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
Lawrence & Leigh’s latest release from their EP Hills and Masts is the lush, dream-pop of Glow. Painstakingly constructed using vintage instruments and subtle synths, the song begins with an exploratory intro built on overdubbed choirs of the duo’s voices before transforming into a beat heavy pop anthem and then ending in 1960s style indie jazz with driving piano, brushed drums and doo-wop backing vocals. … Continue reading More from Lawrence & Leigh
We’ve posted about top notch Oxford based singer songwriter Rob St John before and he has been back in touch about a series of gigs that the Adventures Close To Home collective have been putting on. Our own poor organisation means we’ve already missed two, but tomorrow sees a bill that features David Thomas Broughton, Rob himself and the Braindead Collective. It all takes place … Continue reading David Thomas Broughton: Oxford Gig & New Album
Heard this on 6 Music the other day and made a note to check the band out asap – then, as if by magic, the video arrived in our in-box. The opening track of Young Rebel Set’s forthcoming debut album Curse Our Love, Lion’s Mouth will be released as a digital download through Big Flame tomorrow. a Pre-order the album here. Download Young Rebel Set … Continue reading Young Rebel Set – Lion’s Mouth Video
So the story goes, The Ruffled Feathers burned a piano, climbed Mt Seymour (near Vancouver BC), watched the sun rise on a nude beach, and had the fire department show up to one of the shoots while making their music video for their song Blueprints For Our Failed Revolution. On the evidence of the song, the band produces some spirited indie rock of the very best … Continue reading Introducing…The Ruffled Feathers
The Sea Thieves are Naomi Thompson and Zac Coligan from Adelaide, South Australia. In their music you will hear the pluck of the ukulele, the wheezing of bellows and the singing of a saw. Their latest album They Will Run is out on Big Rig Records and taster track Focus The Stars is a real gem. Hypnotic and haunting, it is a song that is meant for … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…The Sea Thieves
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
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