Category: 2008 releases

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2007 Releases 2008 releases artists artists to watch for in 2008 digital downloads guitar music

Wednesday Music Round Up – Jason Reeves, Justin Currie, Matt Bauer and Ray Lamontagne

Wow. It has been one hectic week, and at this stage it doesn’t look like there’s any sign of easing up. Which is disappointing, as it means blogging has had to take a back seat, and I’ve received some cracking pitches recently from some great bands flying Under The Radar. Hopefully (!), I’ll be able to follow these up next week. For now though, I thought I’d slip in a quick “Wednesday Music Round Up”, featuring tunes from Jason Reeves, Justin Currie, Matt Bauer and Ray Lamontagne.

Jason Reeves – Just Friends

Jason Reeves
Jason Reeves (Image credit: Stacy Blue)

After a stellar 2007 – wherein Jason Reeves spent nine months as the number one unsigned MySpace Folk artist, in addition to being named one of the Top Indie Singer-Songwriters of 2007 by iTunes – it looks like 2008 is finally the year for this 24 year old singer/songwriter from Iowa City, as he’s recently signed a deal with major label Warner Bros.
His album, “The Magnificent Adventures of Heartache (and other frightening tales)” is being released August 12, and it’s a fun ride. The songs are generally simple affairs, but ones that are all the richer for that… that simplicity allows the sincerity in Jason Reeve’s brand of soul to shine through. The tune below is the single, “Just Friends“, and it’s one of my favourites off the album. Definitely worth a listen.


Listen: Jason Reeves – Just Friends

Justin Currie – No, Surrender

Justin Currie - No, Surrender
Justin Currie (Image credit: Pat Pope)

Sigh. Aah, Del Amitri. Easily, and without a shadow of a doubt, one of my favourite bands for close on twenty years. So it was with much trepidation that I finally received my copy of the Justin Currie – founder and the voice of Del Amitri – solo debut, “What Is Love For?“.
I should never have been worried.

Justin Currie has always been one of my favourite songwriters. The guy simply knows how to craft a masterful song, with great melodies and poignant, forthright lyrics. His efforts on “What Is Love For?” are no different. While this solo effort – put out by the always brilliant Rykodisc label – is certainly a conscious step away from the Del Amitri signature sound, I can’t help but feel that this tune, “No, Surrender” is something of a follow-up to one of my favourite Del Amitri song, “Nothing Ever Happens”. There’s a resignation and cynicism there that has always been unmistakably Currie.

Should you stand and fight?
Should you die for what you think is right,
so your useless contribution will be remembered?
If you’re asking me, I say
No, surrender.
surrender, surrender
– Justin Currie, “No, Surrender”


“No, Surrender” is a 7-minute-plus indictment of modern-world ills, and it’s simply beautiful. I may still be holding out on DA putting out a new album, but Justin Currie’s solo efforts look like they’ll be more than enough to keep me going. Here’s hoping to far more of this from one of the music world’s most under-appreciated artists.


Listen. Love. Support.


Listen: Justin Currie – No Surrender

Matt Bauer – Don’t Let Me Out

Matt Bauer - Don’t Let Me Out
Matt Bauer (Image credit: Nicolas Auproux)

Hat tip to Captain Obvious for turning me onto Matt Bauer‘s tunes; some of the most enticing new music I’ve heard this year.
There’s a somewhat anachronistic feel to Bauer’s release, “The Island Moved in the Storm“, which makes all the more sense considering that the album is loosely based, and placed, in both the historical context of the unsolved murder case of “Tent Girl“ – which occured near Matt Bauer’s home in Kentucky – and a semi-autobiographical look at Bauer’s childhood in the area.
Appropriately, there are a lot of dark shadows in this release… an ominous, weary beauty, that infiltrates its way into your soul. I won’t go into too much more depth here, as Captain Obvious really sums it all up in his review, so I’d suggest you give that a read…

… But, ultimately, the point I’m making is: this is good stuff.


Listen: Matt Bauer – Don’t Let Me Out

Ray Lamontagne – Let It Be Me

Ray Lamontagne - Let It Be Me
Ray Lamontagne

I’ve been impatiently awaiting Ray Lamontagne‘s upcoming release, “Gossip In The Grain” (due out September 30) for months now, and the sneak preview in the form of this track, “Let It Be Me”, has only served to aggravate that impatience.
From the moment that the exhalation starts the track, to the second that that voice starts crooning… man, it’s killer.

It’s a smoke-filled, seductive, soulful voice that really is, these days, all Ray’s.
It’s a tune that brings a wistful tear to your eye, and prompts murmurs of, “Amen, brother. Amen.”
It’s perfection.


Listen: Ray Lamontagne – Let It Be Me

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2008 releases

Next movie I’m looking forward to this year – Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist


Heh. I just saw the trailer for this, and it looks… well… awesome.

Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist

So… in summary, we have: Michael Cera (from the criminally-under appreciated “Arrested Development“, and, of course, the much-hyped “Juno“); seriously cool soundtrack (including such bands as the Shout Out Louds, Bishop Allen, Modest Mouse, We Are Scientists, Devendra Banhart and Band of Horses)… and, correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s John Cho who pops up near the end of the trailer.

In other words… yeah, this is going to rock.

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2008 releases artists artists to watch for in 2008 digital downloads guitar music Uncategorized

New Tallest Man On Earth – A Field Of Birds (Yellow Bird Project theme song)

This is just a short note to let you all know that there’s a new Tallest Man On Earth song out – see my last post on this dude here – titled “A Field of Birds”… and it’s a killer tune.

Yellow Bird Project

The song’s been released as a theme song for the site, Yellow Bird Project; a non-profit initiative that teams up with indie bands to raise money for various charities. According to their site:

We collaborate with musicians in designing a T-shirt, we print and sell them on our website, and all of the money we make goes to charity. Which charity? Each of the artists gets to choose their own. We have three fundamental aims:

1) To make money for charities directly through T-shirt sales.
2) To raise awareness for charity organizations through artists’ endorsement.
3) To raise the profile of the artists we like.


… and seriously, that’s a noble aim. So, if you think a shirt designed by such groups as The National, Hayden, Wolf Parade, Rilo Kiley and many, many more might be your cup of tea, I urge you to stop by their site.

Back to The Tallest Man on Earth’s new tune… it’s a trademark Matsson song. It may be a bit too “duelling banjos, Deliverance style” for some people, but it’s fun nonetheless. A rollicking, bouncing tune with some intricate picking and killer banjo accompaniment… it’s good times.

Listen: Tallest Man On Earth – Field Of Birds (Yellow Bird Project theme song)

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2008 releases artists digital downloads guitar Live Music Friday live songs music

Live Music Friday – Kaki King, live at Ironhorse

Welcome back to another Live Music Friday here at Burgo’s Blog. For today’s post – and largely due to the fact that I’ve just watched “August Rush” again – I thought I would post something slightly different; a 2004 show, where guitar virtuoso Kaki King performed, lived at the Ironhorse.

Live Music Friday - Kaki King, live at Ironhorse

Now, I’m pretty sure this show isn’t going to appeal to everyone. It’s not always “easy listening” music. But, especially if you’re a guitarist, I implore you to listen to this show.


Kaki King is one of those rare musicians who comes along, and you just know there’s something otherworldly there. There’s an emotion, and an intelligence behind her compositions that is few and far between in current music. With a sound that involves fret-tapping, slap bass, percussive guitars and – lately – sound layering and looping, Kaki King is reminscent of Michael Hedges, Preston Reed and Andy McKee.
In short… that’s bloody heady company.

In the last 2 years, particularly, Kaki has been getting some major mainstream exposure; not only is her music featured in the film “August Rush” – in fact, she was actually Freddy Highmore’s “action hands” – but she also contributed tunes to the, quite frankly, brilliant “Into the Wild” soundtrack. Add into that mix some major support from the Foo Fighters, and in particular Dave Grohl, and you can see this girl’s ready to hit it large.


While in the last few years, Kaki King has made an obvious effort to step back from the “solo instrumental artist” label that was beginning to attach itself to her – take one listen to her new single, “Pull Me Out Alive“, from her new album, “Dreaming Of Revenge“, and you’ll see what I mean –  this show from 2004 was more in her original style. There’s minimal vocals, acoustic guitar… and it remains one of my favourites.


If nothing else, make sure that you listen to the track, “Lies”. It’s pure poetry.


Listen. Love. Support.

Kaki King, live at Ironhorse, 10 June, 2004

1. Intro/Georgia On My Mind
2. All the Landslides Birds Have Seen
3. Playing With Pink Noise
4. Neanderthal
5. Solipsist
6. Ingots
7. Untitled
8. Lies
9. Can the Gwot Save Us
10. My Insect Life
11. Magazine
12. Doing the Wrong Thing
13. Carmine Street

 

Thanks go to the original taper, and thanks to Phil for originally turning me on to her music.

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2007 Releases 2008 releases artists digital downloads guitar music

Mailbox Clean Up Tuesday Trio. The Avett Brothers, Peter Bradley Adams & Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly.

It’s been a while since I put a Tuesday Trio up on this blog, and seeing as I was going through some of the messages to have landed in my inbox lately that have alerted me to new music, I thought: Why not? So, for today’s tunes, we’ll be looking at tracks from The Avett Brothers, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly & Peter Bradley Adams.

The Avett Brothers – Murder In The City

The Avett Brothers - Murder in the city
The Avett Brothers

It was with much joy that I noticed an email landing in my inbox today, reminding me that the new Avett Brothers album, “The Gleam II” – the second release in the Gleam Series – is released into the wild today. The Avett Brothers are… well, hard to classify. Sometimes a little country, sometimes a little city, and other times purveyors of heart-breaking rustic ballads, the band are versatile to say the least. The major drawcard, for me at least? These guys pen honest songs. Songs that don’t hide the truth. And that’s a precious thing, when you find it.

The first taste I’ve had of the new album, “Murder In The City“, is included below, and it’s another stunning tune from the Avett Brothers. Here’s hoping the rest of the album is this great.

Listen: The Avett Brothers – Murder In The City

Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly – Find The Time

Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly - Find The Time
Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly.

Thanks actually go to Gary (via lil’ Sophie) to alerting me to this guy. I’m not sure how Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly has flown under my radar for so long (heh. See what I did there? Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly… has “flown” under my radar? No? Well, please yourself then.) as it appears that he’s had some major mainstream acceptance. I mean, he’s even had tunes on One Tree Hill, that epitome of mainstream bubblegum tunes.

That said, he’s not half bad. Sure, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. – aka Sam Duckworth – might sound at times a tad too much like Secondhand Serenade to me, and I’m undecided as of yet whether this is music that might date… but this tune, “Find The Time“, is a rollicking song, with a great refrain that sticks in your head for days at a time.

And, come on… isn’t that a cool band name?

Listen: Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly – Find The Time

Peter Bradley Adams – Always

Peter Bradley Adams - Always
Peter Bradley Adams

 Thank goodness for labels like Sarathan Records, who actually understand the music blogosphere and reach out to them; it’s a sign that there’s hope for the music industry yet.
Kara from Sarathan Records dropped me a line last week to let me know that Peter Bradley Adams (of the oh so missed band, eastmountainsouth), is due to release his new album, “Leavetaking”, on August 5th; and I’m glad she did. Eastmountainsouth were a truly beautiful band, and I’ve always felt that they were criminally underrated.

The below tune, “Always“, from Peter’s forthcoming album, hints at an album that might have slightly stepped further away from the folk roots of Eastmountainsouth, and more towards a pop direction. I’m not sure how long-time fans will feel about that, but take heart in the fact that some things remain the same; Peter Bradley Adam’s remains a masterful songwriter, and his voice is as achingly beautiful as ever.

Listen: Peter Bradley Adams – Always

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2008 releases artists to watch for in 2008 digital downloads guitar music music videos

Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson – Buriedfed

This is just a quick post today; but I really wanted to post Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson‘s (henceforth known as MBAR on this blog, as that name is simply far too long to continually type out) new video for “Buriedfed”, the opening single on his self-titled debut which came out last month.

It’s simply an awesome video; a somewhat creepy campfire sing-along, that takes a surreal look at funerals and death. And the actual song itself – a swirling, majestic mix of sparseness and atmospherics – is made all the sweeter in the video by Robinson’s somewhat disarming smile, which lasts the entire song through; all the while talking about burials and failures. It really is… affecting.

Below, the video. Below that, the mp3.

Listen. Love. Support.

And they took her to the doctor
To fix her heart, and heal her head
She said, “Goddamn, I’m tired of being polite
Go save somebody else”
– Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, “Buriedfed”

Listen: Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson – Buriedfed

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2007 Releases 2008 releases digital downloads guitar Live Music Friday live songs music

Live Music Friday – Xavier Rudd, live at Bonnaroo Music Festival

Welcome back to another Live Music Friday here at Burgo’s Blog. Today, we’ll be featuring someone a little closer to my (adoptive) home… Australian musician, Xavier Rudd.

Live Music Friday - Xavier Rudd

One of my favourite shows of 2007 was an Xavier Rudd gig on the Gold Coast… in fact, I even put up a post about it, although that post was more about his opening act, Jeremy Fisher. Nevertheless, that night with Xavier was one of the most powerful shows I’ve been to in recent memory. There is an energy and passion in Xavier Rudd’s music that you would be hard pressed to find in most other artists.

Although Xavier Rudd sometimes gets mixed in with the rest of the surfer-folkie crowd (ala Jack Johnson, Donovan Frankenreiter & Tim Curran), I’d probably place his music more in that slightly harder mix of Ben Harper & Co., with a more activist view present in his music. Not only does Rudd display a strong connection with the aboriginal people of the world through his music, he’s also a leading light for environmentally-conscious musicians.

Finally, anyone who has seen Xavier Rudd perform before will know what an inventive musician he is live; often performing as a one-man-band, Rudd masters percussion, the slide guitar, and… of course… his well known ability on the didgeridoo. In fact, in my mind, he’s one of the top dij players in Australia, point blank. Here’s a video to show his versatility…

Anyway, enough background, and on to the show at hand. The set I’ve posted below is Xavier Rudd performing live at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in 2007, right around the time that he released his stunning album, White Moth.
It’s a great set, and one that finds him performing personal favourites, “Messages“, “Message Stick“, “Famine“, “Come Let Go” and “Gift Of The Trees“. It’s everything that is right with great live recordings, and makes you feel as if you’re in the tent with Xavier himself… thanks go to the original recorder.

Listen. Love. Support.

Xavier Rudd, live at Bonnaroo Music Festival on June 16, 2007

1.) Fortune Teller
2.) Food In The Belly
3.) Messages
4.) Message Stick
5.) Stargaze
6.) Famine
7.) Come Let Go
8.) Better People
9.) Up In Flames (Jam)
10.) Conceal Me
11.) Iron Man (Jam)
12.) Let Me Be
13.) The Gift of the Trees
14.) Footprint
15.) To Let (Jam)
16.) To Let

Xavier Rudd’s new album, “Dark Shades of Blue”, comes out August 19th. You can be sure I’ll be first in line.

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2007 Releases 2008 releases artists artists to watch for in 2009 digital downloads guitar music

The New York Fund – Guns of Camden Town, Going to New York, & Oh My Sweet

The New York Fund
The New York Fund (image credit: www.gregorynolan.com)


 

So, there’s this band called The New York Fund, and you need to listen to them. Seriously. I’m not kidding. If you want to hear music that excites you, then this should be it.

Previously incaranated as the band Cherryfalls – circa 2003-2005 – after a slight line-up change, the London town band have come back, harder and – in my opinion, better – as the blues/alt.country/rock tinged The New York Fund. Sounding somewhat like a mix of Whiskeytown, The Cardinals, The Damnwells and, at times, The Kooks, The New York Fund have played with bands such as the Hold Steady and Ash… so that gives you some kind of idea to their versatility.

Singer Joey McAdam (or “Joey New York“, as he’s listed on their Myspace page) has an amazing voice, with that perfect mix of alcohol-fuelled swagger and a stunning range. And guitarist Adrian Woodward brings the perfect blues tinge to their blend of alt.country rock… the riffs are instantly recognisable, and complemented by an amazingly tight ryhthm section. Put simply… it’s some of the best stuff I’ve heard in 2008 thus far. And that places The New York in some pretty heady company.

Shockingly, the band has not been picked up by a label yet… hopefully someone out there is listening.

I’ve included three songs below: two from their 2007 EP, “Guns”, and the third is from the (currently unreleased) 2008 “Konk Sessions”. The first song, “The Guns of Camden Town“, is the perfect exemplification of their “Jack Daniels tinged rock“… all dirty, vintage guitars that lead you through a rollicking tune, it’s a song that – at times – sometimes sounds somewhat Raconteurs-ish.
The second song from that EP, “Oh My Sweet“, continues that theme, and finds Joey McAdam blowing an awesome harp.
And finally, the third song (and perhaps my favourite of the lot), “Going to New York“, is from their as-yet-unreleased Konk Sessions recording. A more wistful song from them, it has one of my favourite choruses of the year, complete with these absolutely delightful hand-claps that seem to come out of nowhere. It’s a keeper.


Listen. Love. Support.

Listen: The New York Fund – The Guns of Camden Town
Listen: The New York Fund – Oh My Sweet
Listen: The New York Fund – Going To New York