We’ve come across a number of excellent freebies recently and thought we ought to share some with you. First up, top record label Suburban Home have been releasing a series of excellent mix cds for a while now, which this time (volume 5) they have made available as a completely free download. Containing 30 tracks from bands old and new – Townes Van Zandt through … Continue reading Some Great Free Stuff
Big Blood are entirely new to us, although they have released a handful of CD-Rs (see Dontrustheruin here), Dead Songs is apparently their first CD and vinyl release proper. The only track we’ve heard is this one, e-mailed through to us from a source we can’t quite identify, but whoever you are, we’re most grateful. Lay Your Head On The Rails II comes across like … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…Big Blood
Devotionals is the new solo project by Tyson Vogel of Two Gallants, a band that MM likes an awful lot. His self-titled full-length debut reached stores a couple of days ago in CD, digital and limited edition vinyl formats through Alive Records. Devotionals music is based around Tyson’s guitar compositions, with Anton Patzner invigorating the musical space with his violin mastery, and they are joined … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…Devotionals
Our friend Scottish Kate is back with a new post and a new discovery. I’m not big on winsome troubadours. Odds and sods, here and there, mostly, sometimes, but not always, picked up from Mr and Mrs M. But what I like most about music is its ability to surprise, for an artist or track to come out of leftfield and grab you. Which is … Continue reading Introducing…Simon Lynge
If we’re being honest, until recently the appeal of Ariel Pink had passed us by somewhat…call us heathens or all manner of other things, but we couldn’t quite fathom the exulted status and unequivocal praise they seemed to garner from every quarter. However, we have overcome our prejudices to become big fans of the Before Today album and particularly Revolution’s A Lie which is one … Continue reading New Tracks from Ariel Pink
We were recently turned onto Javi Garcia & The Cold Cold Ground by Ninebullets.net and have been listening to their debut long player Southern Horror (which also includes the Madly In Anger EP) with great enjoyment ever since. Not quite the southern gothic country you might expect from the name and the album cover, although it has elements of that, there is also full on … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…Javi Garcia & The Cold Cold Ground
Dax Riggs fronted one of MM’s favourite bands, the criminally under-rated Deadboy & The Elephantmen. Playing a scuzzy, hypnotic blend of swamp rock with buzzsaw guitars and a healthy dose of psychedelia their album We Are Night Sky is a classic you should hunt down (or at least get off eMusic). Since the demise of the band, he is due to release his second solo … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…Dax Riggs
We were asked to ‘guest edit’ for the rather marvellous Track of The Day website a little while ago, and the results are up today. Track of The Day offer a free download of new music every day, and it covers all genres, new, old, signed and unsigned. You can sign up via e-mail to get a daily reminder and summary of what’s on offer … Continue reading MM Guest Edits on Track of The Day
We received an e-mail from a band called Psychobuildings. They are a three piece from Brooklyn and look pretty cool. We liked the cover art a lot, and we like the song, Terror Management a whole lot too. It is a welcome addition to the ever popular chilled, synth-led lo-fi stable, and is also a welcome addition to that summer playlist as the sun melts … Continue reading Introducing…Psychobuildings
Well, hip-hip-hooray it’s Saturday … Yes, I know it’s a day late and undoubtedly a dollar short but here goes anyway. MM did my birthday proud with, amongst other things, tickets to see Mumford & Sons in October. It was a genuine hand-waving-jump-up-out-of-the-chair moment of pure delight. Proving that you’re never too old (!) to get excited about music (well, the good stuff anyway). Awake … Continue reading Mrs Mackerel’s Late Late Late TFI Friday
The Mad Mackerel 