You Crazy Dreamers » News

Dan Mangan – Until Nice, Nice, Very Nice

Olivier — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 09:07:05 +0000

In August of 2009, Dan Mangan will release his sophomore album, Nice, Nice, Very Nice. And it’s about time. After three and a half years of touring his sleeper-hit, Postcards and Daydreaming, Dan is ready and eager to unveil a collection of lyrical ruminations that showcase his growth as a songwriter.

It’s always a matter of time… sometimes late, sometimes early. So with Dan Mangan’s second full length, you may think that i’m really in advance spreading the word. In fact, once again i’m late writing those couple lines about this awesome Roboteering 5 tracks collection : a really dense container preluding the upcoming realease. Dan’s music seems to have evolved since his first release reminding me either on the opening ‘Robots’ or on the beautiful “Sold” the sounds of an Elvis Perkins or a favorite Mark Berube… Indeed, it’s a full collaboration EP including familiar prints : the above mentioned Mark Berube, Veda Hille, Mark Sasso and Shane Koyczan.

Artist : Dan Mangan
Label : none
Where to buy ? Off Stage, on the artist website, Zunior
Some more words : This short post is also a private request to our prolific Lonesome Drifter Radio DJ and fellow blogger Geordie. Mr Mangan will be touring UK in May and on the 14th, he will be @ the Great Escape Festival in Brighton. Don’t miss such an opportunty, Geordie and bring us back at least some good shots at best some unreleased perls !!!

Gregory Alan Isakov: Spring tour and new record!

Olivier — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 05:07:47 +0000

Brandi Carlile & Gregory Alan Isakov : One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong

It’s always pretty cool to be late on a top rated album, so you won’t have to wait too long for the forthcoming one. It was my case with “That Sea, The Gambler” from Gregory Alan Isakov. His third full length “This Empty Northern Hemisphere” will be released on May 15th and features a duet with Brandi Carlile on my ever favorite L. Cohen Song :”One of Us Cannot Be Wrong”.

Apr 2 – Iron Horse: Brandi Carlile    Northampton, Massachusetts
Apr 3 – South Portland Auditorium: Brandi Carlile    South Portland, Maine
Apr 4 – Ethical Center for the Arts: Brandi Carlile    New York, New York
Apr 6 – Kent Stage: Brandi Carlile    Kent, Ohio
Apr 7 – The Vogue: Brandi Carlile    Indianapolis, Indiana
Apr 8 - Lakeshore Theatre: Brandi Carlile    Chicago, Illinois
Apr 9 – Pabst Theater: Brandi Carlile    Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Apr 10 – Alltel Center: Brandi Carlile    Mankato, Minnesota
Apr 11 – Hoyt Sherman Theatre: Brandi Carlile    Des Moines, Iowa
Apr 14 – Wheeler Opera House: Brandi Carlile    Aspen, Colorado

Check his myspace page for complete tour dates, and be sure to be around Boulder on May 15th, for the cd release show !

Camphor – Enjoy the Struggle

Olivier — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 20:20:16 +0000

News, is this all about ?
If I had to mention and select a single album from the past years.. many chances my ears will request again and again the sound of Drawn to Dust from Camphor. Max Avery Lichtenstein has released in this thirteen songs collection a musical Everest. If you missed this album : you’re just 12 months late ; but no worries this is the kind of music which do not suffer the print of time. Before switching to the band website and learning the backstory of this special track, be sure to have you daybreak experience listening to Max most recent philosophical exploration : ‘Enjoy the Struggle‘.

NB : Due to express mention, YCD won’t stream this song right from this page – even if temptation to host such a perfect track was evily burning my fingers.

Holcombe Waller on Tour

Olivier — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 10:11:54 +0000

Many news to be shared in these early days of spring… First of all, Mr Holcombe Waller got – a brand new haircut but above all – a handfull of brand new songs that have been recentlty recorded @ Kink FM Station couple days ago…

Brand new beautiful songs and couple dates to shared them :

April 16 – Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios
April 19 – Santa Cruz, CA – Cayuga Vault
April 20 – San Francisco, CA – Cafe Du Nord
April 22 – Los Angeles, CA – The Mint
April 26 – New York, NY – Joe’s Pub

Those April stages will be shared with Gabriel Kahane. At last but not the least :

PORTLAND PREMIERE
INTO THE DARK UNKNOWN: THE HOPE CHEST
Thursday through Saturday, March 26-28, 8pm
Sunday, March 29, 2pm Matinee at the IMAGO THEATRE

Jil is Lucky… and so we are !

Olivier — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:05:13 +0000

I’ve got few information about this french band and I’m not sure I want to spend more time seeking for. “Jil is Lucky“ just released their first full length and this video… Enjoy !

The Wanderer – Jil is Lucky

Sarah Siskind and …

Olivier — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:55:26 +0000

Totally absorbed in interviewing M. Brownrigg, Trini forgot to provide us some all-important information concerning the inescapable Bon Iver. Some extra tour dates in Europe accompanied by the talented Sarah Siskind, as well as a video available on YouTube, are sufficient matter to add another layer.

But it would be quite arrogant to mention this in passing and to not go into Ms Siskind’s universe a little more. Chiefly because we count among the fans of this songwriter from North Carolina some big names like Alison Krauss, Ron Sexsmith and Peter Bradley Adams…

“Sarah Siskind’s music is not easily explained or contained. She’s a singer and songwriter based in Nashville and grounded in Appalachian roots, but one who transcends category with a beguiling fusion of the traditional and the modern. Whether solo, fronting an electric band or in her harmony-laden side project Old Black Kettle, Sarah creates emotionally charged soundscapes that consistently delight and surprise even her long-time fans.”

Four albums to her credit, of which the first one was recorded at age 14, Sarah announced by the end of Summer, the forthcoming release of her next cd, still is in its mastering phase. So, you will have understood I had to be satisfied with the digital version of her latest double EP : ‘Studio . Living Room’. But what a satisfaction indeed!

If the original ‘Lovin’s For Fools’ version is of a rare beauty ; both Studio songs and Living Room ones deserved your full attention. Thinking Christmas !

Artist : Sarah Siskind
Label : none
Where to buy : cdbaby.com
More Appetizers : @myspace.com
Tour dates opening for Bon Iver :

Decembre 3 Dublin, Ireland
Decembre 6 Ghent, Belgium
Decembre 7 London, UK

The Garden – Et, Colby inventa myTunes…

Olivier — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 05:21:53 +0000

Of all the available ways of expressing ourselves, Colby Stead singled out nakedness. His songs are barely dressed, merely a few guitar notes. At times they are warmed up by a female echo, sometimes by a moving cello or the breath of an accordion. In this way, he serves up an appetizing variety of ‘crudités’ for curious minds.

Today, by creating Mytunes, M. Stead offers us the possibility to crunch the apple once again: a collection of songs and spoken word you can download for ‘What’s it worth’.

Among these gems we discover his two latest albums ‘No’ and ‘So it goes’ in full, a set of home recordings, concerts and readings and others unreleased pearls like this one :

Artiste : Colby Stead
Label : Thoughtfull
Where to tune ? http://colbystead.com

Leerone @ The Hotel Cafe

Trini — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 23:52:53 +0000

Another artist YCD recently wrote about will be performing at The Hotel Cafe this Saturday, stop by and check her.

Joshua James – News

Trini — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 19:21:15 +0000

One of my favorite songs FM Radio/Sunshine

News from Joshua James ( a little late, but better late than never):

Love to all of you first and foremost, we hope that you are all well. We are happy to announce that on September 23rd, Joshua released a 3 song EP digitally through iTunes called “Crash This Train / The Garden” EP. The song debuted at #1 on the itunes folk charts thanks to all of you’all out there showing support! There had been some clamoring for this song for quite a stretch of time, and we decided to go ahead and get it out there. The EP features a band version of “Crash This Train”, a new song called “The Garden”, and an acoustic verison of “Crash This Train” that Joshua recorded at his house. The “band” version of “Crash This Train”features the lovely Lex Land on back-up vocals who was out opening for Joshua on his summer tour. For any folks that have already ventured over to iTunes to buy the EP, we sincerely thank you!

Joshua was recently in Los Angeles putting some of the finishing touches on his 2nd full length album. We are all excited about releasing this record and will be getting it out there early in 2009. It is has been quite a journey getting the right songs down, etc, we are thoroughly excited… There will be an extensive Spring tour that Joshua and crew will be embarking on as well, so think “Spring, Spring, Spring!!!”.

As for the “holiday offer”… Some of you may already know about the holiday EP that Joshua and friends released last year called “Fields and Floods”. It is an album that Joshua recorded at his house which includes a group of holiday songs and one original “winter storm”, furthermore, we believe you might be missing out if you don’t have it. Throughout the months of November and December we are offering a free “Fields and Floods” EP (FREE FREE!!) to anyone purchasing a copy of “The Sun Is Always Brighter” on either CD or Vinyl. We have vinyl folks — it is deluxe 180 gram vinyl and includes an additional 7 inch record with the tracks “Winter Storm” and “Lovers Without Love”. Also a free download of the “The Sun Is Always Brigher” in high resolution MP3 format included with vinyl. So if you’re looking for a hard copy of “The Sun Is Always Brighter” November and December is the time to get one! Excellent gifts as well including an extra stocking stuffer
“Fields and Floods” EP with purchase.

And finally, we have the privilege to introduce to you an artist Joshua has been working with named “RuRu”. RuRu is a 16 year old singer-songwriter that wooed Joshua’s heart by playing around the utah frontier. Joshua and his accomplice of life, Mckay Stevens, sequestered RuRu earlier this year at Joshua’s home studio and recorded a debut album for this young maniac wonderboy. The album was named “Elizabeth” after RuRu’s mother who passed away a couple years ago from cancer. It is quite a compelling album with a depth of life experiences and emotions.You can go to Joshua’s label site Northplatte Records to learn more.

Thank you all for the continued support!!!! We wouldn’t be able to do this without you!

sincerely singing,

Joshua and brothers.

David Berkeley – Strange Light

Olivier — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 10:03:41 +0000

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.

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).

Carrie Elkin & Danny Schmidt on Tour !

Olivier — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 04:33:47 +0000

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.

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

Artist : Carrie Elkin – Danny Schmidt

Holcombe Waller – Into the Dark Unknown: the Hope Chest

Olivier — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:30:20 +0000

Another great reason to be as enthusiastic as Laura for this promising October Month is the forthcoming performance of Holcombe Waller. It’s been about two months, I’m exchanging some mails with this Portland based songwriter, requesting demos and asking for an interview. Following a kind message (review and interviews will come soon), I’ve received this announcement :

Dear world,

While insanity looms in the political arena and international markets crumble around us, let me invite you to a wonderful evening of music and video and light and ideas debuting in just two short weeks in Seattle.

“Into the Dark Unknown: The Hope Chest” is an original music theater performance that I have written about how we find hope in hopeless situations. It’s about transformation, and how we struggle with change – in ourselves and in the world around us. And, it’s about moving boxes, storage facilities, and of course, crushes on sexy people and long walks on the beach.

Funded and commissioned by a list of fabulous organizations you can read about on the project summary page here, “Into the Dark Unknown: The Hope Chest” represents the largest theatrical production I’ve ever created, incorporating contributions and feedback from a list of talented theatrical designers, artistic mentors, and a litany of life experiences both shitty and epiphanic. It is the traveling performance work to which my next album, “Into the Dark Unknown,” has merely become the companion piece (and yes, we’re working on it so announcements are forthcoming).

The show is October 2, 3 and 4 at 8pm at the lovely On the Boards (one of the commissioners). Thursday night we’ll have an after party mixer at the bar below the theater; Friday night we’ll have a post-show Q & A; Saturday night I’m having a raucous closing-night party at The Cuff.

If you’re in Seattle, please join us. If you’re in Portland, find that couch to crash on and come on up, we’re all going. For the rest of the world, please do forward this letter along to your friends. Reserving tickets is highly recommended:

You can read more about the show on On The Boards’ website. In 2009 it will be coming to New York, San Francisco, Portland, Vancouver BC, and hopefully other US and European destinations, so stay tuned for all that.

[...]

With love, from the grind,

Fans of Holcombe Waller will surely forgive me the easiness of the copy/paste use- indeed they’re no longer reading this post but are already on the above booking link. So, If you’re still reading my approximate English, it seems that you’re not already addicted to Mr Waller musical universe. Please consider as an immediate purchase his unique available album on the e-market : Trouble Times released in 2005 – if you had the opportunity to have found his two previous collections, drop me a mail ! This album is in my library for 2 months and his ranking is already reaching my top ten !

With an amazing four octave vocal range, Holcombe Waller is delivering his visions with poetry on some haunting melodies. Sometimes organic, sometimes acoustic, his tunes are beautifully crafted with the addition of some sweet electronic arrangements which deserved his compositions, comparisons with Bjork’s sound. Also compared to Morissey ( especially cited for teasing my friend Geordie), Peter Murphy and Jeff Buckley by Performing Songwriter, Waller’s writing seems to be a never-ending dense creative process blending elements of pop, jazz and folk, giving you the opportunity to travel his various musicscapes. A unique experience. Stop Talking. Here are the two tracks i’ve selected for you : ‘Literally the End of the World’ from Trouble Times and a live version of the forthcoming title album : Into The Dark Unknown. Enjoy.

Holcombe Waller singing a Jacques Brel song “Ces Gens Là”
at the work-in-progress performance of “Into the Dark Unknown: The Hope Chest”
at the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art’s Time-Based Arts Festival, September 2007, in Portland, Oregon USA

Artist : Holcombe Waller
Label : Pow Wow Now
Where to buy : cdbaby.com / Miles of Music (it’s a cracker !)
More Appetizers : @myspace.com / @youtube.com
(be sure to check on both sites, his cover of Buffy Sainte Marie : Qu’appelle Valley, Saskatchewan)
Who else should you enjoy ? Chris Garneau.

Sam Corbin – Goodnight Candlelight

Olivier — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 20:56:47 +0000

Sam Corbin with Jen Sygit at Scene Metrospace – East Lansing, MI

It’s been a long time that I didn’t introduce any artist from Michigan : Sam Corbin is the one we’re going to listen tonight. Do you remember The Stranglers ? Hum… I’m a fan. From the unforgettable 96 tears with the ‘Too many tear drops for one heart to be crying… ‘ to ‘La Folie’ through beautiful melodies suchs as Northwind blowing, the unsane ‘Let Me introduce you to my Family’, the famous ‘Always the sun’ – well I’m not here, at least not today, to drive you back in the 80s Stranglers glorious… – and also my favorite ‘Golden Brown’.

And here’s the point. While I was crawling deeply the web, I took a long deep and peaceful pause as soon as I’ve been caught by this song’s title ‘Golden Brown‘ : It was a month ago, on Sam Corbin’s myspace playlist the last track. How to resist giving a try : who dare covering such a gem ? Sam’s version is far from the Barrel Organ sounds of the Stranglers… but with an amazing finger-picking style he released a prowess delivering a sweet acoustic version of this untouchable song !

I was a click-away from a superb album : Goodnight Candlelight. The opening banjo-driven ‘Twenty three’, the ‘Masterpiece’ – which needs no other adjective – , ‘Dictator’ … Theses 3 intro songs are absolutely fantastic and so many albums will never reach this density… Including the ‘Golden Brown’ cover, the 6 other tracks, of this 10 (hum everything is fine Mr Alzheimer ! count on the hidden track ) songs collection are all deserving at least my 4 stars rating and an absolute 5 stars for the instrumental ‘Nothing to say’ !

Sam released his first full-length album “Goodnight Candlelight” in 2006, choosing a minimalist approach of mostly acoustic guitar and vocals. He recorded the album in his basement near Lansing, MI, with help from singer/songwriter Jen Sygit adding hints of Banjo, Uke, and vocal harmonies. In the fall of 2008 Sam will release his second full-length album, bringing to the lineup some of Michigan’s finest musicians! …
… In 2008 Sam teamed up with percussionist Billy Harrington. Playing on a single snare drum, Billy brought a whole new sound to the equation. Together, their songs travel from a soft whisper, to the rumbling drive of a freight train.

I didn’t get time to contact Sam in time (!!!), so I can’t confirm that the track ‘Kalamazoo‘ will appear on his sophomore -haha learning slowly… – album but if it’s a cover (shame on me for this lack of information) or a song of his own : it’s a ‘cracker’ !!! But no matter, Goodnight Candlelight could loop for a full year and more !

Artist : Sam Corbin
Label : none as usual
Where to buy : cdbaby.com as usual
More appetizers : @myspace …

Kreg Viesselman – The Well

Olivier — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 11:48:06 +0000

Since the release of Ray LaMontagne first single ‘You’re the best thing‘ from his forthcoming album ‘Gossip in the Grain’, and some early reviews ; discussions on the ‘Acre of Land‘ message board about his new style are impassioned. Maybe due to close voices, I’ve always drawn a parallel between RayLaMontagne and Kreg Viesselman ; at least in their early releases. If the first seems to enlarge his musical horizon, the second seems to keep digging the same furrow, and time is almost there for an upcoming collect of demos for his new album : as usual with this American songwriter, absolutely gorgeous !

I’ve discovered Minnesota native Kreg Viesselman, and now Oslo resident, with the release of his 2 years-old last album : ‘The Pull’. It’s a wonderful collection of Americana tunes, balancing from blues to gospel. It’s a must have while awaiting for Kreg’s forthcoming album.

Artist : Kreg Viesselman
Label : Red Kite Records
Where to buy : Red Kite Records / cdbaby.com / itunes
More Appetizers : @myspace.com

Doug Burr – The Shawl

Olivier — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 20:55:10 +0000

With two essential full lengths ‘The Sickle & the Sheaves‘ – 2003 and ‘On Promenade‘ released last year, Doug Burr is preparing a new opus : The Shawl ! And once again, I’ve got to deal with the delicate mix of religion in music.

…Mainly right now trying to keep working on new music. First up, The Shawl, a side project of material with lyrics pulled straight from the Psalms as penned by King David himself. We’ll be heading out to record this material at a remote location in an old, old building soon. Me and the band are really looking forward to this experience. We’ll be working with On Promenade’s chief producer, Britton Beisenherz, again on this one. This will be a collection of mellow, melancholy, but beatiful tunes, ones that I feel have a universal power to move people…because there’s just something about the Psalms. They’re unflinching in their honesty and ache. And next up, finishing up the writing phase for what I hope to be the follow-up to On Promenade…
Read more on Doug Burr’s official site.

For those like me, who love Doug Burr soft-acoustic tunes, but who are simply atheist, here’s a teasing track. For the others, listen to this new opportunity increasing both your faith for God and Mr Burr !

Well Good, I have to confess that you have found a perfect servant in the person of Mr Burr ! Even if I won’t join your herd, I will buy ‘The Shawl’ for both the music and those beautiful words, while awaiting for your coming album… I’m already chanting*!

Artist : Doug Burr
Label : Spune
Where to Buy : ‘The Sickle & the Sheaves’ is availalble @cdbaby or @itunes – ‘On promenade’ is available @ cdbaby.com, @spune or @itunes.
You should also enjoy : Fraser Anderson, Evan Goodberry
More Appetizers : @myspace.com
*in french psalmodier is the most accurate word… yeah I used to be part of a choir !

Wills and the Willings – Lipstick featuring Tom McRae !

Olivier — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 13:17:40 +0000

No ! I won’t promote a full rap-like album or I will ban myself from this blog forever ! But please, allow me to post a single song : rejuvenation is on my side and I can’t resist sharing it with you !
Taken from Wills and the Willings forthcoming album, Heroes & Villains, Lipstick is a thought-provoking track inspired by the London bombings of 2005. Main vocals are coming out from Tom McRae’s soprano voice.
By spending a mere buck you can help the victims/families of the London bombings of 7/7.

Lipstick – Wills and the Willings [4:18m]: Play Now | Play in Popup

Where to buy Lipstick Single ? Itunes (do it once !)

Guggenheim Grotto – Fee Da Da Dee

Trini — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 23:38:54 +0000

I recently was in Dublin, as some of you may already know, I had the privilege of listening to the entire new Guggenheim Grotto album. I was completely blown away. It is absolutely beautiful. From start to finish I felt as if I was taken on this mystical journey of emotions and in the end just felt complete. “Waking up in America” was recently released as a single but is not on this new album. “Fee Da Da Dee” is the first track off the new album. It is one of many of my favorites on this album. To my surprise I just received this little piece of information in my email box:

Irish Single Fee Da Da Dee released 11th July

Our NEW single Fee Da Da Dee will be available to buy exclusively from iTunes Ireland on the 11th of July. We’ve also added Fee Da Da Dee to our music player on our site so if you pop over to Guggenheim Grotto you can listen to it right now.

I’d love to know what everyone else thinks of Fee Da Da Dee. I just absolutely love it!

Guggenheim Grotto Music Player

The Accidental

Geordie — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:16:36 +0000

The Accidental are a band made up of various members of other bands. We have Stephen Cracknell from The memory band, Tunngs lead singer Sam Genders, Hanna Coughlin from The bicycle Thieves and a superb singer that is new to me by the name of Liam Bailey. Together they have created and just released their debut album There were wolves. It’s basically a mixture of all those above bands sounds, whispered harmonies, couple of acoustic guitars, bit of piano,harp, bass and some accordian. This has fence collective sound all over it, not surprising giving that The bicycle thieves are on that label. Free download ‘Illuminated red’ wouldn’t sound odd on a James Yorkston album but as I say it’s a collection of sounds you would find in any of their other bands. Don’t get me wrong this is no bad thing, it’s superb from begining to end. I read in an interview they were trying to intergrate into it something similar to Panda Bear which you can hear at times. Often it sounds to me like it’s improvised in parts or at least the final cut is something that has been created from sitting down and just playing and see what they come up and then giving it a good polish. See what you think.

The Accidental -Time and space

Say it ain’t So – Mark Berube

Olivier — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 20:25:36 +0000

Do you remember ? ‘Do you remember some warm september… one sunny afternoon…‘ I can’t resist dealing with a song called ‘Say it ain’t so’ and not evoke Murray Head. Murry Head ? One night in Bangkok ? ouch.. forget this one ! Prefer : Mademoiselle, Children only play (Do you remember…), Cocktail Molotov, Los Angeles, Never even thought, Last daze of an empire, Say it ain’t so, Joe… Well, Murray Head !

In a different style, but both inspired and talented, – and comparisons must being stopped here – Mark Berube as written down his own ‘Say it Ain’t So’… and it seems that his new sister-album, from his magnificent ‘What the river gave the boat‘ ; ‘What the boat gave the river’ – which is not a clean catholic concept – is already recorded, and will be available around august / september.

In the meantime, listen to this fabulous ‘Say it ain’t so’ recorded live @ the Cultch in Vancouver and check Mark Berube’s myspace page to listen to couple tracks from his forthcoming album : ‘Yesterday’s Halo’, ‘Flowers on the Stones’, ‘Minus 17′ are already rated 5 stars on my itunes library : singular symphonies oscillating between chamber pop and folk ; powerful lyrics ; an accurate sense of the melody ; and above all a blessing talent for sharing his music !

Artist : Mark Berube
Label : none
If you love the sound of this piano song, you should also enjoy Arlan Feiles

Shearwater – Rook

Olivier — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 07:19:10 +0000

I’m a long time fan of Austin Okkervil River and of their two dissidents, singer/songwriter Will Sheff and keyboard/accordionist Jonathan Meiburg who founded Shearwater. Their new opus ‘Rook’ is available from today (3rd of June), almost (North Col, 11th track is only available from the LP version) fully streamable from their myspace player.

Don’t miss a single track ! The band really captured the best of their art !

Band : Shearwater
Label : Matador Records
Where to buy : Matador Records
You should also enjoy : Camphor, Great Lake Swimmers

Aimee Mann – @%&*!Smilers

Olivier — Fri, 30 May 2008 17:17:45 +0000

Just a quick reminder for all of You Crazy Dreamers… Aimee Mann forthcoming album will be released, June the 3rd !

Colby Stead announces new Album

Olivier — Sat, 24 May 2008 08:48:12 +0000

So It Goes, Colby Stead’s 2008 collection will be released on 31st of May.
Be sure to check his website and myspace page for dates and cd availability. Count on me for a complete review in the coming weeks.

Fargo Records free digital sampler

Olivier — Tue, 13 May 2008 09:21:30 +0000

Here’s what I’ve found in my junkmail… Call me a spammer, but I can’t resist sharing with you this message from one of the best Indie French Label : Fargo Records.

Summer is almost there… blah blah… To get our new 8 tracks sampler, just click here and fill in the ‘fargo‘ password and your e-mail address, you’ll received an e-mail with a link to download it – even if the mail is in French, you won’t be lost !

Find below the tracks listing :

1. Alela Diane : The Rifle ( from The Pirate’s Gospel)
2. Alela Diane : Pink Roses (unreleased yet) !
3. Dawn landes : Kids In A Play (from Fireproof)
4. Jesse Sykes & The Sweet Hereafter : The Air Is Thin ( from Like, love, Lust & the Open Halls Of the Soul)
5. Chris Garneau : Relief (from Music For Tourists)
6. Chris Garneau : Saturday – (unreleased yet) !
7. Laetitia Sheriff : Hulabaloo My T.V. Ratings – (To be released on Games Over – May 27th) !
8. Clare & The Reasons : Pluto – (To be released on The Movie – August 26th) !

Even if some are already favorites (Alela Diane, Dawn Landes, Jesse Sykes, Chris Garneau), those unreleased should teased your curiosity. Enjoy !

Old Lost John is touring UK

Olivier — Sat, 10 May 2008 08:27:02 +0000

After couple dates in Germany this last February, Tomas Thunberg a.k.a Old Lost John is currently in UK for few gigs… Check his website to listen to his recent live performance and be sure to check his british schedule.
Geordie, there’s also a special show for you, right around your corner : hope you’ll find time to join !

This is the schedule:

May 10 2008 8:00P – Cavendish Arms (Stockwell) London, United Kingdom
May 11 2008 6:00P – Come Down and Meet the Folks (The Apple Tree) London, United Kingdom
May 14 2008 8:30P – The Bee’s Mouth Brighton, United Kingdom
May 15 2008 8:00 – The Rooms St Leonards-on-Sea, United Kingdom
May 16 2008 8:00P – The Smugglers Hastings, United Kingdom

The Guggenheim Grotto – Waking Up In America

Trini — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 21:17:05 +0000

So it’s been more like the Busy Crazy Dreamer, I speak for myself that is, sorry it’s been a while since the rest of us of posted anything. Things have been really busy as of late.

So NEWS!! Yes, the Guggi’s have a new album coming out this year and will be releasing their new single on May 2nd in Ireland. You can venture over to their new website, looking spiffy I might add, if you’d like to listen to the new song. If you’re not already on their mailing list, get on it! New’s below from the guys.

Hello there,

NEW WEBSITE: Today we launch our brand new website and we’d love you to come visit it. Besides the obvious new look, themed around the artwork from our forthcoming second album “Happy The Man”, we’ve provided lots more opportunity for you to get involved in the site and you can now drop us a message beneath blogs, photos, videos and of course the forum. Over the next few weeks we’ll be adding lots of new content too as we gear up for the release of “Happy The Man” so be sure to drop in on us.

NEW SINGLE: We’re also delighted to announce the Irish release of our new single ‘Waking Up In America’. Already it’s been playlisted on 2FM and Radio 1 so feel free to ring/text into your favourite Irish DJ and request it. You can also listen to ‘Waking Up In America’ on the jukebox at www.guggenheimgrotto.com.The single will be available to buy exclusively from iTunes Ireland on May 2nd.

NEW IRISH TOUR DATES:
(Acoustic Shows featuring Kevin & Mick)

May 6th: Dublin – Ruby Sessions, Doyles Pub, Fleet Street.
May 9th: Kilkenny – Cleeres Theatre
May 13th: Wexford – Wexford Song Club, The Sky and Ground Pub
May 16th: Galway – Upstairs in Roisin Dubh
May 27th: Dublin – Bewley’s Cafe, Grafton Street
June 1st: Mullingar – The Stables

Full band Irish tour planned for June. Details to be announced on website.

Cheers,

TGG

La Môme – Edith Piaf

Olivier — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 10:19:30 +0000

French movie industry is celebrating ‘The Cesars’ tonight and a movie has been nominated couple times. It’s the same movie that has also been nominated for US ‘Oscars’ : La Môme (which means something like ‘The Kid’ – La Vie En Rose is the title in English-speaking territories). I can’t escape this special occasion to stream you a song from Edith Piaf : L’hymne à l’amour – as I’ve failed to post any love songs for Valentine’s day ! Find below a cover from My Brightest Diamond – another version of this cover could be found here.

Tindersticks – New album : The Hungry Saw

Olivier — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 16:53:04 +0000

Stuart Staples, David Boulder and Neil Fraser are back with Tinkersticks for a new album. The Hungry Saw has been recorded in France – Limousin and will be available on April the 28th from Beggars Banquet.
According to their myspace page : “The band has simultaneously stripped down to its core and expanded into a larger family of musicians – some familiar faces, some new ones. This fresh input, along with the perspective of our time away, seems to have made us rediscover the soul of the band.”

Listen to the new song : The flicker of a little girl from this coming release !

FAWM – February Album Writing Month

Olivier — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 11:01:36 +0000

14 songs in 28 days is the challenge ! What’s the story behind this unbelievable concept ?

Back in 2003, Burr Settles a singer songwriter from Madison WI completed a short novel for National Novel Writing Month. Following this writing experience, Burr decided with 3 friends to transpose this creativity exercise to songwriting using a weblog to share compositions and comments.

This 2008 edition is on and already more than 1000 FAWMers (understand FAWM participants) are already registered and gave birth to more than 2000 songs !

YCD : Bonjour Burr, as both the FAWMaster and as a regular FAWMer how you doin’ ?
Burr Settles : Ça va bien, merci! This February is much busier than previous FAWMs for me… I’m a graduate student and have a full-time job in addition to volunteering to run the project. So I’ve fallen a little behind schedule in terms of songwriting. Of course, I’m also working with a handicap this year since I usually write acoustic indie/country/folk songs, and I’ve banned myself from the acoustic guitar this year to stretch myself. I’ve written punk, R&B/soul, and a French reggae tune so far. On the other hand, when I do find the time to sit down and write, I’ve been able to bang out songs more quickly than in the past, I think… probably due to the years of practice. (This is my fifth year doing FAWM).

YCD : 14 and 1/2 songs in 29 days is simply awesome ! Have you got couple stats from the previous years ? How many songwriters succeed / failed ?
Burr Settles : The challenge is usually “14 Songs In 28 Days.” 2008 being a leap year with 29 days, though, we decided to challenge everyone to try an extra “1/2″ song, or to take part in a songwriting collaboration. There has been more of that going on each year at FAWM, so this year we thought we’d encourage it outright.
Last year, we had over 800 register, but only 250 or so took it seriously. Of those, about half crossed the finish line with at least 14 songs (almost 2,700 new songs total). Each year, FAWM roughly doubles in size, so I’m guessing we’ll see over 500 serious fawmers… and maybe more than 250 “winners.” We’re 12 days in this so far and have almost 1,900 finished songs logged on the site, so that says something!

YCD : Having a quick look over your shoulder, how do you feel about this project ?
Burr Settles : I love it. It’s funny, because I selfishly started FAWM in 2004 as a way to force myself to write songs and be accountable to that. But the community of songwriters it’s grown into is really the best part of it these days. There’s a spirit of creativity and competition — not against one another, but to better one another. Fawmers come from all over the world, write in every possible genre, and range from music industry professionals to folks who have never finished a song before. It’s a remarkably safe and fun place to try and stretch yourself musically. I’m really humbled to have played a role facilitating that.

I’ve discovered FAWM last year and it gave me the opportunity to listened to Old Lost John aka Tomas Thunberg, Isaac Quatorze, Phil Norman and Burr Settles !

If statistics prove that Valentine’s day is increasing November births, sure this 2008 FAWM edition will be the craddle of some new and talented songwriters. If I dare to draw one more sexual parallel, let’s say that FAWM.org is also the perfect place to extirpate yourself from an unfruitful muscial solo-masturbation !

To help you start amongst these crowds of songwriters, I’ve selected from this first half of FAWM, couple songs – which for sure is so restrictive. The best way to get through FAWM is to stick your browser on the FAWM Jukebox page and open up your ears !

I would like to thank Phil Norman and Steve Guiles for allowing me to share their songs on YCD, and also Burr Settles for his kindness answering my questions, and his French speaking ! You can support the project with donations and/or buying the FAWM 2007 cd : “14 Songs In 28 Days (Volume 3)“.

Tobias Froberg – News

Trini — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 07:03:50 +0000

Tobias Froberg has released two albums, For Elisabeth Wherever You Are and Somewhere in the City.

You can have a listen off his myspace page or his official website.

News January 2008: The new album Turn Heads is mastered and ready to be launched. But first, Tobias will go to New Orleans to produce swedish-american singer Theresa Anderson’s new album.

The Guggenheim Grotto – News

Trini — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 01:30:54 +0000

Let me just warn you all that this will not be the first nor last time you’ll be reading about these amazing lads. Not only do I love them dearly but their music is truly amazing. “Cold Truth” was the first song I listened to and let me tell you, I instantly fell in love with them.

This song was off their first EP which you can find on their official website. I can’t wait for the new album to come out this year. Be assured I will be posting the news when that happens. You can find them on myspace and facebook.

News from The Guggenheim Grotto

Happy New Year!

2008 got off to a great start for the band with the U.S. release of ‘Across The Pond‘.

Compiled and released by Starbucks Entertainment/Hear Music, ‘Across The Pond‘ features tracks by yours truly, Amy Winehouse, Damien Rice, The Fratellis, Lily Allen, and more of “The UK’s Best and Brightest”.

Speaking of new releases… Album No. 2 is well underway and we’ll keep you posted when there’s a firm release date in sight.
Check back soon for updates/pictures/video of the recording process.

We’ve just completed a song (taken from our new Album) in the Irish language for the forthcoming ‘Ceol ‘08‘ Album which is due for an Irish release later this year.
All proceeds go to charity, check out Seachtain na Gaeilge’s website for updates on this great project.

Hopefully coming to a cinema near you soon… ‘Philosophia’, the opening track from our Debut Album ‘…Waltzing Alone’ is featured in the new, award winning independent movie, ‘The Education Of Charlie Banks‘.
Check out this link for more info.

Every year listener supported WFUV release an exclusive CD of their favourite live performances from their Studio A. We’re delighted to be part of it this year with a live version of our ‘Wonderful Wizard’ featuring on it. Click here for more details.

Thank you for all the great messages of congratulations, encouragement and support over the past few months. The new Album’s on the way, 2008 is shaping up to be a busy one… once again, thanks for listening.

T.G.G.

Fingerprints – Matt Costa

Trini — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 22:27:57 +0000

First off, I want to wish everyone a very Happy New Year! Before you all go out to celebrate the new year I want to leave you with a bit of news from my favorite indie record shop Fingerprints. If you live near by this is a sale you don’t want to miss. If you’re a fan of Matt Costa and you want to see him up close, buy your album January 2nd.

Whole Lotta Sale

Tuesday, January 1st, 12:00pm – 7:00pm SALE
Next, the SALE;We will be opening at a very hang-over friendly noon on January 1st and we will be offering a store-wide 15% off discount on every new item, including CDs, LPs, DVDs, books, and toys, plus a whopping $2 off all used CDs over $3.99. Start your day with a heaping plate of goodness at one of the gloriously greasy breakfast places on 4th St. and then drag your bones on down to get 2008 off to a nicely priced start.

Matt Costa Returns!

January 22nd, 10:00am – 6:00pm
Private Matt Costa in-store to follow
And finally, the real party:January 22nd finds our small town hero Matt Costa releasing his second full-length album and we’re going to kick it off properly, with a house-party. This will be a “closed to the public” event, with wristbands available to anyone in our Live Music Appreciation Society (that would be you, if you’re on this email list) who pre-buys Matt’s new album before January 21st (after the 21st, if there are any left, they will distributed on a first come, first served basis – but we all know how these things work out….) We will be closing at 6:00pm on this night, with Matt performing a live set beginning right about 7:00pm for all who managed to get a wristband. If you are unfamiliar with Matt you are missing out, he is a fantastic songwriter, a great live performer, and a good friend. Check out his Wikipedia page for an intro, then pop over to his mySpace page to sample some of his new music. The pre-sale begins on January 2nd at 10:00am for walk-ups, 11:00am for phone-ins, and aren’t recommended for internet shoppers. One wristband per CD purchased, limit of 2 per person. Please note these are not transferable (unless it’s like an emergency and we find you to be both familiar and convincing).

Click to pre-buy Matt’s Unfamiliar Faces

Bon Iver – New Update

Trini — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 21:41:42 +0000

Just received this wonderful piece of new from Bon Iver’s myspace page:

Album Release Date, Artwork.

Hey Everybody!

It’s been a while and a great deal has been happening!

We’ve been getting lots of emails in regards to how/where to get the album! Well, here’s the latest:

For Emma, Forever Ago is set to be released nation-wide on Jagjaguwar Records on February 19th, 2008.

And, here’s the artwork:

Fred Chichin R.I.P.

Olivier — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 16:28:35 +0000

Damned coincidence ! I was checking ‘Because‘ website Syd matter’s record label, in order to get more information about his coming dates in New York… and i’ve read a press release announcing the death of Fred Chichin, Rita Mitsouko’s frontman. Such a sad sad day.

Ghost Days – Syd Matters new 2008 album

Olivier — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 16:25:08 +0000

One more step in my french tour, and we’re already projected in the coming year, with the announce of Syd Matters third full length on January the 14th : Ghost Days.

Syd Matters is Jonathan Morali scene name : a mix between the two Pink Floyd members (Syd Barrett / Roger Waters) which betrays the parisian songwriter’s backgrounds.

An Ep called Everything Else is plan to be release in the coming days (december the 3rd, listen to the album title. I’ve also post a song from his first album A Whisper And A Sigh released in 2003.

Syd Matters is touring from November 28th to December 4th with his four-piece band in New York. Check his website or his space page for full dates.

Songza – Ray LaMontagne – Finding Music

Trini — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 07:22:40 +0000

First off just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving Day. It’s been along day of preparation, cooking and celebrating the many things we have to be thankful for.

I was checking some emails and getting ready to wind down for bed when I stumbled upon this very cool website and thought I would share it with you all. Here’s a little about the Songza

Where Does Songza Come from?

Songza is the brainchild of 23-year-old Aza Raskin — the president of Chicago-based software company Humanized, Inc., and the son of Apple Macintosh founder Jef Raskin. Over the course of a month, he and Humanized’s Web/Systems Architect Scott Robbin worked weekends to bring the idea to life. The site launched on November 8, 2007 and instantly generated significant buzz around the world. Hundreds of bloggers and news writers have praised its elegant user interface, beautiful design, and all-around utility.

Like all good ideas, both the concept and design came to Aza while he was in the shower.

I thought I’d try it out with who else but Ray LaMontagne. He is simply amazing, hearing this song just reminds me of how much I miss seeing him perform. I can’t wait until he starts touring in the states again.

Here’s a link to You Are The Best Thing. This site gives you the option to create a playlist, share the song, view it on youtube or embed it on your own site. I thought it was pretty cool, hope you all enjoy it as well.

Joshua James announces “Fields & Floods” official release

Olivier — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 04:49:39 +0000

Immediately after streaming his first full length album from his website, I went out and bought Joshua James previous two EP’s including ‘B-Sides It’s Dark Outside’ and ‘Fields & Floods’ right from his myspace page released this past February.

‘Fields & Floods‘ is a collection of traditional Christmas songs – which I have to confess are far to much for my mood. Not only because we were in February, but especially because I don’t like Xmas songs. The only one song I came to appreciated was ‘O Tannenbaum’. Tastes and colours… anyway, when sung with the proper accent ‘O Tannenbaum’ is a really great tune : what a satisfaction to watch children’s eyes full of joy – things can spoil if those afore mentioned kids decided to sing it along with you – so be careful, do not repeat the chorus too many times ! Sure you’ll pardon me with my interlude – experiences deserve the sharing…

So I’ve received an e-press release this morning from Joshua James announcing the Official release of ‘Fields & Floods’. I can’t stand those kind of marketing strategy (but who wants to listen to Xmas songs in February ?) – I have to recognize all the talent he has pushed in those intimate versions.

“This collection was recorded at my home studio from 2006 to the present. I played all of the instruments on the record including: guitar, drums, keyboards, glockenspiel, bass, banjo, mandolin, and accordion. I wanted to do the whole thing by myself to make sure that I liked all of the production on it.”

Well impressive ! More ! I have to admit that my audio player is looping regularly on a couple of these beautiful songs no matter the season – God forgives me ! One of my favorite on Fields & Floods is his version of ‘Veni Veni Emmanuel‘ which is a really old song. Couple sources dated its lyrics from the 8th century and music : 15th century French plain song melody. On Fields & Floods original release, this track is the hidden eleventh. It appears that the iTunes version contains only 7 tracks ! No better advice than to check first Joshua James website for buying this great collection including the amazing and original track : ‘Winter Storm‘ !

If you really prefer ‘O Tannenbaum’, thanks to leave this website right now !
If not, you should absolutely buy the ‘B-Sides It’s Dark Outside’ at the same time.

Matt Nathanson – Some Mad Hope

Trini — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 22:52:51 +0000

Wednesday, Nov. 7th, 7:00pm – Matt Nathanson In-Store Performance @ Fingerprints

Opened my email account today and found this little piece of news from my favorite indie record shop Fingerprints. I’ve reserved my spot, can’t wait to see him live. I have a feeling this is going to be a treat.

Matt is a phenomenon…a quiet phenomenon, but a phenomenon none the less. He managed to beat us to the announcement on this one and we are, in less than 24 hours, at almost 50% capacity. This is a Jack Johnson level of excitement, so if you have the night free please call us immediately and we’ll get you on the guest list. Matt’s music is emotional, loaded with songs that explore the heavy things: life, death, relationships – I guess that’s kind of the usual stuff for songwriters (who don’t just write about beers and girls) but Matt brings a pretty fresh look and feel to these topics (check out the Car Crash link below) and beside the food-for thought aspect of his songs, you get the genuine feeling that he’s a decent guy.

Here’s a bit from his bio:
Nathanson lived his life as the very model of the modern independent artist, journeying from town to town, logging literally hundreds of thousands of miles, all the while captivating audiences with his confessional songs and spontaneous, uncensored stage banter. This hard work has garnered Nathanson a remarkably devoted following — folks willing to cross many a state line to spend a couple of hours communing with Matt and his band (and to spread the gospel through an intricate network dedicated to trading recordings of the live shows). Matt has toured as the opening act for Tori Amos, John Mayer, Guster, and O.A.R. but is currently on a sold-out headline our (He sold out the Troubadour in one day!)

Matt says of the new album “I think of [Some Mad Hope] as an album in the classic sense and not just a collection of songs. There’s definitely a theme there, a tracing of the ups and downs of a relationship. It gets dark in places, but it ends on a note that’s hopeful — it’s not cut-and-dried, but it points to the future in a way that I see as positive.”

Elvis Perkins in Paris

Olivier — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 10:53:55 +0000

Check this recent take-away show from La Blogothèque featuring Elvis Perkins. Two great tracks are amazingly captured in Paris. I wish, I had more time to write a couple of lines about Elvis Perkins but those days are just so busy…
Don’t hesitate to comment !

Ciao Pavarotti

Olivier — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 07:56:33 +0000

Even if information will be published everywhere, I can’t imagine running an audio blog without sharing my emotion about one of the best known vocal performer Luciano Pavarotti who dies this 6th september.

Here’s the song ‘Miss Sarajevo’ from ‘The Passengers’ (Brian Eno – Bono – Adam Clayton – The Edge – Craig Armstrong and Luciano Pavarotti – tenor voice on this song), released in 1995.

Dici che il fiume
Trova la via al mare
E come il fiume
Giungerai a me
Oltre i confini
E le terre assetate
Dici che come fiume
Come fiume…
L’amore giunger
L’amore…
E non so più pregare
E nell’amore non so più sperare
E quell’amore non so più aspettare

It’s said that a river
Finds the way to the sea
And like the river
You shall come to me
Beyond the borders
And the thirsty lands
You say that as a river
Like a river…
Love shall come
Love…
And I’m not able to pray anymore
And I cannot hope in love anymore
And I cannot wait for love anymore