Muruch

One more day until the Jeff Ellis CD Giveaway ends, enter at the giveaway post now before it’s too late!

Muruch‘s occasional Chicago reviewer Chelle caught the attention of Mutts with her recent Empires/The Whigs review and Mutts lead Mike Maimone submitted the band’s We Float EP for her consideration. Following is her take on the EP….

Chicago-based trio Mutts are just over a year old, and much like the hodgepodge suggested by their moniker, members Mike Maimone (keys, vocals), Chris Faller (drums), and Bob Buckstaff (bass) punch in off the clock from more pedigreed projects (Company of Thieves, The Hush Sound). And like a zealous, unruly year-old puppy, their EP We Float runs the rambunctious gamut of influences, spanning jazz, blues, grunge, metal, industrial and rock, never quite deciding which one to take by the throat and throttle.

Considering the juxtaposed jumble of components, however, Mutts’ combined output is a cohesive sound; it’s evident they’ve done the work of deciding what they want to do, and forging ahead with it confidently. If you possess any manufactured pop sensibilities, delicate or otherwise, you may not immediately find too much to latch on to amidst the stripped down production and frenetic, raw vocal stylings. But there’s a brutal honesty buried in the roughness, and the moments where the melodies begin to surface and take hold add just enough suggestion of shine to keep you listening.

Mutts have a forthcoming release, The Tells of Parallels EP, available on October 1st. They will also be playing at legendary Chicago venue Schuba’s on Monday, August 30 at 8:00PM as part of the Betta Promotions Showcase. The show is $6, 18+ and tickets are available here. Also appearing are DJ Caural, The Sacred Robe of the Ancient Psychedelic Monks, Scott Lucas & The Married Men, and Volcanoes Make Islands.

Mutts – Beggar (mp3)*
Mutts – We Float (mp3)*

All Mutts music, including We Float and their previous Pretty Pictures EP, is available as free downloads on their website. You can also purchase them on CD at the band’s shows or Amazon…

Buy @ Amazon

*mp3s provided by & posted w/ permission of band

Muruch husband and wife duo Brendan and Vic were among those enamoured with the new Leonard DiCaprio film Inception. Director Christoper Nolan’s trippy intellectual dreamscape successfully combines the sci-fi plots and astounding effects of movies like The Matrix with a noirish mystery and settings seemingly ripped from the work of M.C. Escher. Being the movie soundtrack and Hans Zimmer expert of the house, Brendan took on the review of Zimmer’s score for the Inception soundtrack. You can read his thoughts on the album below…

I’ve enjoyed the music of Hans Zimmer since 1993’s True Romance, one of my earliest soundtrack purchases. On cassette! Remember cassettes? My admiration for that particular score was dampened when I heard the remarkably similar music from an earlier film, Badlands. But Zimmer has done some wonderful work in the past two decades, including Gladiator, The Lion King, The Rock, and The Dark Knight. One of my favorite compliations in recent years has been The Wings of a Film – a concert performance from 2000 featuring Zimmer’s music as performed by the VRO Flemish Radio Orchestra. Highlights from that album include excerpts from The Thin Red Line and Gladiator, the latter featuring Lisa Gerard’s haunting vocals.

On to Zimmer’s latest release, Inception. I listened to it walking through the streets of my town as the sky darkened and the wind grew and thunder crashed. The Inception score was a perfect soundscape – when I heard a snatch of a particular song central to the movie, I felt a strong urge to wake up.

Inception is moody and brooding, somewhat similar to Zimmer’s work on other recent Christopher Nolan collaborations, but intensified by the guitar playing of former Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr.

The final track, “Time,” is representative of this score – an emotional triumph that builds and builds until you feel the love and loss of the character it represents, then fades with a bittersweet solo piano.

Inception is a heady mix of electronics, orchestra and guitar, and surely will be a forerunner for best score when Oscar season arrives.

I was not granted permission to share an mp3, but you can listen to an interview with Hans Zimmer at WV Public Radio and hear samples from the album at the links below…

Buy @ Amazon

John Mellencamp’s new album No Better Than This will be released August 17th on Rounder Records. Mellencamp wrote the album’s thirteen tracks in just thirteen days. Teaming up once again with producer T Bone Burnett (who also produced 2009′s brilliant Life Death Love and Freedom), Mellencamp used only one microphone and other vintage equipment to record the new songs at various historic Southern locations – including legendary Sun Studios. The result is an organic, lo-fi blend of blues, folk, country and rock.

“The West End” is the standout track with Mellencamp growling over a mix of simmering blues guitar and country clang.

“Right Behind Me” is another favorite with its swaggering Tin Pan Alley fiddle and strum.

And “A Graceful Fall” is a classic country barroom number worthy of ole Bad Blake – no surprise since producer T Bone Burnett also wrote the music for Crazy Heart.

If your perception of John Mellencamp’s music has been shaped by his commercial hits in the past, you need to hear the 21st century Mellencamp – particularly if you’re a fan of T Bone Burnett’s. Life Death Love and Freedom and No Better Than This are by far John Mellencamp’s finest albums.

Buy @ Amazon (only $9.99 on CD)

(not yet available)

John Mellencamp Official Site

Heart returns on August 31st with Red Velvet Car, their first new studio album in six years. If you’ve never heard Heart’s music or you’ve written them off as an ’80s novelty act, I urge you to track down classic songs like “Barracuda,” “Crazy on You,” “Alone,” “(Up On) Cherry Blossom Road,” and pretty much the entire Dreamboat Annie album. Then pre-order Red Velvet Car, because the Wilson sisters are back and stronger than ever.

This time around Heart took a step back from the pop-rock endeavors of recent decades in favor of a multi-instrumental style. In addition to her signature guitar, Nancy Wilson and producer Ben Mink tried their hands at mandolin, dobro, banjo, fiddle, viola, cello and autoharp. The result is a tightly woven tapestry of hard rock riffs and multi-layered acoustics reminiscent of Heart’s 1970s catalogue.

Written as a “cautionary tale for a young woman on the red carpet,”, the opener “There You Go” makes fine use of the band’s new multi-instrumental arsenal with a bluesy rumble and stomp.

“WTF” could use a better title, but otherwise the thunderous rock song is a perfect display of Ann’s astounding vocal power and Nancy’s searing guitar riffs. Then the title track stirs, slides, and retracts like a slinky Western sidewinder tempered with airy strings and acoustics.

The standout track “Wheels” simmers with a chasmic bass line and Ann’s deep, echoing voice. Twenty years in the making, the song was well worth the wait.

When I read in the press release that producer Mink (who worked with Ann Wilson on her solo album Hope & Glory) asked Ann to “hold back” on her vocals, I was a little worried. Ann’s unearthly howl has always been Heart’s greatest strength. I would have liked to hear her wail a bit more on the new album, but overall I think the restraint worked well for this particular collection. Though I do hope the next release sets her mighty pipes loose again.

Nancy takes lead vocal on the pretty love song “Hey You” and again on the sultry ballad “Sunflower.” I was surprised to learn that Nancy wrote the latter as an ode to her sister since it sounds like a summer of love anthem.

Most bands place their weakest tracks at the end of their albums, but Heart saves one of their best for the finale. “Sand” was originally recorded by the Wilson sisters as their late ’90s acoustic incarnation The Lovemongers. The layering of Ann’s robust vocals over a stripped down acoustic arrangement in this new version hints at Led Zeppelin’s “Going To California.” The Lovemongers’ cover of Zep’s “The Battle of Evermore” and Ann’s solo take on “Immigrant Song” have obviously had a positive influence on Heart’s own compositions.

The album isn’t without its flaws, but they are few and far between. Red Velvet Car is Heart’s most substantial and artistic effort since Dreamboat Annie.

I was not granted permission to share an mp3, but you can hear samples at the links below.

Buy @ Amazon

Note: According to Heart’s official site, you can receive $1 off your Amazon Pre-order by entering promo code REDCAR10.

(not yet available)

Heart Official Site

Lisa Germano – Reptile (mp3 removed)*

Singer-songwriter Lisa Germano contributed this song to the two-disc OxFam charity album The Sun Came Out, a project led by Neil Finn that also featured members of Radiohead, The Smiths, and Wilco.

Buy @ Amazon

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Kathryn Calder – Arrow (mp3)*

Another lovely song from Kathryn Calder‘s debut solo album Are You My Mother?, to be released August 10th. Calder was formerly in The New Pornographers and her album will feature guests Neko Case and members of Ladyhawk and Frog Eyes.

Buy @ Amazon

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If the name Azure Ray isn’t familiar to you, that’s the marvelous band that spawned singer-songwriters Orenda Fink (most recently of O+S & Art in Manila) and Maria Taylor. The duo has reunited for their fifth album Drawing Down the Moon, which will be released September 14th. You can download a free, legal mp3 from the new album by entering your email address in the above widget.

Buy @ Amazon

The Mountains & The Trees is the astonishingly talented singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jon Janes. His debut full-length album I Made This For You will be released on August 10th. Janes has a quiet but captivating voice, and he and his bandmates play just about every instrument imaginable – guitar, drums, banjo, mandolin, ukulele, bells, tuba, trumpet, organ, lapsteel, melodica, mellotron, violin, cello, flute, bodhrán, and even some handclaps. Janes skillfully incorporates all of these elements into beautifully, brilliantly arranged folk, country, and Americana melodies. I Made This For You is a multi-layered masterpiece that everyone needs to hear.

The opening track “Fear of Ghosts” slides from a gentle beginning into a jaunty, joyously multi-instrumental arrangement in which the tuba steals the show. Séan McCann of Great Big Sea plays bodhrán on the song.

“More & More & More” is a panoramic Americana travelogue, “Travellin’ Song” is a foot tappin’ country ditty, and “Makes Amends” is another wonderfully unusual standout.

Most of the rest of the album is delicate and lovely with subtle folk melodies and light bluegrass instrumentation.

The Mountains & The Trees – More & More & More (mp3)*
The Mountains & The Trees – Minimum Wage Lovers (mp3)*

Buy @ Amazon

(not yet available)

*mp3s hosted by & posted w/ permission of band’s PR rep

The Mountains & The Trees MySpace

In case you missed it the first time around, Muruch is celebrating its 10th year of existence this month. Head over to the anniversary post to download free, 100% legal mp3s by Gaba Kulka, Hannah Fury, and Allison Crowe, and please leave a comment there with any memories you have of this site. The mp3s will be taken down next week, so grab ‘em while you can.

Ukranian singer Lana Mir will release her self-titled debut on August 24th. I would’ve liked the album anyway, but it was truly a breath of fresh air after hearing another atrocious promo (which shall remain nameless, but was described in its press release as “psychedelic folk and speed rapping”)! But I digress. Lana Mir has a smooth, warm voice and the music on her album is mostly airy, mellow acoustic pop with occasional hints of jazz and bossa nova. The centerpiece is a trippy cover of Stone Roses’ “I Wanna Be Adored.”

Lana Mir – I Wanna Be Adored (mp3 removed)*

*mp3 provided by & posted w/ permission of artist’s PR rep on behalf of label

Buy @ Amazon

Lana Mir MySpace

My 2008 review of Lucy Schwartz’s debut Winter in June began with the line “I’m always puzzled when certain female singer-songwriters receive mainstream popularity and media attention while others like seventeen year old Lucy Schwartz remain in the shadows.” Now 20 years old, Lucy has since been heard in several tv shows and movies and her recent EP Help Me! Help Me! made the blogrounds. Her sophomore full-length album Life in Letters will be released on August 31st, and you can download a free mp3 of the non-album single “When We Were Young” by entering your email address in the widget below…

The album is not yet available for pre-order, but should be at the links below closer to the release date…

Buy @ Amazon

Lucy Schwartyz MySpace

Red Wanting Blue’s album These Magnificent Miles will be released on July 27th. Lead singer Scott Terry – who plays guitar and ukulele – has a gritty voice slightly reminiscent of Eddie Vedder, though the comparisons stop there. The songs on the album are rock with a little bit of Americana and a whole lot of substance. These Magnificent Miles also proves how valuable good cover art can be, as it was the bright orange and black carousel image that made the CD stand out in my mountains of promos.

Red Wanting Blue – Where You Wanna Go (mp3)*

Buy @ Amazon

*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of band’s PR rep

Red Wanting Blue MySpace

I never thought of the harp as a versatile instrument until now. Even in classical music, the harp often seems to be used more for embellishment within an orchestra rather than as the focal point of an arrangement. Canadian harpist Valérie Milot showcases the hidden depths of this celestrial instrument on her exquisite new album Revelation. This lovely collection includes works by Dieudonné–Félix Godefroid, Henriette Renié, Carlos Salzedo, Maurice Ravel, and a work composed specifically for Valérie Milot by her former teacher, Caroline Lizotte. It is a serene and beautiful album.

I was not granted permission to share an mp3, but you can hear samples of each track at the links below…

Buy @ Amazon

Valérie Milot Official Site
Valérie Milot MySpace

If I could be any instrument, it would be the harpsichord. On her new release Handel in Darmstadt, harpsichordist Geneviève Soly demonstrates the magnificent, elegant beauty of this inexplicably seldom used (at least in non-classical genres, with the exception of Tori Amos’ Boys for Pele) instrument.

Handel in Darmstadt includes works by Bach contemporary Christoph Graupner and George Friedrich Händel. The album’s title comes from the Darmstadt Harpsichord Book – a manuscript kept at the Darmstadt library from which most of the Händel works in this collection were taken.

I was not granted permission to share an mp3, but you can hear samples of each track at the link below…

Buy @ Amazon

Provenance is the fifth solo album by cellist Maya Beiser. If Maya’s name isn’t familiar, her cello is. Maya played on the soundtracks to M. Night Shyamalan’s The Happening, Denzel Washington’s The Great Debaters, and Edward Zwick’s Blood Diamond. Maya’s own multi-cultural collection Provenance features an exotic array of compositions from Armenia, Iran, Israel, and America. The album took its inspiration from the co-existence of Muslim, Christian, and Jewish art and culture during medieval Spain’s Golden Age.

Provenance opens with the four-movement “I Was There” by Iranian composer Kayhah Kalhor, which is based on a melody by legendary Kurdish poet-musician Ziryab. The arrangement and instrumentation have a darkly evocative and rhythmic flow about them.

The deep, mournful bellow of Maya’s cello ushers in Armenian composer Djivan Gasparian’s somber two-part “Memories.”

The powerful voice of Etty Ben-Zaken stands alone for the haunting acapella intro to “Mar de Leche” before Maya and her band delicately began to play its beautiful, intricate melody. The four-movement piece by Israel’s Tamar Muskal sets an ancient Ladino (Hebrew-Spanish) love song to a contemporary arrangement.

A thunderous, swaying instrumental rendition of Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir” closes the album. You have to love a classical artist who covers Zep.

I was not granted permission to share an mp3, but you can hear samples at the links below.

Buy @ Amazon

Maya Beiser Official Site

Agent Ribbons bears a strong resemblance to Rasputina and their has been described as “Baroque Pop” and “Victorian Punk,” but their influences and innovations are far too varied for such simple labels. Their impressively eclectic sophomore album Chateau Crone will be released on October 12th. Agent Ribbons are the trio of guitarist-vocalist Natalie Gordon, drummer-percussionist and accordion player Lauren Hess, and violinist-cellist Naomi Cherie (all of whom have taken the stage name “Ribbons”), though they occasionally perform as the original duo of Natalie and Lauren. Lyrically, their new album took much of its inspiration from Grey Gardens – the excellent Drew Barrymore film based on the documentary of a reclusive mother and daughter related to The Kennedys. But the sound is something else entirely.

The catchy opener “I’m Alright” churns atmospheric retro pop-rock with modern rock riffs, handclap percussion, and girl group harmony. The result is somewhere between The Zombies and The Shangri-Las.

“Grey Gardens” falls into an eerie, lo-fi folk-rock style that recalls the Medieval folk themes of Mary Timony’s Mountains album (one of my Best of the Decade, while songs like “I’ll Let You Be My Baby” have anachronistic hints of post-war German cabaret.

Other tracks seem to borrow elements from The Velvet Underground, Sleater Kinney, Neko Case, Luminescent Orchestrii, and everyone in between, yet Agent Ribbons stand in a class (and genre) of their own.

Agent Ribbons – I’m Alright (mp3 expired)*

*mp3 provided by & posted w/ permission of band’s PR rep on behalf of label

Pre-order links to purchase the album were not yet available when this review was posted, but will be at the links below closer to the October release date…

Pre-order @ Amazon

Buy @ Label

Agent Ribbons MySpace

Singer-songwriter Kristin Hersh will release her new studio album Crooked on July 19th. The album will be on Kristin’s own Throwing Music record label, which is named in honor of her old band Throwing Muses. Crooked will be released as a book with artwork, lyrics, and an essay about each song as well as additional online content including track by track audio commentary by Kristin, the ability to remix each track yourself, videos and out-takes, live web chats and forums, and sample pages from Kristin’s upcoming memoir Rat Girl. Meanwhile, Kristin is generously sharing the following two mp3s from the album…

Kristin Hersh – Coals (mp3)*
Kristin Hersh – Rubidoux (mp3)*

*mp3s hosted by & posted w/ permission of artist’s PR rep

Buy @ Amazon

Kristin Hersh Official Site
Kristin Hersh MySpace

I was so excited to see Sheila Nicholls name on a new press release! I raved about the British singer-songwriter’s 1999 independent debut Brief Strop on the original Muruch site about a decade ago. The inclusion of her song “Fallen For You” on the High Fidelity soundtrack seemed to indicate her career would take off, but sadly she disappeared in the years that followed. Written and recorded over the course of five years, her genre-hopping new album Songs From The Bardo is Sheila’s first release in seven years and is on her own label Essex Girls Records.

The two songs that I’ve been given permission to share below are “Bardo” and “Natural Law.” Both tracks have a much more polished, peppy pop sound than Sheila’s previous releases. I heard them before the rest of the album, so I was initially disappointed in the seemingly drastic change in direction from her old piano pounding and gut-wrenching wails. But even on these two tracks, Sheila’s voice is still unusually pretty and the rest of the album is much better.

The album’s opener “Where None Are Afraid” and songs like “City Between” are beautiful piano ballads that showcase the softer, more fragile side of Sheila’s voice.

The trippy beat of “Pinking It Up” (which you can stream at MySpace) makes for a moody experience, and “Pointless Tackles Vision” further explores that atmospheric, electro-pop style.

“Celery Bay” relaxes into a mellow, R&B vibe, while “Bed” is more of a funky soul ballad. Other tracks are stripped down to a more acoustic sound, but Sheila’s lovely vocals drive every song.

Sheila Nicholls – Bardo (mp3) *

Sheila Nicholls – Natural Law (mp3) *

Buy @ Amazon

*mp3s hosted by & posted w/ permission of artist’s PR rep

Sheila Nicholls MySpace

Cover albums are very tricky projects to undertake, as Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby’s new album Two-Way Family Favourites clearly shows. The duo is comprised of singer-songwriter Wreckless Eric (a.k.a. Eric Goulden) – best known for his 1977 Stiff Records single “(I’d Go The) Whole Wide World” – and his singer-songwriter wife Amy Rigby (a.k.a. Amelia McMahon). He’s British, she’s American, and they live in France. Their sound is a mix of low-fi pop and quirky acoustic folk with dualing male/female vocals. Two-Way Family Favourites is their sophomore release, and features interpretations of classic songs by Tom Petty, Abba, and the Beach Boys among many others.

This is one of those albums that I initially loved, but subsequent listens revealed one major flaw – a terrible lack of variety.

The good news is that Eric & Amy’s mellow, bare bones approach and off-kilter harmonies work beautifully on their lovely renditions of Jackie DeShannon’s “Put A Little Love In Your Heart,” Abba’s “Fernando,” and The Beach Boys’ “In My Room.” And their tender rendering of Tom Petty’s “Walls” is especially lovely.

Unfortunately, they weakened the rest of this diverse selection of melodies with identical, lackluster arrangements. Coupled with their signature drowsy vocals, this results in an overall impression of monotony. So I’d definitely recommend the aforementioned individual tracks, but listening to the album as a whole just may put you to sleep.

I was not granted permission to share an mp3 (cover songs almost always have too many licensing issues to be offered as legal mp3s), but you can hear samples at the links below…

Buy Mp3s @ Amazon

Wreckless Eric Official Site
Amy Rigby Official Site
Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby MySpace

Personal Best is a new compilation of the solo work of Stuart Moxham, formerly a member of 1970s post-punk band Young Marble Giants. My generation knew Young Marble Giants best through the cover of their song “Credit in the Straight World” on Hole’s Live Through This album. Personal Best is a collection of new songs, B-sides, and previously unreleased material by Stuart Moxham spanning 1981-2009, and will be released on June 22nd.

The music on Personal Best is an unusual blend of multi-instrumental folk, pop, and rock.

Songs like the opener “Vampire of Love,” “It Says Here,” and the melodic “Sunday Afternoon” have a soft, retro pop style.

The rhythmic instrumental “Golden Childhood” and “Oh Boy” have a light Reggae arrangements, and the apt title “Baroque Calypso” perfectly describes that refreshing little song.

But the stand out is “Save It,” which strikes a strange balance between Andy Partridge quirkiness and the darker sound of The Smiths.

Stuart Moxham – Autumn Song (mp3 removed) *

*mp3 provided by & hosted w/ permission of artist’s PR rep

Buy @ Amazon

Stuart Moxham MySpace

Mouth of Mars is the new sophomore release by singer-songwriter Jen Gloeckner. Jen’s deep vocals and dark, distinctive melodies call to mind the eerily atmospheric music of Johnette Napolitano and at times even classic Patti Smith, with a mix of electronic beats and rock riffs similar to Melissa Auf der Maur.

The astounding title track opens Mouth of Mars, setting the stage for Jen Gloeckner’s churning, pulsating, chill-producing blend of electro-rock.

Standouts “Pulse” and “Sleep to Dream” continue to quake, while the string-accented “Die” and slinky acoustic “Haunt You” are quietly mesmerizing. There isn’t a single weak track on the album.

Jen Gloeckner – Pulse (mp3 removed) *

*mp3 provided by & hosted w/ permission of artist’s PR rep

Buy @ Amazon

Jen Gloeckner Official Site
Jen Gloeckner MySpace

I’m editing my reviews as we speak, but wanted to get the word out that you can now pre-order Gaba Kulka’s last two releases on Amazon at the following links….

Hat, Rabbit @ Amazon

Out @ Amazon

Yes, Florence + The Machine’s debut Lungs should have been on my Top 2009 albums list, but I didn’t get the CD until this year. I did hear “Kiss With a Fist” when Lungs was first released last year and added the album to my ridiculously long wishlist, but I now know that shiny pop single didn’t do the rest of this deliciously multi-layered album justice. I’ve been meaning to post about the album for months, but I’ve had so much fun listening to it in my car and chatting about it to my friends that I forgot to write the review. So here ya go…

this is a gift, it comes with a price
who is the lamb and who is the knife?
Midas is king and he holds me so tight
and turns me to gold in the sunlight

Florence + The Machine’s music weaves the melodic pop breeze of Venus Hum into the theatrical drama of Bat For Lashes, all anchored by the soulful bombast of British singer Florence Welsh’s substantial voice. Florence’s dark epics have been accurately compared to everyone from Kate Bush to Nick Cave, but it’s her wild wails that set her own eccentric songs apart.

My favorite songs from the album are the more atmospheric and monumental tracks like the absolutely addictive “Drumming Song,” the fantastical “Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up),” and the eerie “My Boy Builds Coffins.” But there are also plenty of upbeat pop numbers similar to “Kiss With a Fist” like the summery opener “Dog Days Are Over.”

If you like one song, you will love the entire album. And if you don’t like any of the songs, I question your taste in music!

I couldn’t even get a review copy of this album, let alone obtain permission to post an mp3. But you can watch several videos and hear audio samples at the links below…

Florence + The Machine – Drumming Song (YouTube Video)
Florence + The Machine – Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up) (YouTube Video)
Florence + The Machine – Dog Days Are Over (YouTube Video)

Buy @ Amazon (CD only $9.99!)

Florence + The Machine Official Site
Florence + The Machine MySpace

Australian singer-songwriter Geoffrey “Gurrumul” Yunupingu’s debut solo album Gurrumul has already garnered several prestigious awards internationally and will be released in the U.S. on June 15th. The blind musician is a member of the Gumatj nation from the Aboriginal Reserve of North East Arnhem Land. His music adapts traditional Gumatj songs and stories into his own contemporary arrangements, and he sings mostly in the dialects of the Gumatj clan. Formerly a member of the Aboriginal ensemble Yothu Yindi, Gurrumul has shared the stage with Sting and Elton John since embarking on his own solo career.

Renowned for his beautiful singing voice, Gurrumul is also a gifted multi-instrumentalist who plays guitar, drums, keyboards, and didgeridoo. Most of the songs on the album focus on Gurrumul’s angelic vocals and delicate guitar work, which give his songs a uniquely ethereal quality.

The song “Gurrumul History (I Was Born Blind)” is an especially moving song about Gurrumul’s life. This is one of those quietly captivating albums, with a power that is subtle but irresistible.

I was not granted permission to share an mp3, but you can hear samples at the links below and watch a video of Gurrumul performing “Bapa” at the ARIAs at YouTube.

Buy @ Amazon

Gurrumul Official Site

The Innocence Mission will released their new album My Room In Trees on July 13th. Led by Karen Peris, The Innocence Mission is one of those bands that have been tragically under appreciated by the rest of the world. As I said in my review of their beautiful 2007 We Walked In Song: “I’ve been a fan of the band since 1995’s Glow, which I randomly bought on cassette back in the day without having heard even one note. Back then they were often compared to The Cranberries or The Sundays, but The Innocence Mission has long since broken free of any comparisons. The band has recorded and toured with Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris, and 16 Horsepower among others. Most notable of these collaborations was the angelic duet of “When They Ring The Golden Bells” with Natalie Merchant on her Ophelia album.”

the happy Mondays, we blow down alleyways
in our raincoats, in afternoons
the imaginary dogs beside us
are old friends

My Room In Trees is said to be a “celebration of an everyday walk home from school.”

The entire album is pristinely pretty – from the atmospheric opener “Rain” to the fragile beauty of “The Happy Mondays,” which expresses an adolescent’s innocent longing for connection

Sparse arrangements are coupled with poetic lyrics full of scenic imagery and bittersweet emotion – all carried by the lovely soprano of Karen Peris.

Much like their previous release, these new melodies possess a warm, almost childlike charm. But while We Walked In Song shone with the bright, hopeful light of a clear summer day spent with a beloved friend, My Room In Trees has the recurring theme of an introspective, lonely – albeit resilient – walk in a gentle rain.

The Innocence Mission – God is Love (mp3)*
The Innocence Mission – Happy Mondays (mp3)*

*mp3s hosted by & posted w/ permission of band’s PR rep

Buy CD @ Amazon

Buy Mp3s @ Amazon

The Innocence Mission Official Site
The Innocence Mission MySpace

Rasputina‘s seventh studio album Sister Kinderhook will be released on June 15th. Led by singer-songwriter Melora Creager, Rasputina was the seminal band in what I used to call the “creepy girl genre” (that evolved into the broader demented circus genre). They’ve also been called “Steampunk,” a term usually associated with bands who marry punk-rock noise with Victorian style and science fiction or post-apolcalyptic elements. Though Rasputina’s style and lyrical narratives have always had more of a Colonial influence than a Victorian one and they make beautiful use of classical instrumentation in their arrangements. Whatever you call it, Rasputina’s music is truly unique and they continue to dazzle me.

Sister Kinderhook is said to explore “Colonial themes…Emily Dickinson, feral children and the Anti-Rent wars of 1844, not to mention the theory that giants were real, but killed each other off in a self-genocidal holocaust.” Which makes total sense to those of us already familiar with Rasputina’s wonderfully bizarre repertoire.

The opening track is one of my favorites. “Sweet Sister Temperance” has Rasputina’s signature eerie vocals and chamber folk instrumentation anchored by the deep bellow of a Melora’s cello, but there’s a nice retro pop-folk echo to the song’s recording. “My Night Sky” continues on that retro-folk theme with a tinkling acoustic melody snaking its way through the arrangement, but adds depth with lush strings and multi-tracked vocals.

But the true stunners are nestled in the middle of the album, beginning with the rhythmic sitar and percussion instrumental “Olde Dance.”

“Humankind as the Sailor” and the delicious “Calico Indians” resurrect the best elements of old school Rasputina style, but amplify the heavy bass sound of the cello. The former pretties it up with a sea chantey vocal style and the latter quakes in a crescendo of voices and strings that sounds like Siouxsie Sioux leading a chamber orchestra. Meanwhile, Melora’s creeping falsetto sounds more like Hannah Fury (big compliment) on the delicate duo “Snow Hen of Austerlitz” and “Dark February.”

The chirping birds, Appalachian pluck, and choral vocals of “Kinderhook Hoopskirt Works” and the haunting piano finale “This, My Porcelain Life” are especially astounding. The songs give the album’s end an epic feel. Most artists push their weakest tracks to the second half of the album, but Melora Creager has never been like most artists.

Time will tell if these new songs have the endurance of Rasputina classics like “Gingerbread Coffin” and “Transylvanian Concubine,” but for now I think Sister Kinderhook is Rasputina’s strongest work since 2002′s Cabin Fever (my personal favorite of their albums).

The tinny production of “Holocaust of Giants” made its frenzied, high-pitched vocals grate on my nerves at first (I so dislike digital albums), but it grew on me with subsequent listens. But don’t judge the entire album by this one track, because it doesn’t represent the whole at all. It’s simply the only mp3 I could clear to share…

Rasputina – Holocaust of Giants (mp3 removed) *

*mp3 provided by & posted w/ permission of band’s PR rep

You can hear samples of other tracks at the links below.

Buy @ Amazon

Rasputina Official Site

Among Muruch‘s growing circle of guest/freelance writers (see the site‘s sidebar for full list) is Jen “Coble” Hopper, who contributed photographs to Chelle’s recent Empires/The Whigs gig review. Coble makes her own writing debut below with a review of April Smith’s latest release Songs for a Sinking Ship, and will be reviewing April Smith’s performance at Schubas in Chicago on May 26th.

This album will make you happy. Go ahead, bring your nastiest day to this album and you’ll be tapping your toes by the end of your first listen. When I hit play for the first time to Songs for a Sinking Ship, resisting the urge to clap my hands in time was a futile effort. The uplifting, retro sounds of swing and ragtime accompanied by (among a host of other instruments) Mellotron, organ, ukulele, piano and brass accents and impressive vocal range from April had me grinning and clapping along at a stop light, careless to be seen. This is some of the sassiest, catchiest pop music out there.

This album is a welcome departure from April’s earlier more traditional pop solo work, which wasn’t as lyrically strong. It’s too easy to love the wit and whimsy of this album with songs like “Drop Dead Gorgeous”: oh you’re so enchanting / when your mouth is closed / and with a mouth like that / who needs politics and prose and “Stop Wondering,” a delightful, sweet and catchy tune that well-showcases April’s vocal talent as she informs an ex-lover: if you ever wonder / if I’m dreaming of you… bitch please / I’ve got better things to do.

There are tender moments, too – “Beloved” is haunting, promising a departed lover: if I cannot have the real thing / I’ll gladly settle for your ghost and the sway-inducing “What I’ll Do” brings violins perfectly to match the lyrics, If you don’t want me / there’s another to take it from here / if you’re quite finished, dear. “Can’t Say No” is a dixie charmer with brass accents (and is actually written about her dog). April’s voice pouts as it approaches the chorus, sexy and endearing.

Songs for a Sinking Ship was produced by fan contributions using Kickstarter, a website that helps independent artists raise project dollars. Fans were so enthusiastic that the campaign raised $3k more than the campaign goal of $10k, and it’s clear that the band responded by investing their every talent in this work. This departure from today’s pop music will make you want to jitterbug, jive and more than anything, sing along with her clever hooks. Now you’re like a dog beggin’ for a bone… – It’s true. Coming in at under 35 minutes, April Smith and the Great Picture show leave us wanting more and hitting repeat.

April Smith – Colors (mp3) *

*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of artist’s PR rep

Buy Mp3s @ Amazon

Buy CD @ Amazon

April Smith Official Site
April Smith MySpace

Carney just released their debut album Mr. Green, Vol. 1 today. The L.A. rock quartet is fronted by and named for actor-musician Reeve Carney – formerly a member of Johnny Lang’s backup band and soon to be seen as Ferdinand in Julie Taymor’s upcoming film adaption of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Carney’s music tempers arena rock pomp with flourishes of psychedelica, pop, and blues.

The opener “Love Me Chase Me” punches up a swirling rock arrangement with militant drumbeats. It and many of the other tracks have a swaggering pop-rock sound reminiscent of Butch Walker’s The Rise and Fall Of….

The middle of the album lags a bit, but there’s a lovely splash of what sounds like old-fashioned slide guitar work in “Amelie” and a slinky hint of Queen in “There She Goes.”

The grand finale “Testify” is a crunchy blend of Zep-like blues and psychedelic rock.

I was not granted permission to share an mp3, but you can watch the video for “Love Me Chase Me” (starring actress Evan Rachel Wood and shot on the set of HBO’s Carnivale) at the link below…

Carney – Love Me Chase me (Video)

Buy @ Amazon

Carney Official Site
Carney MySpace

Former Hole bassist Melissa Auf der Maur released her sophomore album Out of Our Minds last month. This may surprise those who think of this as a folk-oriented music site, but the majority of the music I love (and own) is rock and Hole’s Live Through This remains one of my favorite albums. But aside from her affinity and talent for rock guitar riffs, the solo work of Melissa Auf der Maur (Madm) has more in common with Kate Bush or Placebo than it does with her old band.

If you’re listening…You’re a dreamer,
Come sit by my fire
Travel out of our minds & into our hearts

Melissa’s lyrics are mythical, her voice is unusual, her melodies are sleek, and her eclectic arrangements incorporate pop, rock, and classical instrumentation as well as other sound effects.

Out of Our Minds is being promoted as a “multimedia project” with a companion feature film, graphic novel, and “web experience.” But all I care about is the music…

“The Hunt” opens the album with a heavy, throbbing beat that builds into a crescendo of piano crashes and heartbeat percussion. Save for a few breathy sighs, the track is almost entirely instrumental.

Most of the other songs pair Melissa’s seductive, sometimes eerie vocals with atmospheric, rock-centric arrangements. “Follow The Map” and “Meet Me On The Dark Side” are the stand outs.

“Father’s Grave” would be a solidly haunting ballad on its own, but Glen Danzig’s substantial vocal presence only amplifies its intensity.

“This Would Be Paradise” splices audio clips of twentieth century Canadian politician Tommy Douglas into its melody. This might seem odd on another album, but fits perfectly into Melissa’s strange mix of sounds.

Bury him at sea, He’ll never return to me
Forgive him all his sins,
The mistress of the sea deceived him

You can get a free download of the album’s title track by submitting your email address and also stream the entire album on Melissa Auf der Maur’s Official Site.

Buy @ Amazon (only $8.99!)

I first posted a song from Sing Me To Sleep: Indie Lullabies in January, and recently received the gorgeous limited first edition from indie label American Laundromat Records. The compilation benefits the non-profit childrens’ charity The Valerie Fund, and features a wide variety of charming, serene covers by various indie acts – including Stars, Jenny Owen Youngs, The Real Tuesday Weld, Dean & Britta, O+S, Tanya Donelly, Trespassers William, and Laura Gibson. Sing Me To Sleep will be released on May 18th.

The entire Sing Me To Sleep album flows together to create a lovely, gentle mood. Though the soft arrangements fit well with the “indie lullabies” theme, these are songs originally recorded and just as enjoyable for adults.

Some of the highlights are: a pretty, femme transformation of The Smiths’ “Asleep” by Stars, The Real Tuesday Weld’s crackling “Little Boxes” (originally recorded by Malvina Reynolds and used more recently as the theme for Weeds), an eerie take on The Beatles’ “Dear Prudence” by Ohbijou’s Casey Mecija, Dala’s languid cover of “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” Telekinesis’ haunting version of ELO’s “Can’t Get It Out of My Head,” and former Belly frontwoman Tanya Donelly’s jazzy croon of “Moon River.”

Snowbird’s stunning rendering of “The North Wind Doth Blow” is my absolute favorite track and is one of the few that was actually a nursery rhyme, but there isn’t one song on the disc that I feel compelled to skip.

Sing Me To Sleep‘s quiet mood could certainly lull you to sleep, but then you’d miss some of the most beautiful covers ever recorded.

The limited edition first pressing includes several bonus tracks, including a somewhat creepy cover of “You Are My Sunshine” by Peter Broderick, an atmospheric cover of Don Henley’s “Boys of Summer” by Papercuts, and Laura Gibson’s signature low-fi style on Rodgers & Hammerstein’s “Edelweiss.”

Dean & Britta – Making Me Smile (mp3) *

*mp3 hosted by & posted w/ permission of label

You purchase the limited first edition (w/ alternative artwork, bonus tracks, bonus 7″ vinyl, free digital download, promo pins, poster & more) at the American Laundromat Records, and the regular CD is available at Amazon…

Pre-order 1st Edition @ Label

Buy @ Amazon

In case you missed it, I’m giving away 2 copies of Allison Crowe’s beautiful new CD Spiral. See the giveaway post to enter and read the rules, album review, and download mp3s. The deadline is this Friday, April 30th.

The Whigs and Empires will perform at Bottoms Lounge in Chicago, Illinois on Friday, April 23rd, along with Old Fake (feat. former members of The Office).

Why is a West Virginia-based music site posting this information? I’m glad you asked. Muruch has a new writer who resides in Chicago. Her name is Chelle, I’ve known her for a decade, and she has always been on the cutting edge of all things cool – particularly when it comes to music. Chelle will make her writing debut on Muruch with her review of The Whigs/Empires gig, so you Chicago kids should definitely attend the show to see if you agree with her take on it.

The Whigs are apparently known for their “enthralling” live shows, and were recently on The David Letterman Show. A video of that performance is on YouTube, and the video for their song “Kill Me Carolyne” is on Yahoo. You can receive 2 free mp3 downloads from The Whigs’ new album In The Dark by submitting your email at The Whigs Official Site.

Empires are a local Chicago band (I believe it was Chelle who first told me about them). They’re what indie used to mean – they write, produce, mix, and release all of their albums themselves. Their debut Howl is available as a free, legal download here and they have a lot of “name your price” mp3s from their new album Bang at Empires Official Site.

Bottoms Lounge Official Site (Buy Tickets)

Buy The Whigs Album @ Amazon

Buy Empires Album @ Amazon