Ironically enough, Charlie Wadhams is perhaps the most undersung singer-songwriter I know. Both of his recentEPs are the kind of year-end-list worthy folk which should be soundtracking intimate romantic dramas with Michelle Williams and production offers from T Bone Burnett. But I’ve said all this before, so I’ll let this absolutely stellar Little Videos session do the talking. Find three more gorgeously performed clips after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »
April 16 may be Record Store Day, but for this writer, it’ll be Buy Ryan Adams’ new EP day. Class Mythology is due as a double 7″ on yellow and orange vinyl, along with a poster. Edition of 2,500. Our hero is working on a new album with legendary producer Glyn Johns, father of Ethan, who produced the DRA classic 29, among others. (Also on his plate: Black Hole, all those sessions he did last year, the U.K. tour… phew!) Also, the still totally great III/IV is $5 on Amazon this month. Go get it! (Via WLFY)
Freaked out by the long fingernails, impressed by the ethereal early Warpaint (or, uh, early Cranberries) sonic charm. The Baltimore band’s debut album, Foxfeel, is due April 19 — will the whole thing sound like a soundtrack to a Fraggle Rock Halloween episode? Stay tuned!
In the late ’90s, I was listening heavily to Owsley’s self-titled debut, Fiona Apple’s When the Pawn, Ben Folds Five’s The Autobiography of Reinhold Messner and whatever sad, weird pop I could get my hands on. Harvey Williams’ California would’ve blown my mind back then, but over a decade later (I’m old! Fuuuuuck!), it sounds no less revelatory. Everything about California is pretty much wonderful: Williams’ sensitive, British Ben Folds vocals; the Burt Bacharach-influenced songwriting; the songs’ spare, piano-driven arrangements; the weirdly ’80s room sound; the happy music paired with pained melodies. It seems simple enough, but it’s nearly impossible to find music that nails this sort of thing. I feel lucky every time I do. (It should be noted that Williams was/is an incredibly prolific twee journeyman – read up on himhere.)
The AOTY frontrunner played Kaputt‘s “Downtown,” “Song for America” and some older jams in a now handily archived session from Saturday. Hear it on KEXP. The band plays the Troubadour tonight and I am heartbroken to not have tickets, but it’s just well — still in Austin SXhaustion mode. (Via Stereogum)
Rawkblog chamber-folk heroes Pepper Rabbit have a sophomore album coming out this summer. Here’s a live take on one track that should make the set, the anthemic “The Annexation of Puerto Rico,” from the band’s set at our Waynestock party on Thursday.
New York’s Ravens & Chimes spent their appearance at our Waynestock party previewing upcoming sophomore album Holiday Life. Here’s “Past Lives,” which bears a striking resemblance to the Manic Street Preachers’ classic “If You Tolerate This, Then Your Children Will Be Next” (right?).
“If you book them, they will come,” a great man once said. And indeed, though a couple of the busier groups cut it close, seven of my favorite bands made it to Waynestock — my first-ever unofficial day party at you-know-where, a collaboration with the thoroughly rad TwentyFourBit. I’m too emotionally attached to give this one a proper review, so I’ll offer a full round of thank-you’s: to LA Font, Scott Bartenhagen, Little Scream, Ravens & Chimes, Pepper Rabbit, ARMS and Sondre Lerche for playing and gracing us with so many great new songs; to the Liberty and Transmission Entertainment for having us; to Traci Larson for the sweet poster; and to Etnies, thinkThin and Origami Vinyl for their generous sponsorship. Enjoy the photos and look for a full SXSW 2011 recap later today. See you next year. Read the rest of this entry »
April 16 may be Record Store Day, but for this writer, it’ll be Buy Ryan Adams’ new EP day. Class Mythology is due as a double 7″ on yellow and orange vinyl, along with a poster. Edition of 2,500. Our hero is working on a new album with legendary producer Glyn Johns, father of Ethan, who produced the DRA classic 29, among others. (Also on his plate: Black Hole, all those sessions he did last year, the U.K. tour… phew!) Also, the still totally great III/IV is $5 on Amazon this month. Go get it! (Via 
In the late ’90s, I was listening heavily to Owsley’s self-titled debut, Fiona Apple’s When the Pawn, Ben Folds Five’s The Autobiography of Reinhold Messner and whatever sad, weird pop I could get my hands on. Harvey Williams’ California would’ve blown my mind back then, but over a decade later (I’m old! Fuuuuuck!), it sounds no less revelatory. Everything about California is pretty much wonderful: Williams’ sensitive, British Ben Folds vocals; the Burt Bacharach-influenced songwriting; the songs’ spare, piano-driven arrangements; the weirdly ’80s room sound; the happy music paired with pained melodies. It seems simple enough, but it’s nearly impossible to find music that nails this sort of thing. I feel lucky every time I do. (It should be noted that Williams was/is an incredibly prolific twee journeyman – read up on him 
The AOTY frontrunner played Kaputt‘s “Downtown,” “Song for America” and some older jams in a now handily archived session from Saturday. Hear it on 
