The one line that will turn up in all of The Low Anthem’s UK press is that Steve Lamacq labelled them “this year’s Fleet Foxes”. Even if they seem unlikely candidates to make the same kind of high street impact, the track you’ll most likely know them for so far, ‘Charlie Darwin’, which opens proceedings on this third album (but first to make a wider impact) refers back to somewhere in between Pecknold and co and Bon Iver. It’s back porch acoustic Americana, laced with harmonies and Crosby Stills & Nash spirit, so spare you can almost feel the air in the room. Ben Knox Miller sings in a high, keeningly tender register about the ills of the modern man and his failing corporations (“Fighting for a system built to fail/Spooning water from their broken vessels, as far as I can see there is no land”) and a dusty harmonica solo at the end. It feels timeless, like it could equally have been handed down from an Alan Lomax field recording or featured as this month’s Mojo magazine rave. A trio from Rhode Island now signed to Nonesuch in America and Bella Union, after an earlier release through End Of The Road Records, in the UK. Continue Reading

Bowerbirds

“Not many people have beards in Britain. I mean, back home everyone I know has a beard. Everyone in my band has a beard. Everyone in my other band has a beard. But you get to England and then….no beards”. Gig goers of the UK, you have been warned by sometime Bowerbirds member, and full time Megafaun Brad Cook to get your hair folicles back to work. He has a point- the crowd tonight is decidedly unhairy, a surprise given that Bowerbirds play the kind of delicate fusion of folk and americana that normally brings out the facially fuzzy in their droves. But I digress. Continue Reading

It’s very, very tempting to drop the overused ‘L’ word to describe former punk and founding father of alt-country Alejandro Escovedo. In the UK for a short series of shows as part of the La Línea Latin Music Festival (you probably picked up on all the coverage given to the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra), this was the only ’solo’ show as such. For the others he was just one of a large ensemble performing a ‘Tropical Tribute to the Clash’ – hinting at his musical roots and emphasising the mutual respect between himself and the late Joe Strummer. Continue Reading

Billboard.com are reporting this morning that Son Volt are returning.

The group, fronted by one time Uncle Tupelo man Jay Farrar, will return in the summer with a new album and label. American Central Dust will be the band’s sixth full-length and its first since signing with Rounder Records, and will be released in he U.S. on 7th July.

Tracklisting:
“Dynamite”
“Down To The Wire”
“Roll On”
“Cocaine And Ashes”
“Dust Of Daylight”
“When The Wheels Don’t Move”
“No Turning Back”
“Pushed Too Far”
“Exiles”
“Sultana”
“Strength And Doubt”
“Jukebox of Steel”

The snowball, or sunbeam, effect of folk music has risen into the popular consciousness thanks to musicians such as Devendra Banhart, Sufjan and Jose. Since they began lending their songs to major advertising campaigns, their presence as a form of resistance to the modern way of life; its joyless, motionless drag (the eternal pessimist I am), has been superseded by money making adverts whose message is “if you have this mobile phone you can live as care free and as easy as these guys.” Has the origin of folk music been ambushed and usurped by new folks embracing of commercialism? Who knows. Selling out aside, it seems the popularity of folk keeps on rolling. Where will it roll next? Continue Reading

J. Tillman captures the night. There’s something about the voice, the melody, the lyrics that write an image of the early hours, the dead hours, when retrospection and introspection turn into hallucinations. When a soft voice singing in a way that compels a voice from your own throat. There is nowhere to hide at this time, nothing can stop the flow of your thoughts. But it’s a place where a voice singing in just such a way, a melody playing a particular chord change, can feel like two fingers plunged into your chest. Continue Reading

It feels somehow wrong to be writing an introducing piece on a band who have been together for 10 years. Yet that is how long Vancouver’s The Buttless Chaps have been producing their distinctive, emotional Canadiana. Having earned themselves a reputation as a hard touring band, earlier this year they played a tenth anniversary show which was broadcast nationally in Canada for CBC Concerts on Demand.

Led by Dave Gowans brooding baritone (think somewhere between a less tremulous Stuart Staples and The National’s Matt Berninger), The Buttless Chaps spin tales of rural versus urban alienation, harnessing the spacey melancholy of post millennial albums such as ‘OK Computer’ or ‘Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’ and combining it with their perfectly orchestrated mix of acoustic alt. country and electronic swells, with the odd horn section thrown in here and there for good measure. Gowans’ lyrics perfectly capture the ill-ease of the country boy alone in the big city, and the expanse of the countryside. TLOBF had a virtual cup of coffee to talk over the how and whys of the Buttless Chaps with the bands affable frontman. Continue Reading

When it was released earlier this year I resisted Sunday At Devil Dirt, Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan’s well-received, rather tongue-in-cheek take on Americana, their second full-length collaboration. It seemed to me too studied, too contrived somehow, a feeling heightened by the fact that Lanegan is something of a hired gun these days – having also supplied vocals to the highly mediocre trip-hoppery of Soulsavers, among others - adding instant gravitas with his Bourban-and-cigarettes-chiselled baritone. Written by the waifish Scottish indie darling Campbell, I couldn’t help think of Lanegan as a kind of country-rock Ol’ Dirty Bastard (R.I.P), enlisted to add an air of debauchery to other people’s records. OK, so I was wrong! The whole enterprise might have appeared more cynical had Campbell been trying to deliver an imitation of dust-blown authenticity. However, this is more revisionist high-jinx than soul-searching alt-country: no naked emotional honesty here, but rather fully-costumed period theatre in the mould of Lee & Nancy or Johnny Cash. Like Micah P Hinson’s fine … Red Empire Orchestre, Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan’s output is stylised and cinematic, not as bleak or skeletal as some more orthodox Stateside folk and country.
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Tonight there is a new member in Lambchop’s rhythm section. Along side the bass and drums is a gilded figure of about 8 feet in height. It’s Jesus Christ. We are at St. George’s Church in Kemptown, which, frankly, is a contender for most spectacular venue in the country. It’s quite a setting for Kurt Wagner and co’s classic songwriting. Continue Reading

Ryan Adams has an impressive resume. Four solo albums since 2000, and with his band The Cardinals, another four added on to that total. Many shows played worldwide, multiple Grammy nominations, and respect and reverence from hundreds of thousands of fans. So, prior to listening to ‘Cardinology’, his latest album with The Cardinals, it can be assumed either of two things. A) This album will be the best example of alt-country that you can find, an exhibition of major talent from a majorly talented artist or B) It’ll be very easy to listen to, slightly bland but sure as sugar guaranteed to sell records. And sadly Cardinology should have a big ol’ B stamped on its cover.

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This album is a hard one to review. Oh yes. Not because it’s bad, its brilliant, and I’m so impressed by That’s The Spirit (Ottawan native Ben Wilson, with some help from a few good friends) that to put into words how much i like this album would take up 3 pages and probably only consist of the word ‘incredible’. And that wouldn’t make a good review. When I do try, whenever I get a good point in my head, I automatically forget it because im too lost in the music. This album feels like an album. It isn’t a collection of songs loosely bundled together. It’s a positive cloud of music, something almost tangible. When Staying Places is playing, an atmosphere is created that is ethereal, almost dream-like and at the same time, a focused concentration of well placed instruments and vocal lines. In fact, if I wasn’t woken up slightly by the vintage piano introduction of ‘It’s Curtains For You’ (a track that drifts across your mental horizon halfway through this release, and then leaves after less than two minutes), Staying Places would have me in a trance from start to finish. Continue Reading

As he stood and watched, blinking at the foot of the stairs, he muttered into his dripping beard.

Oh Christ.

From his forehead a mixture of blood and sweat dropped over the floor, mixing with the beer, spit and tobacco. The smell was hideous. In the darkened corner, a carny swayed to and fro, half elated, half scared, blinking in disbelief before spinning into a heap at the foot of the stage. The band continued, working themselves into a frenzy, song after song. Their hearts pounded. Fiddles scrapped, cymbals crashed, banjos plucked and voices screeched. Continue Reading

It wasn’t just tumbleweeds and lizards that were carried across the horizon with Garden Ruin’s stop gap musical experiments. Calexico modernized and in the process loss some of its Tex-Mex charm in pursuit of indie-rock idioms.  Any good meteorologist or (urban) cowboy will tell you that loose soil erosion in one place means a deposit of it in another. Carried to Dust is that other place and the sand it carried is chock full of the choice minerals Calexico fans cherish. Continue Reading

Blackbird Harmony is Texan Ethan Birdsong (great name). Anyone who has George Jones as a MySpace friend is going to be worth a listen, and with influences from Hank Williams to Joy Division is also likely to be viewing a battered world through a whisky glass – drained of liquid but full to the brim with sorrows. And so it is: don’t come looking for a pick-me-up here. Continue Reading

British Country music has been a bit of a weird genre. How can a bunch of kids in the centre of London know how to play country music? Can they “live” country music like their American cousins across the pond? To be honest, up until relatively recently, the thought and sound of British Country had sent shivers down my spine. No one’s really stood out as a banner holder for this burgeoning scene. Especially when it’s compared to what the “real” country guys are making… Fleet Foxes anyone? However, this might all begin to change. Grantura have been playing live for a number of years now and their debut album has been sometime in the making. Can they finally banish the embarrassment of UK Country? Continue Reading

Well, we say Ryan Adams – the new album Cardinology (er…great title there Ry – really inspired) will actually be billed as just Cardinals. Seems like Ryan got his own way this time after last years battle with Lost Highway to have their the Cardinals name featured on Easy Tiger. It ended up not only being released as a Ryan Adams solo LP but with a lonesome looking Adams on the cover. Which, as far as I’m aware, was far removed from what Ryan originally intended for the album. A ‘full band’ affair was the plan.

Anyhoo – Cardinology (seriously, could they not come up with a better title than that?!) gets its release on October 28th via Lost Highway. Shitty title aside, I for one couldn’t be more excited. Tracklisting is as follows:

1. “Fix It”
2. “Magick”
3. “Let Us Down Easy”
4. “Like Yesterday”
5. “Go Easy”
6. “Sink Ships”
7. “Born Into A Light”
8. “Cobwebs”
9. “Crossed Out Name”
10. “Natural Ghost”
11. “Evergreen”
12. “Stop”

In support of the release, Cardinals will be touring the UK in November. I quite fancy the Brixton date myself.

November
10th – Manchester, Academy
11th – Newcastle, Academy
13th – Leeds, Academy
16th – Cambridge, Corn Exchange
17th – Birmingham, Academy
19th – Brighton, Dome
20th – London, Brixton Academy
22nd – Southampton, Guildhall

Visiter is the second album to be released by American psychedelic folksters The Dodos. The duo formed in San Francisco back in 2006 with originally just one member, Meric Long whom toured around the city as a one-man acoustic act going by the name of Dodobird. After studying Western African Ewe drumming Long began to take a strong interest in blues and set out to fuse the two together creating a sound, which revolved around percussion as the centrepiece. He was later introduced to progressive metal drummer Logan Kroeber and soon after The Dodos were born and released their first album in 2006, Beware the Maniacs. Some rigorous touring later and they have now returned with an album, which promises thoughtful lyrical content, a variety of quirky yet well-structured acoustic arrangements, and more importantly some damn good drumming.
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The ‘Red Dirt Girl’ scubbed up pretty well. This photo: Simon Leak

What’s a year without an Emmylou Harris concert? A pretty lousy year I would suggest. But after last October’s joyous visit to the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival, I had some reservations as to whether this might prove to be an anti-climax. It’s true the open air atmosphere there could not be topped, and I do have a soft spot for the purity of her bluegrass Carolina Star line-up, but the touring band that Emmylou has assembled this year was a revelation. As you might expect for someone with her contacts and stature, they were assuredly gifted and yet had the generous sensibility to complement rather than compete with the most exquisite instrument on show – Emmylou’s peerless voice. With the history of several, shall we say, rumbustuous characters who have contributed to/graduated from Emmylou’s touring academy over the years I’m pretty sure this tough Southern belle could put anyone who happened to step out of line back in their place anyway. Maybe that’s another reason why she still sports cowboy boots beneath the shimmering cream glad rags that sparkled angelically from centre stage. To paraphrase the old standard, the rest of those angels were most definitely rejoicing in heaven last night, if a little further back than the upper balcony (but then they do get in for free don’t they). Continue Reading

Howe Gelb has been in my periphery for a while, but I’ve never bothered myself enough to seek out his music. Then I was given for review proVISIONS, his first Giant Sand album in four years. Now, I’ve experienced my share of “grower” albums over the years, but there are grower albums and then there are albums that slap you upside the head when you least expect it. My first impression of proVISIONS was indifferent at best and completely uninterested at worst. I gave it two or three subsequent listens, but with no more of a positive outcome, I shelved it, planning to give it one more listen closer to release date, bang out a review, and be done with it. The album, however, had other plans as it wormed its way into my subconscious so masterfully that my planned final spin of the album blew me away just a little bit. Continue Reading

The Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir have been together for five years now and continue to bash out their mixture of back-of-beyond mountain folk, “gospel for the unbeliever”, and delta blues with the ferocity and abandon of punk rockers, which is exactly what their old inspirational predecessors would have been doing, or course. More (urban) hillbillies high on hooch than Soggy Mountain Boys, it’s a fine tradition to maintain, and I’m happy to add my bit in support. Hailing from Calgary, Canada, their first release was completely DIY but got them noticed and spots at various roots music festivals followed. Since then they have continued to rustle up a storm with raw mix of slide guitar, banjo, harmonica, stand-up bass, and drums, and Judd Palmers dry guttural vocals crying out for attention – if often straining to reach for real impact. Continue Reading