Damien Jurado: Caught In The Trees

Damien Jurado is my favorite contemporary singer/songwriter. No question about it. He is the the one artist who i have listened to more consistently than any other over the past 10 years.

News of a new album from Jurado often ends up with the search for my favorite album of whatever year it is being called of. He really does it for me on that kind of consistent basis. Well...just over six months into 2008 and it looks as though the quest for this years end of year poll topper could have a new front runner, with the announcement of the impending release of 'Caught In The Trees'.

A year in the making - recorded between the warmth of summer 2007 and the following winter, 'Caught In The Trees' is said to reflect the two distinct seasons within which it was completed. The album will be released on Secretly Canadian on September 9th, 2008.

Below is the first officially released track from 'Caught In The Trees', 'Gillian Was A Horse' and a live version of another new track, the quite brilliant 'Sheets', which was recorded live for KEXP in September 2007.

MP3: Damien Jurado - Gillian Was A Horse (courtesy of Secretly Canadian)
MP3: Damien Jurado - Sheets (Live On KEXP)


Damien Jurado's Caught In The Trees Blog
Damien Jurado on Myspace
Support The Artist. Buy. Buy. Buy.

Castanets

A year and a half since the last Sweetheart Of The Radio post and we're back!

Fortunately not such a long time will pass between Castanets albums, as almost exactly one year after the release of the fantastic 'In The Vines' the band will drop their fourth full length album 'City of Refuge'...and if it is half as good as it's predecessor, this record is sure to be a contender for a lot of peoples best albums of 2008 lists.

The result of Ray Raposa spending three weeks alone in a motel room in the Nevada desert equipped with a minimal amount of recording gear, 'City Of Refuge', is said to be informed by the environment it was recorded in, sparse, isolated and minimal.

The album is scheduled to be released by Asthmatic Kitty on October 7th 2008.

Versions of two tracks from the forthcoming album ('City Of Refuge' & 'Prettiest Chain') can be heard on the recent Castanets Daytrotter session.


MP3: Castanets - This Is The Early Game - From the LP 'In The Vines'
MP3: Castanets - And The Swimming - From the LP 'In The Vines'
MP3: Phosphorescent - And The Swimming - From the Castanets DVD 'Tendrils'

Castanets on Myspace
Support the artist. Buy. Buy. Buy.