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Joe Bourdet: from the Mountains to the Sea
Joe Bourdet has been a staple on the LA scene since the days of Josh Schwartz’s Painted Hills and bluesy-rock outfit Whispering Pines, and more recently he’s played GospelbeacH’s Let It Burn and the upcoming Ben Reddell Band EP. At long last, he’s releasing his solo debut, Meadow Rock, inspired by the rolling hills of California, the sounds of the canyon (this one a bit more Topanga than Laurel, but…
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Whisperer: Piedmont Pastimes – an interview by Lou Turner
Petal Motel is blessed to have contributing author Lou Turner return with another fantastic interview with a musician creating understated intricate folk from Appalachia. Sam Fuller Smith, aka Whisperer’s Piedmont Pastimes is a tender and sentimental collection of tunes, pondering fatherhood, the musical roots of the Carolinas, and the possibility for a future of possibilities for his newborn son. Featuring gorgeous slide, Fuller’s mesmerizing picking, and his gentle vocals and…
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Evolfo – “Drying Out Your Eyes” (Live Performance)
Sharing a live performance of the Brooklyn-based Evolfo’s “Drying Out Your Eye” days before their album Site Out of Mind drops (June 18th on Royal Potato Family.) Equally jazzy as it is acid-drenched, the 7-piece band set out to ascend from their previous release, the acclaimed 2017 Last of the Acid Cowboys, aiming for the ontological on Site Out of Mind. Inspired by science fiction, psychedelic field trips, and recorded…
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Joe Bourdet – “Mantra”
This is the first post on Petal Motel about Joe Bourdet, but it won’t be the last. Joe’s putting out an instant classic of an album, Meadow Rock, on June 18th and I’ve been waiting impatiently since the moment I heard a pair of singles he’d previously released, “Seamist” and “El Capitan.” The full album is an aural tour of California – shooting you from sprawling meadows, to the pristine…
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Wes Tirey, the Writer
Prolific songwriter, musician and poet Wes Tirey released his latest album, The Midwest Book of the Dead, on Dear Life at the end of April. Our wonderful contributor Lou Turner conducted a thoughtful written interview with Wes you can read here, but I was lucky to talk to him a bit more. Wes is an incredible lyricist and naturally his poems aren’t shabby either. I wanted to ask him specifically…
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Cameron Knowler – “Lena’s Spanish Fandango”
Places of Consequence by Cameron Knowler It’s your lucky day because there’s a new Cameron Knowler track out. “Lena’s Spanish Guitar” showcases the musician’s versatility and unique adaptability to various styles although Cameron can probably tell you everything about the roots of every kind of music that ever was, where it came from, what it shares with contemporary music, who made the rules, the commonalities that destroy arbitrary delineations between…
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Muwosi – Of Compassion
Of Compassion by Muwosi A few months ago, I subscribed to Leaving Records’ Bandcamp upon realizing that a few albums I was about to buy – Green-House, Nailah Hunter – shared the label. And that shit changed my life!! I’m finding so much amazing music through the label, leaping away from my comfort zones of Americana and acoustic-driven music, headfirst into extremely synth-y pop, R&B, and… just experimental stuff that…
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Michael Cormier shares video for “Last Hurrah” from upcoming album More Light!!
People in the music industry usually wear many hats – it’s not uncommon for label managers to also be in radio, or for publicists to also write for publications, etc. In this case, Dear Life co-head Michael Cormier is also a talented musician. Paired with the grotesque and funny visuals by Luisa Levine, and the solid, hymnal harmonies by our dear friend Lou Turner, “Last Hurrah” previews what you can…
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Filmmaker Michael Roberson shares video for Mason Lindahl’s “Outside Laughing”
A while back, Tompkins Square released Mason Lindahl’s Kissing Rosy in the Rain, a gorgeously downcast, haunting Flamenco-flavored record. To match the elegant spookiness of the song, filmmaker Michael Roberson created this highly Bataillean short film that echoes the record’s chiaroscuro elements. You can revisit the Petal Motel review here and get Kissing Rosy in the Rain on Bandcamp.
