Feb 2

The Dropkick Murphys made Irish folk songs cool, so why not banjos? The Deering Banjo Company's developed a line of custom banjos, for anyone ready to emulate their hardcore folk sound. The limited editions are available at the band's website.



Also in the mailbox today, looks like Echo and the Bunnymen are in the middle of a double album tour, performing the complete tracklistings of their first two albums Crocodiles and Heaven Up Here:

Echo & the Bunnymen - Stars are Stars (Live) from Girlie Action on Vimeo.
The Bunnymen will be hitting cities throughout North America in May. Incidentally, Echo and the Bunnymen didn't dent the US charts until their self-named fifth album - so it's almost like the debut tour they never had...

A week from today, the Jaegermeister Tour hits my backyard (Louisville, KY). The big name on the marquee is the inexplicable radio kings Buckcherry (I still snicker about the kid who made "Crazy Bitch" a Mother's Day request and dedication.) Also hitting the stage are HellYeah, All That Remains, and The Damned Things - which is the only band I might get out of my chair for, if only for curiousity's sake. The Damned Things is basically the other half of Fall Out Boy, a pinch or two of Anthrax, and a double dose of All That Remains:

This video makes it a lot easier to describe the Damned Things as a metal geek convention. By this, I mean that they're geeks about all things metal, so they're goofing off and doing what they don't usually get to do, while using the peak of their talents to do it. That's the way geeks roll, like me - that's why I can say it. (When you say it, it's just wrong.) It might disappoint you, if you want it to sound like Anthrax or Fall Out Boy... It's unpretentious and true rock music, juiced on Red Bull. For those who don't enjoy it, you'll understand how important pretentiousness is in the recipe of rock music...

Finally, I've got a track by Dinosaur Bones available for download. "Royalty" was originally featured on their 4-song debut EP, "Birthright" last year. It's also going to be on their first full-length album, coming out next month on Dine Alone Records.



I'd put this song on a playlist between Firewater and Devotchka, two bands who evoke mystery and urgency in their retro-cabaret rock.
Just click here for musical goodness...

January 28, 2011

The first notice I received was for Alcohol Faith Mission; maybe it was the hurdy-gurdy sound, maybe the streetcorner choir vibe... maybe this bruised heart of mine, but I'm really digging this. All my friends that dig Mumford and Sons (or Devotchka) should give these guys a listen...

Right now, Ampeater Music has a 7" to download; in March, the band's new EP will be about, just about when they hit SXSW.

Another band making the trip to Austin is IZABO, from Tel Aviv. They like their dance rock with a bit of Middle Eastern flair. They also like making catchy, quirky videos: the press release was touting two follow-ups to "On My Way", a video featuring the band and 17 iPhones. (By the way, how many hits does a video need to be declared 'viral'?)

Yeah, I dig this one best, but the other ones are worth hunting down too. Besides home, it looks like they made their mark in the French indie scene; maybe they'll get a foothold in this hemisphere this Spring...

Seems we're getting noisier as we make our way through the mail; if you love the fuzzbox, check out James Pants. He's starting to beat the drums about his album, coming in April. You can pick up an MP3 at Gorilla vs Bear, which is a cool music blog to check out.

And here's a French chanteuce, named Emilie Simon:
A success in her native France, she got an apartment in Brooklyn, and began posting performances of her latest works on the Internet. So if you've ever wanted to see a girl that looks like Zooey Deschanel, sings like Kate Bush, and wears what looks like a homemade Nintendo Powerglove, your dreams have come true:

This performance of 'Rainbow' is a little different that what's going to be on the new album, out in April. You can grab the MP3 here, and whet your appetite...

Looks like I'm reviewing the Scattered Trees Symphony album tomorrow; check in then...