It is fair to say that Blood Oaths Of The New Blues, the brand new album from Wooden Wand (out on Fire Records) is our first majorly anticipated release of 2013. James Jackson Toth has probably featured more on MM over the past 5 years than any other artist and following the success of last year’s critically acclaimed Briarwood, early reviews from the big boys (Pitchfork, … Continue reading Wooden Wand Releases Blood Oaths Of The New Blues
Swallows is an Americana band from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota that formed in 2008. Towards the end of last year they released Witching & Divining, the band’s second full-length album and fourth release. The rasping, gravelly vocals, sombre cello and chanted junkyard chorus on The Winnowing call to mind Tom Waits and The Wicker Man in equal measure. It is a combination we are liking rather a … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends >>> Swallows
The enigmatically named Pale Green Ghosts is the title track and first taste of John Grant’s forthcoming album, the follow up to 2010’s brilliant Queen of Denmark. Melding a twitchy, pulsating electronic beat with his trademark velvety vocals, the result is an intoxicating brew. Watch/listen here. Pre-order here. a Continue reading Listen To John Grant’s Pale Green Ghosts
Those good folk at Insound have put together their first free Vinyl News Mixtape of 2013. The sampler has ten tracks from Bare Wires, Big Harp, Eastern Midwestern, Fulton Lights, Passing Phases, Rah Rah, Solar Year, STRFKR, Tom Morgan, and (the ever-brilliant) Wooden Wand. Here are a couple to whet the appetite, or just exchange the usual information (e-mail, tweet or Facebook like) to get it for free … Continue reading MM Shorts 294: Insound’s First Free Mixtape of 2013
The always excellent Fire Records have delved further in to the Australian underground with the signing of Melbourne-based four-piece Lower Plenty. Their transfixing LP Hard Rubbish was voted Album of the Year 2012 on Aussie indie bible Mess + Noise and is now due for a worldwide release in April. Named after a Melbourne suburb, Lower Plenty create beautifully melancholy, suburban-country music that’s made (and often … Continue reading Introducing >>> Lower Plenty
In preparation for their third full-length album In The Marrow, Dead Confederate invited Athens friends Matt Stoessel (guitar), Nick Sterchi (drums… and now the band’s new drummer), Jeremy Wheatley (drums, also of Crooked Fingers), and Thayer Sarrano (vocals) into the studio to record Peyote People. This collection of seven songs is only available for purchase directly through the band, bypassing the usual release process. Click here to get … Continue reading Dead Confederate’s Announce Peyote People EP
Milo Greene appear on FILTER Magazine’s latest compilation, Milo Turns 50. The collection – released at the turn of the year to coincide with Descendents’ frontman Milo Aukerman’s 50 birthday – features exclusive recordings of Descendents songs by 14 artists, including Mike Watt, YACHT, The Bronx and FIDLAR (featuring Brian Rodriguez). You can check out their eerily hushed version of the scathing 1982 classic Parents … Continue reading MM Shorts 293: Milo Greene Cover The Descendents
Lots of good stuff for you today. Hot on the heels of Colleen Green’s new track, comes a new EP from Virals, brimful of soaring melodies, loud guitars and sugar sweet vocals. On Monday they release Strange Fruit (via Zoo Music), four more tracks of sun-dappled power-pop goodness. Dive into the title track and Summer Girls. Continue reading New EP From Virals
On March 19th, Hardly Art will drop one-woman pop-punk band Colleen Green’s latest full-length album, Sock it to Me. It follows last year’s excellent Milo Goes To Compton, which had an awful lot of spins on the MM stereo. First single Time in the World showcases vintage synth tones alongside Green’s trademark multi-tracked harmonies, deep-fried guitar chords, and spartan drum machine beats. It is an … Continue reading New From Colleen Green
So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu … you know the rest. I’m off to skip over the mountains, Swiss Outpost, but I do promise to Skype… Anyway (surely one of my favourite refrains?), it’s a New Year and time for me to bid goodbye to TFI and my Friday night soubriquet. With a few gig dates already booked for the months ahead, I may get … Continue reading Mrs Mackerel’s Last TFI Friday (11th January)
