Last Saturday night way up yonder where the North wind doth blow, in an Italian restaurant (suppressing the urge to quote Billy Joel here for fear of reprisals), I had a little tête-à-tête with MON. My blushing was off the scale on the rouge-ometer but he was every bit as erudite, charming and utterly splendid as I thought he would be. Renounce your team and … Continue reading Mrs Mackerel’s TFI Friday (4th May)
So many new releases, so little time. Here are a few guaranteed to brighten up a Friday. Loving this new track, Yatton from Beak> in all its hypnotic, krautrock inspired glory. From a new album due in the summer. a In a similar vein, Arc In Round’s self-titled debut LP, being released June 26, by La Société Expéditionnaire, reflects a sensibility garnered from endless hours of … Continue reading New Releases Round Up
After a short break from touring to write and record new material, Polly and the Billets Doux return with their Hold Fast EP and a UK tour this month. They recorded the new EP at the infamous Truck Studios (from the same team behind Truck and Wood Festivals). Hold Fast marks the band’s first formal release of 2012, with their second album set to follow … Continue reading Polly and the Billets Doux – New EP & Tour
It was with an open mind and one clog firmly on the accelerator that I journeyed with Big Sair on Tuesday evening to watch The Staves at the rather wonderful venue of The Tabernacle in London’s Notting Hill. What I might call, I decided on reflection, the perfect Mrs Mackerel gig destination. A good start. And we even made it in time. The Staves are … Continue reading Mrs Mackerel’s Live Review: The Staves
The wonderful Handsome Family will be touring the UK in May, visiting us in Oxford and also playing London’s legendary 100 Club. Our friend Ronan of Nightshift magazine describes them far better than we ever could in his listing for the Oxford gig: The husband and wife duo of Brett and Rennie Sparks have been creating beautiful, grotesque music together for close to 20 years … Continue reading The Handsome Family Announce UK Tour
So we exit April, which true to form turned out to be wetter than a Mackerel’s handshake. No matter, banish the blues with this scorching mix of some of the best downloads we offered in the month, plus a few new ones to get to know and love too. Download Alexander Tucker – Window Sill mp3 (from Third Mouth) Minimalist string arrangements with electronic manipulations … Continue reading Mad Mackerel’s Best Of The Month: April 2012
Hurray, the Riff Raff are back. And it’s all looking quite different. Their brand new album, Look Out Mama, is a whole lot more country and a lot less bluesy/Americana than before. Throw in a sprinkling of good old fashioned rock and roll with her new band the Tumbleweeds, and it’s a coat of many different colours that Alynda Lee Segarra wears on this outing. … Continue reading Album Review: Hurray For The Riff Raff – Look Out Mama
Trawling Bandcamp can from time to time reveal the most extraordinary treasures – more often than not they are free or a nominal ‘pay what you want deal’ and so here are ten of the bands that have been tickling the Mackerel’s fancy recently. First up is uncompromising garage-punk noiseniks The Bats Pajamas who have featured on MM before and have a new EP called … Continue reading Ten Bandcamp Treasures
We posted a short while ago about the fragile, sorrowful folk of Finnish singer-songwriter Einar Lind. Watch his cover of the Smiths Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want. a Download Einar Lind – Brother Don’t Steal My Wife mp3 (from Introducing Einar Lind) Download Einar Lind – I’m Not Afraid To Die mp3 (from Introducing Einar Lind) Continue reading MM Shorts 148: Video – Einar Lind Covers The Smiths
Kyle Adem is a tireless storyteller with a whole lot of questions who marries his own blend of orchestral and reflective folk, with a punk edginess. Taster track Brother Follow from upcoming album, Armour has that all too rare skill of sounding instantly recognisable – as though you know the song already, even if it is the very first listen. It is like coming home to an old … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…Kyle Adem
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