This song has popped up on a few dog walks recently. It makes us think this is what it would be like if the Beach Boys played folk music – a wonderful sense of melody and intricate rhythms played with a joyous abandon and sense of fun. Check out The Understanding from their forthcoming album – it is a little gem. Visit their MySpace here. … Continue reading Introducing…Jones Street Station
What else is there to do on a cold, windswept evening on the eastern streets of Oxford, but to head down to a temporary gig space/arts centre just off the Cowley Road. The Old Bookbinders (not to be mistaken with its namesake over in Jericho) is a bit like gate-crashing a student house party: fairy lights, garlands and bunting, old sofas, chairs, and a smattering … Continue reading Heavenly Recordings Showcase: Live Review
The Barettas are a trio from Hamilton, Ontario. We’ve never been, but their e-mail said it’s a city known for it’s industrial decay, grittiness, and blue-collar roots. Each member of the band has taken on a couple of jobs, usually a combination of cleaning houses during the day, and tending bar at night in order to reap the reward that it lets them make music … Continue reading Introducing…The Barettas
Here is our regular round up of the best of January’s posts plus a couple of new tracks for your listening pleasure – all beautifully designed to make one perfect mixtape. Download Wooden Wand – The DNR Waltz mp3 More classic down-tempo folk from greatly underrated MM fave. Download Phosphorescent – Are You Ready For The Country? mp3 Riff-heavy, mean-assed cover which brilliantly captures the double-edged viciousness … Continue reading Mad Mackerel’s Best Of The Month: January
The self-titled solo album from Alexander Ebert of the wonderful Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros will be released on the 1st March on Community Music (via Vagrant) and on 28th February via Rough Trade. The album consists of ten brand new songs that Alexander wrote and composed entirely himself while touring with his main band. Alone in his room, he had his guitar, a Lowery … Continue reading Debut album from Alexander (of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros)
A while ago we posted a track from the recent, self-titled Sonny + The Sandwitches EP, which has rapidly grown to be a massive favourite here at MM. However, it was only recently that we discovered Sonny Smith’s 100 Records project in which he created more than 100 fictional bands, then wrote songs for them and enlisted musicians (including Ty Segall and Kelley Stoltz amongst … Continue reading Introducing…Earth Girl Helen Brown (sort of)
February 22nd sees the release of the Luyas album, Too Beautiful To Work. We’re pleased to share another taste from the LP. Title track Too Beautiful To Work is futuristic pop with elastic wordplay dancing atop rhythmic keyboards and a motorik beat. The layers of sound are dense and lush, augmented by the virtuosic violin of sometimes Luya and all the time Arcade Fire member … Continue reading New track from The Luyas
I often think, quite sadly, that the good old fashioned political protest song is a dying breed in the modern age. So it was all the more pleasing to get this short and pithy missive from Ed of MM faves and undeniably brilliant down-tempo miserabilists The War Crimes. “Blair’s appearance at the Chilcott whitewash gotta me thinkin’ about an old tune of ours. Geronimo was of … Continue reading The War Crimes Protest
Exactly a week ago we gave you the wonderful So It Goes from Meredith Adelaide and Josh Schroeder. In the seven days that have elapsed they have put up a new song for free download from their Bandcamp page (or indeed just below this text). Where Are You? is a more straight-forward indie ballad that this time has a more epic quality as it quietly … Continue reading More from Josh Schroeder & Meredith Adelaide
A while ago we posted the magnificently titled Balding College Girls by The Hairs, a lo-fi, jangly diy masterpiece. Now they’re back with the equally magnificently titled Jack Becomes A Policewoman and it is another quirky, garage pop gem. Visit their MySpace here. Download The Hairs – Jack Becomes A Policewoman mp3 (from Hairs Make Music) Download The Hairs – Balding College Girls mp3 Continue reading New from The Hairs
The Mad Mackerel 