It has been a while since I have put a post up on You Crazy Dreamers, I don’t know why either, just busy with life I guess. But wait. I must do my best to provide at least some entertainment via recommended music and possible self deprecation. Of the latter I am quite fond and familiar with. But let’s concentrate on the former - musical recommendation.
As the title indicates, I am a big oaf - both for not showing myself around these parts and because I am a guy who sits around listening to music and apparently not sharing any of it. So in stark juxtapose (wow, big words today in this post) to myself, I give you three lovely ladies who bring along with them some great music.
~Firstly, I give you “His Royal Shyness” and the bedroom indie folk track “Sickness unto Death” from the “Songs for your Sister” EP. $3.00 for the EP - you can not go wrong!
~Secondly, I give you Pam Kapoor (of The Peptides) and her cover of the Aimee Mann track “You Know the Rest” which is actually when Aimee was still known as Til Tuesday! Great Stuff.
~Thirdly, I give you Geri X and her punk-folk track “The Dance” from the 2005 “Radioactive Drool” album. Visit Geri X’s website for more great music (and two albums just for giving feedback!).
There you go, have a great Tuesday and don’t say I wasn’t there when you needed me. I promise to return with more suggestions and possibly more serious posts in the near future!
~Smansmith
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Within the songs of Justin Jones are stories from a life lived long enough to know heartache, loneliness, addiction, and lost love. But the 29-year-old Virginia native has not lost touch with a youthful spirit that imbues his music: raw excitement, romance, and optimism.
That description is from the MySpace page of Justin Jones & The Driving Rain. It pretty much hits the spot for an artist among many in the today’s jungle of Alt-Country/Americana artists. While that description would be used by many I am sure, it just might be a bit more true for Justin.
From North Carolina as a youth to the Washington D.C. area currently, Jones has been performing his style of true Americana to his growing audience. The 15 years of transition engulfing North Carolina to D.C. include his roots playing guitar for whiskey soaked ears to successful tours throughout the I-95 area (for you Americans who know the area!). While Justin currently records with his “Driving Rain”, he was a lone performer until at least 2002 and his move to Washington. The move brought more performing and need for the inclusion of talent - talent he found to assist in filling out his sound - notably on his “Love Versus Heroin” album from 2006. This album is ridiculously good for you “new country” fans. The album worth it for the song “Dying With You” alone!
While I get ahead of myself, we can’t forget Justin only official solo release “Blue Dreams” which is described as both “Blues” and “Hillbilly Soul” - quite a description I must say, and also a great solo and mostly acoustic album. Although I do often appreciate the lone performer more often, his group efforts are just soo strong. This is most recently assured by his 2007 release “… and I Am The Song of the Drunkards” which definitely picks up where “Love Versus Heroin” leaves off. The albums are full of up tempo country/bluegrass to the ballad crooning heart-breakers.
For the up and coming info, Jones is working on the next album out at the legendary Sunset Sound studio with producer Jamie Candiloro (from R.E.M. and Ryan Adams fame). They will be in the studio this week, so we can hope for quick and successful sessions in order to get us more of this great sound in the new year.
I have included a track from last years “… and I Am The Song of the Drunkards” and a solo effort in the form of a Bob Dylan cover for “Boots of Spanish Leather” (recorded with Jones on guitar and Candiloro on piano).
Well I must say I am a bit late in posting on this little project from Andrew Bryant, but better late than never!
Andrew Bryant has been circling the fringe of my listening for a little bit now - often due to musical suggestions from my good friends over at Yer Bird Records. These suggestions lead me on a journey into finding some more of this talented countrified songwriter’s recordings. My journey recently led me to his newly created website and with it brought access to his “Hurricane Blues” digital EP. The EP is themed and recorded following the disastrous Hurricane Katrina which left a massive mess (both physically and emotionally for all those involved) in the southern United States. This is the background to this 2 track EP, so expect no love for authority figures and unfortunate descriptions of those who had to live through the natural disaster.
“Hurricane Blues” is basically just Bryant and a guitar and has a bluesy, southern feel. The content of the lyrics aside, you still feel like a true Americana recording persona from Bryant’s delivery - almost a drawl that he might be holding back on.
Mr. Bryant is starting to be quite the prolific singer songwriter in the last few years and look out for 2009 as he will be bombarding us with up to 3 more releases - sounds good to me. Signed to Magnolia State Records which I believe is his own growing label and located there are links to all his albums with sample tracks for every single release! While I will start you off with Hurricane Blues, please swing on by and check out some of his other works, as he delivers many more aspects of his Americana recordings than these sparse recordings suggest.
This one is going to be a keeper folks, the fourth installment of If You Haven’t Heard - “Donovan Woods”. Oh, did I mention we also have an unreleased new song as well?? Well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
I have been listening to Donovan Woods for a little while, and in that short while I have found out that I tend to listen to him more than most artists (thank you Last.fm stats). There is a reason for this, plain and simple, his music is something that you can listen to, be amazed by, and not get tired of. Since picking up his 2007 release “The Hold Up”, it has ended up being one of my most listened to albums. His music reminds you of something that could be recorded by Sufjan Stevens (but without the theatrics). There is great guitar work, harmonies that compliment his strong knowledge of what works and sounds good. His music can be classic songwriter sparse and build up in tempo to an almost upbeat folk feel. At first I was a bit surprised that at times, such a delicate delivery of lyrics came from a guy that just might kick my ass for saying “delicate”. I guess I can just be thankful that Donovan likes bloggers. In fact he assures me that us “denizens of internet musical delivery” have been integral in his growing popularity. Well I think that this blogger enjoys delivering this music, classic folk/singer-songwriter stuff - songs that you can almost sing along to and not feel stupid doing it…ya know? Remember I said “almost sing along to” - I don’t think I have the chops of Mr. Woods.
Woods is a local in the Toronto scene (of which the photo above is from the a live gig at the Central) and is currently signed to the Sunny Lane Records Label. You can also pick up a copy of “The Hold Up” from iTunes (highly recommended) and after that you can wait alongside me for the upcoming 8 track EP “The Widowmaker”. I think that the EP should surface soon, but an exact release date hasn’t been released (well, to me at least). AAAAND….although you will still have to wait to purchase the rest of the EP, we have a taste of new material in the form of the unreleased track “Phone”. The song stays true to Donovan’s acoustic and piano driven ballads with that heartbreaking delivery of the lyrics and that classic build to the chorus.
I hope you enjoy this one as much as I do and after listening I assure you that Donovan Woods will start to climb your list of favourites if he isn’t already there. Don’t forget to visit Slowcoustic for more great Donovan Wood music on the mirrored post over there.
~Smansmith
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Well here we are at the 3rd installment of “If You Haven’t Heard” and I have some beautiful Americana ballads from “Ghosts I’ve Met”. So put down your whiskey and grab the one that you want to hang onto and press play, you won’t be disappointed.
Sam Watts is the heart of this “rotating cast” of players that enjoy the Ghosts I’ve Met title and he has been welcoming many an artist to join him over the last few years. The recordings see influences and assistance from co-founder Ben Blankenship along with Anne Marie Ruljanchic, Brent Arnold, Jen Turner, Karen Waltuch, Margaret White, Michael Lerner, Joe Seely and Amy Bezunartea - did I say rotating cast yet?? Take a trip over to the MySpace page and see all the artists this group has worked with…who’s who to say the least. Recordings have taken place over the last few years (since 2005) and although not all of his material has seen the light of day to this point, there has been a release earlier this year of an EP entitled “Payphone Patience” (that should be for sale through snocap in the US and their MySpace page). I have been lucky enough to receive a few tracks so as to not stalk his MySpace player.
The EP hmmm…it floats some sadcore Americana ballads that encompass and wrap around you, and not just singer-songwriter stuff, this is full band heartache here. The title track brings beautiful piano accents (from Darren Jesse of Hotel Lights - thank you very much) alongside a waning violin…stunning. This is the kind of stuff this EP is made of and while it has been done before, it usually isn’t done quite this well. It is a bit confusing why there isn’t more of this band floating around, they definitely have an audience in me (and now you fair readers)
I have included the aforementioned title track for “Payphone Patience” along with one other song. The additional track is another great track from the EP - “Reno”- a bit more of a laid back string arrangement than “Payphone…” and is another example of the the sound of “Ghosts I’ve Met”. Remember to visit Slowcoustic for another track, “Ghosts in the Snow”, on the mirrored version of this post over yonder.
Hope you all like it, now go to the MySpace page and convince Sam to release that full length album!
Jennifer Castle, or Castlemusic as she is known, is a Torontonian songstress with what can be called a mix of traditional singer-songwriter infused with a bit of fringe folk. However you describe it, I think you are going to like this one.
Castlemusic has a new release entitled “You Can’t Take Anyone” which from what I can take is a beautiful collection of down-tempo folk, and slightly toned down version of her live performance persona (but I need to see her to believe it). The album is rich, textured and even a bit frayed at the edges at times, but it works for Jennifer. The songwriting excels here with what seems is an undertone of stray bitterness - just enough to carry off a great song, but leave you wondering if she was pained in creating it.
Castlemusic gets assistance in delivering her creation to recording from Ryan Driver and Doug Tielli who both contribute vocals along with an assortment of backing instruments. Don’t get me wrong here though, the album is heavily influenced by Jennifer, her guitar and her songwriting - described as below:
“…to lyrically write in the often sad voice of a person who feels alone, while playing and singing like a person who reaps the uninhibited and beautiful benefits of this state.”
One of my favourite tracks is the title track with it’s “worbly” vocals and accompanying electric guitar to mirror that very style - awesome. To witness this, take a listen:
You may also enjoy a little 4-track recording of a live performance of “Heaven” as well, take a listen below. With “Heaven” you can feel the rawness of the song, but maybe it is just that live performance persona I have been hearing about…I hope you like it as much as I do.
Third installment of “If You Haven’t Heard” and once again I bring you gold here people! Along with the two previous Monday posts, you must hear this if you haven’t already - I really mean it…see below.
Small Sur seems to be a bit of a play on a slice of California life, doesn’t it? Well maybe if you grew up in North Central United States and followed that up with a few years on the California Coast, you might be a “Small Sur” as well.
Well maybe small in name but not in stature or talent, Bob Keal is the heart of this Small Sur. Keal brings a honest, hushed folk sound to the table, a table that should be located at an old family cabin, deep in a haunted wood. His music also feels like it lends to a slower time with down home roots and lazy afternoons. I know I feel at home with this album, but I often get lost in a lone singer and an acoustic guitar. Although at times you might feel like all items are merely accents to what Keal and his guitar are bringing to that table, there is more than just one lone troubadour on this album. There is great harmonies from Julianne Nelson, bass and percussion from Scott Dennison and Austin Stahl respectively, with a personal favourite (the banjo) being supplied by Andy Abelow.
Small Sur finds itself on the Tender Loving Empire label who have just released this great album on August 19th of this year. They have been touring this summer and have shared the stage with other great artists from Jana Hunter and Johanna Kunin to Wooden Wand. For those keeping score, the likes of Jason Molina and Will Oldham are listed in the “if you like, then you should like…” notes from the label - not bad company if I do say so myself.
Small Sur can also be found on their MySpace page here. I just might say, I am not shy in admitting that I have an early entry into my “best of 2008″ post this December…(it is like I keep saying that phrase a lot lately).
You can check out the mirrored post on my own blog - Slowcoustic here. Included is another two tracks not included here, so go git ‘em!
~Smansmith
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