debut EP, Projectable Collections, produced by Dave Monks of Tokyo Police Club in fall 2008, they've taken their van across plenty of previously unmarked territory (at least unmarked to them). They've toured across Canada and the US with the likes of Passion Pit, Tokyo Police Club, and Ra Ra Riot, as well as shared stages with Canada's finest talent: Stars, Born Ruffians, Plants and Animals, and Islands amongst others. After hiding away as songwriting machines for much of 2009, Ruby Coast have emerged from the studio in summer 2010 with their highly anticipated debut album, Whatever This Is, in tow, produced by dream-duo Howard Bilerman (Arcade Fire, Wolf Parade) and Brian Paulson (Dinosaur Jr, Slint, Wilco). The video for that track on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ud_hMgIbYXY 09/09 North Bay - Nipissing University 09/11 Thunder Bay - Lakehead University 09/18 - Newmarket - Studio Five Salon 09/24 Toronto - Unit C 09/25 Guelph - Jimmy Jazz 10/01 Ottawa - Cafe Nostalgica 10/02 Montreal - Petit Campus (Pop Montreal) 10/08 London - Alex P Keaton 10/09 Sarnia - Trinity Lounge 10/11 Minneapolis - 7th Street Entry - (w/ Jukebox the Ghost) 10/12 Milwaukee - the Cactus Club (w/ Jukebox the Ghost) 10/13 Chicago - Schuba's (w/ Jukebox the Ghost) 10/14 Indianapolis - Radio Radio (w/ Jukebox the Ghost) 10/15 Pittsburgh - The Brillobox (w/ Jukebox the Ghost 10/16 Washington, DC - the Black Cat (w/ Jukebox the Ghost) 10/17 New York - Piano's 10/20-23 NYC - CMJ
Burn - Jonneine Zapata (Highland Park, CA) Infused with smoky, psychedelic instrumentation and slow-burning swells, Jonneine Zapata delivers a definitive grand-slam with her debut release, ‘CAST THE DEMONS OUT’, a record that luminously captures the musical essence and prowess of this one-woman army. Featuring the tantalizing, come-hither single “Good Looking”, each song on this ten-track collection is laced with dark overtones and an arresting magnetism reminiscent of PJ Harvey and Patti Smith. “To see her live is to feel your heart and lungs filled with the smoky intensity of a performer whose passion knows no boundaries,” The Dumbing of America says of Jonneine’s electrifying live stage show. 7 Oct The Zoo Brisbane, Qld, AUSTRALIA 8 Oct The Annandale Sydney, NSW, AUSTRALIA 9 Oct The East Brunswick Melboutne, VIC, AUSTRALIA 10 Oct JONNEINE ZAPATA @ One Movement Music Festival Perth, WA, AUSTRALIA There is another gorgeous track by Jonneine on SnC 223. www.myspace.com/jonneinezapata
Glamorous - Leilujh (San Francisco, CA, USA) From their album Dreamtime Escape Plan. Leilujh’s music is best described as “psychedelic pop.” Fronted by indie rock queens Marisa Chaves and Samara Violet, Leilujh blends vocal harmonies over dreamy slide guitars and hip-hop beats to create a unique retro modern sound.
Same Thing - Wily Bo Walker (Glasgow, Scotland) From his early days in popular Glasgow band 'The Heartbeats', musicians have been keen to work with Wily Bo through all of his projects; from guitar based and indie-chart topping band 'Wily Bo Walker & The Baddies' through his session work on the London circuit. Currently attracting top New York jazz and rock musicians, his style and vocals have matured to become sought after as a session vocalist as well as a respected recording artist in his own right. For his forthcoming solo album 'Moon Over Indigo', Wily Bo has been working with New York's demon song arranger Danny Flam. They have enlisted the help of Patty Smyth's backing band 'Scandal' as rhythm section, featuring Keith Mack - guitar, Tom Welsch - bass, Benjy King - hammond and keyboards, Eran Asias - drums. Additional keyboards are by Ruslan Agababayev Current single 'Drive' from solo album 'Moon Over Indigo' on Flaming Hearts Records (April 2010) - available on iTunes and all the usual online stores.
You don't own beer - Hippie Uprising (Vallejo, CA, USA) Hippie Uprising is a collection of the best musicians from the San Francisco Bay Area playing and singing an eclectic blend of original music in various musical styles including rock, jazz, country, blues and everything else in-between. Many old and new friends were assembled for the first and lat time to make this music and CD truly memorable in more ways than one. Featured performances by Norton Buffalo (harmonica/vocals), Ernest Boom Carter (drums/vocals), Greg Douglas (lead guitar), Naomi Ruth Eisenberg (vocals), Nick Gravenites (vocals), Kathi McDonald (vocals), George Michaelski (piano), Maria Muldaur (vocals), Ben Perkoff (sax), Si Perkoff (piano), Lorin Rowan (guitars/vocals), Bobby Riddell (drums), Jay Russio (vocals), Pete Sears (keys) Lonnie Showtime Walters (percussion) and Steven Webber (bass). The list of bands that they have produced, performed in recorded or toured with is remarkable.
Ping: What chance for independent artists Apple are admitting artists from major labels first and will get round to independents eventually. It seems simple enough for me to turn Ping on (I already had an iTunes account and fairly secure log-in) but surely artists with sales accounts in iTunes should also be able to just switch it on. Not so, and the frustration is building as Apple announce that they are bringing artists in initially via the big labels and agencies. The independent artists we love will, it seems just have to wait. More in the show. PS: an hour or so later I've just seen a letter from independent artist Natalie Brown to Steve Jobs, well put Natalie. http://tinyurl.com/34pytjx
Take and Take - Garfield Mayor (Coventry, UK) Garfield Mayor is a UK based artist, writer and producer. First signed in 2007 by three-times Grammy award winner Rob Thomas to his RTEL (Sony BMG) label he has now returned to independence and is promoting the intelligent blend of pop, dance & rock found on his debut album. Mayor's debut album 'Take and Take' was made in between London, New York and his home facility in Coventry, UK.
Artist of the Month - chat with Francis Guildea at The Crown Hotel, Southwold
Return to sender - Lloyd's Garage (Nappa, California) A second track from Artists of the Month, Lloyd's Garage. There's a fundamental integrity in these passionately delivered songs. The energy is, fortunately, matched by songs that retain interest both lyrically and in their arrangements. This energetic two-piece band delivers more watts of energy per song than you'll hear in many a larger setup. Lloyd's Garage are Seth Heitzmann - Guitar, Vocals Lloyd Llewelyn - Drums, Keys
Adictos - Trafiko (Toulouse, France) Latino reggae from the album "Azuquita. A small sugar?? Voila finally " azuquita ", The 1st ALBUM of TRAFIKO, which irresistibly comes to delight our eardrums at this beginning of summer seasons. Sunny tones of South America and the Caribbean. Magic union of the saxophone and the flute traversière. Rhythmic vocal perfumed in the sauce ragga-hip-hop hup, this new musical nugget invites us naturally to breathe, to move, to sing, to dance! The members of the group, whose scenic talent is not to prove any more, calls back(reminds) us, through this album that the life is a music the rhythm of which improvises our steps. Then no panic the cd is available from now on, ideal at any time and inevitable in case of "rave-up". www.jamendo.com/en/artist/Trafiko
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Wed, 1 September 2010
Music right back to 1932 on Suffolk'n'Cool this week - along with lots of newer stuff! Having spent the past week in winter clothing here in Suffolk, the remains of the summer appear to have gathered themselves up to make a decent show of a few days. The hops growing on the barn seem to appreciate it today releasing clouds of pollen.
A Harbour Fair - The Good Ship (Melbourne, Australia) From the album Avast! Wretched Sea (described as "undulating tales of woe and intrigue"). John from the band got in touch through mutual contact Mark Muggeridge and popped the album in the post at the end of last week, just before flying off back to Australia. It's a wonderfully theatrical album which extends last week's maritime theme for just one more week. As Rave Magazine pointed out "a loud burly chorus of men’s voices it sounds very much like something ole’ sea dogs might sing out at ocean...These rollicking tunes are great for a dance and a laugh, but be warned, these are true sea shanties, complete with coarse and crude lyrics that sometimes tiptoe very closely to the offensive" Oh good! Wonderfully theatrical songs and a great live show I would imagine. Part of what I am assured is a thriving music scene in Melbourne. The extensive line-up comprises: Darryl "Graybeard" – wailing, strumming John "No Time To Wallow In The" Meyer – caterwauling, plucking Geoff, Son of Will – plinking, clowning Benny the White Russian – scratching Janey Mac – plucking Kat Cooke – blowing James Lees – hitting Elly the Ship's Cat – meowing Roger the Cabin Boy – comforting Various scurvy dogs and scoundrels - clapping, cheering, heckling www.myspace.com/thegoodshipisaverybadship
Damn Honey - Simon Fagan (Navan, Ireland) Simon Fagan is not our typical Irish singer songwriter. Blending elements of gospel and folk with acoustic rock, Simon and band produce a big Americana sound. He's opened for both Lionel Richie and Smokey Robinson and has sold out shows in Ireland, The UK and Egypt. Currently on the festival circuit in Ireland, he will be touring throughout Ireland and the UK in September and travelling to Toronto and New York for Indie Week and CMJ Marathon respectively to showcase his music. Further plans are in place to bring his band to Dubai and Qatar in November. @simonfagan
Wings of a Wounded Raven - The Rhythm Kills (Vacaville, CA, USA) The Rhythm Kills (TRK) started out as an instrumental band in 2005, once the group was fully organized in late 2008, the immediate goal was to rewrite their original music. This brought in a new sound, a new focus and a renewed excitement. Band members include the talented vocals of James Hopkins, Andrew Gregg (guitar/vox), and Joe Sullivan (bass/vox), formerly from a local Bay Area metal band Murder York , Chris Campbell (guitar/loops) formerly from Romancer and Thee Holy Roman Nightmare. In late 2008, Alex Espinoza (drums) joined the band. TRK brings the element of surprise into their music. Their signature sound comes from the group’s talent and drive. www.myspace.com/therhythmkills
Addicted to you - Brother Magnum (Austin, TX, USA) From the album Feel like a King. He first started making music at age 11 when he snuck onto his oldest brother’s drum kit and surprised him when he walked in and heard how Magnum had a natural knack for the backbeat. The guitar and keyboards soon followed, and at 13 he played his first show. “All the girls that were there saw me and they were all screaming my name as the lights were flashing. Needless to say, I haven’t been right ever since,” he explains with a chuckle. His family background and itinerant youth as the child of a career military man also contributes to Magnum’s expansive music, attitudes and world view. His father’s family has Afro-Cuban roots and his mother’s lineage boasts a Native-American heritage. He grew up in various parts of California as well as Texas, Oklahoma, Virginia and Florida, finally landing back in Central Texas by his senior high school years. “The cool thing was that you experienced every kind of culture and all kinds of people, ideologies, and music,” Magnum observes. “My parents are very unique in that they always encouraged us to accept people for who they are, not what they are.” The sum of his considerable musical experience led him to ultimately make the music closest to his heart as Brother Magnum. “For me, it’s more than trying to make it and be a big rock star,” he explains. “I want to do it my way. I want to be able to write the music I feel and bring it to people so they can enjoy it too.” www.cdbaby.com/cd/BrotherMagnum1
Heebie Jeebies - The Boswell Sisters "Heebie Jeebies" is a composition written by Boyd Atkins and achieved fame when it was recorded by Louis Armstrong in 1926. The recording on Okeh Records by Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five includes a famous chorus of scat singing. This recording by The Boswell Sisters dates from 1932 a couple of years after they moved to New York and started getting some attention. Their career only lasted until 1935. There are some videos on YouTube of The Boswell Sisters's performance in The Big Broadcast try: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jld2Z0TmaXo Just a trio of young girls from New Orleans having a great time making music - timeless.
Amsterdam - Hippie Uprising (Vallejo, CA, USA) Hippie Uprising is a collection of the best musicians from the San Francisco Bay Area playing and singing an eclectic blend of original music in various musical styles including rock, jazz, country, blues and everything else in-between. Many old and new friends were assembled for the first and lat time to make this music and CD truly memorable in more ways than one. Featured performances by Norton Buffalo (harmonica/vocals), Ernest Boom Carter (drums/vocals), Greg Douglas (lead guitar), Naomi Ruth Eisenberg (vocals), Nick Gravenites (vocals), Kathi McDonald (vocals), George Michaelski (piano), Maria Muldaur (vocals), Ben Perkoff (sax), Si Perkoff (piano), Lorin Rowan (guitars/vocals), Bobby Riddell (drums), Jay Russio (vocals), Pete Sears (keys) Lonnie Showtime Walters (percussion) and Steven Webber (bass). The list of bands that they have produced, performed in recorded or toured with is remarkable.
Peaceful Buddhist Warrior - The Beautiful Losers (California, USA) The Beautiful Losers are: Raj Ramayya - vocals and acoustic guitar Brett Boyd - electric guitars, 6 and 12-string acoustic guitar, Variax sitar, and banjolin Appealing to The Beautiful Losers’ vast Indian fan base, "Four Corners Of A Tiny Planet" includes a remake of the blockbuster Bollywood song classic, "Yeh Dosti", known by virtually every Indian throughout the world.
www.reverbnation.com/thebeautifullosers
Guiding Light - play_rewind_eject (Ipswich, Suffolk, UK)
"After almost 10 years playing in a rock band I had a mountain of untouched songs, ideas and lyrics that I really wanted to work on" enthuses Pete Thompson who writes, records and performs under the name play_rewind_eject. "I didn't want to make music that just sounded the same as the band I was in so I took an adventure into the world of samples, midi and synths to create something a little bit different"
The album Never Before but Maybe Again is available for free download at his MySpace and website.
He is playing a local gig (for 18+) on Friday 1st October at The Cork Bar in Felixstowe along with Elephant, Jackknife Horsebox and T Leaves. Starts at 7.
Atlantic Castaways - Small City Calling (San Diego, CA, USA)
From their album Oceanus.
Washing up on the shores of San Diego, California, Small City Calling has taken what it means to be an unsigned artist in 2010 and raised the bar. No longer can “potential talent” stay in hiding. The bands frontman and producer, Ryan Erwin started writing, producing and mixing his own records in 2006 and is currently enrolled as a music production/composition major at San Diego State. While living in the student housing his freshmen year, Erwin met and began writing music with Kevin Adams and Jake Falzone. In late 2009 the trio decided on the band name “Small City Calling,” and released their first record The Living Room Demo. Featuring “Hold On” and “Change You” which Erwin wrote and recorded in Los Angeles earlier that year with Keith Cooper of Chamberlain Records. The rest of the 7 songs on The Living Room Demo were recorded and produced by Ryan Erwin and Small City calling in their apartment living room. In early 2010, Hanna Hoffman joined the mix and after a few more shows Small City Calling wrote and recorded The Oceanus EP, a 4 part adventure for any listener. While Small City Calling continues to write and record in their home studio, they never stop playing live shows in the San Diego Area and plan to keep infecting the internet and music scene with their unstoppably catchy blend of acoustics and electronics. P.S- we love you! Thanks to all of our friends and families who support our crazy, overly ambitious dreams! :)
Adnams Coastal Clean - Saturday 18th September More information and Contact Emma to book your place. |
Wed, 25 August 2010
A largely maritime theme on Suffolk'n'Cool this week. Not particularly by design, it just seemed to come together that way and hell, with music this interesting, why fight it? Southwold, where the beer comes from, looks very "easterly" from the sea.
The Rolling Sea - 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. I first played a track (Bodmin Dubbing) from their album Tonight we're going to party like it's 1399 on SnC 039 back in November 2006. One concern is that their website is advertising gigs from 2007. :(
Sailing the Sea of Tea & Keeping it Me - Tom Caruana (UK) From the masterly album, Welcome Aboard (Budabeats). Tom Caruana is a music producer who has the ability to create an eclectic range of beats, most of which fall into a hip-hop style. His experience ranges from working with rappers, singers and musicians in studio and live environments, to reworking classic a cappellas in a series of renowned remix albums. He is not only a master of blending samples, he raps and is also a multi instrumentalist playing drums, bass, guitar and keyboards. His production has provided the perfect backing to artists such as Grand Agent, Count Bass D and Insight. His live band Son Of Sam have supported Raekwon and KRS One, and his remix work has caught the attention of The Chicagoist, The New York Times and The Guardian.
Pirates - Entertainment for the Braindead (Cologne, Germany) From the excellent Roadkill album which is on the aaahh netlabel. Entertainment for the Braindead is in fact Julia Kotowski "There are lots of instruments that I’d always really wished to own or be able to play, a piano, a cello, a harp, a clarinet … but I would never had expected that one day I could fall in love with a banjo. Yet since this is exactly what happened, I decided to start exploring this instrument’s versatility by recording a couple of songs equipped with nothing else but a banjo. (Well… I admit, there’s a tambourine in one song..) Over the last four months I collected those songs. They occasionally sprouted, sometimes several a day, sometimes none for weeks, and then grew and ripened. I harvested them at home, though a bit more carefully than usual. They tell little tales of friendship and failure, of discovering the world and of hiding at home, and the banjo helped tracing their contours and gave them a shape. It brought me through a very cold winter. Now maybe it can brighten yours a bit, too?" Far away from the massive and unresting sounds of electric guitars and pounding noises of drums, Singer/Songwriter Julia Kotowski creates a small, intimate and especially silent musical sphere that she fills with notes, lyrics and rhythm. She lets these outcomes ripen slowly. Then, sound tracks are being arranged and ranked in lonesome nights and home appliances will be misused for special elements. There is a lot of tinkering and pottering, but little sleep. All this takes place at home, in her bedroom, in front of her computer. Julia is a girl of the German city of Cologne, where she was born and where she grew up and, unlike most young people, she does not feel the urge to leave her home. Thus, she lives with her parents. That at some point she will be leaving Cologne is for sure, but before that day, her home city is the source and the playground for her life – Julia does "audio-visual Media-Studies" at the Academy of Media Arts in Cologne (KHM). www.entertainmentforthebraindead.com/ www.myspace.com/entertainmentforthebraindead
In the trial of Pirate Bay (the file sharing site) the RIAA sought $13 billion in damages for 34 cases of copyright infringement. One case per file. That values the download of one any one file, song, movie or game at about $382,000. Your average 8 gig iPod can hold about 2,000 songs. According to the RIAA, that's worth $764,705,882 making it the most valuable object on the planet.
Swallowtail Jig - The O'Marleys (Exeter, Devon, UK) Reggae, rock, folk and traditional Irish tunes mix into the O Marleys sound. Taking influences from Romany music, The Upsetters, Bob Marley and Moving Hearts creates a heady and exciting soundscape. In the rhythm section there is the wild yet subtle Bodhran playing of Mike Nangle and the heavy relentless electric bass of James King, complimented with electric percussion. On the top line is premier fiddle player Mac Moulton who plunges from Irish set dances into the jazz style of Stephan Grappelli with surprising ease. At the centre of the band is the rather mysterious 12 string guitarist, John Fitzsimons. His playing is a startling combination of cross rhythms/ jazz chords and counter melodies that produce completely original arrangements of the songs. With a background on the London music scene he brings many diverse influences to the band. Lead singer Mike Nangle hails from the theatrical tradition and adds rasping drama to the songs. Three members of the band sing (and make strange noises), creating rich vocal patterns and harmonies. Their new album, The Rising of the Moon, (their second) is out in September on Idleday Records. It is available for download from i tunes, amazon and Tesco online. You tube videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHmQSFLosV0
The Reprisal - Sand River (Durham, UK) It just proves how quickly things can move. I'd never heard of Sand River until this morning. An email from the band just landed at a point where I was finalising the playlist for this show and things really took off t=from there with the track arriving in the middle of recording and going straight into the show at that point. Sand River are Si Robinson (guitar/vocals) and Guy Siviour (drums / percussion / ukulele who have been playing together for a few years. The band's eponymous debut EP can be purchased online, both digital and hard copy formats. UPDATE: The is a gig in the pipeline. In fact, in the beer pipeline. Guy tells me that they are playing the Durham CAMRA (CAMpaign for Real Ale) annual beer festival. The band will be on at around 1:30pm on Saturday 4th September. Details at: http://events.myspace.com/Event/6842395/30th-Durham-Beer-Festival http://sandriver.bandcamp.com/
What a joy - Kwayze Judah and Iyanman Gabriel (LA, CA, USA) Kwayze Judah found his musical roots as he grew up in Belize City and more specifically at Queen Anne's nightclub which was owned by his grandmother, where world music shaped his musical identity. Iyahman Gabriel had a more complex upbringing, both in the village township of Gringa-Dang, Belize and the streets of South Central LA. Two very different ghettos. "Roots Reggae Music. Conscious Lyrics to promote Irie Vibes. We promote Ital Livity and Oneness with the Most High!!"
Beauty and the Beats - Filthy Kicks (London) Stuart played a Filthy Kicks track Crave on IR UK a couple of weeks ago which remind me that I was meaning to follow up the track Awaken that I played back in June on SnC223 This too is from the album Dirty Little Secret on Jamendo all tracks excellent tunes and beautifully produced. Filthy Kicks are Darren Turze, Violeta Barrena, Roland Heap, Beats Boy, Ibrahim Sha'ath and Jana Skene. You can download the MP3 album from Jamendo or trek over to the band's site and you'll have a choice of MP3, FLAC or glorious Apple lossless downloads. Then you can just listen and enjoy it or accept the band's invitation to share and remix their work under the Creative Commons licence arrangements: attribute it to Filthy Kicks, non-commercial use and distribution only under the same licence terms. Neat. Creative Commons is such a useful system. www.jamendo.com/en/album/56612
Rude - Nando (New York, NY, USA) Nando is a singer /songwriter who is equally adept at gliding over mellow one-drop reggae grooves, riding uptempo dancehall and soca riddims, or belting out pop and R&B tunes with a comfort that belies his Jamaican roots. While the majority of his catalogue either address male-female relationships or are meant to make you dance, Nando is not afraid to tackle social issues such as racism or single-parenthood. That Nando would venture outside of the reggae boundaries on his debut EP is not surprising, as he draws inspiration from a diverse pool of illustrious musicians from across a wide range of genres for both his songwriting and his singing. Nando counts mainstream R&B singers, such as D’Angelo, Babyface, and Maxwell, and iconic reggae artistes such as Bob Marley and Beres Hammond, among his primary influences. However, he also points to Dave Brubeck, a less familiar name (at least among non-Jazz aficionados), as an early influence who eventually led to his love affair with jazz and the broadening of his repertoire beyond his native genre. www.myspace.com/nandohearttoart www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=552347865 www.twitter.com/themusicofnando
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Wed, 18 August 2010
As quirky a selection of tracks as you could possibly want with music predominantly from artists in California and New York but a couple of interesting tunes slipped in from France and Spain. Suffolk is getting damned noisy this week with harvest in full swing. It's been a crazy fun week with friends visiting and frantic travel planning although I don't think this duck is going anywhere fast.
Going down to Louisiana - Marshall Lawrence (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) Not many blues artists can call themselves “the Doctor of the Blues” without a whole stretcher-full of the idiom’s winking big talk. But Marshall Lawrence can, and with only the slightest bit of irony. The award-nominated Canadian bluesman actually holds a doctorate in psychology, and he knows how to use it—just as he knows how to use his slashing guitar, stinging, lightning-fast slide, and pleading, mournful moan: Marshall’s prescription for a maximum blues remedy. www.myspace.com/marshalllawrence
War within - Kira Fontana (LA, CA, USA) I played a track or two from The Inner Revolution, her stunning 2007 debut album mixed by Howard Bilerman (Arcade Fire). The new 3 song EP "Seek the Light" is recorded and mixed by Grammy-award winner Ryan Freeland (Aimee Mann, Ingrid Michaelson). Full credit for the production and amazing layered string playing. In fact this is one of those recordings where full credit is due to everyone and especially to Kira. That voice is getting more and more expressive. Love it. Kira Fontana: voice, piano Cosima Luther: violin Eric Wuest: violin Jerome Gordon: viola Alisha Bauer: cello Sidney Hopson: vibes Kaveh Rastegar: bass guitar Scott Seiver: drums
I'm Feelin' Good - Janiva Magness (CA, USA) From her CD, The Devil Is An Angel Too, (on Alligator Records) co-produced by Magness and Dave Darling (Brian Setzer, Meredith Brooks, Dan Hicks), is a hard-hitting collection of material that explores the depths of good and evil, with Magness’ glorious, soul-baring vocals burning their way through twelve powerful songs. I also played One Heartache Too Late a month or so ago on 228.
Adnams distillery taking shape One of the side effects of the brewery being right in the centre of Southwold is that they have to be particularly creative (not to say cunning) with the use of space. There simply isn't room to sprawl. Judging from Sean's pictures, some serious engineering going on there.
Put your hands up high - Gangstagrass (Brooklyn, NY, USA) In the summer of 2007, Brooklyn based producer, singer, and songwriter Rench was at such a crossroad. He had been producing honky-tonk infused trip-hop albums of his own material for several years, and had also developed a stable of NYC emcees that were recording at his studio. All along he had an idea in the back of his head that just wouldn’t go away – take rap vocals, add beats, along with classic bluegrass for all the instrumentation and call it Gangstagrass. You see Rench had always had a love for both country music and hip-hop. As a kid growing up in Southern California, Rench spent recess breakdancing to Run-DMC on cardboard boxes and evenings hearing his father’s country and bluegrass records. Although country music and hip-hop are perceived to be diametrically opposed music styles, the appeal of Gangstagrass is easy to understand. Gangstagrass was born out of a sincere love for good music and an “I just don’t give a fuck” attitude towards sonic boundaries. http://twitter.com/gangstagrass
You're Great - The Roast Beef Curtains (Long Island, NY, USA) Inspired by tight reggae rhythm sections & thrashing punk bands, Three Hofstra University graduates birthed The Roast Beef Curtains. Taking a DIY approach, Andrew, John, & Mike evolved The RBC into the best live reggae, dub, & punk experience on Long Island. Since 2005, the trio has played well over 200 shows, creating a buzz from Manhattan to Montauk. On stage, each band member works double and sometimes triple duty playing their instruments while controlling live dub effects, transforming every concert into an eargasmic experience. Whether it's reggae, dub or punk you're after, The Roast Beef Curtains deliver it with pleasure! Pleasure EP is the long awaited debut release from The RBC. A Full Length Release is scheduled to drop in 2010. For a feel of how they produce the dub sound live: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myvzN2Rf_PQ http://TheRoastBeefCurtains.com www.myspace.com/theroastbeefcurtains
If you enjoyed the Lee "Scratch" Perry track last week, you might enjoy Marisa Aveling's review of his show at The Highline Ballroom in New York last night.
The 2010 CMJ Music Marathon and Film Festival is happening in New York October 19-23. I'll be there for at least a couple of days of it. Meet up?
Down the Drain - Alexis Foxe (New York, NY,USA) Alexis Foxe is a musical provocateur. Every song on “To Have and Want More” has a flavour all it’s own. From the 1940’s Big Band feel of the title track to the futurist pop synth style of “Revel Without a Cause,” Alexis Fox was born to a Cuban mom and a Colombian dad. As a child, she lived in Buenos Aires and Madrid and Spanish was her first language. She started playing piano at an early age and says, “I grew up dancing ballet and flamenco, writing and making films. My parents really encouraged my individuality and creativity. But I didn’t sing a note until I was 20 years old. Can you imagine? Not a peep until I was 20.” The family moved to New York when Alexis was 11. Her mother worked in the music industry, so she spent her adolescent years doing what a lot of teens would dream of; listening to music demos and going to concerts. Alexis soon fell in love with US Cinema. She says, “I learned to speak English by watching films. I became fascinated by how language was manipulated and began to notice how exquisitely music could be used to enhance the story. I started to think of music as the second language of the film. I knew from an early age that I wanted to do something with music and film.” With the help of top notch musicians like the Pizzarelli Trio, the album, “To Have and Want More” was born. “To Have and Want More” is a collection of stories from an international girl trying to find her way in the world. “Down the Drain” will appeal to generation of people who are used to living on credit cards. This is a brassy, energetic tune that has the feel of a 1940’s big band. The lyrics are sassy and insightful, “My mother tells me that my spending habits, are as wild as copulating rabbits.” August 31, 2010 - 11 pm - Pete's Candy Store - Brooklyn, NY 11211 Info: (718) 302-3770 September 4 - Medalla Light - San Juan, PUERTO RICO September 7, 2010 - 10 pm Crash Mansion - NY, NY 10002 Info: (212) 982-7767 September 23, 2010 - Piano's - New York, NY 10003 Info: (212) 505-3733 www.myspace.com/thealexisfox (yeah this one is without the e)
EMI (via Hypebot.com) "In its report to investors this morning, EMI detailed a net loss of £512 or US $802 million. The company also wrote off another £602 million ($943M USD) in 2009-2010 and despite a recent round of refinancing still has £3 billion ($4.7B USD) in outstanding debt. Just in case investors think that things can't get much worse, EMI also forecast that it may need another cash infusion as early as next year and that it will fall short of its banking covenants (the financial requirement of its lenders) every year until at least 2015. “EMI Music continued to be challenged by the overall decline in physical sales, which has not yet been fully offset by growth in digital sales.” There follows a very positive bit of spinning from EMI from which you'd think everything was hunky dory. Read the full article on Hypebot at http://ht.ly/2rqTZ
Stereophonic Motor Club - Juanitos (Chambéry, France) "No need to go underground to explore the African American ghettos to find the ultimate soul nugget. In Chambery, in Savoy, 60's soul and garage have more exotic mystery to Juanitos. Based on fun, chili and mint jeep, the music is Juanitos spontaneous dancing, for a maximum of groove on the intersection of the easy-listening funk of James Taylor Quartet and the punky fury of Seeds. The rhythm and blues, samba, rock'n'roll and reggae are the appointment in good spirits and was a nice mess, I must say! These "soulmen" Spanish Savoyards, a bit dark in the soul, while returning to base clapping and singing Charleston depraved humor and energy ... fast a volume 3!" www.jamendo.com/en/album/41987
¡Cógelo! - Sundayers (Madrid, Spain) At the end of 2009 they began the recording of their second album “Cógelo”. This time with Ferni Duhalde as sound engineer (El Tio Calambres, Eureka, Outro Jazz), and a very creative music production - with thirteen tracks full of energy and a crucial fusion of styles and the consistence and strength of the songs. In March 2010 they published the album for free download on Jamendo. This Spanish collective plays an energetic music, a mix between reggae, ska, funk and all the styles each member will bring out. Always ready to party, you could see them everywhere in Spain and maybe in Europe in the next months. www.jamendo.com/en/album/62611
Check out (and "like") the Suffolk'n'Cool Facebook "fan" page: http://tinyurl.com/2wyupl3
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Wed, 11 August 2010
Not one but two free downloads in this week's Suffolk'n'Cool show, courtesy of our friends at IODA Promonet. A diverse selection of tines again and, I hope you'll agree, a few little gems included. This weeks picture is a gain from Aldeburgh just over on the coast. It has to be one of the most photographed buildings in the area and although next to the beach it has a car park on three sides. Hey ho, you can't have everything.
Pocket - Big Mess (Manhattan Beach, CA, USA) Big Mess is a band of three guys from diverse backgrounds with a common punk heritage. They love mischief and know how to rock. If you like your music raw and uncensored Big Mess is the band for you. Hear them coming at you fast and furious and at full volume it’s Big Mess. Rex Bailey, (guitar and vocals) started his career with his father playing jazz and bebop then he formed Ambrosia and played with the late great Dave Travis. He is known to be one of the best guitar players in LA Chad Carrier, (bass and vocals) started right in the thick of the punk scene and formed Easter one of the pioneers of the 80’s sound. With hits on KROQ, VH1 and MTV Chad lives his life large enjoying every moment. Bernie Deal, (drums) while not technically a punk rock veteran, is by anybody’s definition a punk, so it all works out. Originally from Maryland, this is a guy who has done it all from rock, to metal, to funk. This is the chief reason the band is called Big Mess.
Follow me to the sun - Dave Eggar (NY, NY, USA) Kingston Morning, was recently recorded in Brooklyn, NY, Kingston, Jamaica, and Big Stone Gap, Virginia. Favorite Eggar tracks on the release include Earth’s Paradise (vocals by Jamaican roots reggae legend Luciano); Follow Me to the Sun (vocals by Chuck Palmer); High Atmosphere (vocals by NPR’s Robin & Linda Williams -- Prairie Home Companion); Itsbynne Reel and Jacob’s Vision (vocals by Bluegrass legend Dr. Ralph Stanley -- O Brother Where Art Thou) . Dave notes, “The new project represents to me a new and extreme brand of high-risk, high-impact classical crossover. Kingston Morning juxtaposes Reggae music and Appalachian music in a look at local culture fighting for a voice in an increasingly global environment." Eggar says this project was an especially moving and emotional recording for to make. He adds, “This is a project of ingenuity and improvisation which took many hours of dedicated perseverance to complete. With open minds and open hearts, our lives were forever changed as these unique Reggae and Appalachian collaborations took shape. As we immersed ourselves in these seemingly disparate cultures, amazing similarities in the history and storied cultures emerged. Their individual hopes, dreams and the power of the music eventually seemed to bring the music and people of Jamaica and Virginia ever closer together.” Dave continues, “My imagination has always been captivated by the music and culture of Jamaica and Appalachia. These journeys to Kingston and Big Stone Gap were truly a life altering experience for me. I am especially proud of the music that has been produced as a result of our efforts.” The New York Times said: “Eggar's work is breathtaking ... a deliverance from the sedate formality of the typical cello recital." Truly it is.
@daveeggar
Famous Last Words - Ed Vallance (Brooklyn, NY, USA) With one ear solidly rooted in classic British songwriting styles from Ray Davies and the Kinks to Supergrass, and the other schooled in the sonic approach of bands like Spiritualized and Galaxy 500, Vallance has honed his craft into a focused blend of pointed pop melodies and the ethereal qualities of his predecessors. The Summer Fire EP ( on Hello My Name Is records) is a concise snapshot of the wide array of talents Vallance possesses in his arsenal. Opening with the sweeping vocals and pulsing drive of “Black and White Light” The Summer Fire EP seamlessly shifts between genres before closing with our track "Famous Last Words". Ed is playing The Bell House and Pianos in NY August 11 and 12
Another Dollar - Crazy Mary (New York, NY, USA) Formed by veteran Lower East Side guitarist and songwriter Charles Kibel and drummer Nick Raisz, Crazy Mary has been conjuring its refreshingly oddball avant-garage rock since 1998. A bubbling cauldron of chiming and scraping guitars, creepy organ, spacey, experimental sounds, Dada-ish pranksterism, and absurdly danceable rhythms, the band distills it all into a surreal cocktail of post-punk/psychedelic weirdness. And now, with the recent additions of legendary underground violinist Walter Steding and expatriate Australian vocalist Em Z, things have gotten even weirder. In a good way, of course. @CrazyMaryNYC
Cadillac Coupe de Ville - Jimmi Accardi (Penn Valley, CA, USA) Jimmi Accardi is a singer, songwriter, musician, and performer. He toured as lead guitarist for Chubby Checker, and as lead guitarist for Mickey Dolenz and Davey Jones of The Monkees. He was the session guitarist for Rupert Holmes on his self-titled album. He also was lead guitarist for the Eddy Dixon Band, and played with Evan Lurie (The Lounge Lizards). Jimmi's own group, The Laughing Dogs, enjoyed two critically acclaimed albums on Columbia Records with original songs in the Billboard picks. Here Jimmi returns to his roots, with original rock and roll, rockabilly, and jump blues tunes. Jimmi's vocals and lead guitar are accompanied by his band The Wild Cats. www.cdbaby.com/artist/jimmiaccardi
I'm Sorry - Lauren O'Brien (Astoria, New York, USA) A second track from Lauren O'Brien “I love rock ’n’ roll, the passion and rebelliousness of it,” says Lauren. “But I want to be part of it in my own way—I want to take poetry and rock it out.” Which is exactly what Lauren does—and then some—on Inconsequential Dream, her astonishing debut album. Take “color code,” a menacing, tension-rich rumination on love’s blurred lines of communication Much like Lauren’s riveting live performances, inconsequential dream is a cathartic, emotionally cleansing experience that keeps the listener on the edge of their seat throughout—only to find them back in line when the last track stops, eager to sign up for another wild ride. She has a live acoustic show coming up on Aug 27 at Cornelia Street Cafe, just off Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village, New York. Show starts at 6pm, Lauren is doing an acoustic set at 7pm. Info on 212-989-9319 http://myspace.com/laurenobrienmusic @laurenobrien1
Playing for Change: One Love - live in Madrid A superb live performance of Marley's One Love featuring the core Playing for Change band (including Grandpa Elliot) along with many of the street musicians. Featured musicians include Tula's amazing vocals, Roberto Luti playing the National steel slide guitar, Francois Viguie on the bongos, Stefano Tomaselli on the sax, Venkat playing the tablas, and the beautiful choir vocals of Sinamuva. Many of whom recorded their parts of the original Playing for Change version a year or more ago in locational all around the world. This time they were brought together in December at The Caja Magica which was packed to the gills (over 8,000 people were in attendance!). The band put together a set list of 25 songs (our longest list to date, I believe), and performed for well over two hours. Total musician count was nearly 20! www.playingforchange.com/episodes/32/One_Love_Live_From_Madrid
Psalm - Lee Scratch Perry (Jamaica and Switzerland) Lee "Scratch" Perry is one of the most important figures in the history of reggae music. Not only did he help develop the early reggae sound captured in a number of important recordings, but as an engineer, producer, songwriter, and performer he pioneered a number of innovations, including dub reggae. Lee Perry again draws his narrative from his spirituality and today's global events. One track features very special guest Keith Richards.
Suitcase - Lloyd's Garage (San Francisco Bay area, CA, USA) Platform 1 This band just came in from my new best friend Chrysti at Platform 1. I admit that at very first listen I wasn't too sure but by the time the second track on their MySpace came on I was hooked. This is that second track on MySpace. Get over there and check them out for yourself. There's a fundamental integrity in these passionately delivered songs. The energy is, fortunately, matched by songs that retain interest both lyrically and in their arrangements. This energetic two-piece band delivers more watts of energy per song than you'll hear in many a larger setup. Lloyd's Garage are Seth Heitzmann - Guitar, Vocals Lloyd Llewelyn - Drums, Keys Better still, you can catch them live 13 Aug Point Richmond Summer Concert - Point Richmond, California, US 14 Aug Red Devil Lounge - San Francisco, CA 18 Aug Luckey's - Eugene, OR 19 Aug Hawthorne Theater - Portland, Or 20 Aug Central Saloon - Seattle, WA 21 Aug The MadHappy Lounge - Bend, OR 11 Sep Cafe Du Nord - San Francisco, CA
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Wed, 4 August 2010
A hot summer mix on Suffolk'n'Cool this week with tracks from far and wide. There is also the Artist of the Month Feature and Sarah Morrison from IR New York popped in to say hello. It's nice when folks do that! I was in Southwold (right) yesterday - all this and a brewery too! No wonder it is described as "beer from the coast".
Start it Off - Hot Fiction (London, UK) Hot Fiction is a rock band from England, comprising a singing drummer (Andy Yeoh) and a guitarist (Simon Miller).Their music creates the same blood-in-the-guts feeling that the best blues music does, but has a charm and atmosphere all of its own. Debut album is called 'Dark Room'. You can find them on Jamendo. Definite shades of White Stripes but non the worse for that.
Looking at the stars tonight - Marc Farr (New York, USA) It has been ages since I played a track from Marc. 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. 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. Do check him out, he's an interesting man and thoroughly nice guy. He deserves his success in building an audience that actually what to listen to his songs. I commend you to join them. Marc's His Facebook Fan Page is at http://tinyurl.com/yfb9s9b
Baby Bones - Laura Stephenson and The Cans (Brooklyn, NY, USA) IODA Originally released in the fall of 2008, this 8 song album has turned heads from all over the world garnering over 20,000 downloads via QUOTE UNQUOTE RECORDS (digital download only label) Laura Stevenson: A Record with her trusty Cans by her side, Laura mixes textures, arrangements and harmonies to create a warm and inviting album that will make you smile or crush your soul depending on your current level of sadness. An additional 3 brand new unreleased tracks were recorded in Jan. 2010 to complete the debut physical release of "A RECORD". Laura is on the road with a vengeance in August with dates in: 08/04/10 - Sugar City, Buffalo, NY 08/05/10 - Blind Pig, Ann Arbor, MI 08/06/10 - Grog Shop, Cleveland, OH 08/07/10 - Horeshoe Tavern, Toronto, ON 08/08/10 - Il Motore, Montral, QC 08/09/10 - Club Metronome, Burlington, VT 08/10/10 - Space Gallery, Portland, ME 08/11/10 - Middle East Upstairs, Boston, MA 08/12/10 - Mercury Lounge, New York, NY 08/13/10 - Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY 08/14/10 - Kung Fu Necktie, Philadelphia, PA 08/15/10 - Black Cat, Washington, DC 08/17/10 - Brillobox, Pittsburgh, PA 08/18/10 - Southgate House, Newport, KY 08/19/10 - Meattown USA, New Brunswick, NJ
www.myspace.com/laurastevenson www.laurastevensonandthecans.com
Istanbul - Emerald Park (Malmö, Sweden) They have been around since their first release in 2004 and brought a touch of Swedeish class to The Cavern in Liverpool for the IPO festival in May. Signed to the 23 Seconds net-label in Gothenburg, from where you can download the 2010 edition of their album For Tomorrow. Take a look around 23 Seconds they have interesting artists.
I have a thing for you - Tendawema (London, UK) I played a track Wish on SnC 219 and I've at last managed to secure another track for you. While Wish was a dead sexy minimalist ballad, I have a thing for you takes it to a very different level with almost industrial (but homemade) sounds and some really interesting timings that bring to mind some of Robert Palmer's most interesting material. What a duet that would have been. Described as being low to mid tempo, deep and emotional songs being a reflection on her inner self, you can find out more information on Tendawema including more material on her website.
My Girl Dances - Hot Fiction (London, UK) Jamendo A second track from Hot Fiction. Get the album and tell your friends. You can download it free from: www.jamendo.com/en/album/71656
Historia de un amor - Los Campusinos (Villalcampo, Spain) From their EP el microtonalismo de los campusinos. Villalcampo is right over on the west of Spain only a hundred miles or so from the Portuguese city of Porto. That's about all I know but I'd love to know more about the instruments used, they seem to have a seriously Arabic pedigree. Do let me know if you know. www.jamendo.com/en/album/72184
Adnams Artist of the Month Chosen for us by Al Marshall - keen festival goer and senior wine buyer at the Southwold based brewery. You can hear an extended version of that interview on the SnC site Artist of the month and then July 2010. La cécité - Kapadnoms Congratulations to Kapadnoms. From the 20 track album Un Point C'est Tout. You can download that and a whole load of their excellent material from Jamendo. www.jamendo.com/en/artist/kapadnoms
Colour Code - Lauren O'Brien (Astoria, NY, USA) “I love rock ’n’ roll, the passion and rebelliousness of it,” says Lauren. “But I want to be part of it in my own way—I want to take poetry and rock it out.” Which is exactly what Lauren does—and then some—on Inconsequential Dream, her astonishing debut album. Take “color code,” a menacing, tension-rich rumination on love’s blurred lines of communication Much like Lauren’s riveting live performances, inconsequential dream is a cathartic, emotionally cleansing experience that keeps the listener on the edge of their seat throughout—only to find them back in line when the last track stops, eager to sign up for another wild ride. She has a live acoustic show coming up on Aug 27 at Cornelia Street Cafe, just off Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village, New York. Show starts at 6pm, Lauren is doing an acoustic set at 7pm. Info on 212-989-9319 http://myspace.com/laurenobrienmusic http://www.twitter.com/laurenobrien1
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"Teri Muhabbeta Mar Sutia (Your Love Is Killing Me)"
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