It's hard to find new things to write about Jake Xerxes Fussell because his songs are just so consistently great. All of the previously released singles for his upcoming album have all had that traditional folk but done in a unique way while sounding completely familiar sound, and his latest also nails that. "Rolling Mills Are Burning Down" is a great folk song. Like... it's really great. It's such a simple song, but it's a rare thing to find an artist this earnest who releases music without any pretentiousness or preciousness. "Rolling Mills Are Burning Down" makes Fussell sound like a modern day John Prine in its simple beauty.
You can listen to "Rolling Mills Are Burning Down" below. Good and Green Again is due out January 21 on Paradise of Bachelors. The album can be pre-ordered/pre-saved here. For more on Jake Xerxes Fussell, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the song.
Fri. Jan. 21 - Chapel Hill, NC @ The Nightlight ^ Sat. Jan. 22 - Richmond, VA @ The Camel Sun. Jan. 23 - Washington, DC @ Pie Shop Tue. Jan. 25 - Philadelphia, PA @ PhilaMOCA # Wed. Jan. 26 - Brooklyn, NY @ The Knitting Factory Thu. Jan. 27 - Boston, MA @ Club Passim Fri. Jan 28 - Keene, NH @ Nova Arts Sat. Jan. 29 - Saratoga Springs, NY @ Caffe Lena Thu. Feb. 17 - Los Angeles, CA @ Gold Diggers * Sat. Feb 19 - Santa Monica, CA @ McCabe’s Guitar Shop * Tue. Feb 22 - Portland, OR @ The Old Church * Wed. Feb 23 - Seattle, WA @ Fremont Abbey * Sun. May 1 - Kilkenny, IE @ Kilkenny Roots Mon. May 2 - Kilkenny, IE @ Kilkenny Roots Tue. May 3 - Dublin, IE @ Bello Bar Wed. May 4 - Belfast, UK @ Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival Fri. May 6 - Manchester, UK @ Gulliver’s Sat. May 7 - London, UK @ Oslo Sun. May 8 - Glasgow, UK @ Glad Cafe Mon. May 9 - York, UK @ Fulford Arms Wed. May 11 - Ultrecht, NL @ Tivoli (Club Nine) Fri. May 13 - Nijmegen, NL @ Merleyn Sat. May 14 - Cologne, DE @ King Georg Mon. May 16 - Hamburg, DE @ Aalhaus Tue. May 17 - Amsterdam, NL @ Paradiso ^ w/ special guest Rosali # w/ special guest Mike Polizze * w/ special guest Tom Brosseau
Photo by Rachel Cassels The Cairo Gang is mostly Emmett Kelly, who recorded most of their upcoming album, Goes Missing, on his own while travelling. "Be What You Are" is pure pop gold, reminiscent of British invasion bands like The Kinks and The Zombies. It features jangly guitars and some of the most infectious layered vocals you've heard in years. Luckily the beauty of this style of music is that it never quite sounds dated. It might sound like it's from a certain era that happened 50 years ago, but everything you've ever listened to since then borrows so heavily from it that it always sounds current. It's the kind of music you wish you hadn't missed, only now you haven't. Goes Missing is due out June 23rd on God? Records. You can pre-order the album now, and be sure to check out The Cairo Gang's Facebook . Listen to "Be What You Are" below, and below that are tour dates, many opening for Mikal Cronin. Sat. Sept. 5 - Portlan...
Somehow Peter Prescott of Mission of Burma and Volcano Suns has another band that I never knew about. Minibeast already released an album that I completely missed back in 2012, and they are currently at work on the follow up, Free Will. Based on a track from the upcoming album, "High Sea," Minibeast shares some common sonic ground with Mission of Burma, but with an added emphasis on the groovy side of things. It's basically the noise and dissonance of Burma but heard through a 60s surf groove, as if Frankie and Annette were punks. You can listen to "High Sea" below. Minibeast currently have a Kickstarter to help fund the final production of Free Will. You can get more information on that here . It should be out sometime in June.
With this weekend's upcoming Newport Folk Festival, we thought we'd highlight some of this year's can't miss acts. We're focusing on the bands playing smaller stages and earlier in the day. I mean, you're obviously going to see Ryan Adams and Jack White. Instead, these are the acts worth getting there early for, and seeking out the smaller stages. Phox Friday, 1:50, Quad Stage Phox hails from Baraboo, WI, the winter home of the Ringling Brothers' Circus. I'm not sure if that is connected to their music or not, but Phox has an otherworldly charm and a magical feel. They come across as a more grounded St. Vincent or a less intense version of early Tori Amos. Their music is simply beautiful and uplifting. Reignwolf Friday, 2:55, Quad Stage Truly pushing the boundaries of what can be considered "folk" are Reignwolf. Reignwolf is Jordan Cook, who sounds like a mixture of The Black Keys and Queens of the Stone Age, mixed with just a lit...
