Sea of Bees – Songs for the Ravens
August 31st, 2010 | by Caden Moore | published in experimental, female vocalists, freak-folk | 1 comment
Songs for the Ravens has more than your typical indie folk record. Unlike other female folk singers, Baenziger plays most of the instruments on the album, some of which she has never played before. The overdub-heavy nature of this music gives it a large, deep sound that both satisfying and impressive.
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.
November 27th, 2009 | by Jason Grishkoff | published in acoustic, americana, folk, freak-folk | no comments
Saintseneca is an indie folk band from the Columbus, Ohio music scene. They put out their first album at the beginning of 2009, and a new four track, the self-titled Saintseneca EP, on September 1st. They play fast paced banjo/guitar folk music with handclaps and twee vocals, with stomping singalong chorusses and simple vocal melodies to match. According to their Myspace, they’ll play anywhere that ‘it echoes, and there’s a good floor to stomp on.’
Devendra Banhart – What Will Be Will Be
November 4th, 2009 | by Jason Grishkoff | published in freak-folk | 1 comment
What Will Be Will Be presents a much more user-friendly version of Devendra: an artist that many may enjoy. In a nutshell, I’d attribute it to the song-clarity that this album possesses, whereas much of his prior work was murky and fringe-experimental.
Dead Man’s Bones – Dead Man’s Bones
October 26th, 2009 | by Jason Grishkoff | published in folk, freak-folk | 3 comments
Actor Ryan Gosling and his best friend Zach Shields are joined by Silverlake Conservatory Children’s Choir. The end result is an amateur, choral-freak-folk album that is winds up being both creepy and an all-together fun at the same time.
Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros – Up From Below
August 16th, 2009 | by Jason Grishkoff | published in experimental, freak-folk, psychedelic | 1 comment
“Alex ebert could easily double as some kind of indie-rock messiah. Fronting his new band, the 11- or 12-member strong Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, Ebert appears onstage shirtless and barefoot, strands of shoulder-length hair tied back in a faux crown as he conducts his smiling, face-painted ensemble like a giddy choir director. At those moments, he is no longer Alex Ebert, hard-partying lead singer of the dance-rock band Ima Robot; he becomes Edward Sharpe, his boyhood alter ego, and his band is his family. His agenda, as 1960s as it sounds, is little more than love and honesty.” – the la times
July 14th, 2009 | by camden andrews | published in experimental, folk, freak-folk | no comments
if justin vernon (bon iver), grizzly bear, and andrew bird were in a plane crash and their spirits got together and made music, it would sound like this album. recording from his basement, stith incorporates a lot of elements from his immediate surroundings including pots and pans, coffee mugs, and staples, adding some interesting textures to the already lush, multi-layered orchestrations and vocal harmonies. the result is down-right eerie in some parts, but makes for a great listen.
