Archive for the ‘Folk/Country Rock’ Category

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

Mark Kozelek

Mark KozelekArtist: Mark Kozelek

Hails from: San Francisco, CA

Musical Style: Folk, Rock, Indie

For Fans of: American Music Club, Elliott Smith, Nick Drake

Unlit Hallway(Live)

Why you should check him out:
Somber and steady, Mark Kozelek weaves a plaintive and vulnerable swath between experimental indie rock and sonorous folk music that some have dubbed “sadcore.” But don’t let the melancholy title worry you, this prolific singer/songwriter is a true American original, an
influential and respected craftsman, and one of the strongest voices to emerge in the last 25 years.

Background Check:

Born and raised in Ohio, Mark Kozelek spent time in Atlanta before moving to San Francisco and forming the immaculately sorrowful Red
House Painters in 1989. The group fused Kozelek’s bittersweet baritone voice with deeply intimate compositions. Formed around an often experimental slant, Kozelek lead the group through several acclaimed albums over the course of nearly a decade before the band dissolved.

At that time, Kozelek moved towards more acoustic centered solo material, releasing his debut album under his own name, Rock ‘n’ Roll Singer EP in 2000. The album included masterful reworkings of classic songs by the likes of John Denver and even AC/DC, a feat Kozelek would continue throughout his career. In 2002, Kozelek again assembled a

close knit group of musicians, including some Red House Painters alumni, to form the more accessible and straightforward Sun Kil Moon. Their debut album, Ghosts of the Great Highway, signaled a true embrace of Kozelek’s Midwestern roots and featured country inspired rock songs that Red House Painters had so often skirted for more
haunting and atmospheric aesthetics.

Sun Kil Moon continues to this day, most recently releasing April in 2008. Kozelek has also kept a full plate on his table with the founding of his label Caldo Vera Records, and a steady string of solo
albums, including 2008’s Finally LP and last year’s Lost Verses Live, a collection of his works presented in stunningly stripped down live renditions. Now one of the most recognized voices in music, Kozelek
still leads a generation of songwriters with his poetic and gentle songs.

Where you can find him in Cysberspace:
On Tour:
Mark Kozelek is also playing the NoisePop festival.  See dates and buy tickets HERE

Posted in Folk, Folk Rock, Folk/Country Rock, Folk/Country Rock, Indie Rock | No Comments »

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

Tiny Television

Tiny TelevisionAstist: Tiny Television

Hails from: San Francisco, CA

Musical Style: Country, Americana, Indie

For Fans of: Ryan Adams, Son Volt, The Devil Makes Three

Hallelujah

Why you should check them out:
Singer/songwriter Jeremy D’Antonio is a well traveled, but not yet road weary troubadour whose humble roots inform on his sincere alt-country stylings. Now at home in the Bay Area,  he takes his
simple melodic approach to the fullest as the founder and frontman of Tiny Television.
Background Check:
D’Antonio traces his line in the sand to the streets of Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was there that the young musician cut his teeth and honed his richly textured Americana folk rock under the Tiny Television
moniker. Imbued in a sense of the historic, D’Antonio moved to the snow tops of Denver and eventually found himself in the communal hands
of San Francsico.

The songwriter utilizes a large group of friends to accommodate his revolving door of collaborators within the confines of Tiny Television. Writing lyrical and true to life tales, D’Antonio takes
from his southwestern state of mind and creates impacting and immediate country rock. His debut album, Mission Statement, is as layered and enriched as the neighborhood it’s named for.

Tiny Television is an amazing avenue for D’Antonio’s powerful voice and traditional sound, one that allows the songwriter the freedoms of
his art and demands the fullest of his talents. No doubt that the maturing presence fronting Tiny Television is setting the stage for some truly remarkable records to come.

Where you can find them in Cyberspace:

MySpace

Tinytele.com

Facebook Fan page

On Tour:

JamBase

Tiny Television Plays Noise Pop on Thursday February 25, 2010 at the Rickshaw Stop.  Get tickets HERE!

Posted in Alternative, Alternative Country, Folk/Country Rock, Folk/Country Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock | No Comments »

Tuesday, November 18th, 2008

The Devil Makes Three

Devil Makes ThreeArtist:  The Devil Makes Three

Hails From: Santa Cruz, CA

Musical Style: Ragtime, Folk, Country

For Fans of: Tom Waits, Old 97’s, Primus

 

Why you should check them out:

Three part harmonies and tight acoustic rhythms abound.  The Santa Cruz trio The Devil Makes Three are a testament to party scenes of an era long past, updated only through the occasional punk rock embelishment.

Background Check:

No drummer and all acoustic, The Devil Makes Three are not your conventional party band.  And yet, with their vintage ragtime rhythms and catchy whisky songs, the Santa Cruz trio always seems to get their audiences dancing and having a great time.

United by a mutual love of old blues, country, and punk rock, Pete Bernhard and Cooper McBean left their Vermont beginnings and headed out west,  where they eventually completed the trio with upright bassist Lucia Turino.  Now residing in Santa Cruz, The Devil Makes Three frequent neighboring Bay Area venues and have been known to extend their upbeat acoustics on the occasional national tour.  Releasing their first self-titled album in 2002, a 2004 full-length, and a 2006 live album thereafter, The Devil Makes Three have solidified their national presence with their highly unique and incomparable sound.

With the addition of four new tracks and a freshly remastered sound, The Devil Makes Three are set to re-release their 2002 debut, offering their introductory songs to an eager new audience as soon as November 20, 2008.  While their records may introduce you to the songs of The Devil Makes Three, their live shows are where the music truely comes alive, as assured by guitarist Pete Bernhard, “It can get pretty crazy, people are dancing and drinking and yelling.  And that’s the way we like it.”

Where you can find them in cyberspace:

Myspace 

The Devil Makes Three website

Wikipedia

Where you can find them on tour:

Jambase

Posted in Folk/Country Rock | No Comments »