Christmas is coming and the cat is getting fatter. Once again, copious amounts of music listened to, more Christmas cooking, and more trees knitted. On the tree front, I nearly have the requisite four for the sprats plus goddaughter. They will treasure my hand-made gifts, goddamit. By next Christmas, there will be a forest – but only for the lucky ones. In my rather low … Continue reading Mrs Mackerel’s TFI Friday (14th December)
Six-piece Balto’s EP of sprawling Americana, Monuments was released in September and was one of those releases that we consistently meant to post about, but somehow it still slipped through the net. We have a second bite at the cherry now though as the band have now decided to offer it up for free in honour of the holidays. A follow-up to their excellent debut October’s Road, … Continue reading Free Monuments EP From Balto
This morning we have the foot-stomping guitar-violin duo October Gold, jagged, dark punk from Dead Wolf Club, some old-timey waltz from the 85 year old Dick Hyman and his daughter Judy, and the soulful pop-psych of former Rodeo Massacre front-woman Izzy Lindqwister. a a Click through for free download. a a Continue reading Videos of the Day: October Gold || Dead Wolf Club || Dick Hyman & Judy Hyman || Izzy Lindqwister
Today’s offerings are a blistering live version of The Desert She Screams from Kansas Bible Company’s American Songwriter session, a folky, ethereal offering from Bo Bruce, one of the best ‘festive’ tunes we’ve heard so far this year from Foxtails Brigade, and the first single from Regret Less, the latest album from Richard Walters. a a Download for free here. a a Continue reading Videos of the Day: Kansas Bible Company || Bo Bruce || Foxtails Brigade || Richard Walters
Vancouver’s indie-folkers Said The Whale have just released a collection of all the Christmas EPs they’ve recorded throughout the years. The ten track album is available as a pay-what-you-want download from their Bandcamp page here. Continue reading Said The Whale’s Christmas EP Collection
Josh Ritter has a new album, The Beast In Its Tracks, due out on 5th March next year. He wrote and recorded this record in the 18 months after his marriage had fallen apart. They are personal songs, stark even – little nuggets of spite, remorse or happiness – with a corresponding simplicity of production. Listen to Joy To You Baby. Pre-order the album here. Continue reading MM Shorts 278: New From Josh Ritter
Today we have a festive video from La’s Correatown, the bewitching new single from Ólöf Arnalds, a new song from Frightened Rabbit’s forthcoming album Pedestrian Verse and hotly tipped newcomers Kodaline’s latest video – a cover of LCD Soundsystem’s All My Friends. a a a a Continue reading Videos of the Day: Correatown || Frightened Rabbit || Ólöf Arnalds || Kodaline
After meeting in San Francisco and learning each other’s melodies, San Francisco’s Avi Vinocur and North Carolina’s Patrick Dyer Wolf named their band after the ghost town of Goodnight, Texas, which sits halfway between their respective homes. They found their stylistic midpoint amidst old wooden instruments and a vision of late nineteenth century blue collar America – a grittier, simpler, more mysterious world full of raw … Continue reading MM’s 5:1 Interview No 4: Goodnight, Texas
It is fair to say that along with The Cave Singers, the album we are most looking forward to hearing in the early part of 2013 is Phosphorescent’s Muchacho, due out on the 19th March via Dead Oceans. Matthew Houck has delivered five albums as Phosphorescent since his 2003 debut. However, it was 2007’s Pride – a delicate and spare, haunted and haunting work of … Continue reading First Taste From Phosphorescent’s New Album
This morning we have the first video from Seapony’s sophomore LP Falling – a reminder of summer shot in Super 8! We also have a live video of Washington Irving’s powerful folk-rock and some dream/drone pop from Brighton based collective Milk & Biscuits. a Download Seapony – Prove To Me mp3 (from Falling) Download Seapony – What You Wanted mp3 (from Falling) a a Continue reading Videos of the Day: Seapony || Washington Irving || Milk & Biscuits
The Mad Mackerel 