Buck Meek just released a new solo album back in August (the excellent Haunted Mountain), and already he's back with a new single. "Cuero Dudes" is just a great song that dabbles in both Americana and indie rock, which is what you'd expect from the guitarist of Big Thief. It's the kind of song that could be done by dozens of other likeminded artists, but in Meek's hands it just becomes gold. His voice is just geared towards folk and country, so even an indie rock song like "Cuero Dudes" is going to have that rootsy twang to it. Plus, no one plays guitar quite like Meek, so "Cuero Dudes" sounds like no one else, despite being a mostly straightforward song.
You can watch the video for "Cuero Dudes" below. For more on Buck Meek, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.
Wed. Jan. 17 - San Diego, CA @ Casbah Thu. Jan. 18 - Los Angeles, CA @ Highland Park Ebell Fri. Jan. 19 - San Francisco, CA @ The Chapel Sat. Jan. 20 - Healdsburg, CA @ Little Saint Mon. Jan. 22 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios Tue. Jan. 23 - Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile Thu. Jan. 25 - Boise, ID @ Neurolux Fri. Jan. 26 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge Sat. Jan. 27 - Denver, CO @ Globe Hall Mon. Jan. 29 - Oklahoma City, OK @ Resonant Head Tue. Jan. 30- Dallas, TX @ Sons of Herman Hall Wed. Jan. 31 - Austin, TX @ Sagebrush Fri. Feb. 2 - Albuquerque, NM @ Sister Sat. Feb. 3 - Flagstaff, AZ @ Yucca North Sun. Feb. 4 - Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy + Harriet’s Thu. May 16 - Ardmore, PA @ Ardmore Music Hall Fri. May 17 - Somerville, MA @ The Crystal Ballroom Sat. May 18 - Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground Showcase Tue. May 21 - Montreal, QC @ Theatre Fairmont Wed. May 22 - Toronto, ON @ The Great Hall Thu. May 23 - Detroit, MI @ El Club Fri. May 24 - Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall Sat. May 25 - Minneapolis, MN @ Cedar Cultural Center Sun. May 26 - Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon Tue. May 28 - Nashville, TN @ The Blue Room at Third Man Records Wed. May 29 - Atlanta, GA @ The Earl Thu. May 30 - Durham, NC @ Motorco Fri. May 31 - Washington, DC @ Atlantis
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...
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.
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...
