• Ick's Pick,  Rock n' Folk,  Roots Rock

    Ick’s Pick (Week XIV): Old Californio’s new album, ‘Westering Again’

    Sure, I could steer you toward the new Neil Young, Richard Swift, or Doves albums – all out this week – but this one’s been on steady rotation for several weeks now, and it would be silly of me not to make this my Ick’s Pick o’ the week. A few weeks ago, I announced myself blown away by this band: Pasadena’s Old Californio, and their new album, Westering Again – largely due to the mind-blowing infectiousness of the opening tune, “Mother Road”.

    Well, today’s the day the album is unleashed to the masses, and I strongly recommend you visit one of the links below to pick it up. If you’d be interested in a diverse American album drawing on influences ranging from Gram Parsons and Moby Grape to the Grateful Dead and Crazy Horse, you’d be well served by hearing this album. Here’s my “Mother Road” post that goes into the band and album in more detail. And, you can still rock out to “Mother Road”…

    BUY Westering Again here on iTunes or here on CD Baby.

    HEAR Old CalifornioRiparian High (mp3)

    VISIT: Old Californio on MySpace

  • Acoustic,  Rock n' Folk

    Northern Exposure: The Great Outdoors, “Winter”

    Savour the Flavour of Winter.Canadian folk-rock collective The Great Outdoors have completed their ambitious project to write, record and release an EP for each season. The three preceding EP’s managed to perfectly capture the tone of each respective season and Winter introduces elements of blues and roots music to the mix to a stunning effect. “The Winter’s Touch” plaintive tenor closes the door and invites you in from the cold as Melisa Devost‘s beautiful voice warms your heart. “The Garbage Man Song” rambles along and features some distinctly Tom Waits influenced moments provided courtesy of guest vocalist Nickle City Slim. “No Bells” swings with a bluesy swagger that pays off with an in your face guitar accompaniment that would otherwise seem out of place. “Edison’s Genius” picks up where the previous track leaves off with its blues-tinged delivery but in place of place of guitars is a horn arrangement that recalls Monk‘s “Abide With Me”. The set wraps with “Snowdrop” a slow burn ballad. Check out “The Garbage Man Song” here and you can catch the rest of the release on the bands MySpace page.

    The Great Outdoors – The Garbage Man Song” (mp3)

    Links: on Last.fm | on MySpace

  • Rock n' Folk

    Standing by Peaceful Waters

    There’s something about a sunny Sunday morning and the music of John Prine that just seem to go together. Hmm, a weekly Sunday post featuring a Prine tune? I’ll mull that one over.

    Some of you may know of my appreciation for John’s 1991 album The Missing Years, a collection of warm & witty tunes featuring the likes of Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, and Bonnie Raitt. The follow-up album four years later came in the form of Lost Dogs & Mixed Blessings. While not as strong end to end as its predecessor, it also contains its share of brilliant moments, with the same biting wit of John’s songwriting and the production also handled by then-Heartbreaker Howie Epstein (another talent lost to heroin addiction).

    “Lake Marie” is one that certainly crafts an interesting story, and has a chorus that sticks in your head. It tells the story of a lake on the Illinois-Wisconsin border, the makings of a marriage, and oh yeah, a double homicide: “Their faces had been horribly disfigured by some sharp object / Saw it on the news / On the TV news / In a black and white video / You know what blood looks like in a black and white video? / Shadows. Shadows! That’s exactly what it looks like“.

    Some lyrics are unmistakably John Prine: “Many years later we found ourselves in Canada / Trying to save our marriage and perhaps catch a few fish / Whatever came first“.

    John PrineLake Marie (mp3)

    Links: Buy Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings| Official Site | John Prine Shrine (great fan site)

  • Indie,  Rock n' Folk

    Band of Horses on Morning Becomes Eclectic

    Okay, yes, I am in a rather obsessive Band of Horses phase at the moment. And I feel the need to gather any embeddable BoH action and post it on my site so I can refer to it in 50 years when I’m an 88 year old geezer with a hankering to show my grandchildren one of my all time faves.

    This is just over a year old, from KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic.

  • Rock n' Folk

    A.A. Bondy and his Lovers’ Waltz

    Gorgeous effing tune right here. I’ve listened to this song about 100 times in the last couple of weeks. I picked up A.A. Bondy‘s American Hearts album in preparation for the Austin City Limits Music Festival. He was set to play at 11:30am on Sunday morning. And play he did. I guess. I didn’t make it. I was slowly coming back to life at the hotel. The previous day/night had involved many large $8 cans of Heineken at ACL, and a few Dos Equis back at Shakespeare’s Pub on 6th Street {and a block away, Band of Horses was playing their surprise benefit gig at the Parish. Ah cruel fate).

    So this is a great record. A roots-blues vibe, and Bondy’s voice is one of a kind. He’s certainly influenced by Dylan (more apparent on the rest of the album). He’s also the brother-in-law of the Felice Brothers, another group sort of in the same vein.

    Me, I’m a sucker for the love songs, especially when they delve into fatalistic scenarios like:

    And I will hang for you
    And you will hang for me
    And the northern lights
    Will take us in like refugees
    Over our heads, over our heads
    And a lovers’ waltz will turn until the end

    Killer tune.

    A.A. BondyLovers’ Waltz (mp3)

    Buy American Hearts

  • Rock n' Folk

    Northern Exposure: The Great Outdoors

    Now with 50% more Great Outdoors!The Great Outdoors returns with the second EP in their season-themed series. Standing in stark contrast to Spring, Summer takes an almost darker turn in celebrating the long hot days of it’s namesake. The rollicking jangle of “Summer in the City” with it’s swagger and grit gives way to the beautifully stark crescendo of “Give Everything”. “Last Day of Our Vacation” captures the sentiment perfectly with its dragging melancholy tempo and lazy delivery. “Maybe Time Will Tell” recalls a bit of Springsteen in it’s recollection of days past and what the future holds. Personally, I can’t wait to see what Autumn holds.

    You can download “Summer in the City” below and the rest of the EP is freely available at the bands Official Site. There’s also a link below for the traditionalists who like physical media.

    The Great Outdoors – Summer in the City (MP3)

    Buy Summer: CDBaby

    The Great Outdoors Links: Official Site | on Last.fm | on MySpace

  • Folk,  Rock n' Folk,  Soul

    Northern Exposure: The Duhks

    I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for The Duhks.

    Hailing from Winnipeg, Manitoba, The Duhks (pronounced like “ducks”) blend the unlikely bedfellows of traditional Celtic, Zydeco, Bluegrass, Soul and some Brazilian Samba into what they classify as “Roots, Worldbeat, Soul.” I sat down with their forthcoming release Fast Paced World (available August 19th) and was immediately drawn in by the scathing social commentary of the title track and the gypsy flavored instrumental detours of “Adam’s 3-Step” (complete with the crackling fire to lend to the atmosphere) and “Ship High in Transit”. The enchanting “Toujours Vouloir” (which translates to “To Always Want”) is completely engaging despite my not being able to understand the words as is the jazzy “Sleepin’ Is All I Wanna Do (Stars on a Sunny Day)”. For a taste of the mélange that is The Duhks check out “This Fall” below.

    The DuhksThis Fall (MP3)

    Pre-Order Fast Paced World: MerchLackey | Amazon

    Links: Official Site | on Last.fm | on MySpace

    The Duhks will be heading out and hitting the Folk Festivals as well as some solo dates that are listed after the jump.

  • Rock n' Folk

    Me & My Lover

    The monsoons are rollin’ in. Lightning is flashing, thunder is rumbling. And this song is the perfect accompaniment. Slow, calm, primal, building up to a ferocity.

    Matthew RyanMe & My Lover (mp3)

    Buy East Autumn Grin

  • Rock n' Folk,  Roots Rock

    Listen Up: American Babies

    Seems like 4 out of every 5 new bands I discover these days are from Brooklyn, NY. Here’s another one: Tom Hamilton’s American Babies. This tune caught my ear recently, I think on Sirius. Influences range from Ryan Adams to Bright Eyes to Mr. Springsteen. But in this one, I hear Rodney Crowell.

    Catchy, quality roots-rockin’ goin’ down right here. Oh, also, drumming in the band is Joe Russo from Benevento-Russo Duo.

    American BabiesInvite Your Friends (mp3)

    Linkage: Official Site | MySpace

    Buy American Babies for $10 on CD Baby. Go. Now.

  • Rock n' Folk

    First Listen: The Great Outdoors

    You'll Never Put A Better Bit Of The Great Outdoors On Your Knife.

    What is it about the changing weather that has inspired musicians throughout the centuries? I’ll admit to not being too familiar with the folk-rock ensemble The Great Outdoors prior to receiving their new EP Spring, but that’s something that I hope to remedy soon. There is a simple, gentle yet urgent beauty to the three tracks that make up the EP that captures the renewal and rebirth of its namesake season. I’ve got the first track “Spring Flower” available below and you can hear the entire EP at the group’s official site.

    The Great OutdoorsSpring Flower (MP3)

    Links: Official Site | on Last.fm | on MySpace