• Indie,  Rock

    As All Get Out – New from MLV

    Ickmusic favorite Matthew Logan Vasquez (aka the front man of the great Delta Spirit) is back with another great batch of songs on his brand new album, As All Get Out (Bandcamp), released this past Friday. This is Matt’s 5th full length solo album since 2015. Pretty prolific considering there’s also been an EP and two Delta Spirit albums released in that same time frame. It must be nice to let the songs spill out of you like that. I’m still struggling with writing my first full song, and yes, I’ve read Jeff Tweedy’s ‘How To Write One Song!’

    This new album came to my attention via Matt’s Instagram, where he posted a video of himself along his his two band mates playing a great version of the album opener “Untouchable.” I was ‘reeled’ in!

    With Friday’s release, I dove in. The second song in, the lead single “Over It,” has that driving Delta Spirit / Vasquez signature beat, and has me coming back for many repeat listens. The video is fun. I’m guessing that’s Matt’s son front and center.

    And if you want an emotional, poignant ballad (see the DS tune “Vivian” too), then listen to “Recognize,” which is written from the point of view of someone just diagnosed with a memory-killing disease like Alzheimer’s. “Would it offend you if I left here tonight / while I’m still someone I recognize?” Crushingly beautiful.

  • Indie

    when black midi comes to town

    Always a treat to come across multi-talented new bands. black midi are young UK guys in their late teens / early 20’s who sound years ahead of their time. I bought this record after hearing “John L.” once and simply looking at this awesome album cover. Lots to discover here. Lots going on.

    “John L” is the first song on this cool KEXP At Home performance.

  • Indie

    My intro to Nicole Atkins

    Nicole Atkins has evaded me all these years, but thanks to a friend pointing me to her latest release earlier this year (Italian Ice), and the last 24 hours of deep diving into her music, I am on board.

    Her voice blows me away. Songs like “The Way It Is” that just hit me in all the right spots. A throwback 60’s pop diva feel… the voice as an instrument, one that is completely at her command.

    Or “Forever,” where the intro and verses have a familiar ring (I hear “Time After Time” and “Little Red Corvette”) and then changes gears into a catchy chorus.

    I’ve been discovering her collaborations with other artists too. A couple of really cool covers:

    One collab I would love to see: Nicole teaming up with New Zealand’s Marlon Williams, who captures that same shimmery retro vibe.

    Italian Ice pays homage to her Jersey Shore upbringing, and is a great listen. It was recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and features session legends Spooner Oldham and David Hood, as well as friends like Spoon’s Britt Daniel. The final song on the album is “In the Splinters”, and this live video from a July WFUV performance really sums up Nicole: fun, enthralling, entertaining, and a voice that can kill.

    So, watch! And check out NicoleAtkins.com for more. For me, file under Late to the Party, and… On. board.

  • Indie,  Soul

    Hold Me – Oz Soul from The Teskey Brothers

    If you close your eyes and throw on The Teskey Brothers latest record, Run Home Slow, you may think you’re hearing some recently unearthed Memphis Stax soul. What you’re actually hearing is the soulful voice of Melbourne, Australia’s Josh Teskey and the throwback sounds of the Teskey Brothers. Josh definitely channels the spirit of Otis Redding.

    “Hold Me” strays just a little from the Stax formula and mixes in some folk/roots with infectious foot stomps, hand claps and harmonies. The video adds to its allure, with its atmospheric, earthy, outdoorsy setting (directed and produced by local filmmakers We Are The Moon House, and filmed at sunrise in the Teskeys hometown of Warrandyte).

    This one hit my radar recently on a Tidal video mix. I’m thankful for the recommendation engines churning behind the scenes on Tidal, Spotify, Apple Music and such. This one’s a keeper.

    The Teskey Brothers

  • Indie

    In Appreciation of: Honey in the Sun

    Please add me to the Tracyanne Campbell appreciation society. The Scottish lead singer/guitarist for Glaswegian Indie Pop band Camera Obscura caught my attention recently when “Honey in the Sun” rang out sweetly from my Mac speakers (hard to romanticize, ha).

    Her voice is indeed sweet like honey, and the sun-kissed, wistful beauty of the song itself just hits me right where it counts. “Honey in the Sun” is the last song on their fourth album, My Maudlin Career, released in 2009. The comparisons to Belle & Sebastian are obvious, and after reading up, I came to discover that B&S singer Stuart Murdoch produced their debut album Biggest Bluest Hi-Fi.

    In fact, “Honey in the Sun” gives off the same vibes as my favorite Belle & Sebastian tune, “Another Sunny Day.”

    Long story short, I’ll be exploring Camera Obscura’s discography, and taking in the beauty of Tracyanne’s voice.

  • Indie

    My Top Tune of 2018: There From Here (Phosphorescent)

    I always find it hard to put together a “best of the year” music list because my listening habits jump all over the map, through different years and eras. When I look through my listening history this year on Last.fm, I see some great new stuff: Paul McCartney’s Egypt Station, Parker Millsap’s Other Arrangements, the great new Tom Petty collection An American Treasure

    But when it comes down to it, it’s Phosphorescent’s C’est la Vie that takes top billing, and in particular, the song “There From Here” – a song that I immediately loved. I won’t go into it too much, but in essence, I recorded myself messing around on guitar on my birthday this year (Aug 3rd). I sang a few made up lyrics, and really liked the melody and chord changes I had come up with (some sadness, some beauty, some bitter-sweetness). Fast forward a couple months later to the release of C’est La Vie and my first spin through the album. When I heard “There From Here,” it felt awfully familiar. Listening back to my noodling in August, there were a lot of similarities in the melody and feel of the songs. I felt like Matthew had written the song I had bouncing around in my head. It was sort of a surreal moment, honestly.

    I said hello to Phosphorescent’s Matthew Houck before his Phoenix show back on November 12th,  and got to tell him how much I loved the album, and especially the song. During the show, he dedicated the tune my way before playing it.. 

    Anyhow, I’m so thankful for artists like Matthew – artists who have the talent to take the melodies bouncing around our heads and are are able to bring them properly into this world. 

    Take a listen…

  • Indie

    Some People

    Heard this a while back on Elton John’s Rocket Hour radio show on Apple Music. It quickly turned into a favorite of mine, and some friends too. Killer moment when the bass and drums kick in. Great, talented artist, this Parker Millsap.

  • Indie

    Angel Olsen on ACL

    I need to do a better job of posting the new tunes that hit my radar and give me all the feels.

    A couple months ago I was watching a new episode of Austin City Limits, and I was introduced to Angel Olsen. “Sister” was my favorite tune of the set, and wouldn’t you know it, ACL has offered it up on their YouTube channel. Be mesmerized like me…

    [Photo credit: Cameron McCool]

  • Indie

    Fireworks!

    I don’t recall what triggered it, but I fell into a YouTube rabbit hole last night, zeroed in on First Aid Kit. For those that don’t know, First Aid Kit is made up of two sisters from the outskirts of Stockholm, Sweden – Klara and Johanna Söderberg. They’re in their mid-20’s and are a week away from releasing their fourth album, Ruins (January 19th, Columbia/Sony Music). Their M.O. is Harmonies, and my God can these girls sing. Simply flawless, organic beauty. If you were watching David Letterman’s final Late Night shows a couple years back, you may have caught First Aid Kit singing Simon & Garfunkel’s “America” (dedicated to Dave’s son Harry). In 2010, they caught the eyes and ears of Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst at the Austin City Limits Music Festival (I was there!). Conor and his Bright Eyes buddy Mike Mogis were at the festival with their awesome little folk supergroup Monsters of Folk (with Jim James, M. Ward). Conor and Mike, along with Jack White, helped get the ball rolling stateside, with Mogis actually producing First Aid Kit’s next two albums, The Lion’s Roar and Stay Gold. Well, here we are in 2018 with album 4 about to drop. I’m not able to find who produced this one, but the three songs that are available now are great. And what spurred me into writing this post was hearing “Fireworks” for the first time this morning. You know the feeling, the kind of song that puts everything else on pause for a few minutes . I get a “The End of the World” vibe from it (which, by the way, check out Sharon Von Etten’s version). Ah, the heartbreak songs… Pre-Order Ruins.

  • Indie

    Dr. Dog + Jim Song

    photo by Chris Crisman

    Call me a huge admirer of Dr. Dog. Go ahead, I’ll wait. Thanks.

    “Jim Song” has that special formula that instantly connects with me: slow, acoustic guitar ballad; a lovesick and broken protagonist; throw in some harmonica and the drums/band that come in halfway through. One for the downtrodden and heartsick. Deep down folks, he knows she’s not right for him, but what he really misses is his pride.

    A beautiful tune, and an easy one for us amateur guitar players (C, Am, Em, F and G).

    Well ever since you went away I’ve been a mess inside
    And there’s nothing you could do to get me satisfied
    And my heart’s turned against me and it won’t abide
    But I don’t really miss her like I miss my pride