2009 is already lining up to be a good year with new records in the pipelines from Alela Diane, Vetiver, Akron/Family, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy, Bill Callahan, Bruce Springsteen, Wooden Shjips, M Ward, Grizzly Bear, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Bosque Brown, Marissa Nadler and Jim White to name but a few; as well as the long awaited Neil Young Archives Volume One.
One band I would love to see a new long player from this year is Feathers. Their sole commercially released full length effort (there are a few of self released cd-r's out there that the band sold at live shows) 2006's 'Feathers' released via Devendra Banhart and Andy Cabic’s Gnomonsong label is a psych folk gem.
Recorded at the home of founder member Kyle Thomas on an old 1/4 inch 8-track reel-to-reel, the eight member group forge a unique recorded dynamic, a multi textured, multi shaded sound which is in part down to the communal input of the group; four members contributed to the songwriting with at least that many contributing beautifully harmonized vocals, but is also in part, down to the varied instrumental textures on show; acoustic and electric guitars sit along side, harp, banjo, sitar, clarinet, synthesizers and seemingly whatever else the group could get their hands on.
The band ethos and feel reminds me of that seen in the Incredible String Band documentary film "Be Glad for the Song Has No Ending", but Feathers go beyond being mere revivalists, the sophistication of composition and arrangements provide an authenticity that many of their peers fail to achieve.
MP3:
MP3:
Download: Feathers - Dublab Live Session
Feathers On Myspace
Support The Artist. Buy.Buy.Buy.
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