Mad Mackerel Recommends…Sainthood Reps

The Sainthood Reps are a four-piece from Long Island inspired by the local hardcore, punk and indie scene of their surroundings. They will release their debut album Monoculture next month on Tooth & Nail Records. Grab yourself the title track – a gem of distortion, bludgeoning percussion, and a nagging, jagged riff that sets it well apart from the usual fare and, played loud enough, might … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…Sainthood Reps

Blind Atlas – Iron Wall EP

Hailing from Denver and disparate points around the UK,Blind Atlas came together in the bohemian suburbs of south Manchester, united by a shared preoccupation with drinking, failed relationships and the Flying Burrito Brothers. Having released a couple of singles, the band have a new three track EP, Iron Wall, out now. The title track is an epic, dark, tribal piece of music and the finale to … Continue reading Blind Atlas – Iron Wall EP

New from Cowboy And Indian

Cowboy And Indian have slowly but surely been building up some positive press and appreciation for the jaunty country swing of Ledbellies, which we posted a while back. A Stereogum video premiere followed for the slow, mournful folk harmonies of Troubled Tracks and if you’ve not come across it yet, you’re missing a real treat. Watch the video if you’ve not seen it and download below. Download … Continue reading New from Cowboy And Indian

Withered Hand – Live Review

The courtyard space at the Museum of Modern Art in Oxford was the unusual, yet ideal, venue for Withered Hand’s first visit to Oxford. Part of Rob St. John’s Adventures Close To Home series of gigs, it was one that we (MM, Popper and Banner) were looking forward to the most. We arrived to a most genteel setting of tea, cake and newspapers, a well … Continue reading Withered Hand – Live Review

Introducing…Vacant Fever

It was while at Withered Hand last night (review to follow) with Christy Popper and new chum Marcus that talk turned to recent mixtapes and in particular the discovery of Vacant Fever. We had refrained from posting about the band before because we didn’t know what, if anything, was authorised, but Marcus soon put us straight revealing that their excellent new album Heparin And Saline … Continue reading Introducing…Vacant Fever

New Album From Megafaun

Our favourite mega-bearded folkies, Megafaun will release their new, self-titled album on September 20th via Hometapes. They describe it thus: “Process, songcraft, and toss-and-turn emotion collided when Megafaun’s Joe Westerlund looped together field recordings from his travels in Bali and rural North Carolina: a round-robin of gamelan, ambient sounds, frogs, and cicadas underpin a hauntingly indelible piano melody and a hypnotic beat.” The new album’s 14 … Continue reading New Album From Megafaun

Mad Mackerel Recommends…The Dex Romweber Duo

Dex Romweber is a bonafide icon of the American music underground. Pioneering the template for the stripped to-the-essentials guitar/drums duo format in the psycho-surf-rockabilly-garage-punk combo Flat Duo Jets — Dex continues his resurgence with the new album Is That You In The Blue? With sister Sara on drums, the Dex Romweber Duo is a potent combo that’ll get your leg twitching with the beat and your … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…The Dex Romweber Duo

Mrs Mackerel’s TFI Friday (8th July)

The fair has come to Charlbury; had it been the circus, I could have run away to be… the miserable front end of the pantomime cow. Oh well, another day, maybe. Perhaps next week will be filled with fewer disappointments. Two more temporary interns into the MM menagerie arrived this week in the form of George and Teri, two warring terrapins. It turns out that … Continue reading Mrs Mackerel’s TFI Friday (8th July)

Round Up Time Again

Another Round Up of the good, the very good and the exceptional tunes that have recently wormed their way in between our ears via our In-box or the internet and blogosphere. Let them do the same for you. We have a few new tracks from artists we’ve previously posted about, some new bands and a couple of big names too. First up, The Warped 45s … Continue reading Round Up Time Again