Saturday, March 5, 2011

Winter's Bone - Soundtrack


This is the soundtrack to a movie by the same name. Its set in the Ozark Mountains and features a slew of obscure and weird americana/bluegrass. really great stuff for those of you who want dig a little deeper into the mountain music being created these days. this is the deliverance of our generation.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Sol Invictus - Trees In Winter


I shouldn't have to explain how important this band is and that every record released is an automatic classic. So I won't.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Lori McKenna - The Luxury of Knowing



This is currently my new favorite song. Also, Keith Urban did a surprisingly good cover of it as well.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Krallice - The Clearing (Track)

According to the Stereogum story, this isn't the finalized cover of the record Krallice is set to release in April via Profound Lore records, but it is called Diotima and this track is off of it. Check it out because its pretty freaking amazing. Like really fucking amazing.

Portal - Vessel of Balon (Live)

Friday, January 28, 2011

Vince Gill - Turn Me Loose

Vince Gill occupies a peculiar place in the world of country music. On one hand he's a mega country super star hit maker Nashville heavyweight, who can pretty much shit in a bag and the Grand Ole Opry is going to push it like its the second coming of ET. On another hand he's a serious student of the guitar and can actually play, he writes virtually all of his own material (extremely rare in CCM these days). He's also a C&W cameleon. He's like the Ryan Adams of country music who will do records that have a particular focus. Recording everything from rock to bluegrass and traditional westerns. He's also that country guy that when you talk to real outlaw old school country guys and all they do is rag on the current state of Nashville and country music, when you bring up Vince Gill, people usually have to make a huge exception for him. Everyone loves Vince and you better get used to it. Here is Vince's first album. its not as focused as his later works but you can see what kind of potential this guy had from day one. He also wrote 6 out of the 8 songs. I'd say this is up there with the greats of country music debuts, along side Lyle Lovett's first record. Which in my opinion is the strongest.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Midlake - The Courage of Others

I don't know what to think of this. WUMB plays tracks from this album all the time and yeah its folky but its really really dark like almost in a Neofolk kind of way but its really indie, kind of like how The Decemberists are folky and indie. I don't know. They're from Texas but sound like they could be from Oregon or Cascadia or somewhere lush and spooky. Even the cover art of creepy. Check it out and let me know what you think via comments. I personally love this record.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Brett Detar - Bird In The Tangle


Lets see. He played guitar in the seminal metal band Zao (when they were actually good). He handled lead vocal duties in The Juliana Theory. What else is there for Brett Detar to do you ask? Well the answer is record an Americana/Country record!!! yeah. I'm sure you thought exactly what i thought when you realized who in fact Brett Detar was and saw this record.  Brett may be having the last laugh after all. He knows Zao was appropriate for the time and The Juliana Theory were bigger than they were ever good so what does he do? He makes his full length foray into roots music free to the general public via his website. So you end up like i did asking yourself the following question. What do i have to lose? Its free so if it doesn't quite hit the mark like Bretts prior endeavors, no harm no foul. So go to the link. download the record, and enjoy what could be one of the strongest releases of 2010 that only 9,598 people (facebook likes as of today) have heard. 

Friday, January 21, 2011

Larkin Poe - Fall


Larkin Poe are a bluegrass duo from Georgia who also made up 2/3 of the country trio The Lovell Sisters.  I would in no way call this amazing. There are many other outfits doing this style of sultry female southern bluegrass better than Larkin Poe (Rebecca Loebe, Sahara Smith, Sarah Jarosz) but this particular ep (one out of three released so far dedicated to the seasons of the year) is pretty good. There isn't really any flexing of musical chops and the delivery of vocals seem to be held back. Not sure if its due to production or just general inexperience in recording. The songs are catchy and as you'll see the two chicks are so ridiculously hot you can't help but like this. I will watch out for these two and see whats next.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Classic Black Metal Record #1


This is one of the first BM records I ever heard after hearing a track off it on a BM compilation entitled "Firestarter". It was released in 1997. Its their last good record in my opinion.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Faagrim - Blutfrost


This is very typical BM in the vein of what Darkthrone pioneered, and what bands like Sarke and Watain have really perfected over the years. Normally i'm not into this style of BM but for some reason though i like it. Maybe its growing on me because more bands are doing it these days and I don't have any choice but to either come around to it or abandon BM completely or limit myself to loving Xasthur clones. Could be I'm finally just "getting" it after lambasting it for years. Whatever. Enjoy.

Friday, January 14, 2011

Porter Wagoner - What Ain't To Be, Just Might Happen


You have to love this just because of quite possibly the scariest album cover in the history of country music and for the song "The Rubber Room." Who knows what drugs Mr. Wagoner was on when he decided to record that one.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Mary Gauthier - The Foundling


This is one of the better folk records to come out last year. Its a concept album and its quite dark. it was also produced by one of the members of The Cowboy Junkies. Highly recommended.


Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Forseti Lebt

This is a great compilation featuring some heavy weights in the Neo Folk scene.  Death In June, Sonne Hagal, Waldteufel, Lux Interna, Fire and Ice, Of The Wand and The Moon and Darkwood among others. A really good introduction to some of the greats of the genre.

Sahara Smith - Thousand Secrets


Sahara Smiths 2010 debut "Myth of The Heart" is probably the finest debut to come out last year. Especially in the Folk/Americana scene. This is the first track on the record and quite frankly my favorite.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Rebecca Loebe - Married Man


Rebecca Loebe's new record "Mystery Prize" is one of the finest debuts of 2010. This is my favorite song off the record. Enjoy.