Last night's Mountain Stage concert featured Bearfoot, The Sweetback Sisters, Katie Costello, Fitz & the Tantrums and Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers. Let's be honest here. I really only went to the concert for The Sweetback Sisters and Fitz & the Tantrums. As vastly different as the two bands are, they were equally entertaining and [...]
Bearfoot - Like many of their "new acoustic" contemporaries from Nickel Creek to Joy Kills Sorrow, recently transplanted Nashville quintet uses bluegrass instruments and traditions not to look back but move forward...a move from Alaska to Music City brought in three new members including lead singer and songwriter Nora Jane Struthers // Release : American Story (September 27, Compass) // Sounds like : while there's a strong strain of unvarnished "new timey" bluegrass, American story is primarily one of a broader swath of Americana roots music -- nimble, ultra-tight harmonies and contemporary [...]

Of course you do! Four days of music, dance, art and education in the heart of North Carolina, what could be a better way to spend fall break? The Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance is holding its Fall Festival October 6-9 in Chatham County. Over 60 bands, including Béla Fleck & The Flecktones , Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings , Donna the Buffalo , Brett Dennen , Sidi Touré , The Duhks , Rosie Ledet , Nawal , Preston Frank , Emmit-Nershi Band , Eilen Jewell , Toubab Krewe , Bearfoot [...]

The last few weeks have been busy on my end, prompting us to stick to thematic posts and reposts. But the floodgates never close on the inbox passalongs and blogsources - and with almost three years of posts under our lifebelts, the rising tide of flotsam and jetsam falls easily into line with the water table. Looks like it's high time for another edition of our popular (Re)Covered series, featuring new and newly-discovered songs that bobbed to the surface just a little too late to make it into the original posts where [...]
Train: Hmmm....I feel like you're trying to hint at something Axel. Axel: Why, whatever do you mean dear Train?? Train: Well it's just that...nevermind. See what you think about these... Rufus Wainwright - Across The Universe (Beatles cover) [audio: http://mp3muffin.com/train/ruf usuniverse.mp3] Eels - I'm A Loser (Beatles cover) [audio: http://mp3muffin.com/train/eel sloser.mp3] Easy Star All-Stars - Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds ...

the dimes-watching the wheels (John Lennon cover) Portland Band (see Portland's Best Kept Secret Post) Sonoa-Everything In Its Right Place (Radiohead) Bell X1- Heartlands (U2 cover) Don't Let Me Down-Bearfoot (Beatles) Spike Drivers Blues -Laura Veirs aka [...]

As the past recedes, the process of discovery and uncovery continues unabated. Though what's written is written, mailbags still swell, and readers still follow up on our work here at Cover Lay Down with news of covers from far and wide. Happily, there's (Re)Covered: an ongoing feature in which we return to subjects gone by in order to continue to bring you the newest and the best in coverfolk. Today, our tenth installment in the popular series. Cover Lay Down was [...]

It has been hot Hot HOT around here lately. We're talking take-your-shoes-off-and-wade-i n-your-kid's-new-elephant-po ol hot. Needless to say, The Family Straw has been shoe-less for three days. Barefoot in fact. Not to be confused with the hot Hot HOT bluegrass band from Anchorage, Alaska – Bearfoot. We caught them at last year's Philly Folk Fest – more on this year's PFF tomorrow. I was impressed. They have a new album out – Doors And Windows – on Compass Records . Sample two tracks below. Listen: Bearfoot ∞ [...]
It's Friday and it's spring...you know what that means: time for a spring-approved Friday Mixtape! Ok, so maybe there isn't anything really springy about the collection of singles, remixes, covers, along with the mp3s from some up-and-comers you just might want to check out, but it sure as hell is worth the listen, and should help make your spring Friday a bit more musically awesome. NEW Singles: "Fake IDs" by Deleted Scenes "Counterpoint" by Delphic "Future [...]
Today's free and legal mp3 downloads: Autopilot Is For Lovers : "Pine Box Town" [mp3] from To the Wolves other Autopilot Is For Lovers posts at Largehearted Boy Bearfoot : "Oh MY Love" [mp3] from Doors and Windows Bearfoot : "Single Girl" [mp3] from Doors [...]

King Khan The two hottest releases of the week come from King Khan and The Shrines and Floating Action . Khan's album What Is?! was originally released in July of 2007. It contains the classics "Welfare Bread", "Land of The Freak", "No Regrets", "Le Fils Du Jaques Dutronc" and "69 Faces of Love." This guy is going to have a breakout year. He puts on one of the most entertaining and rocking shows that I've seen in the past couple years. His performances command your attention - you will [...]
Traditional Bluegrass meets contemporary acoustic.