Red Cosmos is the work of one wonderfully named Kim Tortoise and when we received her CD, There And Back, in the post with a most engaging handwritten note it created the initial impression of a gentle soul full of whimsy with a floaty dress and an acoustic guitar. Hmm. Not quite. Released a month or so ago, this is an album that is overflowing … Continue reading Introducing >>> Red Cosmos
The Handsome Family || Bullingdon Arms, Oxford || May 25th 2012 You never quite know what you’re going to get at a Handsome Family gig. The venue was an old familiar haunt, quite cataclysmically changed from yesteryear – and not in an altogether good way. (Though thankfully, the Back Room of the Bully now has air con, which on a sweltering Friday evening in May … Continue reading The Handsome Family: Live Review
Here is a collection of tracks that have found their way into our in-box or on to our iTunes one way or another recently, and which deserve far more time and effort spent on them than we are currently able to give. Plenty to soundtrack your Friday with. Brooklyn’s indie pop three-piece Violens have just released their second LP, True, on Slumberland Records. The album’s … Continue reading Mega Round Up Time
We discovered this via one of our favourite blogs Raven Sings The Blues, but confess to a personal reason for posting this beautifully judged, sepia-tinged video accompanying an equally mellow, pastoral folk instrumental by Padang Food Tigers. It is simply called For Esmé and for anyone who knows us, that is reason enough to post. a This comes from the LP Ready Country Nimbus released last week on … Continue reading Padang Food Tigers Video
Josephine Foster & The Victor Herrero Band release their new album Perlas today via Fire Records. It is a collection of songs and poems selected by Josephine herself, gathered from dusty old scores and brought vividly to the present with warm performances full of flesh-and-blood emotion. Sung in Spanish, the album overflows with an outpouring of melancholy and sorrow, but also of joy and excitement. … Continue reading Josephine Foster & The Victor Herrero Band Release Perlas
We are big fans of Marissa Nadler’s haunting and ethereal folk that mixes melancholy with yearning in a wonderfully unique way. This is Apostle, the beautiful new single from forthcoming album The Sister and the follow-up up to the first track we heard from the album, The Wrecking Ball Company. Download both below. a Download Marissa Nadler – The Wrecking Ball Company mp3 (from The Sister) Continue reading New Single From Marissa Nadler
It was with an open mind and one clog firmly on the accelerator that I journeyed with Big Sair on Tuesday evening to watch The Staves at the rather wonderful venue of The Tabernacle in London’s Notting Hill. What I might call, I decided on reflection, the perfect Mrs Mackerel gig destination. A good start. And we even made it in time. The Staves are … Continue reading Mrs Mackerel’s Live Review: The Staves
So we exit April, which true to form turned out to be wetter than a Mackerel’s handshake. No matter, banish the blues with this scorching mix of some of the best downloads we offered in the month, plus a few new ones to get to know and love too. Download Alexander Tucker – Window Sill mp3 (from Third Mouth) Minimalist string arrangements with electronic manipulations … Continue reading Mad Mackerel’s Best Of The Month: April 2012
Trawling Bandcamp can from time to time reveal the most extraordinary treasures – more often than not they are free or a nominal ‘pay what you want deal’ and so here are ten of the bands that have been tickling the Mackerel’s fancy recently. First up is uncompromising garage-punk noiseniks The Bats Pajamas who have featured on MM before and have a new EP called … Continue reading Ten Bandcamp Treasures
We posted a short while ago about the fragile, sorrowful folk of Finnish singer-songwriter Einar Lind. Watch his cover of the Smiths Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want. a Download Einar Lind – Brother Don’t Steal My Wife mp3 (from Introducing Einar Lind) Download Einar Lind – I’m Not Afraid To Die mp3 (from Introducing Einar Lind) Continue reading MM Shorts 148: Video – Einar Lind Covers The Smiths
The Mad Mackerel 