Woods
Bend Beyond
Available on Woodsist (Sept. 18, 2012)

Jeremy Earl likes to stay busy. The falsetto-prone singer and founder of the hazy folk band Woods has spearheaded a release by the group every year since 2006. Not creatively satisfied with just fronting the band, Earl also runs the successful record label Woodsist and hosts the annual Woodsist Festival at the Henry Miller Library in Big Sur. Some might take a look at these pursuits and see a man spreading himself too thin, while others might see an artist thriving in a culture bursting with free-flowing creativity. Despite this heavy output, Earl and the other three members of Woods have managed to create a new album, Bend Beyond, that is consistently engaging and artistically progressive.

All of the staple ingredients of a Woods album, like simple acoustic rhythms, reeling electric guitars, and Earl’s doubled lead vocals, find prominent positions on Bend Beyond. The instantly memorable “Cali In A Cup” employs each of these to great effect while adding a thick backbeat, wandering harmonica riffs, and a vocal hook as catchy as the best of them. On “It Ain’t Easy,” Earl picks lightly on an acoustic guitar to the stark accompaniment of a slide guitar and his voice. Reflective and earnest in his trademark casual manner, the lyrics rival some of Earl’s best – “It gets hard without much to say / A pile of stones in lieu of your grave / And ain’t it hard to say it ain’t easy / Lookin’ for different ways to makes things stay the same.”

While Bend Beyond still gives off a sense of the DIY ethos that has guided Woods in the past, the recordings here seem fuller and more realized than previous efforts. Luckily, the album contains several of those freewheeling and squealing beasts of guitar solos that have long come to help define the band’s sound, albeit they are now walked on a shorter leash. Bend Beyond improves upon the finest elements of Woods’ prior releases without stepping into the unforgiving trappings of a sterile and uninspired performance.  

Ben Sauder is an Online Editorial Assistant at Ogden Publications, the parent company of Utne Reader. Find him on Google+.

 
Sean Rowe
The Salesman and the Shark
Available on Anti- (Aug. 28, 2012)

Singer-songwriter Sean Rowe has a voice that grabs you and lyrics that keep it, and when you listen to the fantastic collection of songs on his latest album The Salesman and the Shark, you'll wonder what took so long for Rowe to get noticed.

While the 37-year-old Rowe probably wouldn’t have shied away from success had he realized it with his first album, 27 (Rowe’s age at the time), he’s aware that what’s made him an exciting discovery today required a lot of seasoning. He spent years honing his craft in noisy bars filled with disinterested drinkers, exploring his many musical influences and constantly finding new ones along the way. Eventually, he caught the ear of Anti- Records, which eagerly put out his second album, Magic, in 2011. “I do feel like Magic was a real starting point for me,” said Rowe. “Not that I hadn’t written anything good before that, but it felt like Magic had a real focus to it. Those songs hold some of my best literary work, I think.”

The lyrical strength of Magic earned him comparisons to Leonard Cohen and other lyrical and vocal legends, something that Rowe appreciates, but has taken in stride. “It’s natural to want to compare something we’ve never experienced with something we already know,” said Rowe. “They are all artists I have identified with over the years, but of course there are many more. I think the real key is absorbing what you can from others, mix it with your own energy and then develop your own voice.”

Rowe has established his own voice on his latest album for Anti-, The Salesman and the Shark. Compared to the lyrical load of Magic, the new record offers more opportunity for Rowe to literally breathe, which emphasizes his impressive baritone. It’s a voice that rattles your bones on the deep end, and gives you chills when it wanders into its highest range. “I didn’t think I needed to repeat the same feel of Magic,” said Rowe. “I wanted the new direction to be more cinematic. I guess you could say it has a lot more color to it than the last one.” 

That point is clear on songs like “Joe’s Cult.” With its Tom Waits-ian qualities, it sounds right at home on an Anti- recording. “A lot of that sound was producer Woody Jackson’s influence,” said Rowe. “I love the way that one came out. I think we recorded three drum sets at once to get the boom that it has.”

Here's a live acoustic version of "Flying," which gets the full production treatment on The Salesman and the Shark:

The Salesman and the Shark was recorded live in studio with real instruments, and that organic approach pays off throughout. On songs like opener “Bring Back the Night,” Jackson complements Rowe’s larger than life voice with a chorus and full instrumental accompaniment. Where Magic introduced us to Rowe the folk singer, the production and song selection on the new record introduce us to Rowe the soul singer.

While the entire record is outstanding, Rowe’s best moments are those in which he taps into the spiritual connection he has with nature, and Jackson deftly knows when to let Rowe’s voice and lyrics and take center stage. On “The Lonely Maze,” Rowe sings “I’ll never get to that star, but I’ve seen the universe in a blade of grass.” The lyric speaks to Rowe’s appreciation for nature, which fuels his passion, and has been the constant driving force through all the ups and downs in his music career. “Ultimately, it is the source for all of my writing,” said Rowe. “I cannot separate emotion, feeling, sensuality, sexuality, life and death from nature. They are all intimately connected.”

Listen to The Salesmen and the Shark in its entirety on NPR's First Listen

Utne Reader is pleased to host the world premiere of the music video for “If Wishes Were Gold” by Sankofa, a modern string band that features Allison Russell (Po' Girl, Birds of Chicago) and Dom Flemons of the Carolina Chocolate Drops. Russell wrote "Wishes," and provides a sultry lead vocal on the track while adding acoustic guitar to compliment an understated harmonica by John Sebastian of The Lovin’ Spoonful, and the resplendent brushes of percussionist Sule Greg Wilson. The result is a warm glow engulfing a cool summer eve in the city:

Russell recalls the genesis of the song: "'If Wishes Were Gold’ is about as straight forward a song as I've ever written. There's no ambiguity to the particular kind of blues I am feeling there. I was ready to give myself to someone I loved and that person just wasn't ready the way I was READY. To some extent, it also stems from the vagabond existence I was living at that time. There's kind of a double yearning going on, not just for someone to love, but for a place that felt like home, ever elusive. The song was written during a sojourn in Chicago and came to life under the deft musical guidance of John Sebastian. We arranged and recorded it together at Nevessa Studio in Woodstock, N.Y.”
 
 

Describing the unique still photo quality of the video, Allison explains: "Rob Stegman, the videographer, decided he wanted to use still shots of me in a metropolitan setting for the video, and we saw it as an opportunity to pay tribute to the beauty and grit of The Windy City. Natalie Ginele is a fantastic Chicago based photographer and had always wanted to do a shoot by the train tracks off of Grand Ave. on the edge of West Town. We also did some shots in the vibrant Wicker Park, Bucktown, and Humboldt Park neighborhoods, which are favourite haunts of mine. I hope some of the atmosphere of Chicago comes through in the video. I can't think of too many better places in the world to be blue."

Since the release of The Uptown Strut earlier this year, the album continues to generate acclaimed reviews with SSG Music remarking, “Sankofa offers a spontaneous, raunchy barnyard romp that bridges the gap between hillbilly country, gospel, and soul” while Press Plus 1 noted, “...the instrumentation complements the songs perfectly. The result is an album that is every bit as fun and mirthful as immersed in heritage and history.”

The digital single for "If Wishes Were Gold" will be released July 10 on Cleveland-based Kingswood Records.
 

Langhorne Slim & The Law
The Way We Move
Available now on Ramseur Records (June 5, 2012)

Langhorne Slim sings like he’s in trouble with the law; pleading, explaining, laying everything on the line to be sure his actions are understood to be honest and intentions known to be noble.

On The Way We Move, Langhorne Slim & The Law weave their way through folk, Americana and rock, with Slim singing his heart out the entire way. His scratchy, honest, not-quite-falsetto voice may not be classically trained, but more importantly it’s emotive.

The title track opens things up with David Moore plunking out a joyous piano bounce between the chorus and verses while the Law chimes in, vocally echoing Slim’s declarations.

“I was born with a thorn in my soul/guess it could be worse. I might not’ve gotten much/but I know what it’s worth” Slim sings on “Bad Luck” over the top of a snapping one-two snare beat and banjo. He’s had his share of trouble and hard times, but even though bad luck’s rooted itself in him, Slim knows he’ll survive.

Moore shines again on “Fire,” putting down a funky key part to set the stage for a tale about childhood crushes and the inevitable crushing of adult life. Hardly a pity party, The Law settles into its best groove of the album on the track, as Moore jams away on his keys like a Stax session man in the pocket.

A good half of the album finds the boys in balladeering mode. Banjos and guitars gently pick their way along as Langhorne wrenches every drop of feeling he can out of his vocal delivery. Nowhere is that more apparent than “Song For Sid,” an ode to the writer’s beloved, late grandfather.

“Move” tends to lean either toward patient ballads or up tempo foot tappers and rarely land anywhere in between. But whichever pole they happen to be leaning on, Langhorne sings it just might be his last song.

Hope For Agoldensummer
Life Inside the Body
Available now on Mazarine Records (May 1, 2012)

At times, the voices in this Athens trio adopt the timbre of instruments typical of their genre: violins and musical saws. Simple folk harmonies and plucked guitar strings seem equally suited to float on a breeze through summer’s open windows or hang in the air of a winter burrow. 

Life Inside the Body is founded on slow rhythms and old-fashioned close harmonies. A cappella tracks like “Cold Cold Bed” and “Come Back” reveal a seemingly effortless intimacy between the voices of sisters Claire and Page Campbell. Other tracks—“Come On,” “Day Glo Grey”—add instrumental accompaniment, but keep a pretty straightforward folk feel. The album is full of nuanced variation. While individual songs slip into sub-genres, consistent vocals and pacing hold it all together.

The band is at its catchiest when edging into folk-rock territory. Tracks like “Daniel Bloom” and “Shining Heart” borrow rock’s backbeat for added texture. “Daniel Bloom” is the star of the album, with ghostly, lyricless vocals and an enchanting guitar hook that immediately lure listeners into the song’s fold. “Shining Heart” is not as immediately catchy, but after a slow build, listeners are rewarded with an unexpected leap into a joyous, longing refrain. 

Other songs offer an even greater departure from tried-and-true folk. The changing rhythms, bit of discord, and vaudeville feel of “Annie,” and the wispy, high harmonies and playful lyrics of “Come Over” are welcome experimental departures. These slightly eccentric vignettes seem the band’s richest terrain for potential growth, especially if they can keep the tone more sultry than cute.

Hope For Agoldensummer was born of wishes: a reunion of two sisters, an escape from the cold and dark of winter. Musically and lyrically, the band seems to represent both the wish-come-true and an understanding that such wishes cannot last. Claire and Page Campbell may be together, crafting soulful indie-folk with musician-producer Suny Lyons, but winter will return and these souls may part ways—if only to reunite later. It is fitting, then, that Life Inside the Body seems a bridge from sorrow to satisfaction and back again.

 
Father John Misty
Fear Fun
Available now on Sub Pop (May 1, 2012)

"I never liked the name Joshua, I got tired of J.," reveals former Fleet Foxes drummer Josh Tillman on his new album Fear Fun, opting for the less serious moniker of Father John Misty. The shedding of his former identity and the arrival of a new one not only comes in the form of a new name. It's as if the J. Tillman of old, the one heard harmonizing in Fleet Foxes, and creating solo albums of harmless folk songs, was born anew with an edgier style, a stronger propensity for rock-influenced songwriting, and a fresh haircut.  

While this rebirth of sorts may have fans of his previous work slightly concerned, there is no need to worry. Fear Fun manages to hang on to the core appeal of Tillman’s previous work while charting new territory in both lyrical content and musical approach.



The Father John Misty aesthetic shines on the album’s first single, "Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings." Backed by a hypnotic drumbeat and a grinding electric guitar, Tillman delivers darker lyrics than on previous projects - a staple of Fear Fun. On the slow jam "Funtimes in Babylon," Tillman showcases his talent for tragic imagery, singing, "Ride around my wreckage on a horse knee-deep in blood / Look out Hollywood here I come." Another, "I'm Writing a Novel," channels the Beatles' "Ballad of John and Yoko" with a lively beat, a gang of riffing guitars and a squealing organ pad. Other tracks find Tillman paying homage to classic 70’s country western guitar work, handclapping fiddle shufflers, and synth-laden disco grooves.

Tillman's announcement earlier this year upon his departure from Fleet Foxes said, in part, "Farewell Fleet fans and friends. Back into the gaping maw of obscurity I go." Lucky for us, Tillman was rejected by that maw, and it has thrust him back into the spotlight as Father John Misty. Here's a stream of the entire album from the Sub Pop YouTube page: