We’re a little behind with this one – The Warped 45s new album Matador Sunset came out at the end of last month. Taster track Grampa Carl is a wonderful tale of prohibition, the story unfolding on the back of a foot stomping riff and a climactic cacophony of electric guitars – wonderful stuff. Like us, you can track the album down at Maple Music … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…The Warped 45s
In August, Brian Keenan (of cosmic Americana outfit Proud Simon) releases his debut solo album Today This Year. Brian Keenan writes songs that connect the two places he’s known best, his upbringing in upstate NY, and his current residence in Brooklyn. The high lonesome country sound grounds the sonic landscape, while the live-fast die-young energy pushes the tempos and sparkles on the surface. The words … Continue reading Brian Keenan: Debut Solo Album
A couple of days ago we received a copy of Margo Margo – the debut solo album from Armand Margjeka. It is a rich, mellifluous album, a record that makes you want to drift idly downstream in a boat while it plays in the background. It moves from softly plucked acoustics to upbeat, catchy folk-pop with a quiet, calm confidence and while not easy listening, … Continue reading Introducing…Armand Margjeka
Here are the juiciest cuts from our May postings rounded up and presented as one marvellous mix plus a couple of cracking new tracks as well. Be sure to check out all our previous ‘Best Of the Month’ mixes in the sidebar too. Download Country Mice – Morning Son mp3 (from Twister) Country rock and blistering sonic experiments combining to deliver a brilliant apocalyptic ballad. Download Howling … Continue reading Mad Mackerel’s Best Of The Month: May 2011
On June 28th Efren will release their first full length, full band album, Rise On Up And Melt. Efren began as Scott Low, who wrote and recorded the debut album Thunder and Moan in the spring of 2009. With friends Low performed the songs live and the band was born. Playing almost 100 shows in the first year and recording and releasing a full band … Continue reading New from Efren
Megafaun produced one of our favourite album’s of 2009 with Gather, Form And Fly and followed it up last year with the excellent Heretofore mini-album. However, when Phil Cook isn’t touring the world with Megafaun, he’s on the porch. Specifically, the sunny porch of his North Carolina home, playing acoustic guitar while Willie, his loyal dog, lays by. New solo album, Hungry Mother Blues was recorded in … Continue reading Solo Album from Phil Cook of Megafaun
Blind Willies began at San Francisco’s High School of the Arts as a duo playing covers of American folk songs and songwriter Alexei Wajchman’s originals which he began writing when he was 15. After their professional debut at San Francisco’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival, the band’s first two releases of all original songs, The Unkindness of Ravens (2007) and Everybody’s Looking for a Meal (2008), … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…Blind Willies
It has been a bonanza month at MM – our in-box overflows daily and here is another quick round-up of new stuff we’ve discovered. Once again we’re entirely failing to do the artists justice, but listen to the songs and if you like what you hear please do investigate them a bit more! Hotel & Highways album Lost River is an easy-going folk-tinged meditation on … Continue reading Friday’s New Music Mix
Probably like most blogs, there are a handful of bands out there for whom the mere mention of new material can cause great excitement. The Roadside Graves are one such band for us here at MM. Ever since we fell for the brilliant My Son’s Home album in 2009, and particularly the wonderful Far And Wide (which is simply one of our favourite songs of … Continue reading New Album From The Roadside Graves
We are loving Joyful In Song We Are by Mr Plow. It is the band’s second album following on from 2009’s Book Of Common Despair. This latest collection of twelve self-penned tracks are what MM loves best: dark country, tragic tales interspersed with dry, black humour. Mr Plow’s rich baritone voice lingers over a backdrop of twangy Gretsch guitars, shuffling drums and zinging flat top … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…Mr Plow
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