Eight years since her last album (Bavarian Fruit Bread) and thirteen years since Mazzy Star's last album (Among My Swan), Hope Sandoval return with a new album - Through the Devil Softly.
The album was recorded with members of the Dublin band Dirt Blue Gene and will also back Sandoval on tour. Her main partner in the Warm Inventions, however, is drummer Colm Ó CíosÓig, better known as a member with My Bloody Valentine. He was also involved in the previous album.
If you are a fan of the previous work of Sandoval then you will enjoy this new album as it sort of continues on from where she left off. The familiar sultry vocals are back. And if you thought you'd never hear from Mazzy Star again, you will be surprised to hear that Sandoval has been working on material with Mazzy Star guitarist David Roback and new material could emerge some time in 2010.
Drive By Truckers (DBT) have been making music together for 13 years resulting in seven critically acclaimed studio albums which could not contain all of the songs written by the band. DBT recently dug into the New West Records vaults and put finishing touches on a selection of songs that were never quite completed. The result of the collaboration is The Fine Print (A Collection Of Oddities and Rarities 2003-2008), a 12 track album of previously unreleased and rare songs. The Fine Print features songs written by band members past and present, including Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley and Jason Isbell. Seven of the songs come from the Dirty South era, a highly creative time for DBT. The record also contains four covers including 'Rebels' (Tom Petty).
Track Listing:
1. George Jones Talkin’ Cell Phone Blues 2. Rebels 3. Uncle Frank (alternate version) 4. TVA 5. Goode’s Field Road (alternate version) 6. The Great Car Dealer War 7. Mama Bake A Pie (Daddy Kill A Chicken) 8. When The Well Runs Dry 9. Mrs. Claus’ Kimono 10. Play It All Night Long 11. Little Pony And The Great Big Horse 12. Like A Rolling Stone
Before the Frost....features 11 new Black Crowes' studio songs. A second album, titled ...Until The Freeze, will be given away for free exclusively through a unique download code included in Before The Frost... CD as a thank you to their fans for two decades of support. The free album ...Until The Freeze has eight new original Black Crowes' studio songs plus a cover version of the Stephen Stills classic "So Many Times." Before the Frost...Until The Freeze, were recorded over a series of five nights at Levon Helm Studios. Although both are studio albums, all the new material was performed and recorded in front of an intimate audience of the band's fans.
Track Listing as follows
Before The Frost… (CD Track Listing) Good Morning Captain Been A Long Time (Waiting On Love) Appaloosa A Train Still Makes A Lonely Sound I Ain’t Hiding Kept My Soul What Is Home Houston Don’t Dream About Me Make Glad And The Band Played On Last Place That Love Lives
…Until The Freeze (Free Download Album Track Listing) Aimless Peacock Shady Grove Garden Gate Greenhorn Shine Along Roll Old Jeremiah Lady Of Avenue A So Many Times Fork In The River
The new album is available September 15th. Two tracks are available to download free of charge from their website Band of Heathens
Track Listing is as follows
Track Listing 1. L.A. County Blues (free download on website) 2. Say 3. Shine A Light 4. Golden Calf 5. What's This World 6. You're Gonna Miss Me (free download on website) 7. Right Here With Me 8. Let Your Heart Not Be Troubled 9. Somebody Tell the Truth 10. Look at Miss Ohio 11. Talking Out Loud 12. Hey Rider
A.A. Bondy, (the initials stand for Augeste Arthur) is otherwise known as Scott Bondy and he started out his musical in a rock band called Verbena. Drawing comparisons to bands like Nirvana they eventually came to the attention of David Grohl and he produced their major label debut "Into the Pink" for Capitol Records in 1999. Verbena spilt in 2003. Bondy emerged again in 2007 from his home in upstate New York with a new name, a new folk sound and his debut solo album "American Hearts". Originally on the label Supersonic it was re-released by Fat Possum in 2008 to wide acclaim.
The new album "When The Devil's Loose" was released in late August once again on Fat Possum (Spunk/EMI in Australia) and received even wider acclaim than his debut.
The Duke and The King are Simone Felice (The Duke) and Robert "Chicken" Burke (The King). They get their band name from two characters in the Mark Twain novel Huckleberry Finn. Simone was the drummer with his siblings in the Felice Brothers. He has apparently now left the band to concentrate on this new enterprise. The Duke and The King have released their debut album "Nothing Gold Can Stay". They are playing at the East Brunswick Club on October 22nd. This will be the first visit to Australia by any of the Felice Brothers.
Richmond Fontaine's Record Company El Cortez has posted the video for the new song "You can move back here" on youtube. It's from the forthcoming album "We used to think the freeway sounded like a river" due out 17th August.
Bottle Rockets - Lean Forward 11/8/09 Richmond Fontaine - We used to think the freeway sounded like a river 17/8/09 Drive By Truckers - The Fine Print - 1/9/09 Wrinkle Neck Blues - Let the Lead Fly - 22/9/09
Further information of The Drive-By Truckers plans. The Fine Print is a 12-track album of previously unreleased and rare songs. As with their most recent stuff it will be on New West Records. They will also release a CD / DVD combination of their entire Austin City Limits performance from September 2008 which is available now.
The Fine Print Track List: 1. George Jones Talkin’ Cell Phone Blues 2. Rebels 3. Uncle Frank (alternate version) 4. TVA 5. Goode’s Field Road (alternate version) 6. The Great Car Dealer War 7. Mama Bake A Pie (Daddy Kill A Chicken) 8. When The Well Runs Dry 9. Mrs. Claus’ Kimono 10. Play It All Night Long 11. Little Pony And The Great Big Horse 12. Like A Rolling Stone
Live from Austin City Limits Track List: 1. Perfect Timing 2. Heathens 3. A Ghost To Most 4. The Righteous Path 5. I’m Sorry Huston 6. 3 Dimes Down 7. Puttin’ People On The Moon 8. Space City 9. The Living Bubba 10. Zip City 11. 18 Wheels Of Love 12. Let There Be Rock 13. Marry Me
The new album is out now in the States. I got my copy this week and you can expect to hear about three tracks on the show this Monday.
After reforming the band with a new line up about four years ago, Jay Farrar returns with the third album for Son Volt 2.0. He also returns to what he does best, the new album has echoes of his finest work on albums like Trace.As with the last two albums the line up is Dave Bryson on drums; Andrew Duplantis on bass and backing vocals; Chris Masterson on lead guitar; and Mark Spencer on keyboards and steel guitar.
The first two albums for Son Volt 2.0 (Okemah and the Melody of Riot and The Search) were both well received by critics and loyal fans but they failed to connect with a larger audience. As a result the band left Sony/Legacy and this new album is released by Rounder - a label well known for its country based releases. About Rounder Farrar has been quoted as saying "Rounder has shown a long term commitment to music forms, like folk and blues, that I have a lot of respect for," said Farrar. "Going with Rounder has been a kind of a full circle continuum -- the first Rounder person I met with was instrumental in booking Uncle Tupelo gigs years ago."
I'll be playing three tracks from the album, "Down to the Wire, "Roll on" and "Dust of Daylight". I've got to say that I was impressed on first listen and it has grown on me since. I love the return to the more simpler sounds (gone as the weird sounds of Farrar's solo albums) and a more alt-country sound as well which of course appeals enormously. I'd love to hear what you think.
No release date here in Australia that I know of but it should be in your favourite Indie Record Store or buy it from Amazon.
Got my copy of Wilco's seventh studio album during the week and it's growing on me by the day. After a couple of listens I can already safely say that I am enjoying it more that their previous two albums Sky Blue Sky and A Ghost is Born. It is certainly a more mellow sound but also more assured (or should I say comfortable). That is, Tweedy and the band know exactly what they want and how to achieve it. They have probably reached that magic moment in their careers when they no longer care too much about what other people want (or expect) and are happy making music for themselves.
Wilco fans fall into two categories. Those that followed on from the demise of Uncle Tupelo and those who jumped on board after the success of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. I fall into the former category and I still yearn for the more country sounds that appeared here and there on albums like A.M. and Being There(My favourite Wilco album) but each album since has always had something I really like that keeps me coming back. This new album seems to have more of those moments and therefore, for me, the album works. Songs like Solitaire, I'll Fight and the duet with Fiest, You and I are particular favorites, all mellow for sure but still with that magic Wilco spark. Through constant evolution the band has had a hard time pleasing both category of fans and they will never please them all (see above) but on this new album they will make more happy than not.
Tweedy has surrounded himself with some top notch musicians (Nels Cline, Mikael Jorgensen, Glenn Kotche, Pat Sansone and John Stirratt) who are all fantastic in their own right. Together they gel as probably the best makers of contemporary popular music in the world right now.
Tweedy and I are roughly the same age and I feel that we have been on a journey together all these years. I am happy to continue along for the ride.
Patterson Hood, lead man of the Drive By Truckers has released his second solo album (Killer and Stars was released in 2004). It's released here in Australia by Rubber Records & distributed by Shock (Shock's website has finally been upgraded and is worth a visit).
Hood says that this album has been fifteen years in the making and it includes songs written as far back as 1994 up to 2005. Recording began back in 2005 around the time Hood and his wife were expecting a baby. Commitments to the Truckers and the baby's birth meant that the release date was pushed back four years. Hood resisted the urge to re-work or re-make the album while it sat on the shelf but he did add one new song, “Pride Of The Yankees”, that he wrote in 2006 whilst on tour with the DBT supporting the Black Crowes. More on the story around the making of the album is on Hood's website.
The album was produced by Hood and long-time DBT producer David Barbe (Sugar). Most of his DBT band mates join him on the album as well as Don Chambers, Will Johnson and Scott Danbom from Centro-matic/South San Gabriel. This is also the first time Hood’s father David Hood, famed Muscle Shoals bass player, joins him on a record.
Very exciting news about the new album from Jay Farrar's Son Volt. The album is called "American Central Dust" and is due 7/7/09 on Rounder Records.
I haven't heard any of it yet, here is the blub from Rounder
"After spearheading the alternative country movement with his band Uncle Tupelo, Jay Farrar pursued his vision with Son Volt, who recorded three landmark albums in the '90s before the groundbreaking artist put the band on extended hiatus and cut three solo records. Now back with his third Son Volt album of the decade, Jay Farrar has delivered what may be his finest work yet, American Central Dust. The new album exhilarating carries on the tradition of the Byrds, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Little Feat circa Sailin' Shoes, the Rolling Stones of Exile on Main Street and early R.E.M., with standouts like the exceptional "Down to the Wire," "Dynamite" and "No Turning Back." An epic lament for the heartland, American Central Dust is populated with readily recognizable characters, the most hopeful of them searching for love against a backdrop of rusted road signs and abandoned factories. Rarely does a musical work so powerfully capture the zeitgeist of its historical moment while also honoring the traditions of rock & roll with such rawboned grace."
Track Listing:
1 Dynamite 2 Down to the Wire 3 Roll On 4 Cocaine and Ashes 5 Dust of Daylight 6 When the Wheels Don't Move 7 No Turning Back 8 Pushed Too Far 9 Exiles 10 Sultana 11 Strength and Doubt 12 Jukebox of Steel
John Doe and the Sadies have delivered a great album with "Country Club". The result of a drunken promise made a while back when The Sadies were playing with Doe's band The Knitters. It really is a corker.
They pay homage to their country music heroes by covering songs by Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings and late-night ballads by Tammy Wynette and Roger Miller. They also provide four originals, three of them by The Sadies (two are instrumentals) and one by Doe with his long time musical partner (X and The Knitters) Exene Cervenka.
John Doe has made the country album he has always threatened to make and it's a fine tribute to the Bakersfield and Countrypolitain Nashville sounds of days gone by.
The long awaited debut album from the Fireside Bellows (Jordie Lane & Tracey McNeil)is called "No Time to Die" and will be launched on November 23rd at the Northcote Social Club.
Jordie has sent through the following details. A must see event!
After forming a duo less than a year ago, It is with great pleasure that we, Jordie Lane & Tracy McNeil, can announce that our debut album entitled "No Time To Die", will be released nationally next month, in stores Saturday 15th November, through vitamin distribution.
And to celebrate we will be having a very special Album Launch the following Sunday 23rd November at The Northcote Social Club (ARVO SHOW).
The launch will feature some of Melbourne's finest players who appeared on the record: Garrett Costigan-pedal steel, Liz Stringer-Banjo, Andy Baylor-Fiddle, Stevie Hesketh-Keys, and many more. We are delighted that Suzannah Espie, and Red Fish Bluegrass will be opening the show, and the arvo will be hosted by comedian Denise Scott.
Doors open at the very civilized hour of 2:30pm, show kicks off at 3pm. So you can be home for your Sunday Roast by 7pm.
TICKETS ARE ON SALE, as of Mon 13th Oct, so what are you waiting for, hurry? click the link or call the number below to pre-book.
Fireside Bellows Album Launch Sunday 23rd November Northcote Social Club $12 +booking fee or $15 at the door if still available Tickets on sale at the NSC box office (301 High St, Northcote), Ph: 94861677 and online via www.northcotesocialclub.com
Todd Snider has made his new album "Peace Queer" available to download for free from today (October 11th) until the end of the month.
Go to his website www.toddsnider.net for the download. The actual CD is released on October 14th.
From Todd's Myspace page: The overtly political 'Peace Queer' takes a bit of a left turn for the outspoken Snider, beginning with the cover photo, which depicts Snider being held at gunpoint by a shirtless hippie. "Clearly, anyone who looks at the photograph can tell that I had been abducted by an international league of peace queers and forced to write protest music. You know, for their cause," says Snider.
The eight tracks on 'Peace Queer' include a Civil War sea shanty, a plaintive cover of the classic "Fortunate Son," a spoken-word number, a rocket-fueled meditation on contemporary culture ("Stuck On The Corner"), and a Fred Sanford-ish funeral dirge. The emotional centerpiece of the album is the wistful "Ponce Of The Flaming Peace Queer."
"'Peace Queer' is a six-song cycle, starting with a song called 'Mission Accomplished,'" Snider explains. "In six sentences, the record goes like this: Here's the kid being told everything's going to be great. Here's the reality of that. Here's that kid when he comes home a sad and banged-up and angry 'winner.' Here's the breakdown of why I think that's happening. Here's the guy in our culture that I think is causing that to happen, and it's not a president. And then here's what I think is going to happen to that guy. And then we roll credits."
On 'Peace Queer', those credits include Patty Griffin, Kevin Kinney, Don Heron, Doug Lancio, Will Kimbrough and other luminaries.
"Things happen in this album besides you being told that war is wrong, with a beat," Snider says. "I don't know that war is wrong. I just know that I'm a peace queer, and I'm totally into it when people aren't fighting, in my home, at the bar where I hang out, or in a field a million miles away."
Richard Hawley comes from Sheffield in the UK. His previous album "Coles Corner" was a finalist in the 2006 UK Mercury Music Prize (it lost out to the Artic Monkeys). His new album is called "Lady's Bridge" & is out now on the Mute Records Label. Th etitle comes from the name of the oldest bridge in Sheffield that goes over the river Don.
The album was recorded at Yellow Arch Studio in Neepsend, Sheffield in the dilapidated building that Hawley had helped out with the restoration of almost four years ago. Yellow Arch gives Hawley what he calls "that Sun Studio red light factor" and the pressure of turning up with the bones of an idea and leaving with a masterpiece.
From the Mute Website
"I didn’t want to re-invent the wheel or anything,” he explains. “I write songs and I play guitar, that’s it. There isn’t any mystery to it. I’m just constantly in search of something beautiful, melodies that just hit. That’s kind of what I do, I find it difficult to explain because its so simple.”
It's an intensely personal record for many reasons but mainly because during its recording Richard lost his father Dave Hawley, after a three-year battle with cancer, in February 2007. Hawley Snr was a man who not only inspired his son to pick up a guitar but who gave him his work ethic (he was part of a generation of musicians who’d work in the steel industry all day then play gigs at night) and his sense of humour. Here, in Richard's words was “a first wave teddy boy who lived life to the full” and “could make a cat laugh”.
“It was very difficult to not let the events that were happening affect the record,” he says “I tried to keep balanced and keep my eye on the ball. The last thing my dad would say to me every night at the hospice would be, 'Now then bastard, keep your eye on ball' and then just as I was leaving he'd say: '... and don't forget my ale and fags'.”
Accomplished guitarist and songwriter Jason Isbell, formerly of Drive By Truckers (DBT), releases his debut solo album Sirens Of The Ditch. Isbell appears to have left the band on friendly terms as members of the DBT help out on the album & Patterson Hood co-produced most of the songs.
It was always going to be hard to fit the three pronged songwriting & singing talents of Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley, and Jason Isbell into the one band. Isbell has made song contributions to all DBT albums but only got a couple onto their last, A Blessing & a Curse. It makes sense for him to go it alone with the full backing of his former bandmates.
The album rocks with 11 tracks all written by Isbell kicking off with "Brand New Kind Of Actress", followed by the rocker "Down In A Hole", a swampy number featuring Muscle Shoals natives Spooner Oldham and David Hood. Isbell s songwriting skills shine especially on "Dress Blues" a pensive ballad about a high-school classmate who lost his life fighting in Iraq and "Chicago Promenade" a tribute to his late Grandfather. Listeners caught glimpses of Isbell s skills on Drive-By Truckers records with tracks like "Danko/Manuel" and "Outfit".
Sirens Of The Ditch's mystical quality can be partially attributed to the FAME recording studio (Aretha Franklin, Duane Allman, Otis Redding) in Isbell s hometown of Muscle Shoals, AL where the album was recorded. A lot of old soul musicians came through here in the late 60s and 70s and helped define the Muscle Shoals sound, the lifelong Alabamian explains, so that influence was always in my environment, but on this record I really tried to capture that.
Co-produced by Isbell and Patterson Hood (DBT), Sirens Of The Ditch features Isbell singing lead vocals and playing guitar throughout, joined by Shonna Tucker (DBT) on Bass and Brad Morgan (DBT) on drums. Several musicians pop in for cameos including Spooner Oldham and David Hood (Patterson s father) on "Down In A Hole", John Neff (DBT) on "Dress Blues" and Patterson himself guests on "Shotgun Wedding".
Minor Birds is the fantastic debut for the Melbourne based Downhills Home.
They deliver a sound that is raw and pure, with a late- 60’s country quality, inspired by The Byrds, The Rolling Stones, Neil Young, The Band and early Wilco. Also, to my ears the vocal sounds of vocalist McMahon remind me of Jim James from My Morning Jacket. The album was basically recorded live with few overdubs.
The band consists of Sean McMahon (guitar, vocals), Michael Hubbard (guitar, vocals), Brendan McMahon (keyboard and piano), Josh Duiker (drums) and Tim McCormack (bass). Guest appearances on the album include Matt Walker, Jen Cloher and Laura Jean.
Richmond Fontaine have scheduled the release of their new album "Thirteen Cities" for February/March 2007. The album was produced once again by JD Foster (Foster also produced the 2005 release "The Fitzgerald"). Foster has worked in the past with the likes of Calexico & Richard Buckner.
The new album is said to be more upbeat than the near acoustic outing of the previous album. Songwriter & vocalist Willie Vlautin describes the new sound as being more "like a soundtrack". The album was recorded at the Wavelab Studio in Tucson Arizona by Foster with the help of studio owner Craig Schumacher.
The line up of the band is the same as "The Fitzgerald" with Vlautin on vocals & guitar plus Sean Oldham (Drums), Dave Harding (Bass), Dan Eccles (Guitar) & Paul Brainard (Pedal Steel & Trumpet). The album also features some contributions from some of Tucson's many music luminaries such Calexico members Joey Burns, Nick Luca and Jacob Valenzuela. Howe Gelb even plays the piano on a track.
Richmond Fontaine are heading to Europe in February for an extensive tour. There is no word yet on another visit to Australia - the bands first tour here was in early 2006. Nonzero, the bands Australian label have not yet listed a date for the local release on "Thirteen Cities"
Be Good Tanyas – Hello Love Label: Nettwerk (306162) Released: 7/10/2006
The Be Good Tanyas are a three-piece outfit based in Vancouver Canada. They are Frazey Ford, Trish Klien & Samantha Parton. They all share a love for folk, blues & country music. Jolie Holland was a founding member but left just prior to the release of their first album. Holland has made contributions on all previous Be Good Tanya albums & does here again.
Hello Love is the third album & follows on from Blue Horse (2001) & Chinatown (2003). Like the others, Hello Love is self produced & recorded strictly (& proudly) in analog. It is blend of old-time blues, bluegrass, country & folk. The album features twelve tracks (plus a 13th hidden track, Prince’s “When Doves Cry”), with about half written by members of the band individually or in collaboration plus some well-chosen covers & traditional songs. The cover include Neil Young’s “For the Turnstiles”, Scattered Leaves” by Jeremy Lindsey, “Nobody Cares for me” by John Hurt - plus the Prince song. Special guest contributions come from Jolie Holland on “Nobody cares for me” & the Old Crow Medicine Show on “A little blues” & “Crow Waltz” .
What’s in a name? The Be Good Tanyas take their name from an Obo Martin rebel anthem “Be Good Tanya”
from emusic
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