Quality Not Quantity - And We Mean It
Ancient River - Keeper of the Dawn.
Ancient River, the sonic brainchild of singer/songwriter James Barreto, is an ever-evolving source of rock n’ roll and psychedelia, its influences flowing from the swampy roots of the American south to the far reaches of space.
The band's origins can be traced back the music scene in Gainesville, Florida and its thriving home grown DIY scene. Barreto began recording local bands, producing several albums as well as creating music for local independent films. His house soon grew into a fully-fledged home studio/rehearsal space, where like-minded musicians could be found tirelessly sharpening their wide range of sounds, encapsulating everything from noisy shoegaze and psychedelia to classic Americana.
Locked away in the pursuit of his sonic vision, it took two years for Barreto to take Ancient River to the stage, emerging with an unmistakable space-rock guitar sound and creating a captivating live show accompanied by entrancing psychedelic visuals.
Keeper Of The Dawn is the albums title track, an album that anyone from a sixties Doors fan through to a modern day psych rock music lover via early Floyd and so many other bands, will find absorbing. Individual in style and remarkably varied in pace and instrumental dominance this is one for any alternative playlist. Website (here).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monk Parker - How The Spark Loves The Tinder.
On August 28th, 2015, Monk Parker releases his debut solo record on the Bronze Rat label (London/Berlin). "How The Spark Loves The Tinder" was written during the breakup of Parker's band The Low Lows & his relocation from New York City back home to Texas. There, over the following three years, hundreds of hours of music were recorded with over 30 musicians (including members of Okkervil River and The Polyphonic Spree), largely in the welding shed of the family farm outside Austin.
Here Parker serves up a funereal but majestic altAmericana, in which stately, dreamlike waltzes build to explosive, gospel tinged climaxes. Revolving around a slew of steel guitars, vintage organs and brass, the intricately orchestrated songs evoke Stax/Volt balladry and a woozy Phosphorescent-style country narcosis. Alternating with a cacophony of buried noise melodies, this is the bed on which his damning, redemptive stories of carnality & affection lie (“Sadly yes I know just where to go, where to go / Sadly yes we can all three see the bright writing on the marquee”, goes the first line on the record, from a song about a love triangle gone inexplicably right).
Alt-Americana at it's best. I love it when an album arrives and has such a positive impact, stirring the emotions and pleading to be listened to again. Does not happen often, thank you Monk for making it happen here.
Ancient River, the sonic brainchild of singer/songwriter James Barreto, is an ever-evolving source of rock n’ roll and psychedelia, its influences flowing from the swampy roots of the American south to the far reaches of space.
The band's origins can be traced back the music scene in Gainesville, Florida and its thriving home grown DIY scene. Barreto began recording local bands, producing several albums as well as creating music for local independent films. His house soon grew into a fully-fledged home studio/rehearsal space, where like-minded musicians could be found tirelessly sharpening their wide range of sounds, encapsulating everything from noisy shoegaze and psychedelia to classic Americana.
Locked away in the pursuit of his sonic vision, it took two years for Barreto to take Ancient River to the stage, emerging with an unmistakable space-rock guitar sound and creating a captivating live show accompanied by entrancing psychedelic visuals.
Keeper Of The Dawn is the albums title track, an album that anyone from a sixties Doors fan through to a modern day psych rock music lover via early Floyd and so many other bands, will find absorbing. Individual in style and remarkably varied in pace and instrumental dominance this is one for any alternative playlist. Website (here).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monk Parker - How The Spark Loves The Tinder.
On August 28th, 2015, Monk Parker releases his debut solo record on the Bronze Rat label (London/Berlin). "How The Spark Loves The Tinder" was written during the breakup of Parker's band The Low Lows & his relocation from New York City back home to Texas. There, over the following three years, hundreds of hours of music were recorded with over 30 musicians (including members of Okkervil River and The Polyphonic Spree), largely in the welding shed of the family farm outside Austin.
Here Parker serves up a funereal but majestic altAmericana, in which stately, dreamlike waltzes build to explosive, gospel tinged climaxes. Revolving around a slew of steel guitars, vintage organs and brass, the intricately orchestrated songs evoke Stax/Volt balladry and a woozy Phosphorescent-style country narcosis. Alternating with a cacophony of buried noise melodies, this is the bed on which his damning, redemptive stories of carnality & affection lie (“Sadly yes I know just where to go, where to go / Sadly yes we can all three see the bright writing on the marquee”, goes the first line on the record, from a song about a love triangle gone inexplicably right).
Alt-Americana at it's best. I love it when an album arrives and has such a positive impact, stirring the emotions and pleading to be listened to again. Does not happen often, thank you Monk for making it happen here.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dusty Boots - Rebel On A Rainbow.
Sydney musician and adventurer Dusty Boots has released his latest single, the slow, atmospheric and folky Rebel On A Rainbow. The title track from his 5 track EP, the single is about slowing down in life to enjoy the important things such as nature, relationships, and adventure.
Created with the help of his friends, Dusty Boots takes a natural and organic approach to his music, resulting with a collaboration of like-minded music lovers. In 2012, husband and wife team Jess and Jonny Dustow created lifestyle and adventure blog Rebel On A Rainbow. Sick of society's expectations of buying a home, having a full time job, and living a life focused on money, they decided to find a lifestyle that allowed them to focus on what they found important, and encompass their sense of adventure.
The title track is a soft gentle journey of a song, beautifully building and so, so atmospheric. Alt music meets alt lifestyle.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Little Fox - Edits.
Little Fox (Simone Macarounas) forays back into the fray with new single 'Edits'; a follow up to her debut EP 'Warrior'.
Instantly captivating with a glitchy, eerie intro, ‘Edits’ moves away from Little Fox’s more earthy fuzzy tones with a cleaner sound. Still revealing her subtle darker side, it’s a song that is a soundtrack to a very obvious breakdown, highlighting the destruction of other people’s opinions and commentary about a person’s life. This is just the first in a string of singles set for release this year and a follow up EP due late 2015.
If only Top 40 Radio in my part of the world was full of songs of this calibre, rather than the factory produced, 'target market aged 9-12 bilge', that seems to dominate. Looking forward to hearing more.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dusty Boots - Rebel On A Rainbow.
Sydney musician and adventurer Dusty Boots has released his latest single, the slow, atmospheric and folky Rebel On A Rainbow. The title track from his 5 track EP, the single is about slowing down in life to enjoy the important things such as nature, relationships, and adventure.
Created with the help of his friends, Dusty Boots takes a natural and organic approach to his music, resulting with a collaboration of like-minded music lovers. In 2012, husband and wife team Jess and Jonny Dustow created lifestyle and adventure blog Rebel On A Rainbow. Sick of society's expectations of buying a home, having a full time job, and living a life focused on money, they decided to find a lifestyle that allowed them to focus on what they found important, and encompass their sense of adventure.
The title track is a soft gentle journey of a song, beautifully building and so, so atmospheric. Alt music meets alt lifestyle.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Little Fox - Edits.
Little Fox (Simone Macarounas) forays back into the fray with new single 'Edits'; a follow up to her debut EP 'Warrior'.
Instantly captivating with a glitchy, eerie intro, ‘Edits’ moves away from Little Fox’s more earthy fuzzy tones with a cleaner sound. Still revealing her subtle darker side, it’s a song that is a soundtrack to a very obvious breakdown, highlighting the destruction of other people’s opinions and commentary about a person’s life. This is just the first in a string of singles set for release this year and a follow up EP due late 2015.
If only Top 40 Radio in my part of the world was full of songs of this calibre, rather than the factory produced, 'target market aged 9-12 bilge', that seems to dominate. Looking forward to hearing more.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comments