New From Strand Of Oaks

Giving us a hat-trick of cracking Americana-flavoured posts today are longstanding MM faves Strand Of Oaks (aka Timothy Showalter) and a track from forthcoming album HEAL, which will see a release on the 24th June via Dead Oceans. However, Goshen ’97 is a pretty radical departure from the introspective, occasionally surreal, and unique folk tales that defined his previous releases. This time we have a full-on, incendiary, … Continue reading New From Strand Of Oaks

Horse Thief – Little Dust

Perhaps a perfect companion and counterpoint to our earlier post on the Delines, is this relaxed, undulating slice of Americana from Horse Thief. Little Dust is taken from upcoming album Fear In Bliss (from which we’ve already given you the brilliant I Am The Bear), and sets expansive, chiming guitars behind an rolling, easy-going vocal that we’re guessing is destined to become a live singalong of … Continue reading Horse Thief – Little Dust

Mad Mackerel Recommends… The Delines

Colfax is the title of the forthcoming album by The Delines, consisting of eleven tracks mostly penned by Richmond Fontaine front man and acclaimed novelist Willy Vlautin. The band also include RF stickman Sean Oldham, Decemberists’ keyboardist Jenny Conlee-Drizos, and Amy Boone on vocals. The songs are a perfect vehicle for Boone’s stunning voice – taking Vlautin’s lyrical tales of the downbeat and the downtrodden, the … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends… The Delines

Introducing >>> Tattletale Saints

New Zealand based roots duo Tattletale Saints’ new record How Red Is The Blood is an album that joins the beautiful simplicity of American roots music with hard-biting songs that echo a generation’s distress. Check out Kathleen, which is perhaps the catchiest song on the album and sounds like a lovely heartfelt folk song written for young romantics, but the song flips into deep darkness on … Continue reading Introducing >>> Tattletale Saints

Introducing >>> The Peach Kings

The Peach Kings is made up of Texas-born Paige McClain Wood and Silver Lake native Steven Trezevant Dies, who first met in San Francisco and clicked immediately. Drawing inspiration from from a range of influences, including Nancy Sinatra and Roy Orbison to Led Zeppelin and The Cramps, the two have have announced the release of their new EP, Mojo Thunder, out June 3rd. Along with the gritty, seductive title … Continue reading Introducing >>> The Peach Kings

Ten Ton Man – Chunk Of Change EP

  Lust, seduction, addiction, sleaze. All topics that we generally find can help make a mighty fine song. Throw in some deep baritone vocals, rolling rootsy instrumentation and a good helping of despair and frustration and you have something pretty close to New York trio Ten Ton Man’s forthcoming three track EP Chunk Of Change – The Toad Hill Sessions. Watch the appropriately bawdy video for Fine … Continue reading Ten Ton Man – Chunk Of Change EP

Amen Dunes – Love

Damon McMahon’s folk project Amen Dunes will soon release a new album, Love, on the Sacred Bones label in May. Having forsaken their usual approach of  spontaneous improvisation and experimental recordings to spend around eighteen months in the studio working on songs that were originally never meant for public release, but which due to their personal nature offer a hitherto unseen intimacy and warmth to them. The first track … Continue reading Amen Dunes – Love

Mad Mackerel Recommends… Alice Boman

Deservedly adding her name to the seemingly endless outpouring of talent from Sweden is the gorgeous and evocative Alice Boman. Her new release EPII will see the light of day in June, and to tide us over we have the first single What for your undoubted listening pleasure. It is a song to immerse yourself in – fragile,  sparse and undeniably haunting, and seems to carry … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends… Alice Boman