-
Jeff Frantom – Très rythmé
Jeff Frantom is one of my favorite guitarists, a true rising star in the LA scene. Somewhat of a child prodigy, his musical journey has traced quite an interesting arc – from slaying post-metal guitar solos as a tiny third grader, he grew up, went to USC and graduated with a Master’s degree in jazz guitar, started playing shows with more than a few local bands nearly every night up until the pandemic hit. And now here he is, gorgeously arranging and reimagining classical pieces. Jeff is a wonderful, patient player, a thoughtful collaborator, a true servant of the song.…
-
Maria BC – Devil’s Rain
Late last year, we premiered the first single from Maria BC’s upcoming EP, Devil’s Rain. Today, they release the title track that sounds like a lost Cocteau Twins demo. Have a listen here. “When I was little, I would spend summer months with my grandparents in northern Ohio. My grandmother would sit with me on the porch during rainstorms and read me chapter books. While we sat on the porch swing one day, the sun came out while the rain kept pouring, and she taught me the term “devil’s rain.” I think it’s a Southern expression (my grandmother grew up…
-
Cameron Knowler & Eli Winter – Strawberry Milk : Listen
What’s better than one acoustic guitarist? Two acoustic guitarists, interweaving and interloping, playing complementarily and conversationally, balancing classic folk guitar elements with modern experimentalism. Also, a fantastic rendition of Michael Chapman’s “Caddo Lake.” Longtime friends Cameron Knowler and Eli Winter offer all this and more on Anticipation, their upcoming record of duets, recorded on the tail of a long jaunt through the deserts and hills of Texas before landing in Houston. Check out the album opener, “Strawberry Milk” below: Winter’s album of three expansive, wandering tunes, Unbecoming, was one of our favorites last year, and we’re looking forward to becoming…
-
Kishi Bashi – Early Morning Breeze : Listen
The extraordinarily talented Kishi Bashi has shared a tribute to Dolly Parton via Joyful Noise Recordings on the morning of her birthday from the album Coat of Many Colors, which is also having a birthday this year – 50 years, in fact. The cover introduces a subtly transformed sonic palette, including a short violin solo from the string extraordinaire. “I’ve always loved Dolly Parton,” he explains. “I think an artist’s personality plays a part in appreciating their work. I love how she’s always so generous and grounded in this crazy world of show business.” We couldn’t agree more 💖 Get…
-
Yasmin Williams – Urban Driftwood : Listen
Northern Virginia guitarist Yasmin Williams just released the eponymous single from her upcoming album, Urban Driftwood, out on January 29th via Spinster Sounds. As a lover of acoustic guitar, Yasmin’s style thrills me – it’s far from the usual ambient fare that I often play in the background while I work, her combination of fingerstyle and lap-tapping is dreamy and highly engaging. Watching her play is absolutely enthralling – truly hope to see her live one day. “With all of the political & social discord that is happening in the US, I felt it was extremely important to include a…
-
Fruit Bats – Holy Rose
One of our very favorite artists Eric D. Johnson, aka Fruit Bats, just announced a new record, The Pet Parade, that’ll be released on March 5th via Merge Records. Eric says, “It’s a floaty record with lots of hypnotic cry-alongs, but there are also some bona fide jams in there for swaying to.” Have a listen to the incandescent first single, “Holy Rose” below. “Holy Rose” is possibly the most “direct” song on The Pet Parade. I wrote this about the 2017 Tubbs Fire in Sonoma County and was finishing it up right when fire season was raging in California. My…
-
Adeline Hotel – “Photographic Memory” and “I Have Found It”
Adeline Hotel makes me feel the way I felt when I “discovered” Yo La Tengo in junior high – such a warm fuzzy feeling, quiet but so big, delicate and unassuming. When Dan Knishkowy told me he was releasing an acoustic, instrumental companion piece to last year’s Solid Love, I squealed out loud. Solid Love quickly shot to the top of my favorites of the year list, with its warmth and tenderness. Dan has this refined sensibility, a way of using spaces and silence as part of the sonic experience, rather than simply trying to fill it. Good Timing by…
-
Bobby Lee – Origin Myths EP
British primitive cosmic rocker Bobby Lee has announced a forthcoming EP, out March 5th on Natural Histories. Among a plethora of incredible British cosmic cowfolk musicians, Bobby stands out with his shimmering guitar tones, standing at that interstellar crossroads between Americana, American primitive, psychedelic and shoegaze. Hot on the heels of his excellent 2020 release, Shakedown in Slabtown, the songs on Origin Myths songs positively vibrate, lifting the listener to another plane with “Broken Prayer Stick” and “Enchanted Mesa,” odes to nature and the spiritual world. Have a listen to my favorite, “Fire Medicine Man,” and “Impregnated By Drops of…
-
Stephen Heath – “I Can’t Take It” : Listen
Known for his precision guitar work in L.A. Takedown, as well as for acts like Paul Bergmann, Weyes Blood and Death Valley Girls, Stephen Heath lends his craft to a propulsive collection of original material—bristling with static, impulse, and freedom. His solo debut Gavin Gruesome, out now on Perpetual Doom, is a record of fuzzed-out, wide-eyed rock’n’roll. “I Can’t Take It” is an embodiment of frustration and being fed up…with myself, with surroundings. Kinda realizing that I am the only thing in my way. It’s also definitely a driving song…I imagine a lot of my music in terms of how…
