Carl Hauck, is a 23-year old solo musician (and high school teacher) from northern Illinois whose music has been compared to the likes of Iron & Wine, Andrew Bird, and Sufjan Stevens. He released his fourth album, entitled Windjammer, on November 9th. Unusually the comparisons are more than valid on this occasion. The album is an intimate one, full of thoughtful, literate lyrics and patient … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…Carl Hauck
Fistful of Mercy is comprised of Ben Harper, Joseph Arthur and Dhani Harrison (George’s son) – a supergroup of sorts I guess. The band’s debut album, As I Call You Down, was released last month via Hot Records. We’ve got a taster for you below, Father’s Son. To be honest we weren’t expecting a great deal and we were pleasantly surprised and it was a … Continue reading Introducing…Fistful of Mercy
School of Seven Bells have released this rather good puppeteering video to accompany their track I L U (which is one of our favourites), from their album Disconnect From Desire. Watch it, and then download below. They will be heading out on a North American tour with Interpol in January starting in Vancouver on the 27th and ending in Boston on February 19th. Buy the album from … Continue reading New Video from School of Seven Bells
A short while ago we posted about folky Brooklyn troubadour Leland Sundries and his debut EP The Apothecary. Here is a video for one of the tracks, Elegy, that was filmed at the Staten Island tugboat graveyard, in a canoe among the rusted, half-sunken boats. Visit his MySpace here. Download Leland Sundries – Elegy mp3 (from The Apothecary EP) Continue reading New video from Leland Sundries
Here again is a short round-up of some of the better new releases we’ve come across recently. Once again, they all deserve more in the way of a narrative, but time can be a hard taskmaster on occasion. First up is the rather strangely named EP’s Trailer Park and their strangely compelling folk song tribute to Mario Vargas Llosa – this year’s Nobel Laureate in … Continue reading New Releases Round Up
Englishman is the musical project of Lexington, KY native Andrew English. Englishman’s self-titled debut full-length was cut to tape in the converted barn he helped to build on a rural Ohio farm, it is at once familiar and haunted. The ten snowy days of recording were broken up by family style meals of summer vegetables and winter toddies and the result is a record that … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…Englishman
Oh dear, after a spot of Mother Theresa, the week only got worse. I’ve given up on karma, perhaps wax effigies and pins are the order of the day? This time it’s a matching set and not a mixed pair. Nothing for a pair in this game … This week saw the mackerel daughter reach double figures. In her loveliness, she is the perfect antidote … Continue reading Mrs Mackerel’s TFI Friday (26th Nov)
Got this in our inbox with no information. Nor can we find anything out about Wade Williamson anywhere, no MySpace, records for sale, nothing. Irrespective, we’re loving this foot stomping, folk protest in the vein of William Elliott Whitmore, Frank Turner or even any one of those sixties dudes trying to stop the Vietnam war. Watch the video, then get the song below. If you … Continue reading Introducing…Wade Williamson
Like Iowa from our earlier post today, My Disco hail from Melbourne. Like Iowa, My Disco like to shred their sound into a dark, pummelling tribal noise. There is certainly no nod to the glitter balls, falsetto vocals or anything else we would associate with disco…. Their new album (their third) Little Joy will get a worldwide release early in 2011, and the tracks we’ve … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…My Disco
It seems appropriate on the first day of the new Ashes series to start the day with a butt-kicking band from down under. And despite the geographical name, Iowa, for it is they, hail from the fertile breeding grounds of Melbourne’s alternative music scene. Seemingly begat from the loins of sonic forefathers like J&MC, Sonic Youth, or even Mrs M’s old favourites Ride – they easily and … Continue reading Introducing…Iowa
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