Bruce Springsteen 'Working On A Dream' Artwork Revealed

'Working On A Dream' will be released at the end of January.

Bruce Springsteen on Myspace
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Previously on SOTR: The Boss Is Back...

Horse Feathers

This past weekend I have been listening to and loving the latest Horse Feathers album 'House With No Home'. The bands blurb reads as follows:

"Justin Ringle moved to Portland, Oregon in 2004, and began to play open mics regularly under the moniker Horse Feathers. In 2005 Peter Broderick heard two songs that Justin had recorded in a friend's basement, and proceeded to track Justin down via the internet. Shortly after that, the two started playing music together. For the most part, Justin writes the songs initially, and then Peter helps to arrange them with varying instrumentation. The resulting sound is music..."

‘House With No Home’ is Horse Feathers second album (The first being 2006's 'Words Are Dead'), but their first since singing to the Kill Rock Stars label.

MP3: Horse Feathers - Blood On The Snow
MP3: Horse Feathers - Father
MP3: Horse Feathers - Curs In The Weeds (courtesy of Kill Rock Stars)

Horse Feathers Daytrotter Session

Horse Feathers on Myspace
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Phosphorescent

Last week I got a copy of the new Phosphorescent album 'To Willie' and I am pleased to report that it is fantastic! Matthew Houck's voice sounds stronger and more self assured than i have ever heard it and the playing on the record is really tight.

'To Willie' is a covers album featuring eleven Willie Nelson songs, I nice concept, especially when referencing Nelson's own Lefty Frizell covers record from 1975, 'To Lefty From Willie'. Steering clear of "the hits", the album brings to light (for me at least) a number of gems from Nelson's hefty back catalog. I am in no doubt that this release will win Phosphorescent a great number of new fans and critical acclaim.

Below are a couple of previous covers from Phosphorescent. The first a version of Kris kristofferson's "Sunday Morning Coming Down" and the second is a cover of the Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds b-side "Right Now I'm-A Roaming" (a great video clip of Matthew Houck performing this song can be found at They Shoot Music - Don't They).


MP3: Phosphorescent - Sunday Morning Coming Down
MP3: Phosphorescent - Right Now I'm-A Roaming

Video: Phosphorescent - A Picture Of Our Torn Up Praise (courtesy of Dead Oceans)
Video: Phosphorescent - At Death A Proclomation (courtesy of Dead Oceans)

Phosphorescent on Myspace
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Previously on SOTR: Phosphorescent: My New Favorite Band

Damien Jurado

Ahead of the almost surefire crowning as winner of my album of 2008 title, a few Damien Jurado bits and pieces that I have been meaning to post for a while.

Firstly the brilliant video for "Caskets". Directed by Matt Daniels, the video features Damien's younger brother Drake in the lead role and is really a great looking piece. You can see it here or below.


Damien Jurado, "Caskets" from Thinklab on Vimeo.


Daytrotter have just posted a Damien Jurado session, which features, amongst other things, a fine reworking of 'Rehearsals For Departure' favorite "Ohio".

Damien has also recently popped up on the new Rosie Thomas Christmas record 'A Very Rosie Christmas'. He can be heard narrating part of the track "Shiela's Christmas Miracle".

Below is Damien's cover of the Dolorean song "Traded For Fire" originally released as a limited split 7" with Dolorean covering "Ghost Of David" on the flip side

MP3: Damien Jurado - Traded For Fire


Damien Jurado's Caught In The Trees Blog
Damien Jurado on Myspace
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Previously on SOTR: Damien Jurado: Last Rights

Sibylle Baier - Let Us Know

While neglecting to post on here for a while, a whole load of great things crossed my radar...one such thing being the appearance of a new song from Sibylle Baier. "Let Us Know" was written for the new Wim Wenders film "Palermo Shooting".

Wim Wenders is a friend of the Baier family and is a big fan of Sibylle's music, in fact she and her daughter Julia made a brief appearance in the 1974 Wenders movie 'Alice in The Cities', along with some of her songs.

Both the Palermo Shooting score (by Can man Irmin Schmidt) and original soundtrack are available to buy/download now. Apart from "Let Us Know" the soundtrack also features two new songs from Nick Cave's Grinderman ("Dream (Song for Finn)" and "Song for Frank") and one from Bonnie "Prince" Billy ("Torn and Brayed"), as well as tunes from Iron & Wine, The Velvet Underground and Beirut amongst others. The movie also features a cameo from Lou Reed.

MP3: Sibylle Baier - Let Us Know

Stream: Palermo Shooting (Original Soundtrack) (courtesy of QOOB)

Sibylle Baier on Myspace
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Previously On SOTR: Sibylle Baier

Allen Ginsberg

"I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness..."
--Allen Ginsberg 'Howl & Other Poems (1956)

Had he still been alive, Allen Ginsberg would have been 82 years old on 3rd Of June this year, he was one of the greatest poets of the beat generation and a leading light in the....ah, you know who he is.

The first song below features Ginsberg and his pal Bob Dylan. Here is the story in Allen Ginsberg's own words:

Vomit Express: "These 1971 sessions came about because Dylan had come to hear a poetry reading at NYU's Loeb Auditorium, standing in the back of the crowded hall with David Amram. We were on stage with a gang of musician friends, and Peter improvised, singing, “You shouldn't write poetry down but carol it in the air, because to use paper you have to cut down trees.” I picked up on that, and we spent a half an hour making up tuneful words on the spot. I didn't know 12-bar blues, it was just a free-form rhyming extravaganza. We packed up, said goodbye to the musicians, thanked them and gave them a little money, went home, and then the phone rang. It was Dylan asking, “Do you always improvise like that?” And I said, “Not always, but I can. I used to do that with Kerouac under the Brooklyn Bridge all the time.”

He came to our apartment with Amram and a guitar, we began inventing something about “Vomit Express,” jamming for quite awhile, but didn't finish it. He said, “Oh, we ought to get together in a studio and do it,” then showed me the three-chord blues pattern on my pump organ. A week later in the studio Dylan actually did the arrangement, told people when to do choruses and when to take breaks, and suggested the musicians cut a few endings on their own to be spliced in.

“Vomit Express” was a phrase I got from my friend Lucien Carr, who talked about going to Puerto Rico, went often, and we were planning to take an overnight plane a couple of weeks later, my first trip there. He spoke of it as the “vomit express” – poor people flying at night for cheap fares, not used to airplanes, throwing up airsick".

The second is a song called 'See you Later, Allen Ginsberg' recorded by Dylan and The Band and can be found on the much bootlegged, but quite indispensable Basement Tapes.


MP3: Allen Ginsberg with Bob Dylan - Vomit Express
MP3: Bob Dylan & The Band - See you Later, Allen Ginsberg

Allen Ginsberg on Myspace
The Basement Tapes on Myspace
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The Boss Is Back...

...but I guess he never really went away... Hot on the heels of 'Magic' and the subsequent world tour, January 2009 will see a new Bruce Springsteen album. "Working on a Dream" was recorded with the E Street Band and was produced by Brendan O'Brien.

The album lead up activity is in full swing with last weeks limited time free download 'Working On A Dream', the Halloween appearance of new track 'A Night With The Jersey Devil', new track 'The Wrestler' appearing in the trailer for the film of the same name and now a new video for 'My Lucky Day' appearing on Myspace.

And if that wasn't enough Bruce's transcendent version of the Suicide song 'Dream Baby Dream' has just been released. The limited vinyl edition is now sold out but the track can be downloaded from emusic, iTunes and by a whole bunch of other usual suspects. The released version is seven minutes of perfection; for a limited time see below for a just as perfect eleven and a half minute version of the song recorded in November 2005 on the Devils and Dust tour.


MP3: Bruce Springsteen - Dream Baby Dream (22nd November 2005)

Bruce Springsteen on Myspace
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Little Wings

Sometimes you can have a record for a while and like it, but not love it and suddenly, one day it suddenly clicks and you "get it". This happened once upon a time for me with Jeff Buckley's "Grace" and this has just happened again with Little Wings' "Soft Pow'r" - not to compare the two records in any other way.

Little Wings is the musical baby of Kyle Field, who was once bassist and singer in the band Rodriguez with M. Ward.

Field has released released six albums under the Little Wings moniker. He has also released one of my favorite records of 2008 under the name Be Gulls, played with The Microphones, and makes fantastic drawings.

Loose, laid back, warm and raw, Field's music is held together by it's core which is solid song-craft that reveals itself as the reward for close attention and repeat listens.

MP3: Little Wings - Saturday
MP3: Little Wings - Darkened Car

Little Wings on Myspace
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Damien Jurado: Last Rights

Damien Jurado recently recorded a Black Cab Session, performing 'Last Rights' from the quite brilliant album 'Caught In The Trees' which is released next week in the USA.




MP3: Damien Jurado - Last Rights


Damien Jurado's Caught In The Trees Blog
Damien Jurado on Myspace
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Previously on SOTR: Damien Jurado
Previously on SOTR: Damien Jurado: Caught In The Trees
Previously on SOTR: And Now That I'm In Your Shadow
Previously on SOTR: Damien Jurado

The Skygreen Leopards

The Skygreen Leopards are a psych-folk band from San Francisco, whose core members are Glenn Donaldson (co-founder of the experimental folk label Jewelled Antler) and Donovan Quinn. They make is laid back, pastoral, dreamlike music, that floats at you with a foggy coherence that draws you in and lets you get lost in the world it creates. They have released numerous bits and bobs since forming in 2001, much of their early output being small volume, handmade vinyl or CD-R releases - until they signed to the Jagjaguwar label with whom they have release one EP and three LP's including the fantastic "Life And Love In Sparrow's Meadow" (2005) and "Disciples Of California" (2006).

MP3: The Skygreen Leopards - Mother The Sun Makes Me Cry
MP3: The Skygreen Leopards - Hollow Tree


The Skygreen Leopards on Myspace
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Jerry Wexler

January 10, 1917 – August 15, 2008

MP3: Dusty Springfield - I Can't Make It Alone

Jerry Wexler on Wikipedia

Josh T. Pearson

The son of a Texas preacher, Josh T. Pearson is a troubled man who has spent a major part of the last few years battling with his demons.

Pearson was the chief songwriter, guitar player and singer for the band Lift To Experience whose sole release "The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads" (2001) is a vast, powerful, spiritual, apocalyptic double album. I Imagine this is what "Grace" would have sounded like had Jeff Buckley been born in the deep south, met the devil at the crossroads and had a strong belief that Texas was the promised land and that the end was nigh.

A series of amazing live shows in support of "The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads" followed and the band were in an ascendancy, building an ever expanding cult following on the way. Then things started to go wrong. Bassist Josh ‘The Bear’ Browning’s wife died while the band were away on tour - they immediately took time off to grieve. When they got back together after the break, trouble ensued, culminating in Pearson sacking drummer Andy ‘The Boy’ Young by sending him a boot in the mail (Young later sold the boot on eBay for $210.36, along with a note from Pearson which reportedly read - “I’m cutting you off. You're out of my life. I’m giving The Boy The Boot!”).



After the break up of LTE, Pearson retreated into exile and obscurity, amid rumors of mental breakdowns and the continuing tussle with his demons. He re-emerge as a solo artist, only to disappear again after a number of bizarre live showings. He then reappeared once again seemingly re-invigorated and stronger.

To date his only solo release has been a haunting cover of Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry", which was released as part of a very limited split 7" with the Dirty Three. He has also appeared with Bat For Lashes on the track "Trophy"on her debut album "Fur & Gold".

A solo album has been in the works for a while now and recording sessions have certainly taken place, but with an artist as unpredictable as this, don't hold your breath for anything soon. A band reunion for two more record is also not entirely out of the question. Pearson has talked in the past about his original mission to record three pieces with Lift To Experience, which he envisages as symphonies.

MP3: Josh T. Pearson - I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
MP3: Lift To Experience - Falling From Cloud 9

YouTube: Lift To Experience - These Are The Days

Josh T. Pearson on Myspace
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Bill Fay

Bill Fay is a British singer/songwriter who released one single and two albums on the Decca label between 1967 and 1971, before seemingly disappearing into obscurity and a life working at a swimming pool.

Recorded in just two days, his debut album, the eponymous "Bill Fay" (1970) is a very English record. Imagine a much more obviously melancholy Ray Davis with a penchant for lush orchestration, a strange hybrid of Nick Drake, Syd Barrett and Bob Dylan, or perhaps more simply Sgt. Pepper on downers - and you may begins to approach the sound and feel of this sublime and eccentric record.

However, poor sales followed and Fay's subsequent album "Time Of The Last Persecution" (1971) was recorded on a much tighter budget. Gone are the lushly orchestrated arrangements of his debut, in it's place a more straight forward four-piece band setup. Recorded in only one day, most of the record was nailed in just one take, a fact that adds a degree of authenticity to the intense, stripped back beauty of the record. A consistency that remained from the first record was Fay's brilliant, broad and highly original songwriting approach.

After "Time of The Last Persecution" also failed to sell, Bill Fay disappeared for many years. He returned to the studio in the late 1970s to cut a third album "Tomorrow, Tomorrow and Tomorrow" which eventually emerged in early 2005. This was preceded a year earlier by "From The Bottom Of An Old Grandfather Clock", a collection of demos recorded between 1966 and 1970. With fans including Jim O'Rourke, Ben Chasny of Six Organs Of Admittance and Wilco (with whom he appeared on stage last year in London) interest has never been a great as it is now for this unique and fascinating artist. New material from Fay is reported to be in the pipeline.

MP3: Bill Fay - Be Not So Fearful
MP3: Bill Fay - Plan D

Bill Fay on Myspace
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Previously on SOTR: Friday Is For Covers

Isaac Hayes

August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008

Mp3: Isaac Hayes - Something
Mp3: Isaac Hayes - Bumpy's Lament

Akron/Family

Akron/Family are a special band. On record they create harmonic, psychedelic, folk tinged hymns of love and life, visiting philosophical grounds otherwise untrodden in popular music. Live they are a force of nature, breaking down the divide between band and audience, introducing participatory elements and communal chants to the mix.

Last years 'Love Is Simple' LP is the best starting point for newcomers. I would then recommend working backwards chronologically through the bands catalog.

MP3: Akron/Family - Don't Be Afraid, You're Already Dead
MP3: Akron/Family - Love, Love, Love (Everyone)


Akron/Family on Myspace
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Hymns Of Bedlam

One of my favorite albums of last year was 'Turquoise' by Headdress. As is so often the case with many interesting and fantastic bands, the further you dig the more likely you are to be rewarded. And digging is exactly how I found Hymns Of Bedlam, the a solo project of one half of Headdress, Caleb Coy.

Think American folk music. Think tape hiss. Think overgrown beards. Think late nights. Think endless highways. Think sepia. Think red dust. Think whiskey. Think rusty guitar strings. Think winter. Think reel to reel. Think religion....

As far as I can tell Hymns Of Bedlam's debut LP 'Lost Songs & Old Blues' remains unreleased, but if the four or five tracks that I have heard are anything to go by, this is a very special record that deserves to be brought to a much wider audience.

MP3: Hymns Of Bedlam - In Ink and Strings
MP3: Hymns Of Bedlam - The Revelation of Saint John The Divine

Hymns Of Bedlam on Myspace
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Serge Gainsbourg - Histoire de Melody Nelson

'Histoire de Melody Nelson' is a bona-fide cult classic, this 1971 masterpiece was Serge Gainsbourg's first conceptually conceived album. The concept involves the middle-aged Gainsbourg who accidentally knocks teenage girl Melody Nelson off her bicycle while out driving in his Silver Ghost Rolls Royce and follows the subsequent infatuation, lust, seduction, blossoming romance and loss experienced by Gainsbourg.

At just under twenty-eight minutes, the album works almost as a singular extended musical piece with various movements carrying the central narrative. Gainsbourg's sleezy, spoken word, whispered delivery a constant throughout, intertwined with a mix of breakbeats, psychadelic guitars, funky bass and lush, deep orchestrated string & choral arrangements (by Jean-Claude Vannier). 'Histoire de Melody Nelson' sounds like nothing before it and nothing since, cinematic in scope this is an album that perhaps would not have worked in anyone else's hands, but under Gainsbourg's command stands as a sophisticated epic, unparalleled in popular music.

After the albums release, a music video was made for each song from the album, each one a rare gem and worthy companion piece to the songs themselves:

Melody
Ballade De Melody Nelson
Valse De Melody
Ah! Melody
L'Hotel Particulier
En Melody
Cargo Culte


MP3: Serge Gainsbourg - Ballade De Melody Nelson
MP3: Serge Gainsbourg - Ah! Melody

Serge Gainsbourg on Myspace
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Jimmy Scott

Jimmy Scott is probably my favorite singer of all time. Described by New York Times Magazine as "Perhaps the most unjustly ignored American singer of the 20th Century", his story is almost as amazing and heartbreaking as his voice.

Born with Kallmann's syndrome a rare genetic disorder which meant he never went through puberty, but which left him with his distinctive voice - The Jimmy Scott story is littered with one bad luck tale after another, until, after years of bad fortune the story takes a turn for the better when he was 'rediscovered' while singing at the funeral of his friend and fan, the great songwriter Doc Pomus. A tour with Lou Reed, an unforgettable appearance in the final ever episode of Twin Peaks and record deal follow, with Jimmy Scott finally getting the recognition and plaudits that eluded him and his unique voice and approach to song for so many years.

For a more complete (and immeasurably better written!) account of the Jimmy Scott story I cannot recommend David Ritz's brilliant "Faith In Time: The Life Of Jimmy Scott" enough. Also the 2004 documentary "If You Only Knew"is a great starting point to get to know a singer that can not fail to change your life.

MP3: Jimmy Scott - Jealous Guy
MP3: Jimmy Scott - Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child

Jimmy Scott On Myspace
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James Yorkston

The new James Yorkston album 'When The Haar Rolls In' is out on 1st September.



Yorkston's 4th studio album features guest appearances from Norma & Mike Waterson amongst others and will be available on the usual formats as well as a limited edition (1,000) box set containing the CD Album, a double 10" vinyl version of the album with an extra track, a covers CD, a remix CD, an enamel pin badge and canvas bag all for a reasonable £30.

The covers CD features Yorkston songs played by other artists including Viking Moses, David Thomas Broughton, King Creosote and Adrian Crowley amongst others.

But this is not all... one of the 1,000 box sets will have a "Golden Ticket" inside which will grant the winner their very own James Yorkston composition written just for them, with the promise that should James play a town near the winner, he will perform the song live at the show...nice!

MP3: James Yorkston & The Athletes - Heron
MP3: James Yorkston - Summer Song

James Yorkston on Myspace
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Previously on SOTR: Just Beyond The River

Noahjohn

Noahjohn were a band from Wisconsin led by Carl Johns (Charlemagne, solo). They released three albums between 1999 and 2003. 'Tadpoles' (lo-fi slacker country), 'Had A Burning' (jangly alt. rock/country) and the beautifully realized 'Water Hymns' (slow americana). They also backed Eugene Chadbourne on a record called 'Country Protest Anew' in 2004. They disbanded shortly after, Johns going on to release records under the name Charlemagne.

Listening to 'Water Hymns' five years on, this really feels to me like a great lost gem of the early "noughties", The Velvet Underground sits as an obvious reference point, but 'Water Hymns'also infuses folk, krautrock, alt. country and slow psychedelia together to produce an atmospheric, melancholic night time record.



MP3: Noahjohn - First Communion (Non-Album Version)
MP3: Noahjohn - Rabbit Is Asleep

Noahjohn on Myspace
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Willy Vlautin

Willy Vlautin is the lead singer and primary songwriter for the band Richmond Fontaine. He has published two novels 'The Motel Life' and 'Northline'.

The original release of 'Northline' came with a CD recorded by Vlautin and Richmond Fontaine's pedal/lap steel player Paul Brainard. Consisting of haunting, low key, melancholic instrumentals recorded as a soundtrack to the book, this is rapidly becoming one of my favourite recordings of 2008.

MP3: Willy Vlautin & Paul Brainard - Confession To T.J. Watson
MP3: Willy Vlautin & Paul Brainard - Northline Main Theme

MP3: Richmond Fontaine - Lost In This World

YouTube: Willy Vlautin - Excerpt From Northline

Richmond Fontaine On Myspace
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Brown Bird

Sometimes I like to play a kind of 'six degrees of Kevin Bacon' style game and randomly click on the top friends of a band on myspace, then randomly click on another and so on until I discover a new band I like the sound of. This is how I came across Brown Bird.

Brown Bird is David Lamb, who started making music under that moniker in 2002. Lamb was joined by married couple Jeremy and Jerusha Robinson in 2004. The Robinsons would continue to be a part of the band for the the next 5 years, through the release of two EPs (later compiled on to one CD as 'Tautology') and two long players, 2007's 'Such Unrest' and 2008's 'The Bottom Of The Sea' - each release building on the last, producing a dark folky slice of americana.

Shortly after the release of 'The Bottom Of The Sea', Jeremy and Jerusha departed and are now recording under the name South China. David Lamb is currently on a solo tour of the US in support of the new album .

MP3: Brown Bird - Run The Wire
MP3: Brown Bird - The Ice And Snow Haunt Me Still

Brown Bird on Myspace
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Breathe Owl Breathe

Breathe Owl Breathe is a band from Michigan made up of Micah Middaugh (vocals, guitar, banjo), Andrea Moreno-Beals (vocals, cello, banjo) and most of the time Trevor Hobbs (percussion, drums).

Laying down an organic mix of finger picked acoustic guitar (sometimes banjo), cello and vocal harmonies behind the distinctive voice of Middaugh (not a million miles away from Bill Callahan), Breathe Owl Breathe play subtle, soft, often innocent, heartfelt folk songs about love, loneliness and longing.


MP3: Breathe Owl Breathe - Home
MP3: Breathe Owl Breathe - Quiet Place

Breathe Owl Breathe on Myspace
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Iron & Wine

Although I still have not managed to get into their most recent album 'The Shepherd's Dog', I was reminded on my way to work today, thanks to random shuffle on my ipod, of why (or should that be how?) Iron & Wine became one of my favourite bands of recent years.

The ipod threw up two consecutive songs, the first a cover of The Marshall Tucker Band's 'Ab's Song', which for me feels like a direct ancestor, in both mood and lyric theme of 'Each Coming Night' from Iron & Wines second album 'Our Endless Numbered Days'. The second, my favourite ever Iron & Wine song - 'Carissa's Weird' which was included on a bonus 7" which came with the sublime 'The Creek Drank the Cradle' LP.

MP3: Iron & Wine - Ab's Song
MP3: Iron & Wine - Carissa's Weird

Iron & Wine on Myspace
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Bert Jansch - Bert Jansch

Encouraged by folk singer Anne Briggs, producer and engineer Bill Leader began recording the songs of young guitarist and songwriter Bert Jansch towards the end of 1964. Working in the kitchen of Leader's North London house using borrowed guitars and a reel-to-reel tape recorder, the two periodically gathered to work on committing to tape what would become Jansch's debut long player.

The resulting recordings, sold to Transatlantic Records by Leader for the sum of exactly £100, in a deal which meant that no subsequent royalties made from the recordings would be payable to the artist, ended up becoming one of the most influential, yet arguable underrated and critically undervalued albums of the decade.

'Bert Jansch', a quiet, pure and understated folk masterpiece was released in 1965 and went on to sell around 150,000 copies by 1975 and has been sited as an influence by a great tally of musicians including Nick Drake, Donovan, Neil Young, Jimmy Page and Johnny Marr.

MP3: Bert Jansch - Needle of Death
MP3: Bert Jansch - Courting Blues

Bert Jansch on Myspace
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James Jackson Toth

The artist formerly known as Wooden Wand, James Jackson Toth's debut solo album 'Waiting In Vain' is out this month. Expanding on the psych-folk of his previous incarnation and continuing on from the more straight forward song focused approach of the last Wooden Wand release 'James and the Quiet', adding touches of country, soul and straight up rock, 'Waiting In Vain' is Toth's most coherent, accessible, fully realized work to date.

Guests on 'Waiting In Vain' include John Dietrich (Deerhoof), Shade Sartin (Giant Skyflower/Sky High Band), Carla Bozulich (Geraldine Fibbers), Nels Cline and both Andy Cabic & Otto Hauser from Vetiver, indeed opening track 'Nothing Hides' would not have sounded out of place on Vetiver's brilliant 'To Find Me Long Gone'.


MP3: James Jackson Toth - Nothing Hides
MP3: James Jackson Toth - Look In On Me


James Jackson Toth on Myspace
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Paz Lenchantin

You may not instantly know the name, but you will undoubtedly have heard at least one of the records Paz Lenchantin (pronounced "paws lay-shawn-tain") has contributed to. She is probably most famous for being the bass player in both A Perfect Circle and Zwan, but her list of credits includes playing on the Queens Of The Stone Age album 'Songs For The Deaf', contributing fiddle to 'Tanglewood Numbers' by Silver Jews, playing bass on Brightblack Morning Light's eponymous 2006 album, as well as touring with Papa M and RTX. You can even buy a signature bass guitar named after her.

However, it was none of these ways that Paz Lenchantin came onto my radar, but rather via her fantastic, largely instrumental, very cinematic, mostly quiet, very self-released folk album 'Songs For Luci' released in 2006, from which the two tracks below are taken.


MP3: Paz Lenchantin - Kentucky Hymn
MP3: Paz Lenchantin - Bloom Like Roses

Paz Lenchantin on Myspace
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Dolorean

Doing a trawl of other blog sites, I was left astounded by how under represented Dolorean seem to be in this community.

Inhabiting a space somewhere between Damien Jurado, Richmond Fontaine, Great Lake Swimmers, 'Sister Lovers' period Big Star and early Elliott Smith, Dolorean's introspective and literate output often transcends the alt. county label it is given.

The band formed in Silverton, OR, in 1999, when guitarist/vocalist and primary songwriter Al James invited friend Jay Clarke to play keyboards on some home recordings he was working on. The two hit it off and began working on material for their first album. Bolstered by the addition of friends Ben Nugent, Jeff Saltzman and Skip Vonkuske to the band, Dolorean released the album 'Sudden Oak' on their own label.

After re-locating to Portland the band started work on their next album 'Not Exotic' with the help of engineer Tony Lash (Heatmiser/Elliott Smith), distributing copies of the finished work locally around Portland around mid-2002. It was around this time that the recordings drew the attention of the record label Yep Roc who gave 'Not Exotic' and official release in November 2003.

After another slight line up change Dolorean made 'Violence in the Snowy Fields', which saw the band take a huge leap forward both sonically and in terms of the fabric of the song Al James was writing. The band sounded more like 'a band' than on previous recordings, the arrangements more dynamic , the production tighter, the songs more complete.

After a three year sabbatical Dolorean released their fourth album 'You Can't Win' in 2007. For the most part recorded over a single weekend, 'You Can't Win' is album of quiet confidence, which saw the band develop their sound further with new attention on harmony work as well as bolder experimentation with instrumentation. The cover art for the album is a partially distorted photograph of Al James taken by filmmaker Gus Van Sant.

MP3: Dolorean - In The Fall (from 'Violence in the Snowy Fields')
MP3: Dolorean - We Winter Wrens (from 'You Can't Win)
MP3: Dolorean - Are You Really Real? (Ricky Nelson Cover)

Dolorean on Myspace
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Damien Jurado

Last month I posted a live version of the track 'Sheets' from the forthcoming Damien Jurado album 'Caught In The Trees', Damien recently performed the track on 'The Daily Habit' on Fuel TV, as well as another new song 'Everything Trying'. Both clips are below along with the original demo of 'Everything Trying' from 2007.

"Sheets" Live on The Daily Habit



"Everything Trying" Live on The Daily Habit



MP3: Damien Jurado - Everything Trying (Demo)


Damien Jurado's Caught In The Trees Blog
Damien Jurado on Myspace
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Sibylle Baier

Recorded at home on a reel to reel tape recorder between 1970 and 1973, the songs on "Colour Green" remained unheard for more than 30 years after Sibille Baier gave up her aspirations of becoming a recording artists, instead choosing to move to the US to raise a family. It wasn’t until her son Robbie compiled a CD of her recordings to give to friends and family, that the songs drew the attention of J.Mascis who in turn passed them on to the Orange Twin label who released “Colour Green” in 2006.

Sounding like a cross between Vashti Bunyan and Nico, “Colour Green” is a haunting and dreamlike folk record that sits along side Linda Perhacs “Parralellograms” as one of the great lost albums of the era...now thankfully found.

MP3: Sibylle Baier - The End
MP3: Sibylle Baier - Driving

Sibylle Baier on Myspace
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Yesterday I was sent an article about the decline of recorded music sales and the parallel growth and value of brand associations with musicians/artists, or at least the acceptability of such associations (recent examples that spring to mind include The Shins providing the soundtrack for a McDonald's ad & the Bob Dylan Victoria's Secret commercial).

This led me directly to recent examples of brands using the work of two artists that I love dearly.

The first, a new song from Lou Reed - 'The Power Of The Heart' commissioned by Cartier - available as a free download along side tracks by Phoenix and others on a website built to showcase Cartier's new 'Love Collection'.

The second, a campaign for Belvedere Vodka featuring Vincent Gallo. Again, a free download is offered on the site (because that is what cool young people want right?), this time the 'soundtrack' to a hip new ad campaign. The track is called 'Something I Want (For Real)' and is performed by Vincent Gallo and RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan. The ad campaign itself features Gallo and a bunch of models and is directed by the ever horny photographer Terry Richardson. See the campaign in all it's glory for yourself on the Belvedere Vodka website.


Download: Lou Reed - The Power Of The Heart (Link)

MP3: RZA & Vincent Gallo - Something I Want (For Real)

"Luxury Reborn" on Myspace
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Suzanne

Next week I am going to see Leonard Cohen play in London. This is a show that I am really excited about. The first Leonard Cohen song I ever remember listening to was 'Suzanne'. I was thirteen. I vividly remember how hearing these words and this music together instantly changed my whole world.

Leonard Cohen has stated in interviews that the story of in the song was about an encounter in Montreal with the wife of sculptor Armand Vaillancourt, Suzanne Verdal.

Cohen recently described the song as the best of his whole career. The song has been recorded by many artist including Judy Collins, Joan Baez, Nina Simone, Neil Diamond & Fairport Convention. Below are two of my favorite versions and Cohen's original.


MP3: Leonard Cohen - Suzanne
MP3: Bridget St John - Suzanne
MP3: Françoise Hardy - Suzanne

Leonard Cohen on Myspace
Bridget St John on Myspace
Françoise Hardy on Myspace

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What Capitalism Was / Super Daughter

Super Daughter is John Catfish and Summer. They live on a commune in central Virginia. They sound a bit like a folkier, but less slightly lo-fi Moldy Peaches...if Moldy Peaches chief influence was Iron & Wine. They’ve released two albums: “The Animals We See” (2004) “Today Today Today” (2006) both available via CDBaby.

What Capitalism Was is John’s solo project away from Super Daughter. Released in spring 2007 was the “Find It Hold It LP” which is a compilation of songs from various different self-released EPs and singles.

MP3: Super Daughter - Bird Stealing Bread (Iron & Wine)
MP3: Super Daughter - Winter Waiting

MP3: What Capitalism Was - Dream At A Quarter To Nine
MP3: What Capitalism Was - Etude 65 - Dont Fall In Love

What Capitalism Was & Super Daughter Website
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I Must Be In A Good Place Now

One of my favorite records so far this year has been the Vetiver covers album 'Thing Of The Past'. The stand out track for me being their version of the Bobby Charles song 'I Must Be In A Good Place Now'.

The original, taken from Charles' 1972 self-titled album, would not sound out of place on 'Music From Big Pink' or 'The Band' - indeed Charles' backing band at this time included Rick Danko, Garth Hudson and Levon Helm.

MP3: Bobby Charles - I Must Be In A Good Place Now
MP3: Vetiver - I Must Be In A Good Place Now

Vetiver on Myspace
Bobby Charles on Myspace

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The Byrds - Sweetheart Of The Rodeo

If I am going to list or talk about my favorite albums on this blog (which i am!) - there is only one place to start.

In early 1968, after the release of the west coast rock album The Notorious Byrd Brothers and in an effort to fill the void created by the departures of both David Crosby and Michael Clarke, the two remaining Byrds Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman decided 'get straight back on the horse' and begin work on a new record. A record that would inadvertently help create the musical movement that would be best known as country-rock.

Originally conceived by Roger McGuinn as an ambitious double-album that would work as an overview of American musical forms beginning with Country and Bluegrass, journeying through Jazz, on to rock 'n' roll, finishing with a side of electronica featuring a newly acquired Moog modular synthesizer, in no small part thanks to new member Gram Parsons, the the journey stopped where it began with country music.

Following the lead set by Bob Dylan on John Wesley Harding and at Parson's suggestion, the new albums was recorded in Nashville, the country music capital.
The Dylan influence is continued on the record with two covers from the then-unreleased Basement Tapes ("You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" & "Nothing Was Delivered"). Country covers old (The Louvin Brothers' "The Christian Life", Woody Guthries' "Pretty Boy Floyd") and new (Merle Haggards' "Life in Prison", Luke McDaniels' "You're Still On My Mind"), sit side by side with McGuinn and Hillman's "I Am A Pilgrim", two Parson's originals ("One Hundred Years From Now", "Hickory Wind") and a cover of a Stax hit (William Bell's "You Don't Miss Your Water").

During post production for Sweetheart Of The Rodeo - Parsons' presence on the record was contested by Lee Hazlewood, who claimed that the singer was still under contract to his LHI label. While the problem was resolved (Parsons sings lead on "Hickory Wind" and "You're Still on My Mind"), McGuinn, conscious not to let the album turn into a Gram Parsons album, replaced Parsons on vocals on three tracks ("The Christian Life", "You Don't Miss Your Water" and "One Hundred Years From Now"), a move that still angered Parsons as late as 1973, when he was quoted in an interview as saying that McGuinn "erased it and did the vocals himself and fucked it up"

Sweetheart Of The Rodeo, the sixth and arguably last great Byrds studio album was released on July 29, 1968. The cover art taken from a 1932 Rodeo poster by Uruguayan artist Jo Mora.

Although not well received at the time, Sweetheart Of The Rodeo, along with Parsons & Hillmans' subsequent work with the Flying Burrito Bros. and Parsons' solo output, became a major landmark, serving as a blueprint for the 1970s Los Angeles country-rock movement, outlaw country and the alt. country of the 1990's and 2000's.

MP3: The Byrds - You Ain't Going Nowhere
MP3: The Byrds - You Don't Miss Your Water (Gram Parsons Vocal)

The Byrds on Myspace
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Paleo

Paleo (aka David Strackany) has been on my radar for a while now, however it is only recently that I have started digging into the fantastic song archive within the Paleo website.

Spending a major part of the past few years touring constantly and living on the road, coupled with a phenomenal output of songs, makes Paleo a strong contender for some kind of hardest working man in show business crown.

Beginning on April 16, 2006, Paleo embarked on a year-long project of writing and recording a song each day and then uploading them onto his website. The resultant Song Diary can be downloaded for free from www.paleo.ws (along with more than 50 songs finished since The Song Diary's completion & the full album, “Misery, Missouri”, which was named one of the albums of 2006 by Daytrotter.

Sounding like a sleepier, croakier Devendra Banhart or perhaps a wearier, more lo-fi Matthew Houck, it is difficult to figure out why Paleo isn't already a more widely acclaimed artist.

MP3: Paleo - In The Morning Linda Dies
MP3: Paleo - Of Athens
MP3: Paleo - One Love Leads To Another

Paleo on Myspace
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Crayon Angels

Although I really like the format and with the great list of past performers (including Phosphorescent, Daniel Johnston & Bill Callahan), I have never really been able to fully get into The Black Cab Sessions. I guess it is partly the nature of the beast, but for me, it seems really hit and miss.

However, that said, the recent Fleet Foxes session has gone some way to warm me towards the whole black cab thing.

Robin Pecknold's earthy, stripped back, finger picked cover of California folk singer Judee Sill's song 'Crayon Angels' reinforces Fleet Foxes' authentic claim as the genuine article, a claim built on the foundation set by the superlative 'Sun Giant EP' and the equally brilliant long player 'Fleet Foxes'.


Watch the session below and then treat yourself further by listening to the original version of 'Crayon Angels', taken from Judee Sill's eponymous debut album from 1971.




MP3: Judee Sill - Crayon Angels

..And for good measure, a very circular song...
MP3: Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal (Courtesy of Sub Pop)


Fleet Foxes on Myspace
Judee Sill on Myspace
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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
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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
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Patti Smith

From experience, the most accurate gauge I can find as to whether someone is good girlfriend material is best measured by their love for Patti Smith...really...if she loves Patti, you have yourself a keeper. Try it out.

Anyway, to the point of this post. To coincide with Patti Smith performing The Coral Sea in London next week there is a Robert Mapplethorpe exhibition at The Alison Jacques Gallery (also in London) featuring some amazing images of Patti.


Elsewhere Patti Smith has recorded a new song entitled 'Qana'. The solo version of which is below, a full band version, lyrics and the songs back story can be found at pattismith.net.

Download: Patti Smith - Qana (Solo Version) (MP3)
Watch: Patti Smith - Summer Cannibals (directed by Robert Frank) (youtube)

Visit: myspace
Buy: Patti Smith records
Buy: Patti Smith books

Elliott Smith

Searching through blog archives I came across Elliott Smith Live: The Definitive Guide on the brilliant The Rawking Refuses To Stop, which reminded me of the fine wealth of resources there are for Elliott Smith online. Besides the lovingly maintained official page Sweet Adeline, there is somesongs.net containing a great list of live bit torrent downloads, Trash Treasury which has videos, live shows, interviews and rarities available for download, the fine image resource that is The Elliott Smith Gallery and my personal favorite elliottsmithbsides.com which has everything a boy could wish to download including demos from Either/Or, XO, Figure 8 & From A Basement On The Hill, promo tracks and out of print singles, b-sides and songs used on various compilations.

Download: Elliott Smith - Between The Bars (MP3) (courtesy of Kill Rock Stars)
Download: Elliott Smith - Some Song (MP3) (courtesy of Kill Rock Stars)

Visit: elliottsmithbsides.com
Buy: Elliott Smith records

Another Sufjan Christmas

I seem to have a love hate relationship with Sufjan Stevens music. I had little time for 'A Sun Came Up' and 'Enjoy Your Rabbit'... I could not get enough of '..Michigan' and 'Seven Swans', but by the time of '..Illinois' I just didn't get it again and I began to find his music somewhat insipid. So I found myself with mixed feelings when I heard about the forthcoming Sufjan Stevens 5-disc Christmas Box Set.

Released on Asthmatic Kitty at the end of November, the box set (titled “Songs for Christmas”) will be stuffed full of surprises, including the following novelty items:

• Five individually packaged CD EPs!
• Five Christmas stickers!
• Extensive liner notes and short stories by Sufjan Stevens!
• An original Christmas essay by Rick Moody!
• An animated music video and comic strip by Tom Eaton!
• A Christmas Songbook with lyric sheets and chord charts--so you can sing along too!
• An original Christmas Family Portrait painting of Santa Sufjan (with wife and kids!) by Jacques Bredy!


My feelings are best summed up by the following two tracks. I instantly loved Sister Winter, but would not be too upset if i never heard 'That Was The Worst Christmas Ever!' ever again.

Download: Sufjan Stevens - Sister Winter (MP3)

Download: Sufjan Stevens - That Was The Worst Christmas Ever! (MP3)

Buy: Sufjan Stevens records

The Letting Go & Daytrotter Sessions

If you have not seen them already, check out the first two parts of the three part commercial for the forthcoming Bonnie Prince Billy album The Letting Go.

The Letting Go (Part One)

The Letting Go (Part Two)

Daytrotter has posted a recent session for download. For the uninitiated, apart from being a fantastic website, Daytrotter has a new session consisting of four songs available for download everyweek. All of the sessions they make available are analog recordings, only converted to digital format for the purpose of transmission as Daytrotter Sessions.

Download: Bonnie Prince Billy - Daytrotter Sessions (MP3 link)

Watch: Cursed Sleep (Video)
Pre Order: The Letting Go
Listen: Bonnie Prince Billy on The Hype Machine

And Now That I'm In Your Shadow

Sweetheart of the Radio favorite Damien Jurado's new album 'And Now That I'm In Your Shadow' will be released on October 10th. This will be his seventh album, his third for Secretly Canadian and I really cant wait. From bits and pieces that I have heard already including the demos that were on the 2006 tour EP this album looks like it is going to live up to expectation.

Damien Jurado is a band now, with the help of permanent members Eric Fisher and Jenna Conrad collaborating on lyrics and populating the world of Damien's songs with new sound backdrops. For those of you like me who cannot wait for the album to come out, Damien is streaming a new album track every week between now and release on his myspace page. He has also set up an MP3 blog upon which he promises to submits songs (old, new and rare) that he has recorded down a telephone line. He also promises to update the page with news and pictures.

'And Now That I'm In Your Shadow' track list:

• Hoquiam
• Denton, TX
• I Had No Intentions
• Hotel Hospital
• And Now That I’m In Your Shadow
• What Were The Chances
• Shannon Rhodes
• There Goes Your Man
• I Am Still Here
• Gasoline Drinks
• Survived By Her Husband
• Gas Station
• Montesano

Download: Damien Jurado - What Were The Chances (MP3) (courtesy of secretly canadian)

Website: www.damienjurado.com
Buy: Damien Jurado records