Not a review (as i don't have the album, yet) but more of a heads up that Elephant Micah (who i last wrote about here ) has a new album out on 31st January. It's available on vinyl too and you can order if from his webpage here as well as grab a free track called 'If I was a Surfer'. If this song is representative of the album then we're in for a real treat. Amazing song from one of America's most gifted talents. He never releases anything less than brilliant as far as i'm concerned.
Rather than put this particular list in any order of preference or to only choose a certain amount of albums, i'm just going to list the albums that have really struck me as my favourites of 2011 and let you be the judge. All i will say is that i think it's been a pretty good year for music, especially at a roots and small, indie label level and i personally hope this trend continues into 2012 and beyond. It's further proof that if you are making good music and bringing it to your live shows, word of mouth still [...]
How Lucky Jim is not a household name by now is beyond me. I can't fathom it all. Having wrote about him here 3 years ago and interviewing him for his outstanding album True North , i was convinced that his time had finally arrived. In fairness it should have been with his previous releases when he was signed to Skint records that he became a household name but for whatever reasons it just didn't happen regardless of those albums receiving great reviews across the music press. He has now bettered all those albums in my opinion [...]
One of the best discoveries for me over the last couple of years is Mark Wynn . Apparently he's from York but looking at his tour schedule i'm not sure how much time he spends there, he is constantly on the road playing shows the length and breadth of the UK and often travelling pretty big distances between one show and the other and then back again. His latest, self released offering is Stories, Rags & Stomps , a 9 track country/blues album that is as good as anything i've [...]
Over the last week or so, having been inspired by one of my favourite t.v shows, Who Do You Think You Are? , I have been trying to compile my family tree. Not only is it highly addictive but also a stark reminder of how fragile our existence really is, what seem like very small, almost forgotten moments in someone's life at the time of occurrence, in the end are just as important as any other, everything has an effect on the future of not only them but also, ultimately, us which leads me nicely to the new album by [...]
A while back our very own Sandy wrote about Wentworth Kersey in his 'Song o' Day' series . Since then i've tried to keep half an eye out on their endeavours but it's harder than it appears when each release comes under a new pseudonym. For example, the album before this new one, came out under the name George & Caplin and if i remember correctly it was sent to me with what looked like an old newspaper from some old, forgotten town and inside the cd case was a library card saying there was [...]
One of the most anticipated albums for me this year is The Deep Dark Woods . Their 2009 album Winter Hours was in my top albums of that year and their new one, The Place I Left Behind is now becoming a firm favourite of 2011. There are many things to love about TDDW. Their consistency for one. In all their four releases so far they have yet to make a bad one, in fact it's very difficult to put them in order of preference because they are all outstanding. Like [...]
Regular readers of this blog will know what a massive fan of Serious Sam Barrett i am having wrote about him way back here and here . With a new album due out hopefully later in the year, for now he's got together with his good friends and fanatastic rock 'n' roll band from Alabama, The Pine Hill Haints and are about to release a joint 103 record on Yadig Records . Comprising of two tracks each, Sam's Rock 'n' Roll Heart is a song about the break down of [...]
It's almost four years since I posted on here about New York band Tandy . Some of you may know that not long afterwards on the 3 January 2008 band member Drew Glackin (also Silos) died suddenly from cardiac arrest so effectively bringing an end to Tandy. Below is a copy and paste from the Good Luck Mountain website . No mp32s to offer as only available in 123 vinyl format, (although i see a link for itunes ) this is more of a heads up to let you know that Mike Ferrio is back with his [...]
In all transparency this video and song from Hezekiah Jones is via my record label Yer Bird Records. I, Sandy (or Smansmith as you may know me) from Slowcoustic, have been known to very sporadically post here on You Crazy Dreamers and I wanted to make sure to share this song/video! The upcoming album from Hezekiah Jones is entitled "Have You Seen Our New Fort?" and will be released on March 29th, 2011. One of the songs that has hit me the hardest is the stunningly gorgeous track Lift the Shadow From This Heart . The song [...]
I recently wrote about Jessica here after seeing her play and wowing the crowd at the end of the road festival. I was a little slow on the uptake about that particularly album but not so slow on her new one, tell me which is just out Nonesuch records. Picking up from where her last album left off Jessica writes songs that belies her 21 years on this planet. Produced by the black keys Dan Auerbach, she sings songs of failed romances and hopeful futures, vunerability and lost causes, she's an extremely honest and confident songwriter [...]
By far my favourite band at the moment is Southend's (An area slowly becoming known as The Thames Delta) The Lucky Strikes . Having just realeased their third album, Gabriel, Forgive My 22 Sins to critical acclaim I'm hoping to see them rise to the stardom their talent surely deserves. A concept album about a boxer who slowly descends into madness because of the guilt he suffers from having thrown a fight. Apparently based on the true story of a boxer the band once met. The first thing that hits you is lead singer Matthew Boulter's soaring, [...]
This time of year we here at YCD would normally tell you our favourite albums of the year but with time being precious and just simply not enough time to present one I am just going to give you a quick top of my head years favourites. I can say however undoubtedly that my favourite album of the year is Travel By Sea's Two States And The Blindness That Follows . An absolute gem of an album with not a bad track on it. I wrote about that here and I [...]
This album may have escaped the radar somewhat given that both Charlie and The black Twig Pickers had their own releases out just recently in support of their recent tours but they recorded this back in May and I only came across it because word got to me it was being sold when they toured the UK together for a few shows recently. Thankfully it's not a 'only available at live shows' album and is online both at cd baby and Klang . There is also a limited edition 73 vinyl you can [...]
I haven't been around these parts in a while, so while I had some extra time this Sunday, I thought I would put up some tracks found via artist Bandcamp pages that I have been enjoying. I hope you do to, they all deserve an extra couple of plays! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Well that is about it, please swing by and take a listen to all the above as most have much more to listen to on their respective [...]
Yeah ok so i may be two or three years late with this one but who gives a shit really? Well, i say two or three years late but who's to tell these days when something is self-released, then perhaps released on a small label in their own country and then re-re-released when it's picked up in the UK and europe? There is no official release date as such and as I say, does it really matter? As long as you are hearing about it is what's important right? At the moment there seems to be a few [...]
As promised, I wrote about Travel By Sea here just a couple of weeks back and said i'd inform you all of the official release date. Well today is that date and you can now buy either at Bandcamp or cdbab y so pop yourself over and get yourself what is surely one of the best releases this year. A stunning album form start to finish, simply delicious.
"Indie-folk-rock-family-fun. A 5-track EP with it's fair share of both sing-a-long celebration and solitary longing." Absolutely stunning... thoughtful, light, fresh, bright. For a first ep, this young california band is pushing the limits far above the top of the tops. Be sure to buy this ep, and eagerly await for an upcoming release. As usual when it's so good, here is the intro track : Band : Branches Where to [...]
I'm awaiting for the new EP 'Transition to Colour' from Melbourne folk Singer Matt Corby which is supposed to be released on October 9th. Not sure his live London performance with full band on October 6th will be a release gig but with support from our favorite Sam Beer ( Great Bar Colony should be released in 2011) and Monument Valley ; a must see show ! En attendant....
I first wrote about Travel By Sea back in June 2008 . Since then I've been keeping a watchful eye on their progress and it's with great pleasure that I can announce they have a brand, spanking new album to self release on 19th October called Two States And The Blindness That Follows via Cdbaby, itunes etc. Having given the album literally dozens of listens, I come away each time with a feeling of complete satisfaction, from the very first punchy guitar riff on the simply incredible, dreamy opening track eventually , you are [...]
You Crazy Dreamers
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My Funny Valentines
