Wednesday Means Eight of the Best

Here is our round-up of the best new tracks and releases we’ve collected from our in-box, our favourite blogs and the internet. This time we have the the sultry and gently hypnotic folk of Cate Le Bon, the raucous, boozy new track from John McCauley’s latest roots supergroup Diamond Rugs, the brilliantly hypnotic and menacing track from experimental folksters Lower Dens, more enchantment and swirling, celestial … Continue reading Wednesday Means Eight of the Best

MM Shorts 76: The Denzels

Brooklyn’s The Denzels are still a young band in every sense and this is just their second release, a five track EP titled Easy Tiger. Citing influences from The Byrds to The Cure they have an infectious, fizzing energy to their songs and manage to successfully blend New York style indie and West Coast surf pop in a way that is genuinely most promising indeed. Grab … Continue reading MM Shorts 76: The Denzels

Mad Mackerel Recommends…Guy Capecelatro III

Singer-songwriter Guy Capecelatro III is a prolific singer-songwriter, musical collaborator and author. He has opened for Low, Smog, Elliot Smith, The Mommyheads, Pearl and the Beard, Vic Chesnutt and has played in many bands over the years, including Unbunny, South China, Toast, Northern, and The Buckets. Capecelatro’s songs are folky, utilizing a wide array of unique sounds, instruments and voices. His lyrics are literary and offer fleeting … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…Guy Capecelatro III

Big Bee Of The Whitetree has been a busy bee…

Sorry that is a terrible title for a post. Anyway, last summer we introduced you to the laid back, and sunnily optimistic folk of BigBee of the Whitetree via his debut EP Fairytale Dust. He has been busy since then – very busy and we have two new projects to tell you about. Firstly, just a couple of weeks ago he released a full album … Continue reading Big Bee Of The Whitetree has been a busy bee…

Introducing…Gabriel & The Hounds

Brooklyn based Gabriel & The Hounds is Gabriel Levine and a broad pool of some of his friends and allies. The debut album, Kiss Full of Teeth, is released on the 5th March. A variety of performers working directly in, or with, the likes of The National, Beirut, St Vincent, Sufjan Stevens, tUnE-yArDs, Bjork and Jonsi all feature throughout the record. The World Unfolds is the first taste from the … Continue reading Introducing…Gabriel & The Hounds

Free EP From Rose Elinor Dougall

In advance of releasing her second solo album Rose Elinor Dougall has made a three track EP of some earlier demos available for free download. While apparently not representative of the new record (these demos were recorded shortly after the release of Without Why in 2010 and ‘rediscovered’ in December) she thought it a waste not to share them and we’re all the better for … Continue reading Free EP From Rose Elinor Dougall

Bats Pajamas Ready Second Album

Last summer we featured the slightly unhinged proto-garage of Toronto’s The Bats Pajamas and a track from their Steve Albini produced self-titled debut album. They have just finished recording the follow-up, which they are hoping to get released shortly. We have a couple of tasters in the shapes of videos and downloads for Red Scared and Sarai. Pleased to report the levels of unhingedness are unchanged. Watch. … Continue reading Bats Pajamas Ready Second Album

Streaming Round-Up

Compared with mp3s, it takes us much longer to get around to listening to all the tracks we get sent that are for streaming only – annoyingly paid work has to take priority during the day and you can’t stick these on an iPod – however, there have been a selection of corking tunes released recently that are well worth some of your ear time … Continue reading Streaming Round-Up

MM Shorts 75: Halo Sparkle

Halo Sparkle are a new five piece band that hail from Minneapolis and have just released their first EP. We’ve listened to three tracks from it and it shows a lot of promise – well crafted songs with an nicely defined edge and not afraid to stray from the indie-by-numbers rulebook either. Watch the video for lead track Bessy, and download it below. a Download … Continue reading MM Shorts 75: Halo Sparkle

Introducing…Town Hall

Like many bands currently riding the wave of interest in all things traditional, New York’s Town Hall are firm inhabitants of the folk landscape, but unlike many such bands, their first full-band EP Sticky Notes & Paper Scraps has proved to be an unexpected treasure. Deftly moving from sweetly sung harmonies and gentle balladeering to something altogether more adventurous and unusual, the combination of lush, almost orchestral … Continue reading Introducing…Town Hall