We were introduced to Canadian band The Sheepdogs via Hear Ya, and having put their song I Don’t Know on to a CD for the car, it has promptly become Joe’s new favourite track and is pretty much on repeat for every journey we make. The song, which is a real twangy, country infused singalong, seems to have been around for a while and comes from … Continue reading Introducing…The Sheepdogs
The chief export of Leeds’ Whole Sky Monitor is sonic shock. Their latest effort, Twisted Little Piggies, released at the start of November, is a brilliantly discordant and vaguely political body of energetic (and possibly upsetting) rock and roll blasts that smokes and sweats bullets. They boldly come wearing influences such as The Fall, Wire and The Wedding Present on their sleeves, and replete with … Continue reading Introducing…Whole Sky Monitor
We’ve long been fans of the Young & Lost Club and their regular offering up of corking tracks for free download. Indeed MM faves The Sunderbans were discovered this way as well as a whole host of other up and coming bands. The latest release is this indie gem from Aussie teenagers Gold Fields that joyfully bounces along as though the sun were still shining … Continue reading Latest from The Young & Lost Club
Perhaps Angie Mattson was destined for a life in music when her mother named her after her favorite Rolling Stone’s song. She is an adventurer and free spirit who has no shortage of inspiration; moving to North Carolina with a lover at 18, traveling and living in an old blue school bus selling her art, then moving to Tokyo to work as a model. Not … Continue reading Introducing…Angie Mattson
Other than our darling daughter’s birthday, a fair smattering of fireworks, and shorter autumnal days, the eleventh month signifies the fine tuning of the MM top ten for the year. I’m already playing and re-playing favourite tracks and wondering where and what will be the common songs in each lovingly crafted submission. Sometimes there’s even a late surprise which creeps in when no-one was expecting … Continue reading Mrs Mackerel’s TFI Friday
The rather awesome Blitzen Trapper have just completed their fifth Daytrotter session – a record apparently. The four songs include a version of The Tree, one of the many) standout tracks from recent album Destroyer of the Void. Download it below or get the whole session for free from Daytrotter here. Buy the album from Amazon here. Visit Blitzen Trapper’s MySpace here. Download Blitzen Trapper – … Continue reading Blitzen Trapper on Daytrotter
Derek Pritzl’s album The Drifter has been quietly growing on us for a while, which is probably why we’ve taken so long to post something about it. It is a record that is unhurried and thoughtful, at times digging up raggedy old soul sounds, and other times leaning into the quiet barren territory where Gillian Welch fans dwell. He easily blends old country, folk and … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…Derek Pritzl
You might not know it yet but you already know The Violet May’s lead singer Chris McClure. He was the iconic dishevelled figure on the front cover of the massive selling debut Arctic Monkeys album, Whatever You Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not and also the brother of John McClure of Reverend & The Makers. Now fronting his own band The Violet May, he … Continue reading Introducing…The Violet May
If nothing else, Balding College Girls by The Hairs would be a contender for song title of the year. Thankfully, the music backs up the title and we have a band that is quirky, funny and clever, able to match classic pop riffs with a lo-fi aesthetic and a confidence that makes it hard not to be immediately captivated. From Brooklyn, The Hairs are as … Continue reading Introducing…The Hairs
We have posted previously about Chicago’s premier psychedelic rockers Secret Colours and their excellent self-titled debut record. They have returned with a digital EP, In The Absence, which is a more acoustic affair than we’ve previously been used to, but may well be our favourite track of theirs so far. Once again we get the 60s influenced chiming guitars, hypnotic percussion and spaced out vocals, … Continue reading New from Secret Colours
