Well, it was a week off last week, for legitimate reasons, I hasten to add. Nurse Mackerel reported in for duty. Remembered quite a few things and a few people from my former Northern life. Still feeling a few pangs now. It doesn’t matter how long it’s been, or how far you go… rekindles a little bit of something deep inside. Lot less money flying … Continue reading Mrs Mackerel’s TFI Friday (26th August)
Loving this song from Amy LaVere’s new album Stranger Me. a Buy the album from Amazon here. Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…Amy LaVere
As anyone with more than a passing acquaintance with this blog will know, we are huge fans of James Jackson Toth, aka Wooden Wand. That is why we were immediate contributors to his recent Kickstarter project to fund latest album Briarwood, recorded with the Briarwood Virgins. While the album is not getting its official release until 7th November (via the wonderful Fire Records), but we … Continue reading New Album From Wooden Wand
Andrew and Brad Barr have spent the majority of the last decade playing music in The Slip. In 2004, they were playing a club in Montreal when a fire broke out in the venue. They grabbed a few guitars and drums and were able to escape unscathed. A year later, Brad and Andrew were living in Montreal, and Brad’s first apartment shared a wall with classically-trained harpist Sarah … Continue reading Introducing…The Barr Brothers
Rat Columns are releasing a 7″ containing four songs of dark, ill- fitting pop wanderings and mangled noises. Or is it four tracks of innocence, melancholy, and melody with a satisfying pop finish? Listen to Darkness and download I Wonder – then decide for yourself. The single is out on a pressing of 500 copies only, available to order from label Smart Guy Records a Download Rat … Continue reading Mad Mackerel Recommends…Rat Columns
We’ve been sat on this for a little while trying to work out how best to describe it, and while we’ve not found a definitive answer to that conundrum, it was no good reason to not post about Hot Head Show. The trio are experimental certainly, but that’s like simply saying the sun is quite warm. They are hugely unsettling one moment and sweetly melodic … Continue reading Hot Head Show Release Debut Album
Woodsman can be firmly filed under the psychedelic genre in your iTunes library. Skilfully avoiding the trap of self-indulgence and overcooked noodling, they mix swirling, spacey guitars, reverb washes, tribal drum patterns, vocal delays and ominous repetition into a mesmerising, pulsating whole on the excellent In Circles, the advance track from new EP Mystic Places. Doobie optional! The EP is out on October 25th via Fire … Continue reading New EP From Woodsman
Mojo magazine has a free cover disc this month revisiting and re-imagining some classic Pink Floyd in the shape of Return To Dark Side Of The Moon and Wish You Were Here Again. They asked a range of contemporary artists to celebrate the forthcoming Pink Floyd album reissues by re-recording the tracks for the CD and also an exclusive version of the record that comes in a limited … Continue reading Beak> Cover Pink Floyd For Mojo
Team Genius are from New York and formed back in 2007, releasing an EP and LP the following year and (as far as we can tell) this four song EP titled Pop Songs is their first release since then. They make catchy indie pop that fizzes with irreverence and good humour and is, we think, pretty much guaranteed to put a smile on your face. … Continue reading Introducing…Team Genius
We couldn’t think of a better band to follow on from our Sex Beet post earlier. In the words of Michael, our doyen of good taste at Crash-Avenue, “Guadalupe Plata are Spanish dudes doing screamin’, amplified Delta blues by way of chunky, nasty Memphis and Detroit punk.” Think of the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion duelling with The Dirtbombs in the Castilla La Mancha…and, er, you’ll not even … Continue reading Introducing…Guadalupe Plata
