REVIEW: Water Liars - Water Liars

Mississippi tortured hard folk duo Water Liars are back with a third album fairly quick on the heels of last year's Wyoming. "Hard folk" is about the best I could come up with to try to encapsulate the contrasts within their music. The lyrics are provocative and arresting... opening track "Cannibals" draws an analogy: "When you taste the flesh and sweat of the one that you love / Do you feel like a cannibal?" To a slightly lesser extent than the sad, sad Wyoming, this album explores the theme of what we are willing, able and sometimes driven to do to one another, and definitely deliver more questions than answers.

Here's "I Want Blood", a lush, full country rock number with what I think is his best vocal to date:





It's definitely Southern music. In places it's languid and slow, and lead singer Justin Kinkel-Schuster definitely delivers the vocals with a drawl, but in other places it's urgent and as hard as guitar rock gets. "Swannanoa" is pretty much straight-ahead country music, with piano and vocals up front, and "Let it Breathe" is a pretty finger-picked folk song. But they plug in on tracks like "Tolling Bells", and often really turn up the guitar feedback.

Here's the song "Ray Charles' Dream" - a rollicking, upbeat track with haunting vocals over a base of growling guitars:



They're highly recommended for fans of literate guitar rock artists like Centro-Matic and My Morning Jacket... If you want to learn more about them (or read what a better writer than me thinks of their music), check out William Boyle's excellent bio on their website. The album is out now (released Feb. 4) on Fat Possum/Big Legal Mess Records.

Water Liars website
Water Liars at Big Legal Mess Records
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New Brit-Pop Flamenco Discovery: Mike Hughes - "That Girl Is Misery"

Here's something new... Mike Hughes is a Yorkshire singer/songwriter - a real troubador who can stand and deliver with his acoustic guitar and big voice. But he also serves as frontman of his own band playing an intriguing mix of folk-rock and, of all things, flamenco. Here's his single, "That Girl is Misery":





His team describes it as "Apocalyptic Gospel Blues" - okay by me. Intriguing for sure - looking forward to hearing what else he's up to. If you'd like to hear more, you can get a free EP at his website - link below.

Mike Hughes website
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Review: Casey Neill and the Norway Rats - All You Pretty Vandals

Casey Neill (facing camera) and the Norway Rats 

It was hardly random that the subject of the first article I wrote for this blog was Casey Neill. What I admired most about this blog was its commitment to shine a light on high quality music, especially when it might be flying under the radar.  And no artist fits that bill more squarely for me than Portland's Casey Neill. His songs are perfectly structured, the lyrics terrific, with strong performances, backed by a tremendous rock and roll band.

Neill believes in the power of rock and roll and wears his heart on his sleeve, in keeping with his own blue collar work ethic. Neill stands proudly on the shoulders of his heroes Springsteen and Strummer. There is no band on the planet I'd rather see on a Friday night after a tough week in the office than Casey Neill and the Norway Rats. They've picked me up and dusted me off more times than I care to count.

All You Pretty Vandals was years in the making, the songs here taking shape in Neill's frequent club performances in Portland and throughout the West and occasionally beyond. Neill isn't in a position where some major label writes him a fat six figure check so he can take his time in the studio. No, bands like Casey Neill and the Norway Rats scrap and claw, get the music ready and then make the most of their limited studio time, in this case at Portland's highly regarded Type Foundry, with Chris Funk of the Decemberists (and Casey Neill's wonderful Pogues tribute band KMRIA) producing.

On the title track, Neill unleashes his anger at the Wall Street barons who sank this country while lining their pockets:




One of the standout tracks is "My Little Dark Rose" about the rough underside of Portland, the part you don't see on Portlandia or read about in the New York Times' frequent articles about the trendy foodie/creative class culture here:



This band is outstanding, a bit of a Portland all-star ensemble. All You Pretty Vandals has a grit and toughness from Neill's songs but also Chet Lyster's excellent guitar work. Lyster (a longtime touring member of the Eels, and more recently Lucinda Williams' band) knows how to use space and timing, when to dial it up and when to more subtly add just a little flourish at the right moment. Jenny Conlee's (from the Decemberists) accordian, organs and pianos are perfect. The rhythm section of bass player Jesse Emerson (Amelia) and drummer John Moen (Perhapst, Decemberists, Boston Spaceships, Elliott Smith) are in the pocket and also adding to the toughness and immediacy of the sound here.  Various others are called on to add just the right touches, including Langhorne Slim, Lisa Molinaro, Redray Frazier, Scott McCaughey, Chris Funk, and The Portland Horns.

I tend to gravitate first to Neill's rock songs. My favorites here are back to back in slots 3 and 4, "She Came Alive" and "In With A Shout". "She Came Alive" leaps out the speakers, picking up steam until it feels like a full on rumble, the words and music tumbling out at breakneck speed, controlled mayhem like a rugby scrum. If Husker Du reunited and made a great new single for 2013, it might sound like this.  Then, shifting gears, comes a brooding and hard slow burner, "In With A Shout", in sound a bit of a departure for Neill, especially its climatic conclusion with a great violin part by Annalisa Tornfelt (Black Prairie).

But like any Irish-American worth his salt, Neill has a sentimental side and the ballads are just as affecting. I particularly like two beautiful ones here, "The Dark Divide", prominently featuring backing vocals from Luzelina Mendoza from Y La Bamba, and the closing song "Arden Eden" (starts with the great line, "Her accent comes back when she drinks").

Every song here has a different feel and is fully realized. A couple of mid-tempo songs here, "Vanish Away" and "Signal Reach" would have held their own on Automatic for the People.

Elven songs, every one of them memorable, All You Pretty Vandals is one of the best CDs I've heard this year. Casey Neill is a smart songwriter and has surrounded himself with very talented musicians. But above all that, Casey Neill brings passion to every note he sings, every line he writes.

The record will be released on November 12 but is available now at their live shows. You need to see Casey Neill and the Norway Rats when they make a rare full band tour across the US starting right now:    

  Oct 17 Lee's Liquor Lounge Minneapolis, MN
  Oct 18 Vaudeville Mews Des Moines, IA
  Oct 19 Kiki's House of Righteous Music Madison, WI
  Oct 20 Rozz Tox Rock Island, IL
  Oct 22 Red Line Tap Chicago, IL
  Oct 23 Foam St Louis, MO
  Oct 24 Kirby's Wichita, KS
  Oct 25 Lucky's Everyday Wichita, KS
  Oct 28 The Crux Boise, ID Free RSVP
  Nov 02 Arcata Playhouse Arcata, CA
  Nov 07 Triple Door w/ Wesley Stace  Seattle, WA
  Nov 13 Old Saint Francis School Bend, OR
  Nov 15 Doug Fir Lounge Portland, OR
  Nov 16 sam bonds garage Eugene, OR
  Nov 20 The Saint Asbury Park, NJ
  Nov 21 Bowery Electric New York, NY
  Nov 23 Johnny Ds Boston, MA

Casey Neill artist web page  
Casey Neill and the Norway Rats Facebook page
Twitter page

Califone - "Stitches" video and Living Room Tour to support Stitches, out Sept 3

Califone has a new album coming, Stitches, and "haunting" and "beautiful" are the first two adjectives that come to mine. The album is due out September - so we'll post more later. For now, the band is doing its second living room tour, booked with the help of Undertow music. These shows really do take place in living rooms more often than not. They're intimate affairs usually limited to 30-60 people. No tickets are sold at the door, and you have to buy a ticket online in advance to get the address of the show. This is the second such tour that Califone has done. This one is starting out West, working its way east and then back out to Colorado. You can find out more info about the shows and Undertow at this link.

Here's a creative video you can view - using Califone's Tumblr as vehicle and image source  (click on the link and then click on "show us your stitches": http://califonestitches.tumblr.com/

Tim Kasher - new solo album Adult Film, out in October

Tim Kasher has written and released 12 full-length albums both as a solo artist and with his bands Cursive and The Good Life, and his newest (and second solo) album, Adult Film, will be out Oct. 8.

For fans of Cursive, the album is a familiar blend of rock and pop, with some pretty big guitar sounds embellished by keys and horns. Kasher has assembled an impressive group of friends to help: Sara Bertuldo (bass, vocals), Patrick Newbery (organ, keys, synths, horns), and Dylan Ryan (drums) – who backed him while touring around Monogamy – as well as Nate Kinsella (drums; of Make Believe and Birthmark); Laura Stevenson (vocals; of Laura Stevenson and the Cans); Matt Focht (drums; of Head Of Femur); Jenna Morrison (vocals; of Conduits); Laura Carrozza (flute; of Aficionado); and Sarah Holtschlag (saw).

Here's a trailer for the album:



Adult Film was mixed by John Congleton (St. Vincent, Wye Oak, Explosions In The Sky) at Elmwood Recording in Dallas, TX.

Tour dates and pre-order at Saddle Creek Records.
Tim Kasher website

New Folk/Roots Discovery: Betse Ellis - High Moon Order

Kansas City fiddler Betse Ellis has released her second album, High Moon Order. She founded and played for the last several years with alt-country band The Wilders, but on this album she's pulled together a group of musicians in service of her own sound. It's a striking sound - unvarnished vocals, absolutely fiery fiddling and a variation in tempos from quietly beautiful to ferocious, especially on the upbeat punk number "The Complainer".



There are also nods to influences both subtle and overt, an example of the latter being the inspired cover of the Clash's "Straight to Hell":



Here's a live radio performance of the solo instrumental "Queen of the Earth and Child of the Skies" - just beautiful:



The original songs are strong, and the musicianship is never less than stellar. This is a diverse, well-played, really terrific album - highly recommended if you like cowpunk outfits like The Old 97's and Whiskeytown, or other female country/folk artists we've featured here, like Tift Merritt and Bonnie Whitmore. High Moon Order is out now on Free Dirt Records via Trade Root Music.

Alessi's Ark - new video for "Tin Smithing" from The Still Life, now out on Bella Union

WYMA wrote about The Still Life, the new album from London's Alessi's Ark (Alessi Laurent-Marke and her rotating supporting cast of musicians - her "ark") in April (WYMA review here). I loved the variety in styles, her voice and found her accent sort of charming, and recognized the obvious rapport she and Now It's Overhead's Andy LeMaster had in the studio.

The lead track, "Tin Smithing", is a good example of her sound - the vocals that are simultaneously ethereal and earthy. Here's a video recently released for that song:

The album is out now (released Apr 30) on Bella Union Records.

REVIEW: Alessi's Ark - The Still Life

The Still Life is the third album from London's Alessi Laurent-Marke, who records with her revolving group of accompanists as Alessi's Ark. She has a light, clear voice and a distinctive way of varying rhythms. She's also got a French accent that serves her well when she wants to draw out certain parts of the vocals. Hard to describe, but fairly charming. In addition, she is clearly talented at building songs. On this album she's teamed up with Georgia producer Andy LeMaster, whose best-known work is with the Drive-by Truckers, but who has a vast well of experience for the precocious Laurent-Marke to draw on as she created this expansive, well-drawn album. Did I mention that she's 22 years old?

Here's lead track, "Tin Smithing" - a perfect example of her breezy vocal style and the inventive instrumentation she uses to build the album:



Here's "The Rain" - the acoustic guitar-over-beats is a structure she uses often, as it seems to do a good job of setting a base for her to get playful with the vocals, and for her and LeMaster to layer in all kinds of sounds:



The chorus that starts about a minute in is a good example of what I mean about the accent - the way she pronounces "good" draws some attention to a word that she uses very often on this record. In fact, I might say the theme of this record is good living, or the good life, as expressed in art. A song, or a still life painting, for example. The music has an engaging simplicity, but the depth of craftsmanship is revealed on repeated listening. You can stream the whole album, for now, at MTV Hive (click here).

The album is on Bella Union, released earlier this week (Apr. 30). Read more, listen to more, or buy it at her website.

Alessi's Ark Website

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REVIEW: Brown Bird - Fits Of Reason

Providence, RI's Brown Bird is playing a variety of folk rock that has a foot in the present and one in the past. There is plenty of acoustic playing and vocal harmonizing - in places, they could be a 30's string band that travelled forward in time. But there's also some very good rock instrumentation - the guitar riffing on "Barren Lakes" is reminiscent of Sonic Youth, to me.

It's a duo: guitarist/percussionist/singer/songwriter David Lamb and MorganEve Swain on violin, cello, upright bass, electric bass, vocals. Obviously, they each wear a lot of hats. Listening to the record and keeping in mind there are only two of them, you'll be impressed at the variety of sounds and the electric/acoustic interplay, and at the same time unsurprised at the tightness of the harmonies. Lamb does most of the singing, but Swain's voice is light and clear, and whether she's supplying a counterpoint to his ragged vocal style or taking the lead here and there, she's a terrific vocalist.

Here's lead track "Seven Hells", a perfect example of the way Lamb's baritone vocal and heavy guitar combine with Swain's bass and harmony vocals to create something exhilarating. I have seen Brown Bird compared to Tom Waits in a few places - this, to me, is the closest their music comes to resembling his:



And here's "Nine Eyes", which showcases the Eastern influences (while retaining the rock elements that, to me, help make Brown Bird so listenable):




The record is out next Tuesday (Apr. 2), and to support, they're going out on tour:

April 3     Northampton, MA     Parlor Room (2 shows)
April 4     Burlington, VT     Higher Ground
April 5     Providence, RI     The Met
April 6     Portsmouth, NH     The Press Room
April 9     New Haven, CT     Lily Pad's
April 10     Harrisburg, PA     Fed Live
April 11     Pittsburgh, PA     Club Cafe
April 12     Ann Arbor, MI     The Ark
April 13     Bloomington, IN     The Bishop
April 16     Charlottesville, VA     The Southern
April 17     Richmond, VA     Strange Matter
April 18      Asbury Park, NJ     The Saint
April 19     Boston, MA     Brighton Music Hall
April 20     Portland, ME     One Longfellow Square (2 shows)
April 28     Indio, CA     Stagecoach Festival
May 24     Yosemite, CA     Strawberry Festival
May 27     George, WA     Sasquatch Festival
June 2     Nelsonville, OH     Nelsonville Festival

It's good music and I think seeing them live would be fun, if for nothing else, to see the two of them produce all this sound while creating the basic rhythm with their feet!

Brown Bird Website

Brown Bird Facebook

REVIEW: Waxahatchee - Cerulean Salt

Waxahatchee is Katie Crutchfield, with backing from Keith Spencer, Kyle Gilbride, and her twin sister, Allison Crutchfield. But it's Katie Crutchfield first and foremost. Her voice (both her songwriting voice and her terrific singing voice) is the anchor. Thought this album is arranged with a really good rhythm section and post-punk guitars, nothing drowns her out... and that is as it should be.

Crutchfield is a rare talent, and knowledge of that seems to be gaining rapidly. Though I haven't seen it, I expect some will make a comparison between Crutchfield and Liz Phair. I'd endorse that - both are marked by a frankness that is sometimes overwhelming for a casual music listener, but both also make fantastic rock music that - whether you go looking for soul-baring poetry or not - just absolutely compels you to listen.

It's hard to pick a favorite song - there isn't a bad one on the record - but some lyrics bubble up out of the mix and some of the guitar lines are irresistible.

Regarding the lyrics, specifically, check out "Brother Bryan": "We're only 30% dead" (and here we were thinking about how young you are, Katie!) and "We destroy all of our esteem". Enjoying this music, I find myself hoping she's only singing about self-destruction - because we need her to keep making records.

Regarding the guitars, "Coast to Coast" is a gem, start to finish,



Another highlight: the spare strumming behind the stark vocal of the intro to "Peace and Quiet", feeding into a full-on band attack with what sounds like Crutchfield's voice double-tracked in the chorus:



And the swinging acoustic/electric interplay of "Lips and Limbs" is notable - but, again, everything on Cerulean Salt is notable in one way or another. Especially that voice. Looking forward to hearing lots more from her.

It's available from Don Giovanni Records, having been released Tuesday Mar. 5.

Mount Moriah - new video for lead track "Bright Light", tour dates...

 

Mount Moriah released their latest album Miracle Temple earlier this week. It's a stunning accomplishment -- Heather McEntire's one of the best country singers we've heard in years, and Jenks Miller's guitar works wonders (WYMA review here). To celebrate they have released a video to accompany the lead track "Bright Light":



They're also heading out on a tour, supported on several dates by Merge label mates William Tyler, whose great new guitar epic Impossible Truth (due out March 19 -WYMA feature here) is summoning ghosts of John Fahey and Skip James, and Telekinesis, who have a new one due out in April. So on one bill, you've got the potential to see Mount Moriah's soulful country rock, Tyler's timeless and intricate guitar work, and the brash power pop of Telekinesis:

Mount Moriah on tour:

March 6 Charleston, SC Tin Roof
March 7 Jacksonville, FL Jack Rabbits
March 8 Orlando, FL Will’s Pub%
March 9 Atlanta, GA Drunken Unicorn%
March 10 Mobile, AL Alabama Music Box&
March 11 Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon&
March 13-17 Austin, TX SXSW
March 18 Chicago, IL Schubas
March 19 Detroit, MI Magic Stick Lounge
March 20 Toronto, ON The Drake
March 21 Montreal, QC Casa del Popolo
March 22 Boston, MA Cafe 939
March 23 New Haven, CT Cafe Nine
March 25 New York, NY Mercury Lounge
March 26 Philadelphia, PA Johnny Brenda’s
March 27 Washington, DC DC 9
April 4 Winston-Salem, NC Phuzz Fest
April 12 Carrboro, NC Cat’s Cradle
April 21 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge*
April 24 San Francisco, CA Bottom Of The Hill*
April 25 Los Angeles, CA The Echo*
April 27 San Diego, CA Casbah*
April 28 Phoenix, AZ The Crescent Ballroom*
April 30 Austin, TX The Parish*
May 1 Denton, TX Dan’s Silverleaf*
May 3 Birmingham, AL The Bottletree*
% = w/ William Tyler
& = w/ William Tyler & Dent May
* = w/ Telekinesis

REVIEW: Mount Moriah - Miracle Temple

Mount Moriah is Heather McEntire (vocals and guitar), Jenks Miller (guitar) and Casey Toll (bass). Their new album is Miracle Temple - and it is deep, soulful, gorgeous and completely arresting. It demands and rewards your full attention. At the outset, I feel a need to mention that, though they're not credited as band members, the album would certainly not be as full without the contributions of James Wallace on drums, piano and organ, Daniel Hart on violin and Allyn Love on pedal steel. At various points throughout the album, Wallace's drumming, Love's pedal steel or Hart's sweet strings supply absolutely essential transitions.

But of course the core of the band is McEntire, Miller and Toll - there are other players involved, but these three are the songwriters, and the overriding components of Mount Moriah's sound are McEntire's vocals and Miller's guitars. They've hit on what is, to my ears at least, an unbeatable combination: an evocative, memorable voice that sounds as if it was born to sing country songs and some of the best Southern rock guitar licks outside of an Allmans or Crazy Horse record.

This is a joyful, at times achingly beautiful record - it is almost overwhelming in places, it's so good. You'll find yourself bobbing your head in time, swaying along with McEntire's singing and leaning in to follow Miller through a guitar line that goes to familiar, yet unexpected places - for example, I absolutely love the echoes of Dickey Betts' playing on "Blue Sky" that kick in about 3:00 into "Eureka Springs"... though it seems unfair to single out one such moment on an album that is absolutely bursting with them. I mentioned Hart's violin - check out "I Built a Town" - the guitar is a bit understated, and this has the effect of allowing the strings to ramp up the emotion, into another heart-tugging McEntire vocal. On "White Sands", the guitars are just ragged enough to contrast with her light, beautiful singing (and Indigo Girl Amy Ray's gospel-tinged backing vocals).

Here is opening track "Younger Days" - a great start, and an apt example of the way McEntire's crystal-clear phrasing and Miller's guitar tones intertwine:



And here's "Bright Light" - a glorious Southern rock song with some wonderful piano from the aforementioned James Wallace:



The record is out February 26 on Merge. If this is not in my top five at the end of 2013, it will have been a year like no other. And if you have ever liked Southern rock, you are gonna want this thing.

Kopecky Family Band - video for "Heartbeat", Kids Raising Kids out Apr. 2

Nashville's Kopecky Family Band is playing catchy pop-rock with really nice vocal harmonies - while not technically a family, they harmonize kind of like one. They aren't very good tennis players, though:



In case you aren't familiar with them, the band started on the campus of Belmont University in Nashville in 2007, and consists of Kelsey Kopecky (vocals, keys, bass), Gabe Simon (vocals, guitar, horns), Steven Holmes (guitar, lap steel), David Krohn (drums), Markus Midkiff (cello, guitar, keys), and Corey Oxendine (bass, guitar, horns).

Their new album, Kids Raising Kids, will be out on ATO Records April 2, but in the meantime they are going out on tour (including, of course, an appearance somewhere in Austin TX during SXSW):


MAR. 2              TUSCALOOSA, AL                        GREEN BAR*
MAR. 4              ATLANTA, GA                               THE BASEMENT*
MAR. 5              COLUMBIA, SC                             5 POINTS PUB*
MAR. 6              COLUMBUS, GA                           THE LOFT*
MAR. 7              SAVANNAH, GA                           STOPOVER FEST
MAR. 8              TAMPA, FL                                   NEW WORLD BREWERY*
MAR. 9              JACKSONVILLE, FL                      UNDERBELLY*
MAR. 11            AUSTIN, TX                                  SXSW
MAR. 12            AUSTIN, TX                                  SXSW
MAR. 13            FAYETTEVILLE, AR                      GEORGE'S MAJESTIC LOUNGE
MAR. 14            ST. LOUIS, MO                             OFF BROADWAY'S
MAR. 20            TERRA HAUTE, IN                        VERVE NIGHT CLUB
APR. 15            CLEVELAND, OH                           BEACHLAND BALLROOM**
APR. 16            LOUISVILLE, KY                            HEADLINERS**
APR. 18            NEWPORT, KY                              SOUTHGATE HOUSE**
APR. 19            COLUMBUS, OH                            THE BASEMENT**
APR. 21            INDIANAPOLIS, IN                         RADIO RADIO**
APR. 27            OMAHA, NE                                   THE WAITING ROOM**
APR. 29            KANSAS CITY, MO                        RECORD BAR**
APR. 30            BOULDER, CO                               FOX THEATRE**

UPDATE: Miss Shevaughn and Yuma Wray on tour, live tracks available

One of my favorite records of 2012 was Miss Shevaughn and Yuma Wray's We're From Here (WYMA review here, Top 50 here). I love the guitars and her voice... and their modesty (Yuma was tickled that I called them "guitar heros"). They are one of the hardest-working acts in rock, having recently finished up their extensive 2012 tour, and preparing to embark on their 2013 tour in support of the album (dates below).

They have made available a free download of a live cut from their Live at DC9 album, "Baby Blue":



And, in fact, you can download the entire live disc for "name your price" here... so consider it a virtual tip jar, or download it for free and then buy We're From Here. They're a hardworking band and they make killer music - we could always use more of that. Those tour dates:

3/22 - Caldera Tap, Ashland, OR

3/23 - Pine Cone Tavern, Brookings, OR

3/25 - Trillium, Hood River, OR

3/28 - John's Alley, Moscow, ID

3/30 - Crux Coffee, Boise, ID

4/5 - Steaming Bean, Telluride, CO

4/7 - Cowgirl BBQ, Santa FE, NM

4/9 - Adobe Bar, Taos, NM

4/11 - Pioneer Inn, Nederland, CO

4/13 - Ritual Café, Des Moines, IA

4/14 - Quencher's Saloon, Chicago, IL

4/18 - Zazoo's, Louisville, KY

4/19 - Southgate House, Cincinnati, OH

4/20 – Howlers, Pittsburgh, PA

4/23 - The Radio Bean, Burlington, VT

4/27 - Red Hook Bait 'n Tackle, Brooklyn, NY

4/28 - The Galaxy Hut, Arlington, VA

4/29 - The Black Cat , Washington DC

5/1 - Evening Muse, Charlotte, NC

5/3 - The Cavern, Russellville, AR

5/5 The Parish Underground, Austin, TX

5/10 - Taos Alehouse, Taos, NM

5/11 - Cowgirl BBQ, Santa Fe, NM

5/12 The Yucca Tap Room in Tempe, AZ

Miss Shevaughn & Yuma Wray Website

New Discovery: Old English - Prose & Kahns

Over the course of the 12 songs that compose Prose And Kahns, Old English (Canadian artist Matt Henderson) weaves together elements of several strains of modern indie rock. There's dance rock (check out the beats in "We've Been Here Before"). There's introspective, moody electronic stuff (as in the soulful vocals, slowed-down pace and synths throughout "The Corrections"). There's straight-ahead singer/songwriter folk rock ("Pop Shop", at least until it soars off toward shoegaze territory in the last minute or so). And there's plenty of guitar - in front of and behind the beats, synths and understated vocals. The best part is, Henderson pulls all this together to make the album a journey worth taking.

You can check out a few songs for free at the Bandcamp site:

Here's "Pop Shop":

Prose And Kahns was released last week (Feb. 5). You can learn more at the Old English website, or the Old English page at the CBC.

New Folk-Rock Discovery: Torres - Torres

Torres is the name under which Nashville artist MacKenzie Scott records her evocative, country-tinged folk rock.

Scott has a killer voice and a pretty good way with an electric guitar - and after finding a sound that works for her, she's definitely raised her profile recently. In her words: "My family pitched in to get me a Gibson 335 last year for Christmas... I didn't quite find the sound I was looking for until I started playing electric."

I'm reminded a bit of Richard Buckner (the spare instrumentation, jagged electric guitar and wrenching vocal performance, for starters). Like Buckner, the songs vary from spare, guitar/voice only, to songs with strings, to fuller rockers with strong electric guitar leads... and the voice is always the focal point.

The album was recorded at Tony Joe White's house in Nashville. Here's an album promo video:



Here's "Jealousy and I":



And here's a free download of "Mother Earth, Father God" - a good showcase for her voice.

The album was released last week. She'll be playing in Nashville later this week, then taking a short trip to spread the word about the record:


02.08.13 - Nashville, TN @ The Basement (Record release show)
02.12.13 - Nashville, TN @ Grimey's In-Store (6 PM)
02.20.13 - Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
02.22.13 - New York, NY @ Cake Shop
02.24.13 - Brooklyn, NY @ The Paperbox

Learn more at Torres Website.

Cave Singers - new song - "The Easy Way", tour dates

We wrote about the Cave Singers last spring as they embarked on a tour supporting No Witch, and this time they're releasing another album, Naomi on Jagjaguwar, and going on tour in support of that one.

They're also making a song available to check out:

And here's another cut, "Have To Pretend", premiered in December:



The album is available to pre-order (and get it early) here.

And they've got a busy spring planned:

TOUR DATES:

03/27/13 Salt Lake City, UT- Urban Lounge

03/28/13 Telluride, CO- Fly Me to the Moon Saloon

03/29/13 Denver, CO- Gothic Theatre

03/31/13 Chicago, IL- Empty Bottle

04/01/13 St. Louis, MO- Old Rock House

04/02/13 Louisville, KY- Zanzabar

04/03/13 Nashville, TN- The Basement

04/04/13 Philadelphia, PA- Johnny Brenda's

04/06/13 Brooklyn, NY- Music Hall of Williamsburg

04/07/13 Allston, MA- Brighton Music Hall

04/09/13 Washington DC- Rock and Roll Hotel

04/10/13 Chapel Hill, NC- Local 506

04/11/13 Asheville, NC- Emerald Lounge

04/12/13 Atlanta, GA- The Earl

04/13/13 St. Augustine, FL- The Original Cafe Eleven

04/14/13 Tampa, FL- Crowbar

04/15/13 Orlando, FL- Will's Pub

04/17/13 Baton Rouge, LA- Spanish Moon

04/18/13 Dallas, TX- Club Dada

04/19/13 Houston, TX- Fitzgerald's Upstairs

04/20/13 Austin, TX- Red 7

04/22/13 Phoenix, AZ- Rhythm Room

04/23/13 Tucson, AZ- Solar Culture

04/24/13 San Diego, CA- Casbah

04/26/13 Los Angeles, CA- Bootleg Theater

04/27/13 Santa Cruz, CA- The Crepe Place

04/28/13 San Francisco, CA- Great American Music Hall

04/29/13 Eugene, OR- Cozmic Pizza

05/02/13 Vancouver, BC- The Commodore Ballroom

05/03/13 Portland, OR- Wonder Ballroom

05/04/13 Seattle, WA- The Showbox

REVIEW: Radar Brothers - Eight

The Radar Brothers' latest album, Eight, starts out quietly enough, with an almost whispered baritone vocal... but it doesn't take long for the guitars to kick in. And they really never let up, throughout the 43:00 plus of the record. There is an interesting juxtaposition of the amped-up guitars and the laid-back vocals throughout the record, and as noted, the trend begins on the first track, "What If We Were Banished"...



It's a little reminiscent of Mark Eitzel or The National, but I think it rocks harder than those, and certainly gets more psychedelic. In fact, there are times on this record (parts of "Couch", "Disappearer") that remind me of Pink Floyd. "Ebony Bow" is gorgeous - the guitars, piano and overlaid vocals all combine to give the sense of drifting along, not being in a hurry, and enjoying the journey.

It's a very interesting record - all the songs are around 4 minutes long, all are mostly midtempo, and the vocals are, for the most part, pretty sleepy... except for the 3:08 "Time Rolling By", which has got some serious giddyup, both in tempo and the volume on the guitars. And the song is more than half over before the vocals kick in. It's a good change of pace, and a very good rock song.

If what you're looking for is a record that combines well-played rock and alt/country with great guitars and occasional psychedelic flights, you will want to spend some time with this record.

Radar Brothers at Merge Records

Mount Moriah releases preview track "Bright Light" from Miracle Temple, due in March

Mount Moriah (Heather McEntire, Jenks Miller, Casey Toll) has prepared a followup to its debut album, and it will be out in March. For now, they've released this terrific country rocker which should help create some serious anticipation for the full album. The piano and vocal are particular highlights, to me... very much looking forward to listening to the whole thing:



As Scott observed in his recent review of the Dorado project, there seems to be a resurgence of great new music at the intersection of traditional country, rock and soul sounds - this is another terrific example. The way the rollicking piano leads into the guitar lead, and the echoes of Dolly Parton in her voice - just wonderful. Recorded in Nashville!

Here's a video released in the fall - the song, "Plane", is from their self-titled debut album:



Mount Moriah on Merge Records

Wake Owl - new video for "Gold", Wild Country EP out Jan. 29

We've recently featured the music of Wake Owl and it seems to be popping up elsewhere, too. It's exquisitely-played folk pop and Colyn Cameron's got a great voice, as well as a way with a chorus. The band consists of Cameron (vocals, guitar, keys), Aiden Briscall (violin, electric guitar - he also directed the video below), Josh Daignault (bass, clarinet), and Andy Shauf (drums, clarinet).

Check out the video for lead track "Gold":



The EP Wild Country will be available Jan 29 via Vagrant Records. It consists of six songs, including both the finished and demo versions of "Gold".

They'll be touring to support the EP:

FEB. 8              SEATTLE, WA                          SUNSET TAVERN

FEB. 9              PORTLAND, OR                        BUNK BAR

FEB. 14            MINNEAPOLIS, MN                   7^th STREET ENTRY

FEB. 17            CHICAGO, IL                             OLD TOWN SCHOOL OF FOLK

FEB. 20            BOSTON, MA                            CAFÉ 939

FEB. 22            NEW YORK, NY                        ROCKWOOD MUSIC HALL (Stage 2)

FEB. 23            PHILADELPHIA, PA                  FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH

FEB. 25            VIENNA, VA                             JAMMIN JAVA

FEB. 26            PITTSBURGH, PA                    BRILLOBOX

FEB. 28            NASHVILLE, TN                        BASEMENT

MAR. 3             KANSAS CITY, MO                   RIOT ROOM

MAR. 4             DENVER, CO                            HI-DIVE

MAR. 7             LOS ANGELES, CA                   HOTEL CAFÉ

MAR. 8             SAN FRANCISCO, CA               HOTEL UTAH

MAR. 9             SANTA CRUZ, CA                     CREPE PLACE