Shearwater: Rook

Sorry for the lack of posts, been busy. This one took a bit of time to sink in. Shearwater started life as an Okkervil River side project, but now stand i their own right with Jonathan Mielburg as their guiding light and soaring tenor. A dramatic, reflective album.

mp3 Shearwater: The Snow Leopard
mp3 Shearwater: Home Life (with crafty steal from Van Morrison's You don't Pull No Punches but You don't Push the River)

As a bonus, an old one.

mp3 Shearwater: Wedding Bells

They also have a great Daytrotter session here.

mp3 Shearwater: Nobody (Daytrotter session)

Buy here, download DRM-free here.

Willard Grant Conspiracy: Pilgrim Road

Robert Fisher's ever-evolving ensemble return with his most ambitious offering to date. Pilgrim Road features the arrangements of the Scottish composer Malcolm Lindsay and has a a kind of neo-classical gothic twist to it and a vast array of different instruments (anyone out there play the Jerusalem Chuch Bells?). it also features the vocals of Iona MacDonald, on this:

mp3 Willard Grant Conspiracy: The Puglist
mp3 Willard Grant Conspiracy: Vespers

This is in a very different vein from the all out rock assault of Let it Roll; you can download three tracks from the band's website here.

This album has far more in common with 2003's Regard the End, which featured some of the same musicians. This is a wonderful song:

mp3 Willard Grant Conspiracy: Fare Thee Well

He can also be seen performing this and two other songs solo here (Fare Thee Well is especially brilliant).

Buy here.

Josh Ritter Live

Maybe I'm not alone in not being swept along by the tide of approval of The Historical Conquests. In any case, Josh Ritter still cuts it live. Here are a few samples:

mp3 Josh Ritter: Kathleen (4 Songs Live)
mp3 Josh Ritter: Good Man (live in Dublin)

E-music have put out an ep of him solo:

mp3 Josh Ritter: Wolves (live at the Record Exchange)

NPR in the states have a performance at the Met with the violinist Hilary Hahn here; try this:

mp3 Josh Ritter & Hilary Hahn: Girl in the War (live at The Met) HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

As a bonus, here he is backing Kathleen Edwards:

mp3 Kathleen Edwards: Mercury (live)

Buy here, or download drm-free here; Lots on You Tube here.

I See Hawks in LA: Hallowed Ground

The California Country band I See Hawks in LA return with a new album Hallowed Ground. As before, witty and perceptive songs rock and roll along with a real country lilt with echoes of the likes of The Flying Burrito Brothers. Try these:

mp3 I See Hawks in LA: Pale and Troubled Race
mp3 I See Hawks in LA: Never Alive

Their last album, California Country featured this:

mp3 I See Hawks in LA: Midnight in Orlando

As a bonus, that album featured this great song about the eponymous US senator's stand on the Iraq war. Here's a great live version:

mp3 I See Hawks in LA: Byrd from West Virginia (highly recommended)

You can hear more here, buy here or download drm-free here.

The National: Apartment Story

The National released a new ep, The Virginia ep with a dvd A Skin, a Night. In reality, most of its is out-takes, demos etc from last year's brilliant Boxer. The lead song is pretty darn fine however:

mp3 The National: You've Done it Again, Virginia

You haven't heard Boxer? Well, you should; try this:

mp3 The National: Fake Empire

This is one of my early faves, off their eponymous debut:

mp3 The National: Cold Girl Fever

The Virginia ep also features a lovely song from their Daytrotter session:

mp3 The National: Lucky You

Buy dvd/ep here and download ep drm-free here.

Lest we Forget: Graham Parker & The Rumour's 'Stick to Me'

Back in the mid-seventies, Graham Parker was touted as a to be big thing. Emerging from the london pub rock scene that saw the likes of Nick Lowe make their name, Parker's big push was his 1977 album Stick to Me. It went for broke withe big E-Street band style arrangements and Stax horns. Unfortunately, the 24 track masters went wrong, and the band were forced to record it damn near live in thestudio, which gives the record a raw quality. Unfortunately, in 1977, the album seemed out of place to many; compare Elvis Costello's debut. As such, it got lost. A shame, as these samples show:

mp3 Graham Parker & The Rumour: Stick to Me
mp3 Graham Parker & The Rumour: Watch the Moon Come Down

As a bonus, a live version of tghe Anne Peebles classic (done brilliantly on the album itself):

mp3 Graham Parker & The Rumour: I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down

Buy here.

Bonnie "Prince" Billy: Lie Down in the Light

Will Oldham returns with a remarkably sunny record, rooted in country but heading to all sorts of places, and very different from last times The Letting Go. This time, it's Ashley Webber singing too, and a few stray instruments, Try these:

mp3 Bonnie "Prince" Billy: For Every Field There's a Mole
mp3 Bonnie "Prince" Billy: I'll be Glad

As a bonus, here's a live version from Edinburugh in 2006 of his classic song:

mp3 Bonnie "Prince" Billy: I See a Darkness (live)

Buy here