trashman - intro

from somewhere in west virginia here is the trashman, making this strange music when he isn't taking out the trash. no website, so image, just this intro.



maybe there will be more, maybe not.

the new students - when the west wind blows

the new students are new-style bluegrass band (there are drums...) out of brooklyn, new york, with decidedly old fashioned chops. no bluegrass purist could argue with the chops of the student's lightening fast mandolin, fiddle and banjo playing and tight three part harmonies. the original tunes on their new album 'where the west wind blows' touch on the classic themes of americana but remain fresh and honest, delivered in clear, pleasant voices.



grab 'the west wind' for $9.99 right here. find out more about the new students here.

sweet bump it - first slice EP

sweet bump it, from the echo park area of los angeles are an energetic, lady-led garage/funk/soul ensemble that want to rock you with their debut EP, 'first slice'. the guitars are aggressive and slinky by turns, the rhythms are taught, and the lead vocals are snarly/sexy, with well studied girl-group back ups (probably my favorite part) that add a nice touch.



grab this EP for 99 cents right here. i wouldn't be surprised to hear more good things out of this band in the future.

JproD - we here now (so much smoke)

MC, producer and 'music artist' JproD is back with another great song. i think i'm gonna let him do the talking though:

"a bunch of trend stealers, a bunch of imitation, a bunch of lies. i want to bring back that rugged feel. let's make it cool to say what we really feel. let's leave being politically correct to the politicians. in 2014, let's make it cool to be normal. i promise it is okay to be a black music artist and not wear jordans. which is exactly what i am, a music artist. not a rapper, not an emcee, not a hip-hop artist. i am a music artist. i have never been conventional. i never felt it was possible to be something i'm not. more than comfortable in my own skin. am i a genius? not sure i care. all i care about is having genuine lyrics, attention grabbing hooks, creating my own sound. the reason i make music is to address every feeling I have. So that, if someone feels the same way, they now can articulate those feelings. any subject matter found in my music is there because i actually do that, i have actually seen that, i have actually felt that. it is not because i care about what anyone thinks may or may not be cool. there are a group of real artists in the world who had their culture stolen from them, i am one of them. i was born to attempt to change the world through music. i know every "artist" tries to say that, but what's the difference between me and them? i plan on proving it. i ain't trying to start a revolution. only trying to make the art of music sacred again. "you know it's real when you are who you think you are". i just want to be a legend for the right reasons. my dad's opinion doesn't matter to me, please don't think yours will. regal is the story. #TrifeLife is the way. i am JproD (Jeopardy). you are real. i recognize it. bless up."

listening to his tunes, yeah, i think he pulls it off. see what i said when i wrote about him before. check 'we here now' below.

born standing up - s/t

i covered the single 'no. 9'  from oxford, mississippi based folk rock quartet born standing up awhile back, and now they have completed their full self titled album. a rootsy rocker with down home tunes, front porch pickin', and very nice harmonies. an earnest, endearing album, poking out through that deep southern kudzu. this album has a rare blend of true folksyness and country crossover appeal.


name your own price for this album right here. below, check out the charming, baseball themed music video for the song 'cane break'

daniel sage - wildlife

it's a good day here at MFOA, because i've been getting a lot of good stuff in the electronic mail, and this release from north carolinian daniel sage is no exception. recorded at memphis's famous ardent studios (THE SAME PLACE WHERE ALEX CHILTON MADE SISTER LOVERS!!!!!!!!!), sage's album 'wildlife' has a little bit of that chaotic pop-music-but-a-little-insane vibe that coated later big star releases, but it also seems to be informed by the best rock of the 90's. this album sways to the point of toppling but never does, and the songs go to good sorts of unexpected zones. the best part, daniel sage emailed me himself despite his high-profile recording circumstances, and the album is name-your-price. i wouldn't pass this one up. this tune 'angel's in the snow' is killing me right now. turns out the next tune, 'bless your health', is even better.


find out about tour dates and other business right here. get the album here.

k. dunn - pregnant with the day

k. dunn used to work under the moniker camellia sinensis, but he has simplified things just a bit now, using his given name to release his latest album, 'pregnant with the day'. dunn was an early contributor to MFOA and i am excited to feature this new full length effort. classic lofi loner folk, plucked simply but beautifully on a nylon stringed guitar, lyrics of strange, introspective, mythological and romantic poetry sometimes clear, sometimes whispered and sometimes mumbled. touches of psychedelic production hang around the edges of this album like worn out flags. recommended.


get it for free (not even name your price...very MFOA!) right here. this tune 'wooden candle' is particularly choice.

redleg husky - carolina

on their new album 'carolina', redleg husky of boone, NC, brings a slice of appalachian americana. by turns feel good and melancholy, this album swings and slumps (in a good way) like heartfelt folk music should. the standard banjo and guitar are at times accompanied by a musical saw, for backwoods spaced-out feel. trade-offs between male and female vocals and occasional harmonies give a nice variety to the proceedings.


get it in the form of an eco-pack CD right here for $10. you can also check out some older releases. find out more about redleg husky here.

dos ringos - KY women

couch by couchwest is the everyman's answer to the famous austin 'indie' music festival south by southwest. a youtube based music festival open to all comers, needless to say this is right up MFOA's alley. you won't see kanye, gaga, or beiber in these heartfelt video submissions, but you'll sure as shit hear the modern folk music of america. i have been watching a bit of it when i have a moment of spare time, but the members of dos ringos were kind enough to double dip their cxcw submission my way. here it is, a booze fueled, good time partyin', keith-richards-riffin acoustic rocker.

)

find out all about cxcw right here. find out about dos ringos here & here.

bad rites - little romance and which ocean

'little romance' and 'which ocean' are two preview tracks from seattle bedroom pop act bad rite's up coming album 'touch the ground', out later this month. 'little romance' is a catchy, keys-driven lofi pop swinger, a kind of dirty song delivered with a raspy-throated wink. 'which ocean' is more of a romantic ballad, but features the same pop sensibilities and jumpy keys.




download these tunes for free here.

aaron cooper - s/t

chicago's aaron cooper makes quality, homemade lofi folk/rock/pop tunes that sound like they could have come from any time. sunny memories and cloudy memories under a gauze of audio artifacts. cooper is apparently a bedroom recording veteran, hosting recordings on his bandcamp page going back to 2000. all that practice pays off on his most recent self titled album, an album that shows a DIY artist who knows his sound and just how to dial it in.


name your own price for it here.

the phantom family halo - down on the streets

a long running louisville, KY band with many albums and tours under their belt, the phantom family halo is back with a new LP on sophomore lounge records, called "raven town witch". it's a dark, repetitive, droney album of psych-rock. it feels like you could dance to it, but not so much in a "fun" way, rather in a semi-possessed, eyes rolling back in your head way. it has lighter moments as well that highlight a maximalist aesthetic and solid songcraft. it has a creepy cover too...

the album is available for purchase right here. for now check out the night-time banger 'down on the streets' for a preview.

gull - to dust

nathan rappole AKA gull doesn't stop creating wonderful sights and sounds, and that holds true for his latest song, 'to dust'. experimental visually and sonically, gull blends in with his surroundings in this video and forsakes his old methods of long form one-man-band improvisations and wild, tuneful yelling for what amounts to a pop song in the outer space gull occupies...repetitive, minimalist guitar loops and intelligible lyrics; verses and choruses, dissolving, but not completely, into quiet echoey psychedelia as the song draws to a close. i imagine i would enjoy any path gull chose to go down, and i definitely like this one.

get more gull here.

brent emanuel - gone for good

i've been waiting for this for quite awhile, a new original tune from the sometimes prolific brent emanuel, a friend and contributor from the very early days here at MFOA. an old fashioned country crier here about love that up and walks out the door.



watch more here. download his album '22 bad love songs' here.

dark globes - a star is formed

chicago based dark-folk trio dark globes brings lofi folk with a dusty feel, droned-stoned vocal delivery, and touches of vintage psych pop flair, such as the occasional glockenspiel or vibe. their four song EP 'a star is formed' is heavy on atmosphere and even a few more hooks than you would expect from a lofi folk album. it left me want to hear the LP they might have to offer in the future.


name your price for it here. find out more about dark globes here.

ryan smith - better days

ryan smith is a singer/songwriter based out of columbus, ohio. 'better days' is the lead track of his upcoming album 'lost dogs'. a bittersweet song about how things could've gone better, presented simply with an acoustic guitar and a clear, youthful voice.


look for him out playing shows if you are in the columbus area. find out more here.

todd fausnacht - todd fausnacht and the well whiskey wind whistlers

todd fausnacht of philadelphia serves up a nickel blue plate special of jug band, old time and boogie woogie revival music on his latest album, 'todd fausnacht and the well whiskey wind whistlers'. produced with an acoustic band of tight performers, this album spins, hops, and shakes all the dust off the floor, giving new energy to these vintage modes.



name your price for it right here.

joanna sternberg and squirrel ship - new york city

NYC based upright bassist and singer/songwriter joanna sternberg is on my good side with her album 'new york city' for a few reasons, first i love squirrels (seriously just look at my instagram). but more importantly she writes classic sounding songs, somewhere between stately pop and surreal country, delivers them in a timeless, unique voice, doesn't seem to be taking herself too seriously, and there is plenty of reverb on the guitar. it's no surprise she comes to making this high quality music so naturally, she grew up making music, starting at the tender age of 5. i recommend this one. especially 'human magnet song'.

get this one right here for $7. find out more about joanna sternberg and squirrel ship here.

patchy sanders - patchy sanders and the wild peach forest

patchy sanders is a rootsy yet jaunty folk pop band from ashland, oregon. their latest album 'patchy sanders and the wild peach forest' boasts huge choruses with four part harmonies, and all the stompin' and clappin' you could ever want to go along with your pickin', and lyrics about the woods, streams and mountains and the ancient things that dwell there.



buy the album, $10 for the download, $15 for the CD, right here.

m. lockwood porter - chris bell b/w secrets

i was excited to get this release from berkley, california's m. lockwood porter in my inbox, seeing that one of the songs was a tribute to big star founding member chris bell, who's song 'i am the cosmos' must be one of the best and saddest songs ever written. 'chris bell' is solidly in country-mournful territory, a whistful banjo, pedal steel and steady snare singing chris bell's well deserved praises (i appreciate the reference to the replacement's 'alex chilton' in the opening line). interestingly enough the b-side of this release, 'secrets' sounds a lot more like a chris bell tune. a melancholy one-two punch.


find more info about mr. lockwood porter at his website.

iced ink - iced ink vs. the trash bar

iced ink is an instrumental rock band that swings wildly from surf inspired riffs to post punk angles to low-end grooves to stoner-ish jams and prog excursions within the span of several minutes. their album 'iced ink vs. the trash bar' is a live album, and i think this suits the band well, highlighting the precision and impact of their playing, even if you can hear people faintly chatting during the quieter moments. i kind of enjoy that part.


find all the iced ink info you need right here.

jared "doc" estes - jared's insomnia cafe

jared 'doc' estes of olympia. washington, does folk with a loud, joyful, almost punkish swagger. his latest album, 'jared's insomnia cafe', is collection of quality originals and a few arrangements of traditional folk standards, including the great folk tunes 'codine' and 'in the pines'. the production is stripped down. ecstatic folk with an olympia touch.



grab this on a DIY CDR for $5 right here. check out some more of jared's music right here.

james haley - not the man you thought i am

singer songwriter james haley is back with a new tune, switching gears from politics to a confessional mode. the tune starts with a lonely guitar and a moody piano, adding a singing lead at its emotional climax.

check out more james haley songs here.

antiqcool ghostlymuso- extended selection of original acoustic instrumental guitar songs

very little accompanying information came with this hour-and-twenty-minute-plus medley of guitar music from someone/ones known as antiqcool ghostlymuso, but that's ok, just let it roll. don't be fooled by the title, it gets electric at times. classically inspired instrumental folk guitar.



learn more about antiqcool ghostlymuso here.

laurence made me cry - bellgrove

laurence made me cry AKA jo whitby of cardiff, wales is back with her first new song since her excellent album 'the diary of me', which landed her a nomination for a welsh music prize (there is an album of 'diary of me' remixes available). 'bellgrove' is a stripped down memory of a morning in glasgow. quiet, reflective and beautiful, the lone fingerpicked guitar puts jo's delicate, clear voice in the forefront, as it should be, telling this wistful story.



pick up all the laurence made me cry you need right here.

he howls - death letter blues and once or twice ain't good enough

he howls, a folk-blues act out of pennsylvania imparts a backwoods stomp and a lofi hiss to these two tunes, one a solid adaptation of son house's 'death letter blues', the other a nice instrumental tune featuring the interplay of a guitar, a cello, a banjo and (maybe) a jaw harp under a thick mist of dirty production. the laughter and conversation of the musicians captured on the recording is the only thing that lets you know it wasn't laid down by some barefooted 'holler' residents 50 years ago. i recommend this one.





check out the soundcloud for many more tracks in a variety of roots modes, including this jazzy shuffle about weed, and some american primitive type stuff. grab some name-your-price releases here.

ernest troost - o love

hollywood based composer, producer and singer/songwriter ernest troost has quite a resume, having composed the music for 'tremors' (!) and other moveis and tv shows and produced several  records for well known artists. but all that success didn't go to his head, because to promote his new album of roots influenced folk rock ballads 'o love', troost took the time to email me himself, and that's the kind of move it takes to get featured here. 'o love' puts the berklee trained troost's clean and intricate guitar playing and classic americana songwriting to the forefront, with production ranging from contemplative pedal steel and close harmonies to loud, dirty telecasters.



stream that thing right here, purchase it right here.

lakutis ft. DVS - black swann

with machine gun rap techniques, industrial/pscyh production that seems to come out of nowhere and a surreal, clever, sharp sense of humor, lakutis and DVS blast out of the frozen winter streets of washington heights with this killer track. coming in at a concise 2:40, this track presents you with a deadly set of bars from each MC and then goes its own way. a sound so unexpected that i'm still trying to get my head around it. from lakutis' record 'three seashells', out now on greedhead records.
 

get 'three seashells' digitally for name-your-price right here. get some DVS music here.

mammoth indigo - rapture (video)

tour tested band mammoth indigo of richmond/harrisonburg, va, brings an emotional, atmospheric, big finish indie rocker with the up close and personal video for their debut single "rapture". veterans of the road, mammoth indigo are now poised to stomp with future releases of swelling, melodic tunes.



find out more about mammoth indigo, show and release info, etc, here and here.