Colin Clary writes a lot of songs (wrote about another of his songs here). In fact he’s started and ended more bands than anyone else I’m familiar with. And he’s got rosy cheeks and apparently very soft hands so that’s something. He’s from Vermont (this is the second of three post about bands from Vermont in the past two weeks). “Blowin Off The Sun” is a new song from an upcoming release on Asuaurus Records. It’s breezy, light and sunny.
The last Peter Case post I did I got things a bit mixed up (not that unusual on Songs:Illinois). The song I linked to was from a new record, but it was from a new record of older material. Luckily the producer of the record cleared things up in the comments section. Now I’m back with the real new “new” song from Peter Case off his Yep Roc Record’s debut Let Us All Now Praise Sleepy John.
With this release Peter Case returns to his busking troubadour roots. The songs are mostly political and mostly stripped down and raw. “Million Dollar Bail” is ripped right from the headlines, as if he somehow wrote and recorded this song following Paris Hilton’s early release from prsion or the early days of the Phil Spector case. It’s a tale of the haves and the have-nots in American society. Two groups that are growing increasingly popular.
Yep Roc is getting into the addeed value concept so if you pre-order the new record now you will also get 2 unreleased mp3′s. This is the first new record from Peter Case in five years, it’ll be a keeper so you might as well get it now.
My Broken Frame is like the French version of Chris Garneau (not that either has probably heard the other’s music) and I mean that in a good way. Emotive and sensual, the music from MBF is cinematic in scope while retaining an element of symphonic folk. The band’s new record is the EP Chapel Hill for the French label Waterhouse Records. It’ll be next to impossible to find unless you visit Drunk Dog Records online shop.
“No One” is the piano and cello based single from the new ep; it builds slowly into a lush piece in which every syllable is audible and any bit of sustain from the piano adds to the allure.
Blackie and the Rodeo Kings are a Canadian roots supergroup made up of Tom Wilson, Stephen Frearing and Colin Linden. They recorded a 2 disc collection which they’ve released in two seperate parts. Vol 2 – Let’s Frolic Again comes out in July. My first comparison I was set to make was to The Band. It should come as no surprise then that Garth Hudson is a guest on the record. For roots music that combines blues, folk, zydeco and 60′s jam band this is as good as it gets. Buy songs from this group below in my Snocap store.
I was at a show last night that got me talking about Galaxie 500. They’re a band that was hugely influenced by Velvet Underground and in turn influenced other early 90′s bands. But now in the hyper frenetic music blog world, where a quick recognizable beat and an upbeat, easy chorus are de riguer, it seems like if a band came around sounding like Wareham and co. they’d be relegated to some second tier shoegaze-only blog. A shame too as Galaxie 500 and the sound they helped create was so important to so many people
This may be a little bit of a stretch for honky-tonk Friday’s. And I’m sorry I have next to nothing relevant to say about Walt Wilkins. I’d never heard of him `till last week and the fact is I don’t have any pithy stories or interesting anecdotes to share.
I do know he’s from Austin and between now and the end of August he has about a hundred shows all around Texas and he never intends to leave the state. He did just finish producing the forthcoming Sam Baker record, so that’s a pretty great thing.
“Trains I’ve Missed” has that classic Austin sound of Robert Earl Keen, Joe Henry, and Bruce Robison. Pre-order the new record, Diamonds In The Sun, here (ships July 24th).
PS If you’re in the Chicagoland area (or even Indiana for goodness sake) don’t forget to come out to Cal’s (400 S. Wells) tonight for The Gunshy, Frontier Ruckus and Satellite 66. The show’s a critic’s pick of Timeout, Transmission, and The Reader. So it’s not gonna suck!
I’ve been waiting for news of the new David Dondero record to break. I think he’s brilliant and I think his 2005 release for Team Love, South Of the South, was one of the best records of that year. If you think I’m full of shit NPR backed me up recently by naming him one of the top 10 living songwriters.
So in lieu of any one else breaking the news I’ll have to do it myself. David dondero’s new record, Simple Love, comes out August 21 on Team Love Records. The album artwork nails David’s laidback persona and adds a little folk-art spin. And the two songs below continue the long line of amazing songs about humanity and the human condition that David’s become known for. For me “Rothko Chapel” is nearly perfect with it’s allusion to the importance of the church of life, music and art. David Dondero likens deeply religous experience with the music of John Coltrane and Charlie Parker, the art of Mark Rothko, the wonders of nature and the beauty of science; while deriding the rest of the world of organized religion. Pre-order Simple Love here.
The Chapin Sisters had their brush with fame’s fifteen minutes when Perez Hilton and local LA rock stations started playing their cover of Britney Spear’s “Toxic”. The band is back to their micro-indie roots with a split 10″ vinyl out now. These songs are not on it but maybe they’ll appear soon on the sister’s debut full length.
If Hollywood somehow reprises O Brother than the song “Long Journey” really has to be included. Buy the new split 10″ vinyle here.
June Madrona sing modern day campfire songs. The crackle of the flames and the sweet smell of smores is nearly palpable in these demos from their upcoming record on Bicycle. Happy 4th of July.
Over The Rhine (here, here, here) is a core artist for Songs:Illinois. The band’s Midwestern roots, consistent quality of their somber brand of roots music, and the close relationship between the married members of the band (a duo really) all combine to make them one of my favorite acts. They sound a bit like The Cowboy Junkies if they’d clung to their Trinity Session’s roots.
The band is back with a new record and while the song “Trouble” has been making the rounds on a few select blogs. This one, “If a Song Could Be President”, hasn’t been heard yet. Enjoy all it’s subtle charm. “If Neil Young were president…”, what a great idea! Pre-order The Trumpet Child starting July 2 here.
PS I had hoped to write about Christopher Denny on Songs:Illinois but I found out that Obscure Sound has said a bunch already. I won’t add to anything he’s said but I will second it.
(I was going to be all “this is an exclusive blah, blah, blah…” but then I went on vacation and when I came back Heather from I Am Fuel posted a few tracks from The Hottest State as well. SO while I may have drafted my post first, she got hers up on the web before me. So there.)
I’m a casual fan of both Bright Eyes and Jesse Harris. In fact my twin nieces knew more about Connor 10 years ago when they were in their early teens than I ever will. They also were able to identify with his poetic teen angst better than I. But a number of his songs have connected with me. In fact the one song I like the best is the one his fans seem to like the least; the very political “When The President Talks To God”.
Jesse Harris is clearly a talented songwriter, performer and arranger/producer, but he may also be exactly what’s wrong with the music industry. Here’s a guy who plays it safe, looking for the lowest common denominator (song placement in ads, commercial tie-ins, Starbucks’ promotions and smooth sounding AAA-lite material).
His latest project, besides his own solo record Feel, is the music for the film The Hottest State. He pulls a Zach Braff and chose all the music himself, although he took it one step further and chose all of his own music to showcase except newly performed and recorded by other artists. We’ll have to see how it all works in the context of the film, but for now here’s Bright Eye’s take on the Jesse Harris song “Big Old House”.
One thing that’s been nice about the name Songs:Illinois is the fact that if you do a Google search for it, it generally comes up #1. Usually “songbirds of Illinois” is second. Unfortunately that order may get messed up in the next couple of months as The Illinois Humanities Council is releasing a 2 disc set called Folksongs Of Illinois. I guess it’s better to be trumped by this than “great hair metal songs from Illinois”.
Volume 1 of the compilation features songs recorded as far back as the twenties up to modern day folk song covers by the likes of Jon Langford and Janet Bean. Since I’m a big fan of Bean’s work with Eleventh Dream Day I chose her cover of the historical folk song “The Hanging of Charlie Birger”. Buy the cd here.
Glad you found me at my new url. Songs:Illinois is committed to writing about music that is under-appreciated and unique. I've found that the music I write about shares a couple of traits. And they are: lyrical integrity, musically diverse, and written/performed by compelling characters.
Most songs found here are free and legal and have been provided by either the artist or label. If for some reason you'd like to have a song removed, please email me at cbonnell (at) gmail.com.
