For those of you who listen to my Simple folk show on radioreverb.com will over the past year or so heard us air a session by Joe Gideon & the Shark which was recorded a while back. I always meant to put them up here but somehow life got in the way at those moments but after seeing them live very recently I have put a halt to everything to make sure I write about them now.
Joe and Viva, a brother and sister duo make up the band. Joe on vocals and guitar, Viva on everything else, Drums, keys, vocal, all played from behind her drum kit and often simultaneously. It’s impossible to imagine how just two people can create a sound this brilliant, a sound that for me is impossible to describe as I hear so many influences in it. At their loudest reverberating best I hear some LCD soundsystem, The Fall and when Joe talks/sings he reminds me of Smog and on the outstanding track, Anything you love that much you will see again, well that’s just uniquely theirs. On the track Kathy Ray, a song about a woman who was a backing singer for the Eurythmics and Ray Charles, Joe’s narrative about her has you listening intently but then has you laughing at it’s unexpected turn, or at least it did me. There’s a few tracks like this on their debut album Harum Scarum, serious overtones with a humorous undertone, these are the most original band I’ve heard in a long long time and it’s so refreshing. Currently on a UK tour after having supported Nick Cave and the Bad seeds and more recently Seasick Steve. I think that 2009 is the year they are going to break through to a more mainstream audience but I urge you to go and see them live if you get the chance as they will blow you away.
Officially my new favourite band (until next week). Enjoy.
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Got so many albums to tip you about and such few time to write… so the music will do the job !
Just few information about Mr Bucaro : ‘Til Spring’ is his fourth full length and I still can’t believe his music didn’t reach my ears before… I had the opportunity to discover this album via MoreBarn Music (Neal Casal, Peter Salett… mentionning it them only for the curious..) and… and let’s simply say that this collection is producing an awesome mix of soul and blues producing enough good tunes to be part of this crazy website ! Yes I know, it’s a bit too self-centered but it should have gained your attention. If not :
And sure it will deserve more words … but sure you’ll be addicted to his music listening to more tracks on his own site : On the Map is simply unbelievable.
Jon-Rae Fletcher is a Canadian singer-songwriter who grew up in Kelowna, British Columbia. Born the son of a preacher, Jon-Rae sang in his church’s choir by day and fell in love with the music of Kurt Cobain at night. Combining his passion for the sounds of country, gospel, rock, and soul, Jon-Rae Fletcher created a unique blend of music, which at times is minimal and soul bearing, and at other times a full-blown-rock-throw-down.
Stunning crowds with his resonating country voice, Jon-Rae’s cathartic, soul-stirring live show has helped build an ever growing following. Jon-Rae has recorded and released a number of stellar albums over the years, both as a solo artist and with full bands consisting of numerous talented friends from across Canada.
Recently released album “Oh Maria” is another example that Canada is not the land of hibernation and could be akin to the dusty rural south. There is a lot of “Canadiana” coming out lately and it is all good (see The Deep Dark Woods only a few posts ago).
The story behind “Oh Maria” seems like an unfortunate series of experiences that led to JR recording the story. There has been struggle that JR has worked through on his journey – both across Canada in life and in creating this album. The presentation of these 10 songs is intimate, confessional and a storyline of recent life experiences that he/or his character on the album overcomes. Like many before him, life teaches and shows you its ups and downs, and this album is all about that.
The sound of the album is essentially a gospel country album at heart. There is many influences from soul, jazz, Americana wrapped up in a singer songwriter package. The use of horns in this album alone is worth mentioning – powerful, yet tragic sounding at the same time, gorgeous stuff.
Enjoy a few tracks from the album below that was recently released February 3rd, 2009 on Weewerk Records out of Toronto. He is in good company there with Great Lake Swimmers, Barzin and Elliott Brood to mention a few. The songs below show you two of the stand out tracks in “Oh, Maria” and “Downtown”, with the piano laded swing time that is “My Hands” included for good measure!
I’m going to start off this year with an interview from a band I wrote about here last year, The Sumner Brothers. Last year I wrote about In The Garage a week or two before the release of their self-titled album. Although the latter album has some of the tracks from the afore mentioned In The Garage, Pain, Both back and My Words being three, apart from a couple of A.P Carter tracks and an old traditional song called Yeah Blue, they have taken away the covers their music has obvious nods towards and have added more of their own compositions, Say You’ll always be mine and Two Hands being two but an obvious stand out track being Ticket to ride, A song I could imagine the late Johnny Cash singing on his last album just before he sadly died.
As i’ve said in the past I just love the honesty these guys show in their songwriting and that’s all backed up by the emotion you can hear in their voices. With another release to come in 2009 this band I’m sure are going to mature into one of the best country/folk/roots bands around, If they are not already.
So, If you have received a cdbaby voucher for Christmas or you are taking back a cd you already have, You will not go far wrong by picking up this album, infact why not buy both at the same time and play them back to back while you read through this interview that Brian has kindly granted YCD?
YCD – You’ve now released In the garage and your self-titled album, How
were they received?
SB – they were both well received……we were a little surprised that our
first album “in the garage” was as well received as it was……. we
recorded that one in our garage with an 8 track and an assortment of
old beat up 58’s ……. we plan on making a string of “in the garage”
albums but i doubt they will ever sound like that one.
YCD – You seem very much in touch with the traditions of country music,
is this the kind of music you grew up with?
SB – not exactly……we’re suburban kids …we ended up listening to
everything……literally …hip-hop, rock, blues, jazz, classical,
..you name it…….we really took to country music when Johnny Cash
started making his “American” recordings…..i think we adopted
country music for ourselves because of the simplicity of it…….we
liked the idea that you could write a song in the afternoon and
perform it that night……when it was still fresh….and that country
music is a lyrics first form…..since then we’ve met a ton of people
performing this kinda music and really started to learn the history of
it from the inside out…..from the storytellers themselves.
YCD – What do you think you would be doing if you weren’t making music?
SB – working a day job and trying to start a business…..i’ve had a couple
ideas over the years……but music takes all my time now……and i’m
happy with that
YCD – When a journalist told Townes Van Zandt that his songs were sad his
reply was that although some were, most were full of hopelessness. I
get the same feeling when listening to some of your songs like Pain or
Both Back, the latter I know is about wanting your grandfathers back
with you. Writing that, was it some kind of healing process?
SB – no…..it’s hard to explain …i’ve never found writing to help with
the healing process…..if anything ..eveytime i perform these songs
it hurts…..so it’s kinda like digging at old wounds….but the only
other option is to forget entirely and that doesn’t seem right
either…..my best friend passed away about a year ago and i never
wrote about it…….it wouldn’t help me to heal…..i’m better off
just not thinking about it.
there’s a difference between Townes outlook in his songs and ours.
Townes was depressed……and his sense of hopelessness came from there
My Brother and I love life……and despise death……and that is
where our sense of hopelessness comes from
YCD – Ok, first non- musical question. What did you think last time you
looked in the mirror?
SB - can’t remember ……something along the lines of ..women are %&^$%$^ nuts
YCD – If there is one song you could steal and claim it as your own for
ever which one would you choose and why?
SB – o holy night
it’s that time of year and that’s my favorite Christmas
song…….imagine the competition?
YCD – Given the amount of emotion and honesty in your music, is it
important to you that you write songs separately as I notice there
doesn’t seem to be any co-written tracks on either album?
SB -I think it would be difficult. …..we both want to say what we want
to say when we want to say it….we’re both stubborn and wouldn’t take
to well to someone telling us it doesn’t sound right….or it might be
offensive….etc. besides…………..
we spend so much time together working on the business of the band
….arranging songs and rehearsing…..drinking on weekends…. that i
think we’d be stretching it trying to put the time into trying to
write songs together….eventually………it’d be fun to try
YCD – What’s your best musical experience so far and why?
SB – We played a show in Portland a couple years back …..we were setting
up and couldn’t get the p.a. to work properly ….it started squealing
like mad and randomly….people were getting angry…shouting things
and eventually leaving…….we decided to forgo the p.a. and busk the
room……we just yelled out the tunes……it was a big room but my
brother and i have loud voices …….by the time we had finished
everyone had come back from the adjacent room……i think everyone
got a kick out of it.
in reality it’s probably just drinking baileys and coffee then moving
on to beer …..working on new songs in the garage with my brother
i never get tired of it
YCD – What’s currently rocking your stereo?
SB -Phil Saylor Wisor – “Since Jimmy Died”
we’ve toured with Phil a couple times
he plays with the same conviction and passion whether he’s playing for
2 people or a hundred.
YCD - You seem like a very close family unit, have you ever written a
song about each other, either privately or openly?
SB – can’t speak for my brother …..i haven’t ……it could be
dangerous….we’re both too honest…..and we both have faults
YCD – Another silly one now. If you could play any part in any movie
past or present who or what would it be and why?
SB – you should have asked me “if i had to”. …….i wouldn’t want any
part of any movie…..acting is hard work…i’ve had one
experience…….i remember being an extra once when i was a
kid…..it was a rain scene……the only way rain shows up on camera
apparently is if it’s raining un-realistically hard…….and
cold?……but everyone had to be dry at the beginning of the scene
and soaking wet at the end of the scene…. we had to change our
clothes everytime they had to re- shoot it ….they shot it all day
….for like 8 hours….it was torture.
YCD – What are your hopes and fears for you in the future, musically?
SB – I want to be able to play music and raise a family
that’s it. My fear would be that i wouldn’t be able to do that…..we’ve been
told that it’s almost impossible…. we don’t believe it.
YCD -There is a video on your myspace page of a song called I don’t care if there’s a
heaven which when I first heard I cried. It’s not on either album, any
particular reason for that?
SB – that song is almost universally misinterpreted………most people
think it’s an anti-war song……or an anti-american song….or
something along those lines…….it’s not…….the song is about a
very specific situation…..something that actually happened …..that
song.. for me takes place in a vacuum….i wasn’t trying to comment on
the bigger picture ..i wasn’t taking any of that into
account……….having said all that……..my brother and i have
hundreds of songs….when we go to make an album we record tons of
them….then we see which ones are working ……and which ones are
working in the context of the album…..i’m sure we will release it in
one form or another eventually
YCD – And Finally, what’s your plans for this year?
SB – we’re working on a new album……..we’re more than excited about
it……we holed up in a cabin for this one like we did for the
last……so it’s got that sound…. that intangible which really
helps to tie an album together…….i don’t think you can record the
sound of late nights…..booze….friendship……loneliness
etc……without actually being there……not that this is the only
way to record an album ….we’re just happy with it for now.
Thankyou very much for granting YCD this interview and we all wish you all success for 2009 and many years beyond.
As you can already grab Pain from my first post here, with their permission I am just uploading one track here, Just go buy the fucking album here will you’s, these guys are trying to make a living here !!
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“Music with spirit. Music akin to roots, folk, blues, and country, Don Brownrigg is a musician’s musician…”
I’d like to take credit for finding this little gem but it was my lovely friend Chad from Canada that sent me this album along with a few others several weeks ago. We both have a love for music and more so a love of finding new talent that we can share with each other. I had Don’s album on my list of “albums to review” and never got around to it. I could kick myself now for not pushing play any sooner. This album is absolutely beautiful. It is a perfect melting pot of folk, blues, and country. He has a voice that stays with you long after the last tune has been sung. Needless to say he had me at the first chord. Thanks Chad and thank you Don for taking the time to do this little interview with us. I asked Don what song he would like for us to share with everyone and he said for me to choose…..ah the daunting task…they are all so good and I have my favorites but don’t just take my word for it, buy the album. (I’m having trouble uploading a song, will post it up later)
YCD: I was reading in your bio a quote that you are “inspired by people and natural things” and that you feel you are “living a generation or two too late”, is that still how you feel today?
Don: Yep, probably even more so! I’ve met a lot more people and have seen a lot more places since that first interview. I like the intimacy of simplicity.
YCD: Do you write your own music? What inspired the song “About Her”? When I first heard this song my heart skipped a beat. I wondered if anyone would ever feel this way about me. It’s truly a beautiful song.
Don: Thanks!
Yes, I write my own music. ‘About Her’ is an old song of mine. It was one of those songs that ‘wrote itself’. It just uses simple phrasing and chord progressions – but that’s all you need to get the right point across – if you are conveying the right mood and saying the right words. The song has connected with a few people on a different level and for that I’m very fortunate.
YCD: I always tell people I have an “A” job and a “Dream” life. Sometimes I feel that we are all in search of that thing that truly makes us happy and fulfilled. Would you say that music is your “dream” life? If you weren’t a song writer what would you be doing now?
Don: I am living my dream as my career. In a lot of ways, it is work and a job like any other – but there is not enough time in the day when you live your career. I’ve worked lots of jobs but that’s behind now. I’m lucky that I’ve discovered this thing that I can put all of my energy into and I can’t wait to wake up in the morning to work on it. I’d like for everyone to find that thing in their life. It’s tough. Discovery of that one thing in your life means you must take risks and just go for some things….step into the uncomfortable and un-ordinary, something you want to try, something different you need to do, etc. I hope more people do that. If I weren’t a song writer, I’d probably be something really practical, like a chiropractor or a carpenter.
YCD: What songs are you inspired by or cannot live without at the moment, yours or someone else’s?
Don: I am living in a city (Halifax) that’s known throughout the country as being a musical hotbed. I’m fortunate enough to be a part of this thriving community and I am inspired by the talent, vigor, and hard work of the musicians here. I’ve gotten to work on albums by Benn Ross, Rich Aucoin, Jesse Dangerously, Caledonia, and Tanya Davis. Each one of those acts aren’t anything like each other and aren’t similar to my music and that’s what makes this community beautiful and healthy. The support system rather than any sort of competition in independent music allows a person to be so comfortable in what they’re doing because they have such a support system in their colleagues – we know we have our friends there to help out in any way, be it professionally or personally.
YCD: Who has been the biggest influence in your musical career?
Don: Tough question. I’ve always been a very practical person so when I was getting more and more serious about music as a career, my parents could have been more weary but they weren’t at all. They urged me to follow through with this music thing – to do what I wanted – to work hard – to see how it goes, at least. In the early stages, I wasn’t really telling people who knew me that I was playing music, that it was my dream, that I needed it. Their support from the get-go meant a lot.
Also, a little dark and morbid as it may seem. I’ve had a few people in my life die well before their supposed ‘time’. Also, I’ve never thought I was to live very long and I’ve always had this dream to make music. So I guess having those people’s time end so quickly propelled me in a certain way. Make my time count for me, ‘go for it’, why not?
YCD: With all the changes and uncertainties going on in the music industry today, what inspires you to keep doing what you’re doing and why?
Don: I’m not sure. It is tough and a struggle in a lot of ways. Songwriters love and need the drama, don’t we? Like I mentioned earlier, if you’re living your dream as your career, a lot of the tough times can be absorbed easily. There are incredible highs and stifling lows. Each step is uncertain but once you’re confident the music you’re making is establishing a connection, it is worth it. The community of professional musicians I’ve surrounded myself with inspire me to continue. Fans inspire me to continue.
YCD: Wander Songs was released in 2007, is there anything new you are working on now?
Don: Yep, I’m still writing for another short while. In early 2009, I’ll start organizing for recording again. It’s a big process but I’m soon ready again. For now, I’m glad to be jumping in on other acts’ recording projects and shows when I can. I started off as a side-guy so I still have that. I also love to sing back-up and I’m doing more and more of that, on a more behind the scenes/supportive level. I need to support those people as they are supporting me.
YCD: For those readers who haven’t heard of you or your music before what would best describe your music?
Don: Organic, low-key, and created by one young unconfident fellow with a few good friends.
YCD: Thank you for your time. We are looking forward to sharing your music with everyone. I love your album it has such a timeless feel to it. I’m sure it will quickly become a favorite of our readers.
I’ve just discovered Tim Grimm with the release of ‘Holding Up the World’ his fifth solo album, and I’m trying to slowly rewound his discography as I’m so enthusiast about his last collection. Tim Grimm defines himself as a singer songwriter, actor and hay farmer – it’ sometimes peaceful to learn that people are doing more than a single stuff…
While reading his bio, I guess, most of you already know this talented Indiana farmer who released this year the best possible album in the traditional folk genre. As usual, when an album is perfect from start to end, here’s the intro track.
Welcome to Adamzwig.com where you can find out about everything going on in the world of Zwig — psychology, research, spirituality and music.
Adam Zwig, Ph.D. is a psychotherapist, clinical director, international workshop leader and author, as well as a nationally recognized singer/song writer and recording artist, touring musician, and record producer.
Thanks for visiting !
So here’s what you can read on the front door of AdamZwig.com website. Well, the Psychotherapist and clinical director labels, frightened me first… but my curiosity once again overcome my scepticism (do I need a therapy? ) and I’ve decided to cross the door couple months ago…
And I’m fine. I didn’t get time to seek for other sources of information about Mr Zwig but his last.fm stats are so low : mere 85 tracks have been scrobbled from 14 listeners. As I’m counting 60 plays, you can imagine…. OK I might be a geek, in the world of Adam Zwig listeners, but his music deserves to reach a wider audience… First, because it’s more than addictive : a clashing mix of country folk rock with a modern electronic input. Then because this Seatle songwriter is far to be a beginner : Adam Zwig has been the frontman of the Shapeshifter band from 1997 to 2002 and he’s solo carrier has already produced 3 full-lengths and a live !
So, You’ll have the opportunity to visit the psychology and spirituality section as the ‘crazy wisdom’ one…, I’ve spent most of my time on the music part of the site, and all I can express is my complete approval to the cdbaby teaser :
Highly Recommended. Seattle Musician said, “this is Zwig’s masterpiece, a compelling combination of pedal steel guitar influenced country folk rock and the lyrical politics of love and social justice”.
So If it’s the first time you’ve heard about him, listen to these two following intro tracks, knock the door of his website, then a good start will be buying ‘Cast Iron Letters’. Do think thanking me if you have the occasion to visit us back.
About the Song Michael Vaughn :
“Michael Vaughn died in the Iraq war. I wrote the song a year before he died, not knowing he actually existed. His name came to me in a dream. I was shocked to see a billboard that said, “In Memory of a Fallen Hero, Michael Vaughn.” In the song, I wanted to personalize the war and ask who takes responsiblity for the fates of these young men and women.” — Adam Zwig
As reported on his website : “In 2008 / 2009, Zwig is finishing three new albums to be released one at a time. Working with grammy winning producer, Stuart Sikes (Loretta Lynn, White Stripes, Modest Mouse), Zwig’s new material continues to travel thoughtfully through the social and spiritual worlds, and to expand his expression as both a singer-songwriter and a bluesman. The albums are set for 2009 and 2010 release on Conscious Records“.
Artist : Adam Zwig Label : Conscious Records Where to buy : cdbaby.com Who else to enjoy ? that’s a good damn question… well something between Lou Reed, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bob Dylan ! Huh ? Your turn to help !
All audio posted on this site is meant for sampling purposes only. If you really like what you hear, show it and support the artist - buy an album, buy some merch, got to a show. If you represent or own any media on this site and would like something taken down please email us, and we will take the necessary action of removing the file(s). Please contact us at 5crazydreamers@gmail.com with any comments, concerns or feedback and suggestions.
“Music with spirit. Music akin to roots, folk, blues, and country, 
