Happy Fourth of July, everyone! I’ve been away for a bit (long story involving the car that went 280,002 miles and then stopped suddenly…), but now it’s time to come back and do this holiday thing right. I’ve put together some songs that feel uniquely American to me. Some are about the country, and some just sound American. You’ll see what I mean… (and don’t worry, there’s no Lynyrd Skynyrd or “Born in the U.S.A.”)
The gang over at Jason Heath and the Greedy Souls sent me over their recent cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “4th of July Asbury Park (Sandy),” and I thought I’d pass it along to you. The band has some special reason to perform this cover, as it includes Jason Federici, son of E. Street Band member Danny Federici. It’s a great cover, and one of the songs that my Dad and I would definitely have listened to if he were here today. Follow me to have a listen, and download the track:
Continue reading “Jason Heath and the Greedy Souls Cover Springsteen”
Umber is Alex Steward: an English musician who records beautiful, delicate ambient music in a bedroom-studio out in the English countryside. With an approach to craft that reminds me of fellow countrymen – Message to Bears – Umber’s Morning’s Pass conjures the sleep-filled moments of the early morning, the coming of the dawn, and the final slide into waking. Here’s a bit more from the release: “Morning’s Pass resists the cliché of instrumental builds by mirroring the very sensation of the sun rising. Rather than developing in loudness, Alex subtly encourages then winds down the music – just as dawn signals the arrival of day, but also the gentle recession of the night. As a result, the listener is happily suspended in an intoxicating and immersive experience, hovering in mist-covered horizon normally only witnessed by the early-risers.”
Continue reading “Music for a Rainy Day: Umber – Morning’s Pass”
Fax Holiday is the recording/performing name of Eric Schermerhorn (formerly of Mutt and Margin Walker), and it is also the name of a Boston-based indie/folk band containing Schermerhorn (vocals, guitars, autoharp), Ian Macleod (bass, vocals), Elizabeth Bollenberg (violin, harp), and Dana Diplacido (percussion). Importantly, it is also the name of one of my favorite bands of the last few months. Their new album – Rope & Wine – is a solid musical effort – combining indie-rock numbers like “Dropping Out” with more introspective, folk-inspired tunes like “Salt.” Regardless of presentation, each song feels as if it is rooted in something that is deeply personal – coming to the listener as if from a diary entry. It’s a combination that comes up a lot in these parts (you might be familiar with a similar formula as seen in the work of Galaxie 500), and produces an amazingly vibrant emotional tapestry.
Also, it rocks. Did I mention that it rocks?
Modern Tapes makes excellent post-punk/new wave music. This is what I know for sure. The band’s Facebook page also tells me: “MODERN TAPES formed in a bomb shelter in 2010. They played and recorded underground for almost a year. They used equipment left behind by a past generation.” And there we are… quite the mysterious/romantic bio, no? Fortunately, the gang at All Things Go brought the Tel Aviv-based band to light, and now we all get to enjoy them!