Caleb Stine’s music is hardworking, genuine, and unafraid to tell it like it is. Armed with a storyteller’s eye and a restless independent spirit, Stine recently released his latest album (his fifth), I Wasn’t Built for a Life Like This. Described as, “somewhere between the renegade cowboy-poetry of Townes Van Zandt and the sweet rough and tumble sound of Neil Young’s Harvest”, the album is a … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…Caleb Stine
The Builders & The Butchers sealed their place in MM’s affections with the debauched, stomping folk rock sing-along of their 2009 album Salvation Is A Deep Dark Well. Their new release, Dead Reckoning, complete with more superb cover artwork, comes out on February 22nd via Badman Recording Company. It is no exaggeration to say that this (their third album) is one of our more/most hotly … Continue reading The Builders & The Butchers Return
Despite not being half way through January yet, we’re already being overwhelmed with good stuff to share. So in a typical ‘blogger’s cheat’, here is a round-up of some of the excellent songs that have come our way and deserve far more than the arbitrary couple of lines we’re giving them. First up is the welcome return of Pete & The Pirates who made their … Continue reading Latest Releases: Round Up
We’re very much looking forward to seeing Justin Townes Earle playing live in February as he has rescheduled his UK tour (see below). To mark his arrival in the UK, one of the stand-out tracks from his excellent Harlem River Blues album, the beautiful Rogers Park is now available to stream. Have a listen. Visit his MySpace here. Buy the album from Amazon here. Tour … Continue reading Justin Townes Earle: New Single & UK Tour
Caitlin Rose was one of the country/folk breakthrough acts of 2010 with her brilliant album Own Side Now which picked up plenty of plaudits and awards in the annual end-of-year best-of round-ups. She has released a new single, with accompanying video, from the album. Own Side mirrors Caitlin’s wish that “simple songs needing simple sounds” and from its humble acoustic openings it morphs into a … Continue reading New Single & Video from Caitlin Rose
It is fair to say that Kurt Vile’s forthcoming album Smoke Ring For My Halo is one of most eagerly anticipated new releases for the first part of 2011. Jesus Fever is a tasty aperitif for the album proper. It is out on the 8th March and you can pre-order via Matador here. Download Kurt Vile – Jesus Fever mp3 (from Smoke Ring For My … Continue reading Kurt Vile offers up track from new album
Following hot on the heels of our plug for the latest edition of Uncut magazine, comes this one for the latest edition of Mojo. The cover CD is another classic album reinterpretation – this time of Harvest and features artists such as Villagers, the Smoke Fairies, Danny And The Champions of the World and Sam Amidon. Of particular interest to us was the inclusion of … Continue reading Phosphorescent cover Neil Young for Mojo
As any recent, or regular, reader of MM will know Wooden Wand is a stonewall favourite round these parts, featuring prominently in the end-of-year best of lists for both tracks and albums. So we wanted to let you know, and to urge you, to get behind his Kickstarter project to fund a new album to be recorded under the name Wooden Wand & The Briarwood … Continue reading Support Wooden Wand’s Kickstarter Project
Although we don’t often mention ‘news’ items we did just want to let you know that the wonderful Joe Pug will play his first UK headline show later this month at the Relentless Garage in London and will precede this with a couple of dates in Dublin and Glasgow. There are only a few tickets left for the London show so you’ll need to be … Continue reading Joe Pug’s UK Headline Show
The new issue of Uncut magazine has a quite excellent free cover CD containing new album tasters from 15 bands including the likes of The Low Anthem, The Decemberists, Iron & Wine, Joan As Policewoman, Drive-By Truckers and Arbouretum as well as a couple of new bands to us such as the rather good Lucky Strikes with their Crazy Horse influenced tale of boxing champ Frankie Valentinez, … Continue reading Uncut’s Cover CD is a Cracker
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