Country & Folk

New album: Tom Cheshire Band (TCB) || Everything Is New Again

By / / Alternative Rock, Country & Folk / Leave a Comment

New York-born/Atlanta-raised singer, songwriter, musician and poet Tom Cheshire (West End Motel, Rent Boys, All Night Drug Prowling Wolves) has just released his debut solo album Everything Is New Again. You can see from the TCB* moniker that solo doesn’t mean alone, but the ten songs also really sound like a band effort, even as a testament to indestructible friendships. They are never-before-recorded tunes alongside reimagined cult classics from Cheshire’s 25-year oeuvre, which paint an authentic picture of a wild and reckless lifetime spent prowling the seedy depths of underground music and art – folk punk meets street poetry. This record is heartfelt in every way, with vocals and wordplay that cut through your soul, and a live energy that creates magical moments, strongest in New York Waltz‘s “It’s good to be home” sing-along harmonies, and in the new version from old Rent Boys staple Take the Place with some special guests** in the studio. It’s music that inspires awe and hits hard, but also gives hope and comfort.



Everything Is New Again, recorded and mixed by Randy Michael, is out now digitally (self-released). *Featuring Tom Cheshire (lead vocals, cajon), Mike Shina (background vocals, guitar, piano, banjo), Stiff Penalty (upright bass), Brian Kincheloe (guitars, background vocals), Ben Davis (saxophone) and Randy Michael (piano, organ, percussion). **Mike Bruce, Michael Bruce and Nolan Shina guests on Take the Place (“Talk about coming full circle,” Cheshire says. “We had the guys who played on the original Rent Boys version, with six or seven of us in a circle doing handclaps and gang vocals, including Mike and Mike and their boys. Seeing these grown men I’ve played with my whole life and their teenaged kids in the studio with us just grinning from ear to ear – you couldn’t make my smile go down if you punched me.”)

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Subterranean Street Society || Bleep

By / / Alternative Rock, Country & Folk, Garage Rock / Leave a Comment

While on the road I listened to this new release without any prior knowledge, and was blown away by the wealth of ideas, the combination of styles, the feeling of both fun and urgency, and the amazing production. I’m talking about Bleep, the new full-length album by Subterranean Street Society, a Danish-Dutch alternative rock trio featuring Louis Puggaard-Müller (vocals, guitar, piano, lyrics), Ivo Johan Schot (bass, synth, guitars, vocals) and Joost Koevoets (drums, synth, harmonium, vocals). In twelve original songs they shift from bluesy garage rock to subdued folk pop and everything in between (always with those convincing raw vocals), where they don’t shy away from tempo changes, catchy sing-along harmonies, cinematic soundscapes and vintage cassette tape noise. In a similar way, the lyrics are at one moment manic and menacing and at other times light and vulnerable (they address questions on war, smartphones, freedom of speech, and polarization), just like the atmosphere that the music exudes, sliding from intense to uplifting and back. It makes it an intriguing and exciting journey with much to discover.



Bleep, produced by Ivo Johan Schot, is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Earth Works. The awesome cover art was done by Weronika Anna Marianna.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Found.ee || Polymoon

New album: Groovy Movies || New House

By / / Country & Folk, Psych / 1 Comment

Groovy Movies is the psychedelic pop project of Atlanta, Georgia-based singer-songwriter/musician Nick Carlisi (formerly of The Tough Shits), who made a convincing debut under this moniker in 2017 with a colorful self-titled debut LP. “I like making music and I want people to hear it, but I don’t like self promotion,” he says on his Instagram page. We are happy to take on that role, because the third Groovy Movies album New House deserves to be heard. It concerns ten folky garage pop songs written and performed by Carlisi, with help from Matt Rendon (drums, percussion, additional guitars, backing vocals). Sun-kissed, uplifting and nostalgic, guaranteeing a good time worth sharing. Standout track It’s Alright should be a big hit this summer.



New House, produced by Matt Rendon, is out now digitally (self-released). Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Dusted || The 10 Best Cover Songs Of February 2024

By / / Country & Folk, Garage Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Power Pop, Punk, Surf Music / Leave a Comment

Not all new music is really new, as many artists cover songs. Sometimes these are songs by their favorite artists, eg as a tribute to such a musical hero for a special reason, or they simply feel that a song deserves to be dusted and polished to reacquaint fans with great songs from the past. Other times, bands cover songs as a parody. Regardless of intent, some of those cover versions are so good or so much fun, we’d like to put a spotlight on them. Chosen from a wide range, here are – in random order – ten of our favorite covers from last month – links to the pages where you can add them to your wantlist included.

In February, you probably heard covers of Talking Heads’ Burning Down the House by Paramore, Edith Piaf’s La Vie En Rose by Nick Cave, Lou Reed’s Perfect Day (Piano Komorebi Version) by Patrick Watson, Van Halen’s Jump (If It Was Written For Millennials) by Alex Melton, Haruomi Hosono’s Boku Wa Chotto with Mac DeMarco and William Bell’s I Forgot To Be Your Lover by The Black Keys, and ourselves we wrote about new releases from The Drowns, Autogramm, The Weirdolls, The Devils, The Sleeveens, Gentleman Jesse and The Thing, respectively featuring cover versions of Mud’s Dyna-Mite, Nichts’ Licht Aus, Eddie And The Hot Rods’ Do Anything You Wanna Do, Cleo Randle’s Big City Lights, The Undertones’ Get Over You, The Saints’ Private Affair, Mark Morrison’s Return of the Mack and Sonic Boom’s You’re The One (listen below)…








…but there was plenty more to choose from, and I think it’s more fun to share cover songs here that haven’t got the attention they deserve.

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Dusted || The 10 Best Cover Songs Of February 2024Read More »

New EP: Kora Puckett || 3 Songs

By / / Country & Folk, Indie Pop / Leave a Comment

American singer-guitarist Kora Puckett played in noisy bands like Narrow Head, Sheer Mag, Bugg, Laffing Gas, Angel Du$t and The Berries, but the music he creates solo is a different story (Tom Petty, Paul Westerberg and The Lemonheads are mentioned as influences, hurray). The three first singles under his own name – As Far As I Can Tell, Forever or Just Then and Wait all Week – have now been brought together on his debut EP 3 Songs, and it’s one for the repeat button. Expect rootsy indie pop, heartfelt, sophisticated and melancholic, that approaches perfection. Hits.

The 3 Songs EP, mixed/produced by Jamie Candiloro, is out now digitally and on vinyl 12″ through Let’s Pretend Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Let’s Pretend

New album: Corb Lund || El Viejo

By / / Country & Folk / Leave a Comment

I recently saw psychedelic rock outfit Ghost Woman live, and for some reason the venue played good old country music leading up to their show. Although I didn’t really understand that combination, it did put me in the right mood for Corb Lund‘s new full-length, El Viejo – dedicated to his friend Ian Tyson, who passed away a few months back (he was occasionally called ‘El Viejo’, or ‘the old one’). The title song has a central place on the album, a goosebump moment: “We played up most all of your songs // But with you and Don and Baxter gone // That sure leaves some boots to fill // And I’m not sure we ever will.”

The eleven original songs here sound quite different from those on the Canadian singer/guitarist’s 2020 Agricultural Tragic LP, which easily made it onto my year-end list at the time. All new tracks are fully acoustic – banjos, mandolins, string basses and stripped-down drums – and were recorded in Corb’s living room. It makes for an atmospheric and intimate listen, heartfelt roots music but certainly not a dark experience. I imagine it would also work well before any live show, but I would prefer to see this band perform these fascinating stories themselves.



El Viejo, produced by Corb Lund with Grant Siemens and Scott Franchuk, is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through New West Records. Featuring The Hurtin’ Albertans: Corb Lund (vocals, acoustic guitar), Grant Siemens (acoustic guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar, resonator and nylon string guitars, banjo, mandolin), Sean Burns (upright bass, background vocals, harmonica), Lyle Molzan (drums, percussion). Gang vocals on Old Familiar Drunken Feeling by The Southern Alberta Community Singers

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs || New West

New album: Dave Hause || Haunted Churches: Live From Hamburg

By / / Country & Folk, Punk / Leave a Comment

American singer/songwriter/guitarist Dave Hause is currently doing a Haunted Churches Tour in Europe. Last week I attended his only show in the Netherlands, which turned out to be an almost two-hour masterclass in showmanship, a craft expertly built up over a lifetime in multiple hardcore/punk bands since the 90s. Together with his younger brother Tim Hause (vocals, guitar) and their friend Mark Masefield (keys, accordion), he not only managed to captivate musically, but the interaction with the audience also led to more than a few laughs, and he even had a cure for the Dutch Disease which silenced the chatter at the back of the room. The fact that there were fans present who had seen the artist live 15+ years ago with his punk band The Loved Ones (and still remembered it clearly) as well as teenagers who were not yet born at the time (but were now making their crowdsurfing debut) says a lot about his appeal.

April last year, Dave Hause released his heartfelt sixth solo album Drive It Like It’s Stolen (featuring instant classic Damn Personal), which he followed up in November with the Versus LP and in early 2024 with Nurses on vinyl, both consisting of re-recorded songs from The Loved Ones in the style of his current work. We’re talking about honest, acoustic folk-punk, skillfully played and convincingly sung. On stage it becomes even more evident how good all this is, and anyone who wants to be persuaded (or wants to relive it) can buy two performances from the current tour – in churches in Hamburg and K​ö​ln (Germany) – online now.


Add to wantlist: Haunted Churches: Live From Hamburg and Haunted Churches: Live From K​ö​ln are out now digitally, available on Bandcamp.

Update: here’s Haunted Churches: Live from Munich.

Dusted || The 10 Best Cover Songs Of January 2024

By / / Country & Folk, Funk & Soul, Garage Rock, Indie Pop, Power Pop, Punk / Leave a Comment

Not all new music is really new, as many artists cover songs. Sometimes these are songs by their favorite artists, eg as a tribute to such a musical hero for a special reason, or they simply feel that a song deserves to be dusted and polished to reacquaint fans with great songs from the past. Other times, bands cover songs as a parody. Regardless of intent, some of those cover versions are so good or so much fun, we’d like to put a spotlight on them. Chosen from a wide range, here are – in random order – ten of our favorite covers from last month – links to the pages where you can add them to your wantlist included.

She Lied || Cover: Acumen || Original: The Rockin’ Ramrods
With their Mark VII LP on Rad Girlfriend Records, Carbondale, Illinois-based garage punk outfit Acumen finally make their debut on vinyl. Besides two originals. we get eight raw garage rock covers of nuggets from the psychedelic 60s, including this 1964 classic.

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Dusted || The 10 Best Cover Songs Of January 2024Read More »

New album: Old Heavy Hands || Small Fires

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It still is a nice story, how Old Heavy Hands came into being. Almost naturally, because Nathan James Hall (vocals, guitar), Larry Wayne Slaton (vocals, guitar, keys) and David Self (lead guitar, vocals) from the Legacy Irons Tattoo shop in Greensboro, North Carolina, Josh Coe (bass, mandolin ) from the bar next door, and John Chester (drums) from the bar across the street, bumped into each other daily, where music quickly created a bond. The songs for their new LP Small Fires were born during acoustic sessions inside the shop, and finished in their practice space built in Hall’s barn – filled with snakes, spiders and chickens – where friends and family walked in and out to contribute to the record. It has become an album with a big sound, massive vocals, thumping drums and heavy guitars, a mix of southern rock, Americana and grunge – with a punk rock feel – but as heartfelt, warm and soulful as possible. Impressive and memorable.





Small Fires, produced by Danny Fonorow & Old Heavy Hands, is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Spitting Daggers Records. Also featuring Laura Murphy (backing vocals), Carri Smithey (backing vocals), Josh King (backing vocals), Casey Cranford (saxophone), Eli Fribush (saxophone), Zac Lee (trumpet) and Justin Gerringer (trombone).

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Old Heavy Hands

New album: Brown Horse || Reservoir

By / / Country & Folk / Leave a Comment

The music we love most is authentic, sincere and real – it starts with feeling and believing. Americana six-piece Brown Horse, based in Norwich, UK(!), fits that description seamlessly. The songwriters/musicians – Ben Auld, Emma Tovell, Nyle Holihan, Patrick Turner, Phoebe Troup and Rowan Braham – call themselves alt-country nobodies, but that will soon change now that their beautiful debut album Reservoir has seen the light of day. We get ten guitar-driven songs with enchanting idiosyncratic vocals. The content is dark, the sound is warm, the atmosphere is melancholic. An authentic, sincere and real record.


Reservoir, produced by Owen Turner, is out now on CD and vinyl LP through Loose Music.

Add to wantlist: Loose Music

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