Natalie Prass is a Nashville-based singer/songwriter who has not only matured into a strong presence on the indie music scene. But, the constancy of her ability to eviscerate a listener’s emotions to smithereens is still very much front and center. Continue reading “natalie prass | my baby don’t understand me”
basecamp | basecamp ep
basecamp // basecamp ep
Although BASECAMP may hail from Nashville, Tennessee this this trio of producers, singers and songwriters uproot any and all preconceptions of what geography may dictate. Yet, in todays’ modern age of a musical world without borders is it really surprising that they sound like a sponge dropped into the bucket of R&B forethought, afterthought and future thought? No, not really. Listen to their self-titled BASECAMP EP and luxuriate within sensual bass and lush synth bubbles for theirs is a sound replete with lavender scented candles alight with flickering flame. The BASECAMP release includes four wondrous tracks and each one is scintillatingly hot (my fav is 2 Thingz). Listen to all after the jump and download them all for FREE! How freakin’ cool is that. Enjoy. Peace. Continue reading “basecamp | basecamp ep”
useless eaters // black night ultraviolet ep
Seth Sutton helms the Nashville punk-rockerish band Useless Eaters. And if you like you rock adorned with the fuzzed-out guitar and dirty elements of the primal then the band’s latest 4-song ‘Black Night Ultraviolet‘ EP is what you need in your life right now. It drops July 31st. Peace.
lilly hiatt and the dropped ponies // young black rose
there are those days (and moments) when the tranquil folky songs sung by a beautiful understated voice does more to lift your spirits and settle the dust aswirl all about you. well, lilly hiatt and the dropped ponies do just that with equal measure of talent and tenderness. listen to the tracks, “young black rose” and “let down” both are taken from the band’s fall debut release ‘let down’ available on itunes. peace. Continue reading “lilly hiatt and the dropped ponies // young black rose”
future unlimited // lightweight eyes
I don’t what’s happening in Nashville, Tennessee but whatever it is it’s working. Recently, in the land of country music there have been quite a few acts that are charting on Indie and Alternative outlets on college campuses everywhere. And Future Unlimited (David Miller & Samuel D’Amelio) is one of the best Nashville acts (or anywhere else for that matter) making outstanding dreamy Electro-Pop. After the jump take in the delicate, “Lightweight Eyes” and let it take you there. I also included the duo’s previous EP, hope you enjoy. Peace. Continue reading “future unlimited // lightweight eyes”
paperhead // pictures of her demise
For many reasons the Nashville, Tennessee quartet Paperhead are the embodiment of the throwback band. With songs interwoven with classic rock, with The Beatles being the strongest thread of familiarity, you get songs which seem to float just out of reach. Listen to the band’s latest, “Pictures Of Her Demise” and last year spacey offering “Rain”. You’ll get the feeling you not on familiar ground anymore. Peace. Continue reading “paperhead // pictures of her demise”
lambchop | gone tomorrow
I cannot think of another singer/songwriter/guitarist with a more tranquil voice as that belonging to Kurt Wagner of Nashville’s perennial country band Lambchop. His vocals are at once old-timey speakeasy and by turns possess a mellow dangerous magic. On the bands 11th release Mr. M you get treated to more of what you expect from this subtle powerhouse of strings and twang. And with beautiful songs like, “If Not I’ll Just Die” and “Gone Tomorrow,” I think it’ll be hard not to want this for yourself. Also, you can stream the Mr. M album release for a limited time at Merge Records. Enjoy. Peace. Continue reading “lambchop | gone tomorrow”
Night Beds // Even If We Try
I knew a woman, lovely in her bones, When small birds sighed, she would sigh back at them … -Theodore Roethke
I am going to take liberty with Theodore Roethke’s opening line of his poem “I Knew A Woman” and offer this, “I know a song, lovely in its bones, when small birds sighed, song would sigh back at them…” The song “Even If We Try” by the Night Beds make me sigh. I’m sure I am not the only one. I am moved by the music of Night Beds, and this song, like so many others they’ve penned, positions me into introspective poses. The music is every thing it makes of a listener: regretful, forlorn, bitter, sad or joyful because you’ve skirted romantic disaster this lifetime. But for those of us who’ve suffered and learned through heartache, this song is a whiskey-soaked barb beneath the skin covering a bruised heart. I’ve think you’ll like this song, and I hope you find your way through it, but don’t rush. Take all the time you need, for its beauty is amplified with each and every listen. Go to the band’s website at nightbeds.org where you can get two FREE downloads from the Night Beds forthcoming album Country Sleep. Peace. Continue reading “Night Beds // Even If We Try”
Natalie Prass // Bird Of Prey (Video) Our Sunday Best
Music is a funny thing. And more often than not music chooses you and not the other way around. What I mean is, although we are constantly inundated with tons of music. An almost endless deluge of sound, some voices rise above. Revealing, only certain songs, or bodies of work, really reach and speak to us in tomes of soul-speak. And, if you approach music with any degree of discernment you’re not easily seduced by trends, or by what someone else claims is the next big thing.
With singer-songwriter Natalie Prass the music reaches you by cutting through to the heart of what makes a song special. Delivery and emotion. When Ms. Prass open her mouth listeners are rewarded immediately by the two most important elements of song writing; song structure, and delivery, and in this case a beyond beautiful singing voice.
Funny thing, I came to know how Natalie Prass by way of a serendipitous occurrence. No lie. Recently, I was provided with an advance copy of songs to review by a band I (Cherub) really respect and like a lot. And one of those songs on their forthcoming album features Ms. Natalie Prass. And although I imagine there were a lot of people who could have potentially sung the lyrics on their song, these guys had the good sense, and taste, to pick the best person for the job. Because, what Natalie brought to this particular song was a large bit of tenderness and an ethereal voice. Which turned my heart into a pool of melted reddish jelly. I played the song over and over, at least 3-4 times before I snapped out of it and performed a Google search on her name and hit the jackpot; I found her Bandcamp and Facebook pages, then her website natalieprass.com.
First, I came upon the song “Earth Angel,” and just as soon as it pricked my ear like the soft muzzle of newborn foal, I was seduced. This sweet revisitation of an old classic is nicely done(understatement). But then I listened to the song “Bird Of Prey,” from Natalie’s Sense of Transcendence EP (2011) and I’ve been playing it pretty much non-stop. The song really comes alive when she plays an acoustic set on the video below after the jump.
What a perfect song for our Sunday Best pick and an ideal song to unfurl the morning. My advice, Get your ears on any and everything associated with Natalie Prass. She can do no wrong, musically speaking that is. Song birds are a dime a dozen, but birds of paradise are a rare breed. Peace. Continue reading “Natalie Prass // Bird Of Prey (Video) Our Sunday Best”