We came to the Black Oil Brothers via the excellent Big Rock Candy Mountain blog a good while ago. Their EP with Bethany Saint-Smith titled American Honey was a brilliant example of evocative, dusty, backwoods Americana. By chance browsing BRCM and their end of year Best Of list over Christmas (and well worth a visit it is too), we came across them again and discovered … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…The Black Oil Brothers
Here is our final monthly Best Of mix of songs from 2011 – despite all the Christmas fayre on offer, there were still a whole plethora of cracking new tracks to enjoy, and as always we’ve gathered the best of our December posts into one lovely mix for you with a couple of new tracks to sample too. Don’t forget to check out all our … Continue reading Mad Mackerel’s Best Of The Month: December 2011
Happy New Year! What better way to start than with a new band. A good new band. The Mutts. They are a no-holds-barred rock band from Chicago melding growled vocals with dirty blues inspired riffs and a righteous anger that somehow reminds us of the Drive-By Truckers playing with MC5 and fronted by Tom Waits. Check out the excellent fuzzed up, whiskey drenched Throwback and the … Continue reading New Year, New Band – The Mutts
Carrying on from where we left off yesterday… 30 Josh T Pearson – Last Of The Country Gentlemen Download Josh T Pearson – Woman When I’ve Raised Hell…(Alternative Version) mp3 a 29 Real Estate – Days Download Real Estate – Green Aisles mp3 (from Days) Download Real Estate – It’s Real mp3 (from Days) a 28 Gillian Welch – The Harrow & The Harvest Download Gillian Welch – The Way It Goes … Continue reading Mad Mackerel’s Albums Of The Year: Part 2 (30 – 11)
So, as the New Year approaches, here are our favourite albums of 2011 for your consideration. Feel free to dispute, argue, or otherwise put us right because, if nothing else, music is as about as subjective topic as it is possible to get. Some of these may not be the “best” albums of the year as far as the critics are concerned, but that matters … Continue reading Mad Mackerel’s Albums Of The Year: Part 1 (50-31)
Our final Top Ten selection comes courtesy of the lovely, and ever radiant, Mrs Mackerel. Over to you girl! It’s been a great musical year. But such a plethora of riches always presents a problem – what’s a girl to choose? Fortunately some fine contributions in the preceding week means most bases are covered. Live gigs, although few and far between this year, have been … Continue reading MM’s 2011 Top Ten Series: No 9 Mrs Mackerel
So, the penultimate entry before Mrs Mackerel finishes off this year’s set of Top Ten postings tomorrow is my very own. Without further ado… 10. Milk Music – Beyond Living Although it was released early in the year, I only discovered it recently. A full on, no holds barred, nihilistic 70s punk attitude and the very best of the heavyweight riffs of the grunge era is … Continue reading MM’s 2011 Top Ten Series: No 8 Mad Mackerel
Our sixth guest top ten comes courtesy of our very own Chris T Popper, a small but perfectly formed (and often irritating) younger sibling who has been stealing my records since he had invisible friends as a small child. Chris T Popper’s Top 10 10. Little Barrie – Tip It Over The Nottingham trio start off my top 10 with the fabulous Tip It Over. … Continue reading MM’s 2011 Top Ten Series: No 6 Chris T Popper
For our first ever Festive Feature on Mad Mackerel, we asked twelve of our favourite bands and artists of 2011 to answer twelve questions and we will publish them over the next twelve days taking us up to Christmas Eve. If 2009’s debut Everything’s For Sale marked Welsh blues rocking duo Henry’s Funeral Shoe out as one to watch, this year’s follow up Donkey Jacket … Continue reading (FESTIVE FEATURE) THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS No 9: HENRY’S FUNERAL SHOE
Next to share their favourites of the year is part man part canine Barry-Sean… What a fantastic year for music this has been for me. I don’t just mean for music that has been produced this year but more about the music that I’ve discovered from previous years (or, more accurately in most cases, music that has been discovered for me). And, because I’ve spent … Continue reading MM’s 2011 Top Ten Series: No 5 Barry-Sean
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