We know Christmas has been and gone now and everyone is looking forward to New Year celebrations, but that hasn’t mattered to Howth who yesterday released Xmas Songs via Bandcamp. He says it is “less optimistic” than his recent album The World Is A Beautiful Place, which may be something of an understatement. Musically it is a mix of folk, psych and weird outsider pop and lyrically … Continue reading Howth – Xmas Songs
This is (another) release that we’re a little late to the party with. Mixed in a fury of caffeine and beer, and recorded with the shortest distance from sweaty performance to wax, Brass Bed have unleashed Be Anything b/w Mind the Gap and a glimpse of what’s to come from their upcoming fourth album. The single follows on from their highly acclaimed 2013 LP, The Secret Will … Continue reading Brass Bed – Be Anything 7″
Milton Star write and record their unique blend of indie and dark country in a converted church in darkest Fife. Each of their tracks is drenched in atmosphere – think Velvet Underground meets vintage Glen Campbell via Rick Rubin collaborating on the next David Lynch movie or soundtracking the latest HBO crime drama… With shades of Soulsavers and Mark Lanegan evident, Milton Star’s debut single Salvation … Continue reading MM Shorts 643: Milton Star
As we gallop towards the end of the year it is natural to start looking forward to 2015 and anticipating the new releases that will be coming our way. However, it is an inevitable certainty that, during 2014 we have missed out on a huge number of records that deserved a mention and sharing…so rather than look forward, we’ve looked back and picked out a … Continue reading Some We Missed (Round Up Time Again)
Halfbeak, a London psych-folk outfit influenced by artists such as Tom Waits and Sparklehorse have just released their first EP Things I Knew, available digitally. Listen to Happy below and order from Bandcamp here. . Continue reading MM Shorts 642: Halfbeak
Kuroma are a psych-pop quartet started in 2012 by Hank Sullivant, former bassist of The Whigs and guitarist of MGMT. They will release their debut album Kuromarama in the spring and to whet the appetite have shared this freaky-baby video for their excellently frenetic track 20+Centuries. Watch and enjoy. . . Continue reading New Video: Kuroma – 20+Centuries
Los Angeles-based group The Tulips have shared the second single off of their forthcoming LP, Echo Blue. Winter Winds is a gorgeous slice of pastoral psych-folk that counterbalances the sweet vocal harmonies with just the right amount of wooziness to wrap you in a hazy, slightly ethereal musical cocoon. Lovely stuff. . Continue reading MM Shorts 641: The Tulips
And so we bring our round up of favourite songs, albums, covers, and guilty pleasures to a close with the final “best of” post, Mad Mackerel’s own top twenty. 20 Kye Alfred Hillig – My Young Love Was As Blind As Ray Charles And Half As Cold As Heat . 19 Parquet Courts – Black And White . 18 Jamie T – The Prophet . 17 … Continue reading Best of the Year: Mad Mackerel’s Top Twenty
Our penultimate offering comes in the shape of Mrs Mackerel’s favourite songs of 2014… …I think, being a fish of some advancing years now, I know what I like – but at least that ranges quite widely (she says, defiantly). As usual, though, I’m late to deadline, so without further pontification or procrastination, here are my favourite songs of 2014. 20. War On Drugs – … Continue reading Best of the Year: Mrs Mackerel’s Top Twenty
20) Natural Child – Dancin’ With Wolves . 19) Hamilton Leithauser – 11 O’Clock Friday Night . 18) Faces On Film – Percy . 17) Early Winters – A Thing For You . 16) Sleaford Mods – Routine Dean . 15) Eels – Mistakes of My Youth . 14) Chimes – Total Sunflower . 13) Dust From A 1000 Yrs – Smoke Em Up . … Continue reading Best Of The Year – Chris T Popper’s Top Twenty
The Mad Mackerel 