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Hailing from the UK, Viarosa's album Where the Killers Run brings us more extraordinary tales from this unique band, many of the songs crafted as if they belonged to some distant mediaeval past. Neuberg's songs tell of 'canons calling', of 'poor men praying', of 'kings & princes hanging out the dead'. They are mythic ballads- stories of sin & salvation, of persecution & redemption- into which Richard manages to weave his own difficult life stories. Layers of mandolins, banjos, violins & musical saws all accompany Richard's deep & powerful lead vocals that have brought comparisons to Nick Cave, Jim Morrison & Leonard Cohen, amongst others. Extended bonus material only available on US release!
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Lending to the highly intimate and perfectly understated mood on "Three Leaf Clover", the debut solo record by Whiting Tennis, is the fact that the demos, the working tapes Whiting was making, turned out to be the final versions. While his live performances may capture more of a full band sound, these apartment recordings are somehow more potent, more stark and personal.
Like the end of a long road trip with the Velvet Underground, if Neil Young was in the driver's seat. Hypnotic yet grounded, and perhaps a little bit dangerous."
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On “Werner Ghost Truck,†Barn Burning’s second full-length release, the band explores a darker and more diverse landscape than in their prior recordings. Werner Ghost Truck is a journey through soundscapes, moods, and stark images - filled with the sounds of empty rooms, cold stairwells and shortwave radio frequencies.
"If Interpol had teamed up with Iron & Wine and Talk Talk...the result may well sound similar to ‘Werner Ghost truck’. Given the right circumstances, it could itself become a landmark album but for now it remains a pure and desolate masterpiece." - Losing Today
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Review of Vivian Linden's 2006 debut album Watch the Light Fade:
"Painterly washes of darkling country torch, phials of pale blue sound. Pedal steel and ringing piano echo through the empty rooms of this deserted house. A battered guitar lies on the cold bed. A familiar, lonely street during an autumn night, your words trapped and suspended in the clear, chilled air of winter. A voice that can trill like Stevie Nicks or Tim Buckley but is weighed down by sorrows and wisdom, heavy like Townes Van Zandt or Mike Johnson. Watch The Light Fade is reminiscent of the epic, biblical sweep and tear-stained sheets of Nocturama-era Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and is, thusly, indispensable."
- Ink19
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Mike Dumovich's Mesojunarian was released on August 15th, 2006. In case you haven't caught wind of him yet, here's a little preview by Brian J. Barr, Freelance Writer (No Depression, Harp, Seattle Stranger):
"While Dumovich can be a morose motherfucker, its never in the tiresome woe-is-me plague of most singer-songwriters. Rather, he is deeply thoughtful in the Nick Drake/Townes Van Zandt tradition. However, with producer Tucker Martine at the knobs, Dumovich shows he can also craft a catchy rock tune, such as "Sand and Swallow", which borders on the Long Winters' more somber moments. With Mesojunarian, we finally have a recorded document of one of Seattle's most treasured songwriters."
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Conrad Ford's debut release Don't You Miss Yourself is, without a doubt, one of the most infectious albums on our roster (selected as one of the top Northwest albums of 2006 by Three Imaginary Girls):
"What's up alt. country? Apparently the indie world is fucking obsessed with your style! While the world prepares us for the new Lucero album that promises to out-Wilco Wilco, a little known outfit named Conrad Ford just might have beaten them to the punch with their Don't You Miss Yourself. Using such great instruments as pedal steel, banjo, omnichord, bells, ukulele, accordion, lap steel, dobro, cello, saw, trumpet and melodica, the album isn't missing a beat or sound at all. Engaging and catchy rudimentary tunes that breathe of earthy melodies and fantastic songwriting." - Smother.net
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Palodine's "Desolate Son" is a provocative portrayal of violence, remorse & final words. Alternating in mood from fierce to somber, Desolate Son is bound together by rich vocals, lush instrumentation & final touches of pedal steel, dobro & bass. Imagine the energy of PJ Harvey, the subtlety of Mazzy Star & the convictions of a hellfire southern preacher
""Without a major chord in sight, PALODINE’s brooding, insidious sound is certainly not recommended for partying. Obvious influences are PJ Harvey / Siouxsie and the Banshees, but there is a lot more to them than that. A clear debt is also owed to ‘60s American West Coast acts such as Jefferson Airplane and Quicksilver Messenger Service, with the songs, all written by singer KATRINA WHITNEY and guitarist MICHAEL ARYN, constituting an intense, hypnotic trip of almost nightmare proportions." - Americana UK
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