Until a couple of days ago we were ignorant to the delights of folky singer-songwriter Pickering Pick and his new album titled (Tropic). Not so now. We’ve put that right, for (Tropic) is an album of rare beauty – warm, sensitive, thoughtful and restrained. A record that allows the music, no matter how gentle, even fragile at times, to have the space to spread its wings … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends… Pickering Pick
Little Wings (aka Kyle Field) most recently reappeared on the MM radar with an exceptional cover of I May Smoke Too Much for the recent Kris Kristofferson tribute album The Risin’ Cost Of Livin’ High and Lovin’ Hard (that we posted about here). So it was nothing less than serendipitous to discover that on February 5th Little Wings will release a new album, LAST. Recorded over … Continue reading New Album From Little Wings
And so to the third instalment of our Round Up posts, catching up with our overflowing in-box, our favourite blogs and the internet at large. Today another 13 tracks to tickle your fancy. First up is another track from the brilliant Australian Tom Morgan and his forthcoming album Orange Syringe which is due on Fire Records on 4th February. This is the wonderfully stripped back and … Continue reading Round Up Time Again – Part 3
Videos today from the most promising Drenge and their incendiary new single Bloodsports, some melancholic Americana from Moses Luster, swooning indie rock from Daddy Lion, and the intense, and gorgeous, folk acoustics of Norway’s Moddi. a a a a a a a Continue reading Videos of the Day: Drenge || Moses Luster || Daddy Lion || Moddi
Following on from our Round Up Part 1 post yesterday, comes 16 more tracks from the in-box, our favourite blogs and the web in general for your aural delight. Kicking us off are Summer Hours and their single Close and Closer from forthcoming album Closer Still. Although they may initially sound simple, closer listening reveals complex song structures with intricate bass and guitar melodies. a Cobalt … Continue reading Round Up Time Again – Part 2
Before Christmas, Ex-Painters may have sent us just about the best ‘PR’ e-mail we’ve ever received. Hey Madness, I made a little record. I tried to make a folk version of Psychocandy. I got it all fucking wrong. 6 songs. 12 minutes. a Genius. You can buy it for $3 from Bandcamp here (this last bit was us). a Continue reading MM Shorts 295: Ex-Painters
The latest in the series of Tribute Albums to hit the digital shelves will be Reason To Believe – The Songs of Tim Hardin, which will be released on the 28th January via Full Time Hobby. Tim Hardin was a musicians’ musician, the inspiration behind a great many artists whose limelight he never procured for himself. Johnny Cash, Paul Weller, Echo and the Bunnymen, Scott … Continue reading Reason To Believe – Tim Hardin Tribute Album
Post-Breakdown Blues the new mini-album from Leeds-based musician (and ex Dinosaur Pile-Up member) Harry George Johns, is an incredibly personal diary of a dark and desperate time. As Winter 2011 was in full flow, Harry found himself confronting issues such as mental illness, heartbreak and homelessness. He stayed on a mate’s floor with a laptop and a few microphones, and inspired by this dark time, Harry wrote … Continue reading Harry George Johns – Post-Breakdown Blues
Yep, it is that time again. We’ve trawled back through all our e-mails, favourite blogs, and new music discoveries to bring you up to date with all that’s been good on the MM stereo recently. Because of the time of year it includes a few we missed from way back before Christmas, but which still more than deserve some ear-time – you may have missed … Continue reading Round Up Time Again – Part 1
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)
The Mad Mackerel 