“Here’s to all you crazy dreamers, dream your crazy dreams, don’t let them slip away, there’s more to life than living day to day.”
Another great video from Scott Cudmore, this time from the man they call Phosphorescent and an informal SXSW performance of “Heaven Sitting Down”. Despite the plane circling overhead, another beauty.
Visit Camera Music HERE. Visit Phosphorescent HERE. Pick up the most recent Matthew Houck (aka Phosphorescent) album “To Willie” HERE.
~Smansmith
Between hays, woods, training dogs and sheep (!!), few time left for this sharing activity… So it will be really concise and short : I’m looping for couple weeks a bewitching ritornello from Goldfinch … it’s a two tracks medley entitled ‘Hoedown / Pretend Kiss’ and it’s closing their first eponymous album released sooner this April. Check their myspace or facebook page, and if like me you’re falling under their addiction, jump cdbaby.com website and buy a copy of Goldfinch
One of the most anticipated releases for this year is the new Bowerbirds album “Upper Air”. The album is being released this July 6th (UK first!) and July 7th (US, and I presume Canada) from the Dead Oceans label.
The album is another winner (yes we all know the album is making turns here and there lately), but this is an album that warrants a “collection” perspective. The band is clearly great, every album they have released from “Danger At Sea (EP)”, to “Hymns for a Dark Horse” to the upcoming “Upper Air” have been stellar - a feat for any band to consistently release well above average albums. I personally think their “Hymns…” album is one of the best of the decade and this album is catching up quickly. The lead off promo single “Northern Lights” is phenomenal sing along track, with the newest track released from the album “Beneath Your Tree” being a combination performance of Phil Moore and Beth Tacular’s lead vocals which builds on the traditional Bowerbirds sound with accordion and that foot stomping beat (a la Matt Damron recently) that you recognize immediately. The rest of the album follows suit with additional stand outs including a great selection of their organic slower acoustic tracks like “Bright Future” and “Silver Cloud” and “Teeth”. Well there is still the eclectic “Crooked Lust” with a bit of finger picking guitar…and then….well, you get my point.
Highly recommended and a must have in any collection.
Listen/download:
“Beneath Your Tree”
“Northern Lights”
Bonus: “In Our Talons” from both “Danger At Sea” and “Hymns for a Dark Horse”
Pre-order Bowerbirds Upper Air HERE.
Visit the Bowerbirds on the Bowerbirds Myspace and Bowerbirds Website
~Smansmith
Very nice find while perusing the “now only legit for music” site, MySpace. She is a former East Coaster now living in the sun of Los Angeles. New album is finished and should be out soon, but I am unsure how to purchase unless a link shows up on one of her online pages… I guess I will have to keep an eye on her MySpace Page or follow her twitter for updates (@jennyomusic). I did find her on iLike and listened a bit more (click here), but alas no tracks for purchase.
I will update as info comes available folks - anyone has info, post in the comments!
~Smansmith
Photo stolen from sonicallyaltered
Well my affinity for all things bearded and acoustic have lead me to singer songwriter Josh Preston. There I said it…now did that sound creepy?
Well creepy-ness aside, Josh has recently been kind enough to offer up some free downloads of his material via the his Bandcamp site. There are five (yes 5!) albums available for download that were released in the last 3 years more or less. So come on people, head on over for some sampling!
I first came across Josh when I was looking for some acoustic stuff to include over on Slowcoustic for a playlist and picked up his amply titled album “Josh Preston’s Perpetual Bin of Demos and Other Sods You May Have Heard Live But Are Not Live Now” and included his song “Fire”. Josh being the nice guy he is, found me on twitter (follow him @joshpreston) and linked me up for the rest of the downloads! I have picked his EP “The Complex Wooden Heart” as come on, it was labeled as acoustic and sounded like it could be some good old sad bastard music. If you know me that is a combination I enjoy (yes, I enjoy music that evokes bleak hardships…it is just the type of music that has the ability to move you that much easier). So I have included the four fully solo acoustic beauties for your listening pleasure - you can visit here to download a zip with it all together as well. So ease your way into the weekend with some well scripted laments delivered right on cue from Josh.
“Simpler”
“Temptation”
“We Are Alone”
“Safety Feels The Exit”
**all acoustic EP**
Visit Josh on his: Website, MySpace, Bandcamp, Virb and his Blog.
~Smansmith
I just posted another Camera Music feature over on Slowcoustic, and I can’t leave You Crazy Dreamers with no love!! I am a huge fan of the video series of Scott Cudmore’s Camera Music and above you find a true Canadian acoustic Ghost Bees performance. Stunning - you have to watch the Halifax twins travel through the cold wilderness with pixie delicate strumming. There is multiple tracks in the above video so make sure you keep watching!
BONUS:
Ghost Bees
“Vampire of the West Coast” (mp3)
from “Tasseomancy”
(Youth Club Records)
~Smansmith
I first wrote about Tom and the boys here. At that point they had only released a single and were about to go off to Dallas and record their new album. Well not’s much changed in terms of releases since then but I have been informed by them that the EP release is imminent with the full album to follow not long afterwards. These are looking like they will be self released on their A little something label via their management team of Autonomy Music Group So to wet your appetite just a little longer here is another mp3 which I have been granted which was recorded in one of the emperor’s (Bobby’s) living room. In his own words, ” It’s got a great feel, with some clarinet, mandolin and double-bass action going on, Tom in preacher-man mode and a nod or two to James Brown in the chorus. It’s about as close as we get to a fun song”
He has promised me that the Ep and album has plenty of misery for us to indulge in though so that’s nice.
Please sign up to their webpage here where you can still get a free download and also be told of any further news. They have also granted us here at YCD an interview around the time of the EP release so if you have any questions let us know and I will ask away.
Finally, they have an intimate acoustic gig coming up on the 23rd July at the Hideaway in North London. More deatils of that here. I’ve not had the pleasure of seeing them live but apparantly these intimate shows are exceptional and not to be missed.
My favourite snippet of information is about them is this.
“You really get a sense that the Emperors are seasoned veterans of the London music scene and I can’t believe they won’t be playing much larger venues very soon, like Nick Cave jamming with Tom Waits playing in a Jazz Bar during a Tarantino movie… toe-curlingly good” - livemusic.fm
Watch this space kids.
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