The Ancestral Swamp is the recently released 20th full length album by legendary rambler, cartoonist, and “outsider” folk singer, guitarist Michael Hurley and his label debut for Devendra Banhart and Andy Cabic’s Gnomonsong label. It was primarily produced by Hurley, compiled at Mississippi Studios in Portland, OR, mixed by Jim Brunberg. It comes in just in the nick of time for the rabid Snockophile. A batch of new vittles and…
Mostly Harmless #2 / $? / 32M / 1:00 / http://www.mostlyharmlessmagazine.com / So, I have bad news. Mostly Harmless Magazine is no more. I had thought I reviewed this zine when I first received it back in February or March of 2006, but I stuck it in a pile after reading it and forgot about it. This issue has a tremendous amount of writing, and this amount increases dramatically when…
On Sunday, November 18, Leona Lewis’ debut album Spirit went straight to number one as well as becoming the UK’s fastest-selling debut album of all time. The previous UK record was set by the Arctic Monkeys, who sold 363,735 copies of Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not in January 2006. This week Spirit sold a phenomenal 375,872 copies.
The Rosewood Thieves – Lonesome / 2007 Self / 6 Tracks / http://www.therosewoodthieves.com / It seemed almost like The Rosewood Thieves would never get their “From The Decker House†released, last year. Originally signed to V2, the disc was only released after legal allowed them to. 2007 marked a new year, and an EP that was in no way held back or otherwise modified in regard to the context that…
This year the guys of Ask A Ninja have given a destination point for ninjas worldwide! On Wednesday, December 5th Kent Nichols and Douglas Sarine will host the official “International Day of the Ninja” party at the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles. In addition to the Ask A Ninja.com “Ninja” answering LIVE questions from the crowd, there will be special guest performances by geek-cult comedian Patton Oswalt and musical…
Blurt #4 / Gullible #27 / $1 ($2PPD) / 48M / Lew Houston, 135 Wapwallopen Rd, Nescopeck, PA 18635 / The split is about traveling and drinking. I am familiar with the work of Lew (Blurt!), but I have not familiarized myself with Chris (Gullible). Chris is linked more with the whole band dynamic, where Lew comes off as an individual that has been afflicted with wanderlust. I must say…
Known for their seamless melding of indie rock musicianship with a beat-heavy electronic pulse, BURNSIDE PROJECT have digitally re-released their out-of-print self-titled debut on Fraga Music. With five added bonus tracks, the album has been remixed and remastered for a digital release and is available on iTunes, eMusic, Rhapsody and the Other Music website. Vocalist Richard Jankovich’s underground alterego, Pocket, quietly released a remix of Radiohead’s cover of Björk’s “Unravel”,…
Check out these two guys, Ultimate Donny and Gil Mantera. They’re from Youngstown, Ohio. They’re brothers. They’re blonde, handsome, and strapping. They play rock-style music mixed with alternative-style. They’re Gil Mantera’s Party Dream. The duo started rocking shows back and forth between the Youngstown and Columbus, Ohio scenes back in 2000, sharing stages with a variety of bands of different genres and dominating all. On the strength of their incredible…
Phonograph – Hiawatha Talking Machine / 2007 Red Ghost / 5 Tracks / http://www.phonographny.com / This New York band, on their “Hiawatha Talking Machineâ€, is attempting to go forth and give vitality to the folk genre in ways that traditionalists such as Andy Cabic and Devendra Banhart have not even conceived of. “Little Chief†blends together a down-home feel with a Radiohead (“OK Computer-eraâ€) type of pacing. The slightly goofy…
Irish singing sensation Méav (formerly of Celtic Woman,) will soon be performing in the United States and bringing her special brand of holiday cheer to a handful of venues in both New York and New Hampshire this December. Singing many holiday classics as well tunes that reflect her love of traditional Irish music, Méav is sure to thrill audiences this Christmas season.
Wendy Magazine #8: The Jesus Issue / $1 / 24M / :30 / http://www.wendymagazine.com / Reviewed 10 March 2007 This is my first time reading Wendy Magazine, and I have to say that this is some of the weirdest shit that I’ve read. I watch gross and weird Youtube videos, I can dig randomness (Nobody Can Eat 50 Eggs, You Idiot!), but Wendy Magazine goes far beyond my levels of…
Woodstock, NY’s progressive rock geniuses 3, proudly announce their highly acclaimed sophomore release, The End is Begun, will be re-released as a digipak on February 19, 2008. The audio CD will feature the 13 previously released explosive, mind boggling tracks as well as a bonus track; 3’s spin on the classic Pink Floyd song, “See Emily Playâ€â€¦which will be track #14 on the audio disc. The bonus DVD will feature…
Le Concorde – Suite / 2006 Self / 6 Tracks / http://www.leconcorde.org / Individuals may remember who Le Concorde are from their 2004 release “Universe and Villaâ€, or they may know the band as the latest act worked with by former Scritti Politti member (and now producer) David Gamson. The EP starts out with “I Want You Backâ€, which is a track that allows Le Concorde to go forth and…
Wendy Magazine #7 / $1 / 24M / :25 / http://www.wendymagazine.com / I guess that I take too long reviewing zines sometimes. Or, I tend to grab zines from the free table that individuals have hoarded for a year or so before moving on to another set of zines. Anyways, this issue of Wendy still has the same quirky humor that was present in the last issue reviewed. This time,…
“Chicago’s Sleeper Car bends alt-country expectations on its second album, Love & Anxiety. The fiddles and pedal steel add twang, but the band’s real forte is its commitment to a folk-rock tradition that stretches all the way back to the ’60s. All five guys, plant roots in a songbook that nods to Dylan, the Byrds, and, by extension, Woody Guthrie. That’s not to say they sound anything at all like…
Annuals – Frelen Mas / 2007 Ace Fu / http://www.myspace.com/annuals / http://www.acefu.com / The last time we heard the Annuals, they were on the “This Is Indie Rock: Volume Three†compilation put out by Deep Elm in 2005. In the mean time, they signed to Ace Fu Records, released their debut full length “Be He Meâ€, and have played or been played on shows like Late Night With Conan O’Brien…
The Whigs are proud to announce the release of their ATO Records debut album, MISSION CONTROL. Set for a January 22, 2008 release, this confident collection of songs follows up the band’s self-released / self-financed album, GIVE ‘EM ALL A BIG FAT LIP, which caught the attention of many, including Rolling Stone Magazine who declared the Athens GA three-piece “the best unsigned band in America.” The Whigs spent most of…
Art Effects: Decade Performance Era & ABC No Rio / $? / 28M / :30 / I believe that this is the last issue that I have concerning the history of ABC No Rio. This piece reads a little more formally at points than other issues, but don’t let an image of academic papers cloud one’s judgment. There is an extended dialogue between the deities Dionysus and Kali, that frame…
“Days after Far-Less entered the studio in April to record ‘A Toast To Bad Taste,’ their hometown of Blacksburg, Virginia, became the setting of the mortifying Virginia Tech shootings. Whether consciously or not, this young sextet deliver an effort that reflects bravery in both a musical and very personal way.â€â€“ Alternative Press, 4 and 1/2 out of 5 stars
Pitbull – Boatlift / 2007 TVT / 18 Tracks / http://www.pitbullmusic.com / http://www.tvtrecords.com / Many introductions to rap CDs suck. They suck horribly. However, “Boatliftâ€â€™s introduction is massively impression. This “Little Story†is an acapella opening to the disc, and it shows exactly how talented Pitbull is. The entirety of this track is a minute, and it does much to provide a specific style to the entirety of the disc.…