Fresh from seeing a stunning Phosphorescent show at the End of the Road Festival at the weekend (full review to come), we find that they have also contributed to the latest free cover CD from Mojo magazine. It is another Mojo ‘re-interpretation’ of a classic album – this time the Beatles and Let It Be. Other artists include The Jim Jones Revue, The Besnard Lakes, … Continue reading Phosphorescent cover the Beatles
Carolina Days is from Megafaun’s forthcoming mini-album Heretofore. It is a lovely, sunny slice of folk rock with happy-go-lucky harmonies and a lovely chorus that sounds like it has been hiding in the shadows of Topanga Canyon for the last 40 years waiting to be discovered. So discover it and cling on to the last days of the dwindling summer…. Visit their MySpace here. Download … Continue reading New from Megafaun
We don’t have much to tell you about The Widowers. We know it is the solo project of one Matt Sigur We know his debut six track EP Friendly is now available for free download from his Bandcamp page. We know he recorded every instrument featured in the songs with one microphone on a dusty old Mac. And we know that he’s good. Check out … Continue reading Introducing…The Widowers
In my usual working guise as a copywriter, this week’s been a bit of a punch in the face. It was with a great deal of wry irony that MM and I watched the first episode of the new season of Mad Men this week: why can’t I be more like Don?! Tell them to leave! This week, I downloaded the Ramones’ original of My … Continue reading Mrs Mackerel’s TFI Friday
Just one listen to Sea Oleena’s dreamy, gently spun folk immediately evokes all those ‘ethereal’, ‘other-worldly’, and ‘dreamlike’ cliches so beloved of music blogs, including ours. But cliches are cliches for a reason and this seven track, self-titled album, which is available for “a pay what you please” offer on her Bandcamp page, is simply gorgeous. It appears to be a re-working of a previous … Continue reading Introducing the ethereal wonder of Sea Oleena
Hot on the heels of his excellent second album The Wild Hunt, The Tallest Man On Earth has recorded a new five track EP titled Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird. Officially out in early November on Dead Oceans, you can get it from iTunes now. You should need no invitation to download new offering Like The Wheel, a set-closing song that became a … Continue reading Tallest Man On Earth Returns With New EP
The Low Hanging Fruit is the second album from The Wailing Wall, which in turn is the musical project of Jesse Rifkin. It follows his debut, Hospital Blossoms, which was released free and was downloaded well over 15,000 times by new fans all around the world. We’re a little late coming to it, but can’t recommend it highly enough. A marvellous blend of folk-pop imbued … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…The Wailing Wall
According to the excellent Allmusic website, “The Athens, Georgia based Elf Power emerged as part of the second wave of bands linked to the Elephant 6 Recording Company collective, a coterie of likeminded lo-fi indie groups — including the Apples (In Stereo), Neutral Milk Hotel, and the Olivia Tremor Control — who shared musicians, ideas, and sensibilities. Formed by singers/multi-instrumentalists Andrew Rieger and Laura Carter, … Continue reading An Audience with Elf Power…a band named by hallucination?
Judging by album The Gospel Of Rust, Nathan Wade & The Dark Pioneers are mighty fine purveyors of apocalyptic, twisted Americana, honing their rootsy, fire & brimstone-laden tunes deep inside an abandoned fall-out shelter. Sometimes, you have to consider the worst-case-scenario to fully appreciate all there is to lose in this world, and whether it’s religious rapture or environmental disaster that Nathan Wade’s lyrics foretell, it’s with dark humor and a strong sense … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…Nathan Wade & The Dark Pioneers
At last, the first taster from the forthcoming (and much anticipated by MM) Moondoggies album Tidelands is here. So, if your taste extends anywhere from Neil Young to Band Of Horses to Gram Parsons you’re going to want this. Immediately. Visit their MySpace here. Download The Moondoggies – It’s A Shame, It’s A Pity mp3 (from Tidelands) Continue reading First taste from new Moondoggies album
The Mad Mackerel 