One of the highlights of seeing the Villagers play live in Oxford about 18 months ago was the final song of the set, a poignant and heartbreaking song called Cecelia Her Selfhood. It turns out it has long been a live favourite, but only recently has it been finally recorded in the studio and an accompanying video made. Although we are a little late with it, we … Continue reading The Villagers Release Cecelia Video
And so here we have our top ten albums of the year. To be honest the order is fairly arbitrary – on another day it could be a completely different as really these ten records have so little between them in turns of the pleasure and enjoyment they gave us. If you’ve not acquainted yourselves with any of these then we’re pretty sure you won’t … Continue reading Mad Mackerel’s Albums Of The Year: Part 3 (10 – 1)
The last Friday of 2011. And so begins a slow walk to the end of another year. Ambushed by Christmas (my own fault, of course: same date every year, nothing to be scared of), tending sick animals and children, reigning in the oldies while fighting the desire to sleep spontaneously with bouts of manic activity that appeared to achieve very little, I am reminded that … Continue reading Mrs Mackerel’s TFI Friday (30th December)
Carrying on from where we left off yesterday… 30 Josh T Pearson – Last Of The Country Gentlemen Download Josh T Pearson – Woman When I’ve Raised Hell…(Alternative Version) mp3 a 29 Real Estate – Days Download Real Estate – Green Aisles mp3 (from Days) Download Real Estate – It’s Real mp3 (from Days) a 28 Gillian Welch – The Harrow & The Harvest Download Gillian Welch – The Way It Goes … Continue reading Mad Mackerel’s Albums Of The Year: Part 2 (30 – 11)
So, as the New Year approaches, here are our favourite albums of 2011 for your consideration. Feel free to dispute, argue, or otherwise put us right because, if nothing else, music is as about as subjective topic as it is possible to get. Some of these may not be the “best” albums of the year as far as the critics are concerned, but that matters … Continue reading Mad Mackerel’s Albums Of The Year: Part 1 (50-31)
Back in March we posted about a band called Rat Trap and they have returned with a new single Iowa, which has some pleasing echoes of 90s inspired indie rock in the style of Pavement or Modest Mouse, but believe us when we say it is more than good enough to stand on its own two feet. Grab it for nothing here. a Continue reading MM Shorts 67: Rat Trap
Redanda is a full-on, fully greased up member of the garage rock brotherhood. This, of course, is a very good thing indeed as far as we’re concerned. In the DIY spirit their latest EP Carl, was recorded in a dirty house full of cat shit. No surprise then that lead track This Bed Is A Rock is bursting with a brashness and sneered vocals that recalls … Continue reading Introducing…Redanda
Had enough of the rellies already? Sick of turkey? Fed up with Granddad hogging the TV remote and having Only Fools & Horses re-runs on at full volume? We have the antidote. Grave Errors. Play. very. loud. Indeed. Reclaim. Your. Home. It is grungy, stoner rock of the highest quality. Have a listen. a a a Continue reading MM Shorts 66: Grave Errors
Meryll is the project of Andrew Hernandez (who is also the touring sound engineer for Balmorhea). Haunts, Volume 1: The Palace will be released digitally on January 31st. It is a dark record, mixing ambient washes with sparse folk and calls to mind artists such as Grouper, Tiny Vipers and Mt. Eerie. Download Meryll – The Worm Gave Me A Walkman Radio mp3 (from Haunts, Volume 1: … Continue reading MM Shorts 65: Meryll
Shortly before Christmas The Lower 48 released their new album Where All Maps End, a beautifully judged album of warm, organic folk that joyfully takes its main influences from the 1960s. Having already given you The End, the band have made a second track, the good-natured acoustic strum of Into The Woods available for download. Buy from cdbaby here. Download The Lower 48 – Into The … Continue reading The Lower 48 Release Where All Maps End
The Mad Mackerel 