Frightened Rabbit – The Winter of Mixed Drinks

March 8th, 2010  |  by jason grishkoff  |  published in folk-rock  |  2 comments

Frightened Rabbit are receiving infinitely more mainstream attention than they did back in the post-”Midnight Organ Fight” days. They placed top of my albums of 2008 list at a time when their rallying Scottish folk-rock had barely brushed the top of the blogosphere. Now, a week before the release of their third album “The Winter Of Mixed Drinks” – they have taken the title of the most streamed artist on the UK Myspace charts.

Foxes in Fiction – Swung From The Branches

March 6th, 2010  |  by jason grishkoff  |  published in experimental, folktronica, indie pop

Warren Hildebrand, the man behind Foxes in Fiction, is another in a line of them this year that have been flooding my inbox with their admirable work. Foxes in Fiction have released a 19 song album for free. The album is filled with dreamy songs that barely coalesce enough to call them songs.

Strange Birds – Strange Birds EP

March 4th, 2010  |  by jason grishkoff  |  published in acoustic, alternative, folk  |  3 comments

Aidin Sadeghi and Bret Leinen compose the two-man duo that is Strange Birds. The majority of their work sounds distinctly like the exhibited by Coldplay in their songs “Parachutes”, “We Never Change”, and in particular, “Easy to Please”. At the same time, however, Strange Birds obviously don’t have Chris Martin’s distinct voice leading the show. Indeed, there are a number of elements that set them apart, including clean and round acoustic guitar that strums to a clean and upbeat, jazzy cadence.

She & Him – Thieves

March 1st, 2010  |  by jason grishkoff  |  published in alternative, folk, indie rock  |  10 comments

I am pretty ambivalent about She and Him. I like them; I dislike them. From day to day, I never know how I feel about them. I have legitimate complaints about the band (they are far too cute for their own good), but I also hold grudges against them that are patently unfair (they are fronted by a movie star). And although I liked their debut album enough, I wasn’t clamoring for another outing from the duo. But goddam if “Thieves,” the newest song to leak from the album, doesn’t confuse the situation a bit. The song is 4 minutes of perfect pop.

Le Loup – Family

March 1st, 2010  |  by camden andrews  |  published in experimental, freak-folk  |  3 comments

Even though Le Loup started as the solo project of Sam Simkoff, the band now emphasizes its identity as a family on their website, and the cohesion really comes through in the music. There isn’t a single element of the multi-layered tunes that overpowers the others; not even Simkoff’s vocals. Each member adds an equal contribution to the sound, and the result washes over in waves that are both complex and tranquil.

Sean Hayes – Run Wolves Run

February 25th, 2010  |  by jason grishkoff  |  published in folk, folk-rock  |  4 comments

There’s something undeniably raw and emotional in the voice of Sean Hayes. There’s also something unquestionably raw about the instruments that backup Sean Hayes. Together, their sound is phenomenal, and it’s not just because this isn’t what I usually listen to. His new album, Run Wolves Run, to be released on March 16, showcases both the traditional, slower-paced melodic ambivalence of his prior records, and a newer, more actively band-like repertoire.

Rosie and Me – Bird and Whale

February 15th, 2010  |  by jason grishkoff  |  published in acoustic, female vocalists, folk  |  4 comments

I will declare it right now: the best folk band to have contacted me these past 2 months is without a doubt, Rosie and Me. Singer, Rosanne Machado, accurately describes the group as “unpretentious and simple”. Both ‘Come Back’ and ‘Bonfires’ are acoustic wonders that sound and feel as natural as the change of the seasons and as spontaneous as Snooki from the Jersey Shore. These positive, warm melodies are almost enough to fight the cold winter this year and keep you refreshed during the summer.

Husky Rescue – Ship of Light

February 13th, 2010  |  by jason grishkoff  |  published in alternative, female vocalists, folktronica, trip hop  |  1 comment

ased out of Helsinki, Finland, the five-piece group fuses alternative with trip hop, ultimately producing a pop sound reminiscent of Emiliana Torrini or a down-tempo Metric. The result is perfectly fitting for the terribly gloomy, winter weather that has gripped Washington, D.C. for the last few weeks. Ship of Light is their third release, following a reasonable amount of success with their sophomore release on Catskill, Ghost is Not Real.