spOOOnful.com » Folk/Country Rock

Mark Kozelek

stacyamos — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:00:35 +0000

Artist: Mark Kozelek

Hails from: San Francisco, CA

Musical Style: Folk, Rock, Indie

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

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

Similar Artists:

Tiny Television

stacyamos — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:10:24 +0000

Astist: 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:

On Tour:

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

Similar Artists:

Thao with the Get Down Stay Down

stacyamos — Tue, 05 May 2009 10:28:46 +0000

Artist: Thao with the Get Down Stay Down

Hails From: San Francisco, CA

Musical Style: Country, Folk, Indie Rock

For Fans of: Laura Gibson, Feist, Dr. Dog

Why you should check them out:

Twenty three year old Thao Nguyen is a rare commodity these days – a charming singer songwriter who delivers impacting and clever narratives with childlike sensitivity and genuine affectation. Aided by her band, The Get Down Stay Down, Nguyen and company create upbeat folk pop enhanced by just a little country twang, and a whole lot of heart.

Background Check:

Writing songs since age twelve, Thao Nguyen spent the majority of her time playing solo until meeting with drummer Willis Thompson while both were attending college in Virginia. What became a two piece endeavor soon expanded to four with the addition of Adam Thompson on bass and later, Frank Stewart on guitar. In 2005 Nguyen released her debut Like the Linen, a collection of upbeat rhythms and delicate guitar lines that glided easily into acoustic numbers for their Daytrotter sessions released a year later.

As luck (and a whole lot of talent) would have it, after receiving a copy of Like the Linen that was sent by Nguyen herself, Laura Veirs was so impressed that she quickly welcomed Nguyen as an opener for her full European tour. One thing soon lead to another, and in 2008, Thao, now with the full band, released their follow up We Brave Bee Stings and All, on their new label Kill Rock Stars. While retaining the initial enthusiasm and feel of her debut, We Brave Bee Stings and All is really just a fuller and more energetic effort, complete with childhood images of ice cream and trampolines. And although this album ultimately conveys messages of loss and the pain of growing up, it’s truly this juxtaposition of childhood innocence that their music portrays which make the songs so utterly heartfelt and nostalgic.

Where you can find them in cyberspace:

On Tour: