Sound Cloud Sunday December 27, 2020
Sound Cloud Sunday December 27, 2020
We made it through a year that seemed 10 years long, didn’t we? It wasn’t for a lack of trying though. The one beautifully burning flame that we can look towards (besides a vaccine, of course, which hopefully won’t burn) is the fact that when allowing our most creative types to have little to do but focus on creativity, they came through for us in spades. Whether they be home recordings, socially distant collaborations, amazingly thought through and fully realized cover tunes, our best and our brightest shown best and bright. Here’s another great week of independent music from all over the world. Enjoy! Click on the link below to hear the whole show.
Spleenarium – Late
Hometown: Toulouse, France
Album: From the album “Volume 1” released on Bandcamp November 20.
Review Snippet:
Website:https://spleenarium.bandcamp.com/releases
Drift Mouth – Lifeguard
Hometown: Columbus, OH
Album: From the album “Loveridge Is Burning” released on November 20 on Wild Frontier Records.
Review Snippet: The son of a third generation West Virginia coal miner, Lou Poster’s latest group, Drift Mouth, comes about their Americana sound naturally. After years of playing in the punk country outfit, Grafton, Poster has jettisoned off the punk influences for Drift Mouth and relies solely on classic country and Americana influences for Little Patch of Sky.
Website: http://driftmouth.com/
Zeb Gould – A Body Ain’t Nothing
Hometown: New York City
Album: From the album “Destroyer Deliver”.out February 26 on Aqualamb.
Review Snippet: Fans of CSNY will love “A Body Ain’t Nothing” as it has Neil Young worthy vocal harmonies, soft but savvy guitars and two beautiful voices that compliment each other wonderfully. The song brings a flash of nostalgia to the record as it dives back in time to the California folk rock scene of the 1960’s. While many songs on the album have a similar aesthetic, it’s the unobtrusive keyboard addition that makes this track that much more special.
Website: https://www.zebgould.com/
Chamomile & Whiskey – Dead Bird
Hometown: Charlottesville, VA
Album: From the album “Red Clay Heart” released October 30 on Country Wide Records
Review Snippet: Overall, the LP showcases a variety of excellent songs, well-written & played as the driving rocker (“Hard Time Honey”). There isn’t anything to discover here that will be new. But it’s good music sustained by musicians who enjoy what they do & it comes through their playing.
Website: https://www.chamomileandwhiskey.com/
Trevor Beld Jimenez – Get Ready To Fly/Saying Goodbye To A Friend
Hometown: Southern California
Album: From the album “I Like it Here” released in November on Curation Records.
Review Snippet: Country-psych veteran Trevor Beld Jimenez has been a name kicking around rosters for years — popping up on Fruit Bats, Kacey Johansing, and DIOS recordings. He was found hunkering down with Neal Casal and Brent Rademaker in GospelbeacH, and with his songwriting partner Tim Ramsey in Parting Lines and Tall Tales & The Silver Lining. For his solo debut on Rademaker’s Curation Records, the songwriter digs deeper into the tie that seems to bind them all – the salt-flecked sundown shimmer of California calm. Rooted in ‘70s songwriter hallmarks, the songs here are swinging from wounded Petty and Nilsson to the AM gold of Bread and America. The album shares a lot of ground with the musical foxholes of his past, feeling like many of the songs wouldn’t be out of place in any of the bands that bear his name, though it might hew closest to the feeling of Parting Lines. Like the songs on the Lines’ debut, there’s a porch-at-dusk feeling to I Like It Here and its hard not to give in to the familiarity.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Trevor-Beld-Jimenez-104415378088974/
Kacy & Clayton and Marlon Williams – Last Burning Ember
Hometown: Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan, Canada
Album: From the album “Plastic Bouquet” released December 11 on New West Records.
Review Snippet: On Friday, the Canadian folk duo Kacy Anderson and Clayton Linthicum pair up with New Zealand crooner Marlon Williams to release their first collaborative album, Plastic Bouquet. Despite the LP’s inanimate title, there’s nothing fake about the music contained therein. Like much of Kacy and Clayton’s output — including last year’s Carrying On — it’s a record shaped by genuine human emotion. Williams’ sad-eyed introspection only elevates the proceedings.
Website: https://www.kacyandclayton.com/
Joe Matera – Only One
Hometown: Melbourne, Australia
Album: Single released October on Mercury Fire Records.
Review Snippet: n all seriousness though, describing Australian Joe Matera’s music as melodic, mostly-instrumental rock on a site like Ghettoblaster is a bit problematic. Without having heard the record, or having prior knowledge of Matera, one might assume that the indie underground for his stomping grounds and wonder if Pelican, Explosions In The Sky, or The Fucking Champs were touchstones. Matera’s playbook comes from an entirely different place; his first full-length solo release and follow-up to his previous CD EP, Slave to the Fingers, is a pristine production that has far more in common with the work of Joe Satriani, ZZ Top, and Thin Lizzy than it does with a Red Sparowes or Brainbow.
Website: https://www.joematera.com/
Nick Garza’s Get Along – Denial
Hometown: Austin, TX
Album: From the album “Heartaches and Enchiladas” no release date yet.
Review Snippet: While cookouts and hayrides may be off the agenda for a while, one Austinite’s supplying a perfect outdoor soundtrack. As a co-founder of stomp-folk act Hello Wheels and an accomplished songwriter on his own accord, Nick Garza has always drawn inspiration from a myriad of musical traditions across the Lone Star State. But today Garza’s kicking off a whole new chapter of Tex-Mex eclecticism with his country outfit Nick Garza’s Get Along.
Website: https://nickgarzasgetalong.bandcamp.com/
Marianne Pasts – Island In The Sky
Hometown: Munich, Germany
Album: New self-released single
Review Snippet: Combines elements of folk, pop rock and blues
Website: https://www.mariannepasts.com/
Lucky 757 – Songs Of Yesterday
Hometown: Virginia
Album: From the album “Live At The Goode Theatre” self-released in September
Review Snippet: Lucky 757 seem to have the harder route – really going back to the roots and trying to perfect their sound as much as possible. Something has to do with the fact that it is lead by a father and son guitar combination of Danny and Cory and a very solid rhythm section of Sam Haga (bass) and Angel Lopez (drums).
Website: https://www.lucky757.com/
Ghosts of Paul Revere – Love At Your Convenience
Hometown: Portland, ME
Album: From the album “Good At Losing Everything” out last October.
Review Snippet: There are two distinct paths for string bands. Some stay within the niche, usually adopting bluegrass influences, and do well with their specialized brand of folk music. Through the years, the Steep Canyon Rangers have stayed with their tried and true sound and have made a collection of fine albums. Others expand, both literally and figuratively. I’m reasonably sure the The Avett Brothers have an additional touring member every time I catch one of their concerts. The challenge on both paths is making something with a compelling twist yet remaining true to the energy that got you those first critical fans. On their latest album, Good At Losing Everything, The Ghost of Paul Revere embrace a bolder sound without losing the authentic folk flavor that we’ve all come to expect from the band.
Website: https://www.ghostofpaulrevere.com/
Chris Roberts – Hate When You’re Gone
Hometown: Munich, Germany
Album: From his debut album “Feather” out in 2021.
Review Snippet:
Website: http://theofficialchrisroberts.com/
The Sea The Sea – Parachute
Hometown: Upstate New York
Album: From the album “Stumbling Home” released in June on Antifragile Records.
Review Snippet:
A homegrown tapestry of sweet, enchantingly intimate folk, The Sea The Sea’s third album ‘Stumbling Home’ is a beautiful and welcome addition to this late summer splendor.
for fans of The Staves, Little Green Cars, Iron & Wine, First Aid Kit
Website: https://www.theseathesea.com/
Mattias Lies – Deadliest of Stars
Hometown: Falun, Sweden
Album: From the album “Highs & Lows” released in June on Valley Music Dalapop.
Review Snippet:
There’s a strong harmonic thread which runs through all eight of these songs.
Mattias Lies voice encourages careful listening and his music is captivating. The melodic contribution of the Swedish ballad tradition makes the album well worth a listen. It’s Swedish and American with a hint of Bob Dylan. Mattias Lies is a songwriter who should be discovered by more people. These are genuine songs from the heart.”
Website: https://mattiaslies.com/
Langhorne Slim – Panic Attack
Hometown: Langhorne, PA
Album: From the album “Strawberry Mansion” to be released January 29, 2021 on Dualtone Records.
Review Snippet: Guiding us through it all is Slim’s voice. It’s pure, distinctly American, but without region, a twangy yodel always waiting at the back of his throat. It can go from a whisper to a raspy holler, but always remains trustworthy. A reliable, everyman guide through the many sounds and eras he traverses. While Scolnick certainly has gripes, Lost At Last Vol. 1 is inarguably a positive record, with “Better Man” serving as the final uplift. “I know that life is short/Know we can’t stay long/But one thing’s for sure/I know that I’ll be strong” he sings, the optimistic strings swelling around him in agreement.
Website: https://langhorneslimmusic.com/
Mark Wesley Curran – American Dreamers
Hometown: LA via Philadelphia
Album: One of several singles self-released on October 1.
Review Snippet:
Website: https://www.markwesleycurran.com/
