Led by Ritchie Young, Loch Lomond from the Pacific Northwest (Portland), has grown from a solo brianchild enjoying contributions from a vast array of friends to a full-time family of six committed bandmembers. Small in stature and grand in humility, Young quietly yet boldy concocts fascinating traipses through forest, wide open spaces, dark alleys and worlds of critters, subtly making a deep hook with his prodigious musical pieces. Loch Lomond's arrangements are spot-on, oft symphonic in feeling. Young comes across simultaneously dainty yet robust. Listening gives the feeling of being small in a vast yet highly [...]
Seattle duo, The Dutchess and The Duke, continue to knock us out.Their album Sunset / Sunrise (10/5/09, Hardly Art ) has gripped my heart as a favorite (not just of 2009). Guitar strumming, sad, oft Johnny Cash-like, timeless songs emerge from the dark internal geography of Jesse Lortz and take on a life of comfortable malaise with partner and longtime friend, Kimberly Morrison. In person, the pair endears enormously. The Dutchess and The Duke are total snugglebunny winos with guitars, stories and oh-so-nice voices. Check out their [...]
What Makes Him Act So Bad [mp3] Formerly a Moldy Peach , Adam Green is now out with his 6th solo album, Minor Love (Fat Possum, 2/16/10). We dig his NYC/Lou Reed-y character and we're stoked to have him in the studio for a session today! Check out his tour schedule HERE . Green plays a few weeks of US dates in January and then heads overseas for nonstop gigs through March. This awesome excerpt below, which briefly describes his recent recording, had to be taken [...]
photo by Esther White After a nice long holidaze spell, everyone seems to be back at it, living their lives in 2010. The funky downtime was enjoyable, and, too, it is admittedly nice to wake up to an inbox full of perky letters from my favorite pr friends, always promoting more great music. There's catch-up to be done, since my holiday break started early and ended late. Ahh. Here are a few tracks to get started for your new and improved, back to regular life enjoyment: Horchata [mp3] [...]
Deceptive simplicity plus powerful determinedness mark Tom Brosseau's hypnotic tunes. Listening can feel like being plugged directly into Brosseau's psyche, a dry, cool lunar-like landscape dotted with transient images, each shot through with intense colors. We suggest you take your time with these compelling live recordings. Nibble and digest. Then nibble some more. There's a haunting component to Brosseau's music and delivery. He makes a strong impact with lasting, lingering effects. Origins: Mary Anne was originally released on Late Night at Largo (2004, Lous Records ) and [...]
Here's another list for list lovers. It's never really too late, and, besides, 2010's all about savoring that which nourishes, so.....without further ado, here's Dave Shulman's list of faves from Luxury Wafers sessions in 2009. Dave's an up-east musician who helped around the studio when he visited and even filmed a bunch of Luxury Wafers sessions. PS- I have no idea what's up with these pesky italics. Sorry, folks. Enjoy the tunes. 1) Brendan Benson – Don't Want To Talk 2) [...]
This Best of 2009 list, "in no particular order," comes from Mike Post, who started as an intern at our Chessvolt Studios before Luxury Wafers and has helped us here and there from the very beginning with booking, mixing... the whole shebam. Mike just graduated with a music degree from Northeastern University in Boston. Check out the faves (as mp3 or video below) and enjoy rooting around the artists' sessions. When you're ready, jump down to the zip. The Moondoggies – What Took So [...]
The Luxury Wafers / J Tillman fest draws to a close with this final bang - Josh recording Diamondback, a searing, new, unreleased song that haunts with natural, writhing beauty and showcases his masterful songwriting. J Tillman - Diamondback - Luxury Wafers Sessions from Luxury Wafers on Vimeo . Recorded at Kingsize Soundlabs in LA. Go to the entire session HERE .
J Tillman records a rare performance of Above All Men from his Vacilando Territory Blues (1/27/09, Western Vinyl ), live at Kingsize Soundlabs in LA for Luxury Wafers. A beautiful song which strikingly points to simple blessings. J Tillman - Above All Men - Luxury Wafers Sessions from Luxury Wafers on Vimeo .
Exciting. Here's J Tillman, his brother Zach and Josh's companion, Aja, singing Borne Away On A Black Barge live@ Kingsize Soundlabs in Los Angeles for Luxury Wafers. This a cappella song, recently released on a 7" from Western Vinyl, is so beautiful it chills to the bone. Check out more of J Tillman's amazing session HERE . J Tillman - Borne Away On A Black Barge - Luxury Wafers Sessions from Luxury Wafers on Vimeo .
It's late, but I promised one everyday 'till they've all rolled out, so here you go! This one's J Tillman recording Wild Honey Never Stolen, live at Kingsize Soundlabs in LA for Luxury Wafers. You can also find the song on a new 7" from Western Vinyl . Check out more of J Tillman's amazing session HERE . J Tillman - Wild Honey Never Stolen - Luxury Wafers Sessions from Luxury Wafers on Vimeo .
This selection comes from Amanda Lemieux, who has been with Luxury Wafers as a videographer, video editor and all-around good-viber since she moved to LA from the east coast about a year ago. From #12 to her numero uno, the songs are listed below as mp3s or videos with links to the original sessions for total immersion, just in case you get the bug to explore. Jump down to a zippppp. 12. Sea of Bees - Willis [mp3] 11. [...]
Live at Kingsize Soundlabs in Eagle Rock (LA), CA, for Luxury Wafers, J Tillman records Marked In The Valley. The original recording can be found on Tillman's latest full length, Year in the Kingdom (9/8/09, Western Vinyl ). Dig. J Tillman - Marked In The Valley - Luxury Wafers Sessions from Luxury Wafers on Vimeo .
We asked our Luxury Wafers crew to share their favorites songs from our 2009 sessions. This first selection is a playlist from Justin Philips, who shot and edited video for us over the summer and stayed on to continue with video and to help with the studio move. Some of the songs on the list are in video form, others are an audio file. We're posting Justin's #1, Close Every Valve to Your Bleeding Heart, for the first time as an mp3. Be sure to grab it! Oh, and we linked to each of [...]
Live at Kingsize Soundlabs in Eagle Rock (LA), CA, for Luxury Wafers, J Tillman records his poignant Casualties from his 2008 release, I Will Return/Long May You Run . J Tillman - Casualties - Luxury Wafers Sessions from Luxury Wafers on Vimeo .
Love. That sums it up. Transcendent love. There's no bs, no hype, no bells and whistles when it comes to J Tillman. He's an artist with such immense gravity, he practically burns a hole in the floor where he's standing. I have perceived Josh as a character of dense dolor, haunted by the deep longing of an ever-persistent ache. I spotted him with his gang across the street at the taco truck on Eagle Rock Blvd just before his session. Even from a considerable distance, his presence was unmistakably huge. When I had the pleasure of meeting him face to [...]
Lake Land [mp3] - The Holloys You're My Witness [mp3] - Dignan *McAllen, TX band, Dignan, has made their 7-track album, Cheaters & Thieves (6/09) available for free download HERE . No Good Man [mp3] - Sun Cut Flat *Boston based and brand spanking newbies with a warm and already seasoned sound, Sun Cut Flat offers [...]
LA's Division Day headed in a new direction on their latest album, a direction concertedly marked by dark and eerie undertones and the addition of technological gear to their repertoire. Describing the style, they say, "We're calling it post-industrial blackened romantigaze." Though the subject matter is thematcially death and devil-focused, the sound is attractively cool. The band came and recorded a handful of songs from their most recent album, Visitation (8/18/09, Dangerbird ), which was produced by Justin Meldal-Johnsen (Nine Inch Nails, Beck). It was a tight set. The [...]
Thinking of ways to spend your extra dough? How about a little space tourism? Virgin Galactic is at the ready to accomodate. Cool footage from NASA in the video below with trance electronica from Above and Beyond .
Local LA artist and Hotel Cafe regular, Melineh Kurdian brought her guitar, smooth voice and innate sweet sunshine along with her all-pro band (Steve Krugman on drums, Carl Byron on accordion and keyboards and Eric Holden on electric & upright bass) for a Luxury Wafers session back in the springtime. In addition to tendencies toward being adorable and kind, Melineh writes and sings songs that go in easy and linger infectiously. Melineh Kurdian - Sending Boxes - Luxury Wafers Sessions from Luxury Wafers on Vimeo . [...]
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