The songs on this release from Tompkins Square are versions of songs written as far back as the American Civil War. Their lightness of tone masks a world of knowledge most of us (thankfully) just don’t have access too.
Blues
Dr. John and the Lower 911 – Tribal
Experienced genre journeyman Dr. John defines “good time music” on his new album.
22-20s – Shake/Shiver/Moan
Closing the six year gap since their first record, blues-influenced rockers 22-20s don’t quite achieve greatness with their second.
Golden Animals – Jericho Tavern, Oxford, 19/08/09
Supported by Vixens and Spiral 25, Golden Animals come to Oxford in support of “Free Your Mind and Win a Pony”.
Al Green – Green Is Blues (40th Anniversary Edition)
40 years on, Al Green’s Green Is Blues is a masterclass in how it used to be done.
Timber Timbre sign to Arts & Crafts
Toronto’s Timber Timbre gets a UK release July 28th after inking a Worldwide deal with Arts & Crafts.
Heartless Bastards – The Mountain
Roaring like Janis Joplin over growling hook-heavy garage guitar and clenched fist drumming, the Heartless Bastards bring raw Led Zeppelin to the back porch.
Brightblack Morning Light – Motion To Rejoin
An excruciating album that sometimes feels like it will never end, Motion To Rejoin nevertheless shows class and quality in it’s execution, looking to soul, blues and r ‘n’ b for inspiration, rather than typical folk touchstones
Seasick Steve – I Started Off With Nothin’ And I Still Got Most of It Left
Now more than ever, Seasick Steve’s tales of drinking, the freedom of the open road, love and loyalty are resonating with the general populous. Ro Cemm reviews.
Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir – Ten Thousand
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.
Earlimart – Hymn and Her
The prolific Earlimart release their ninth album, now down to a duo, and it deals with life, love and religion. Quite a bit about religion actually. Alex Harvey reviews.
