So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu … you know the rest. I’m off to skip over the mountains, Swiss Outpost, but I do promise to Skype… Anyway (surely one of my favourite refrains?), it’s a New Year and time for me to bid goodbye to TFI and my Friday night soubriquet. With a few gig dates already booked for the months ahead, I may get … Continue reading Mrs Mackerel’s Last TFI Friday (11th January)
MM faves The Cave Singers have announced details of a new album Naomi, that will see a release in March next year on Jagjaguwar. Apparently, it’s an album full of love and suffering, surrender and redemption: the messy stuff of life. For now we have a video teaser for Have To Pretend, a sparsely hypnotic thump of bluesy campfire storytelling. Continue reading Cave Singers Announce Naomi Album
Hello! Swum out of hiding for a brief frisson on a Friday. This week saw Big Sair and I take to the open road once more and try and find our way to old London Town. And so we began by chanting the gospel according to Big Sair: what’s said in the car, stays in the car. I like that. Off we shot, with Doris … Continue reading Mrs Mackerel’s TFI Friday (22nd June)
The wonderful Daytrotter recently announced their 2,000th session and managed to get none other than Country music legend Glen Campbell in to record it, followed swiftly by a new session from the brilliant Delta Spirit. For those that don’t know Daytrotter sessions are typically four songs in length, recorded live to quarter-inch tape in a matter of a couple hours, with no overdubs. They are then made available … Continue reading Daytrotter Reaches 2,000
The wonderful Cave Singers have just completed an outstanding session for Daytrotter offering up versions of Swim Club, Haller Lake, Clever Creatures and the brilliant Black Leaf. Signing up to get this, and many other sessions (recently including Laura Marling, Wilco, Marnie Stern and The Parson Red Heads) costs just $2 per month which even in these troubled times is a ridiculously good deal – if … Continue reading The Cave Singers @ Daytrotter
And so here we have our top ten albums of the year. To be honest the order is fairly arbitrary – on another day it could be a completely different as really these ten records have so little between them in turns of the pleasure and enjoyment they gave us. If you’ve not acquainted yourselves with any of these then we’re pretty sure you won’t … Continue reading Mad Mackerel’s Albums Of The Year: Part 3 (10 – 1)
Our final Top Ten selection comes courtesy of the lovely, and ever radiant, Mrs Mackerel. Over to you girl! It’s been a great musical year. But such a plethora of riches always presents a problem – what’s a girl to choose? Fortunately some fine contributions in the preceding week means most bases are covered. Live gigs, although few and far between this year, have been … Continue reading MM’s 2011 Top Ten Series: No 9 Mrs Mackerel
As with previous years we will be posting over the next few days the Top Ten track selections for 2011 of various MM friends and contributors, as well as our Best Albums of 2011 and own best of the year list. To kick us off we have Polly Pocket. 10. Friends – I’m His Girl A great getting ready to go out kind of a tune. … Continue reading MM’s 2011 Top Ten Series: No 1 Polly Pocket
We could have called this no sleep til Hoxton, being that MM and I were so severely short of shut-eye by the time we arrived at the London Hoxton Bar and Kitchen last night. Never mind though, all was well because we were there to see the Cave Singers on the only UK date of their European tour. If we were tired, the band could … Continue reading Live Review: The Cave Singers, Hoxton, London 23/5/11
This week I’ve had a Charlie Bucket moment. I’ve got a golden ticket, I’ve got a golden ticket. Oh, yes indeed. I’m going to see the Cave Singers LIVE. And yes, I do realise they aren’t playing just for me, but the doors of the chocolate factory are open, and I’ve got a ticket to go in. I just can’t wait. Continuing in a this … Continue reading Mrs Mackerel’s TFI Friday (18th Feb)
The Mad Mackerel 