Folk troubadour Elijah Ocean (who popped up in our end of year best of lists) has just shared this sweet version of Townes Van Zandt’s 1972 classic If I Needed You. Have a listen. . Continue reading Elijah Ocean Covers Townes Van Zandt
Great Spirit’s debut EP, Front Porch to Frontier (out January 13th), draws from a wide range of nostalgic influences. From field recordings to spirit animals, The Grateful Dead to the Lone Ranger – the EP pays homage to the greater mystery that encompasses it all. Have a listen to an excellent track from it, the easy-going, rolling Americana of Road Less Traveled. . Continue reading MM Shorts 645: Great Spirit
Lets start drawing a year to the close with The Menders, a five piece band from Gastonia, North Carolina. They expertly blend influences such as The Beatles, Jack White, The Doors, and Ryan Adams into a folk-laced garage rock sound – check out Unbreakable from their self titled debut album. . Continue reading MM Short 644: The Menders
Grand Lake Islands is a collective led by songwriter Erik Emanuelson. Their forthcoming LP, Song From Far was recorded during Portland’s bleakest months and the songs reflect a period following a sea change that occurred in Emanuelson’s life. More than half the songs would emerge from two months of long nights in Emanuelson’s dank, unheated basement where his expressive tenor recalls Nashville Skyline era Dylan and delivers … Continue reading Great Lake Islands – Song From Far
As we gallop towards the end of the year it is natural to start looking forward to 2015 and anticipating the new releases that will be coming our way. However, it is an inevitable certainty that, during 2014 we have missed out on a huge number of records that deserved a mention and sharing…so rather than look forward, we’ve looked back and picked out a … Continue reading Some We Missed (Round Up Time Again)
With his upcoming full-length record Windfall, to be released on the 10th March, Joe Pug has shared the debut single from the album. If Still It Can’t Be Found, which features Pat Sansone from Wilco on mellotron, is a yearning, sweetly strummed ballad that perhaps captures some of the hard times and question marks over his future as he struggled with writers block and, as he says, “fell out … Continue reading New Track From Joe Pug
And so we bring our round up of favourite songs, albums, covers, and guilty pleasures to a close with the final “best of” post, Mad Mackerel’s own top twenty. 20 Kye Alfred Hillig – My Young Love Was As Blind As Ray Charles And Half As Cold As Heat . 19 Parquet Courts – Black And White . 18 Jamie T – The Prophet . 17 … Continue reading Best of the Year: Mad Mackerel’s Top Twenty
Our penultimate offering comes in the shape of Mrs Mackerel’s favourite songs of 2014… …I think, being a fish of some advancing years now, I know what I like – but at least that ranges quite widely (she says, defiantly). As usual, though, I’m late to deadline, so without further pontification or procrastination, here are my favourite songs of 2014. 20. War On Drugs – … Continue reading Best of the Year: Mrs Mackerel’s Top Twenty
20) Natural Child – Dancin’ With Wolves . 19) Hamilton Leithauser – 11 O’Clock Friday Night . 18) Faces On Film – Percy . 17) Early Winters – A Thing For You . 16) Sleaford Mods – Routine Dean . 15) Eels – Mistakes of My Youth . 14) Chimes – Total Sunflower . 13) Dust From A 1000 Yrs – Smoke Em Up . … Continue reading Best Of The Year – Chris T Popper’s Top Twenty
As always we round off our best of the year posts with the individual contributions starting with the newly manacled wed Dr Roddy and his personal top ten of 2014. …This year has seemed to fly by, I got married, we had a little boy and we are now in the middle of building works involving having our roof off in mid-winter. So it has been … Continue reading Best of the Year – Dr Roddy’s Top Ten
The Mad Mackerel 