Archive for the 'Folk' Category

David Berkeley - Strange Light

You’ve surely noticed that my writings has been reduced to the minimal… I’m not on strike… just busy. Find below a short introduction to the third collection of  Corsica resident David Berkeley  ‘Strange Light’ as I’ve received this early morning his press-release !

Summer ’06 saw David Berkeley record his 3rd studio album at the legendary Engine Studios in Chicago with Brian Deck (producer of Iron and Wine, Josh Ritter, Modest Mouse).  The album, to be called Strange Light contains Berkeley’s smartest and catchiest work yet and features guest vocalist Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek. “Brian Deck was the perfect person to work with,” Berkeley offers. “He managed to capture the naturalness of my music, the rawness of it, while still pushing the songs into more powerful, more polished places.”

And that’s it : this brand new beautiful acoustic collection is here. I suppose most of you have already heard about this talented songwriter graduated from Harvard in philisophy and literature… If it’s not the case, I bet the listening of these two tracks will ruin your day ; yes, I’ve told you Strange Light is his 3 album and the two previous are both collectors.

 
 Hurricane - David Berkeley [4:59m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 
 Willis Avenue Bridge - David Berkeley [3:11m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 
 Little Fists - David Berkeley: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Can’t resist to post Little Fists a track from the Live From Fez album … so you’ll definitly check David’s website for tour dates !

Artist : David Berkeley
Label : Ten Good Records
Where to buy : cdbaby.com
More Appetizers : @sonicbids.com / @mysace.com
Who else to enjoy : Fraser Anderson (it’s a Trini teaser…), Aaron Espe (a post about his new album is coming soon.. real soon).

Simon Smart-Foster - Braver Dreams

Simon Smart-Foster is a singer songwriter from the south of England now living in San Francisco. His Style has been influenced by a range of artists such as Leonard Cohen to Jeff Buckley, Nick Drake to the Smashing Pumpkins…

I’ve discovered this English hidden treasure listening to the awesome Kokomo webradio which always got some secret gems to streamed… I’m listening to his first album ‘Braver Dreams’ released in 2007 for couple months now and it’s more than time to share…

Indeed, I was awaiting for his new collection ‘Electrical Thinking’, but Simon Smart-Foster postponed its release switching from a solo status to his brand new band ‘The Long Band’. Simon confessed that “Most of the new  material stays true to his folk based roots but has a somewhat different flavor to Braver Dreams.” And from what I’ve heard so far, it’s a new direction that should reach a wider audience.

‘Braver Dreams’ is a 12 songs collection is mostly composed for piano and guitar, delivering a beautiful acoustic atmosphere. Hard to resist, judge by yourself… As usual, Intro track is opening your listening experience, but be sure not to miss the album title track !

 
 Ash and Dust - Simon Smart-Foster [3:45m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 
 Braver Dreams - Simon Smart-Foster [4:15m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Artist : Simon Smart-Foster / The Longband
Label : none
More Appetizers : @ilike.com / @last.fm
Who else to enjoy ? Gus Black, Jack Savoretti

Andrew Bryant’s Blues

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.

~Smansmith

 
 Andrew Bryant - "Homeless Blues" [2:38m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 
 Andrew Bryant - "Hurricane Blues" [4:38m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Donovan Quinn & The 13th Month

Have you recently spilt with someone and need a soundtrack match your turmoil ? Are you still bitter about some past relationship and need to get it all out of your system? Maybe a fuck you to someone who may have broken your heart somewhere along the line and you are now ready to move on or perhaps you just want a perfect album to see in the Autumn and let it be those now long forgotten summer days that you heap these words upon? Then perhaps Donovan Quinns debut solo effort may just be the soundtrack you need. I just listened to this album three times over whilst out walking in the woods and I found it rather cleansing. Rather worryingly it made me feel I HAD split up with someone and I’ve been single (by choice i hasten to add) for three years ! But as I said, I found it all rather cleansing as I crunched the fallen leaves under my feet I took the opportunity to dust off some cobwebs which were, If i’m to be honest, pretty old, a chance to say goodbye to stuff that’s been lingering around like a bad smell for way too long. A new season along with this new album has perhaps brought a fresh perspective on life for me. It’s Autumn, it happens. Do you ever pause to question your own love? Donovan asks on Heathen honeymoon. It’s a good question and one worth considering.

Hailing from San Francisco and has been making music since 2001, firstly with Glenn Donaldson as the skygreen leopards and now under the name the 13th month, with at times, Jason Quever (Papercuts). Often singing in a slightly Dylanesque drawl he is slowly gaining a reputation in his home country as one of the best dark romantic singer/songwriters. With a little help from me on this blog I’m hoping that slow reputation becomesa little quicker and reaches this side of the pond too. Although this album is mainly country folk there is some room for some Californian sun soaked guitars all backed up nicely with keyboards on the track They’re going to pick us apart. You would think, given it’s subject matter, that’s it’s a really sad album and although there is a sense of sadness within it I mostly get the feeling, like me in the forest, of hope and new beginnings.

Signed to softabuse records you can pick up the cd here but if you want to hold on a week or two vinyl will also be available either from softabuse or roughtrade records. I will update this when vinyl becomes available. Some imminent US dates here and then to the UK next spring/summer.  Enjoy.

 
 Donovan Quinn & the 13th month -Take the cross off the mantle [3:18m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 
 Donovan Quinn & the 13th month - Heathen Honeymoon [4:18m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Annabelle Chvostek - Resilience

Two songs made me really cry so far this year : ‘A Thought‘ from So it Goes last Colby Stead’s release  and  ‘Line of Ascent‘ from Annabelle Chvostek’s brand new Resilience collection. Want to try and test your own resilience ?
Resilience ? Funny how things are sometimes emerging around you… Or may be, should I say : funny how  sometimes, we are able to give our mind the faculty to merge some multiple non-sense details surrounding your daily life into a single fact. From puzzling to evidence, maybe it’s just a matter of perception…anyway.
Dealing with resilience, I’m testing mine in both psychological and physical way, quitting smoking… oh my !

I’m quite fascinating by the fact that 98% of our 400 daily visitors are reading this blog without leaving a single comment… Aren’t you ? what ? dubitative ? Mysterious ways of modern communication… No i’m not awaiting for support… just trying to experiment this changing audience constituted by a majority of North-American people ; definitly coping with humour today ! Still someone around ?

Hum… I was supposed to introduce you last Miss Chvostek album…. yes, music is just a deluder…

Resilience ? Without a doubt, my favorite album this year in the female songwriter genre. My fellow Canadian blogger Smansmith should have been more prolix about this charismatic member of The Wailin’ Jennys, who received contributions in this new project from an impressive collection of talented friends amongst them,  Cockburn, Marie Gauthier, Ani DiFranco to name few..

As usual when an album is so good, let me tease you with the intro track…

 
 Resilience - Annabelle Chvostek [3:43m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Artist : Annabelle Chvostek
Label : none
Where to buy : cdbaby.com
More Appetizers :  @ Annabelle.org many mp3s to listen / @myspace as usual

Carrie Elkin & Danny Schmidt on Tour !

On Tour Together ! Yes. Have you really, really, really read the title of this post ? So what else to expect from me ?
First, some excuses : I’m really late posting about two of the most talented songwriters (yes I really measure these words) who are touring for some months now ! Then, few more buckets of apologies - last time -  for being so short writing about this performance : only couple dates left in december. Check the schedule below, and jump to the artists sites for further details.

  • 12/7    Sun    Philadelphia, PA       House Concert
  • 12/11  Thur  Charlottesville, VA    Gravity Lounge
  • 12/12    Fri    Harrisonburg, VA    Little Grill
  • 12/19    Fri    Winston-Salem, NC    Fiddle & Bow

Well, admitting you don’t know Carrie Elkin… Joker ? Here’s your chance…

I won’t blame you because it was my case couple weeks ago. I don’t clearly remember the circumstance but good chance I was looking to satisfy my appetite for the Austin based songwriter… a click pointed me on Danny Schmidt’s Live Music Archive page.  I’ve downloaded one of his show performed this last december at the Cactus Cafe … After couple intro solo songs, Danny invited Carrie Elkin to sing with him the superb ‘Drawing Board’ song. A good addition, Carrie’s light voice is bringing a new ‘relief’ to the solo performer… 2 songs later, the duet played ‘Serpentine Cycle Of Money’ : a terrific (unreleased ?) song… and what a revelation for me ! From the sweet backing vocals of the firsts songs, Mrs Elkin delivered on this one an amazing power ! I still can’t believe my ears seduced by both the song’s quality -  even if it’s not really a surprise when it came out of Danny Schmidt - and by the deep raucous voice reached by such a slender looking of this Texan vocalist ( do never trust appearance). A single loop on her myspace’s playlist easily convinced me to add to my cdbaby cart (give me coupons) her last two albums : ‘The Waltz’ and ‘The Circumstance of Jeopardy’. An absolutely gorgeous package : musically, lyrically, vocally and… beautifully.

And if -  I can’t imagine - if you don’t know Danny Schmidt… then consider buying his complete discography right now : Few can equals his songwriting density.
For both artists, find below the intro songs of their last albums, ‘Little Grey Sheep’ for Danny and ‘The Circumstance of Jeopardy’ for Carrie.

 
 Serpentine Cycle of Money - Dany Schmidt [5:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 
 Obadiah - Carrie Elkin [4:01m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 
 Leaves are Burning - Danny Schmidt [4:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Danny Schmidt “Company of Friends” Storyhill Fest ‘08 with Carrie Elkin

Artist : Carrie Elkin - Danny Schmidt

Ravens & Chimes - So Long Marianne

Two by Two the posts arrived !
Browsing my list of indie music for the previous post, Ravens & Chimes first full length ‘Reichenbach Falls’ is encore a fresh memory, regularly looping in my four and five stars playlist. And I have to confess (it’s been a long time…), that i’ve subscribed to their blog as they’re publishing beautiful phographs.

Surprise, surprise on their myspace playlist, a brand new song titled : So Long Marianne… Some of you know my addiction for the complete oeuvre of Leonard Cohen. I had a doubt… I do conf..s !
The ‘Come over to the window, my little darling’ first verse left me no doubt on the covering act… and what a talented cover : a surprising rhythme, richly orchestrate ; so fresh !!!

 
 So Long Marianne - Ravens & Chimes [5:15m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Well, all you have to do is loop ! And prefer the Reichenbach Falls ( ? ) than ‘The Songs of Leonard Cohen’ until another moon !