New from The Gay Blades

A couple of years ago we were very taken with the full on assault of O Shot by New York duo The Gay Blades, a storming crackerjack of a song that was one of our favourites of 2008. The pair take just about every musical genre going and then gleefully crush them into a seething mass of their own confident construction – from sneering garage-punk to … Continue reading New from The Gay Blades

An Audience with Elf Power…a band named by hallucination?

According to the excellent Allmusic website, “The Athens, Georgia based Elf Power emerged as part of the second wave of bands linked to the Elephant 6 Recording Company collective, a coterie of likeminded lo-fi indie groups — including the Apples (In Stereo), Neutral Milk Hotel, and the Olivia Tremor Control — who shared musicians, ideas, and sensibilities. Formed by singers/multi-instrumentalists Andrew Rieger and Laura Carter, … Continue reading An Audience with Elf Power…a band named by hallucination?

Introducing…Heavy Hawaii

We got this track via e-mail last week and have been playing it non-stop ever since. Heavy Hawaii hail from San Diego and have certainly soaked up the sun and the surf in this harmony drenched, hazy gem of a song, but they have also managed to add a deliciously dark undercurrent. It is a bit like an illicit visit to an old time carnival … Continue reading Introducing…Heavy Hawaii

Mad Mackerel Recommends…Nathan Wade & The Dark Pioneers

Judging by album The Gospel Of Rust, Nathan Wade & The Dark Pioneers are mighty fine purveyors of apocalyptic, twisted Americana, honing their rootsy, fire & brimstone-laden tunes deep inside an abandoned fall-out shelter. Sometimes, you have to consider the worst-case-scenario to fully appreciate all there is to lose in this world, and whether it’s religious rapture or environmental disaster that Nathan Wade’s lyrics foretell, it’s with dark humor and a strong sense … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…Nathan Wade & The Dark Pioneers

Introducing…Bad Cop

Bad Cop’s debut Album Harvest The Beast (out September 14) is a bitches brew of southern fried Garage, Psych, Blues and Post-Punk that, put simply, will sear your cranium (and that can’t be a bad thing in MM’s book). They hail from the home of the country music industry, Nashville, but their sound comes from deep within their twisted souls. They’ve been building a steady … Continue reading Introducing…Bad Cop

Mad Mackerel Recommends…Summer Camp

We were idly watching the highlights of the Reading and Leeds festivals on Friday night, drifting in and out as you do, until our attention was well and truly grabbed by Summer Camp playing an acoustic version of a track called Ghost Train. It was wonderful and a bit more research revealed all the blogger-buzz they have generated for themselves. So we freely admit we’re … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…Summer Camp

First taste from new Moondoggies album

At last, the first taster from the forthcoming (and much anticipated by MM) Moondoggies album Tidelands is here. So, if your taste extends anywhere from Neil Young to Band Of Horses to Gram Parsons you’re going to want this. Immediately. Visit their MySpace here. Download The Moondoggies – It’s A Shame, It’s A Pity mp3 (from Tidelands) Continue reading First taste from new Moondoggies album

Introducing…Hold Your Horse Is

Hold Your Horse Is are overdosing with energy if taster track You Show Up is anything to go by. It’s primal, aggressive and packed to the hilt with full on riffage. It is easy to see where their cited influences of Reuben and Million Dead come from. The song is the lead from new EP Rammin’ It Home out on Big Scary Monsters Records and … Continue reading Introducing…Hold Your Horse Is

ReviewShine Round-up

Here at MM we get a lot of albums submitted for our listening pleasure via ReviewShine – an online method for putting bands and blogs together. Unfortunately we get so many submissions that we often can’t/don’t do them justice by giving them the listening time that they deserve – entirely our fault unfortunately. So we’ve spent the past couple of days making a concerted effort … Continue reading ReviewShine Round-up

Mrs Mackerel’s TFI Friday

Beautiful September is here – a time of change and of new beginnings. A little bit of a shakedown in the old familiar recipes and a slight alteration to the seasoning: that’s all it takes to have a new perspective. The sprats have returned to school and MM and I rejoin the hamster wheel of life, resolving as we ever do to make more time … Continue reading Mrs Mackerel’s TFI Friday