Laike - Fången i det senaste - 2014

Label: Monterey Discos, Valencia, Spain

01 Hör Inga Svar (I Hear No Answers)
02 Jämlikhet (Equality)
03 Frånvarons Tid (The Age of Abscence)
04 Ensamhetens Borg (The Castle of Loneliness)
05 Det Vi Gömmer (What We Hide)
06 Fången i Det Senaste (Trapped In The Latest)
07 Bort Från Istidens Sår (Away From The Wounds of The Ice Age)
08 Bland Får (Among Sheep)
09 Jag Stannar Kvar (I Remain)
10 Om Jag Har Fel (If I’m Wrong)
11 Arbeta På Så Du Inte Faller (Work On So You Don’t Fall)
12 Djurens Hämnd (The Revenge Of The Animals)

Credits:
Christofer Ståhle: Lead vocals, background, vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, silver flute, Wurlitzer, overtone singing, zither, hand clapping, whistling
David Svedmyr: Bass, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, mellotron, vibraphone, piano, hand clapping
Johan Svedmyr: Drums, tambourines, shakers, gong, hand clapping
Lisa Isaksson: Wurlitzer, background vocals, silver flute, harp, saw, violin, hand clapping
Karin Engqvist: Organ and background vocals
Joel Öhlund: Background vocals and wailing
Mattias Gustavsson: Background vocals and shakers
Anna Myrsten: Background vocals
Gabriel Liljenström: Violin
Simon Svedmyr: Background vocals

My friend Laike (Christofer Ståhle) has a new album, "Fang and Det Senaste" (Trapped in the Latest) - 2014 (Vinyl LP 180g Die-Cut Cover, Monterey Discos DM-004,  500 copies edition).

As before, all 12 songs are very different. Very catchy melodies, excellent arrangements and a rich selection of instruments are dominant impressions on first hearing. 

For fans of Lisa O Piu (Lisa Isaksson, David Svedmyr) plays a lot of instruments. Album contains music with very nice touch of psychedelic music from early '70. 

And If it is hard to me to choose one in particular, at this time I like the most:

A3 Frånvarons Tid (The Age of abscence) and A6 Fang and Det Senaste (Trapped In The News), 

B4 Om Jag Fel Har (If I 'm Wrong) and the last song B6 Djurens Hämnd (The Revenge Of The Animals).

Highly Recommended!!!! 

Listen few songs from the album + much info:

https://montereydiscos.bandcamp.com/album/dm-004-laike-f-ngen-i-det-senaste-trapped-in-the-latest

1st album review:

http://thelighthousekeeper-graaf24.blogspot.com/2012/02/laike-langt-fran-stadslivets-dan-2012.html

In Gowan Ring - Birch Book - Taking Wing / Jacob Fleet (single) - 2014

Quality: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Vinyl 7” Single, Les Disques du 7eme Ciel 7C8, France

01 Taking Wing (as In Gowan Ring) Mark Fry/The A. Lords cover
02 Jacob Fleet (as Birch Book) And Also The Trees cover

Credits:
Voice, guitars, mellotron, flutes, organ, bowed glockenspiel, drum, tubular bells Bobin Jon Michael Eirth

Recorded and mixed at die Graefehütte, Berlin, Germany.

Bobin Jon Michael Eirth is the man behind In Gowan Ring and Birch Book. Since the mid 90s, this prolific American singer-songwriter has recorded a dozen full-length albums.

On this 7", Eirth gives his very own folk take on two tracks that he loves:

- Taking Wing is a cover of a song by Mark Fry, the legendary English psychedelic folk musician. It appeared at the end of I Lived in Trees, a truly beautiful album that Fry recorded with The A. Lords.
B’ee - Voice, Acoustic Guitar, Mellotron flutes, Organ, Bowed Glockenspiel.

- Jacob Fleet is a cover of a song by English post-punk band And Also The Trees. It was taken from their synth-infused album Green Is The Sea.
B’ee - Voice, Acoustic & Electric Guitar, Mellotron Strings, Drum, Tubular Bells.

Notes:
01 Written by Mark Fry, Nicholas Palmer & Michael Tanner
02 Written by Simon Huw Jones, Steven Burrows, Nick Havas & Justin Jones

It is a Limited Edition release, with just 100 copies available (50 red sleeves and 50 black sleeves), and comes in a recycled gray cardstock silk-printed sleeve. Sleeve Design Damian O'Hara.

Birch Book - Birch Book EP - 2011

Quality: CBR 128 kbps (sorry no better copy available)

Label: Vinyl 10" + EP CD, Les Disques du 7ème Ciel, 7C2, France

01 Life's Lace

02 Le Temps De Vivre

03 La Chanson De Prévert

04 Son Du Soleil

05 Les Feuilles Mortes

06 Vent D'Automne

Credits:

Brier Nitz: backing vocals

Ron Walker: harmonium

B'ee: vocals, guitars & arrangements

Composed By – B'ee (04,06), Joseph Kosma (05)

Written And Composed By – B'ee (01), Georges Moustaki (02), Serge Gainsbourg (03)

Written By – B'ee, Carole Chiaramonti (04), B'ee, Damien Loret (06), Jacques Prévert (05)

Artwork Sleeve: Damian O'Hara 

Notes:

Vinyl & CD Limited Edition 

Aware of B'ee's interest in French language and culture, Les Disques du 7ème Ciel suggested that they collaborate on the release of a record based on French song.

Great EP, recomendation straight from the heart.

Birch Book - Tomorrow's Sun Will Rise The Same CDr - 2010

Quality: CBR 128 kbps (sorry no better copy available)

Label: Not On Label - Self-released, CD-r Limited Edition

01 Tomorrow's Sun Arises (B'ee)

02 Day For Night (Gene Clark)

03 Clothes Of Sand (Nick Drake)

04 Good Feeling (Gordon Gano)

05 The Stag (Angelo Branduardi)

06 Blessed Wild Apple Girl (Marc Bolan)

07 Silver Dagger (Traditional)

08 Ballad Of Easy Rider (Roger McGuinn)

09 A Little Bit Of Rain (Fred Neil)

10 Houses (Elyse Weinberg)

11 Corners Of My Life (Pac, Rycroft, McClellan)

12 Tomorrow's Sun Sets (B'ee)

Credits:

B'ee: renditions / arrangements

Sofie Kline: backing vocals (10)  

Gillian Hall: backing vocals (11)

Heather Comforto: cover patch

Méreau Woods: liner notes

Jacob Yvon-Leroux, Ron Walker: photography

Notes:

Traditional & Cover Songs, Recorded January, February & March 

Released Spring Equinox 2010 

Limited edition, signed album in handmade packaging sold directly through B'eirth to help fund Birch Book's 2010 European tour.

Superb album as always, some great rendition of song we well know from the past time. 
Very recommended (even if low bitrate), not to be missed this one!

Silver Dagger version is most beautiful ever!!!

Especially to my friend Kontaminacija!

Fern Knight - Live at WFMU - 2008

Quality: CBR 256 kbps + custom cover by me
Label: Not On Label - WFMU Radio Broadcast

01 Silver Fox
02 untitled
03 Lach Na Fooey
04 Synge's Chair
05 Epitaph
06 Magpie Suite

Live performance by Fern Knight at WFMU on Irene Trudel's Show on June 02 2008:

James Wolf: violin,
Jesse Sparhawk: harp, bass,
Margie Wienk: vocals, cello, acoustic guitar,
Jim Ayre: drums, Flying V

Engineer: Irene Trudel

On Fern Knight's new self-titled album, the listener is engulfed in imagery of pastoral scenes of folkloric greenery and of an earlier mystical age. Fern Knight is a they, not a she, a quartet bring fronted by the lovely voice of Margie Wienk.
As they describe it, "The calm surface of harp, cello and violin are juxtaposed against the perfectly timed distorted squalls of a Flying V with the grounding blanket of electric bass underneath."

Note:
Here is the full (~42min) live performance by Fern Knight at WFMU, included all 6 tracks, not usual 5 (which will find on the web).

This is absolutely fantastic rendition of song, minimalistic, raw and very powerfull, especialy Epitph (King Crimson cover) have so much more beauty than studio version on the album.

Fern Knight - Blithewold EP - 2005

Quality: CBR 192 kbps
Label: Not On Label - Self-released, CD-r Limited Edition

01 Theme From: The Bird With The Crystal Plumage (Morricone)
02 Give Me Your Hand (Wienk)
03 The Summer Day Reflection Song (Donovan)
04 Eulogy To Lenny Bruce (Hardin)
05 Pearl's Dream (Schumann)
06 Piume Di Cristallo - Reprise

Recorded at home by Margie Wienk

Credits:
Alec K. Redfearn: accordion, vocals
Orion Rigel Dommisse: harmonium
Steve Jobe: hurdy gurdy
Margie Wienk: guitar, cello, vocals, bells, percussion, vibraphone (metallophone)

There is some very interesting covers, very good EP (and rare too).

Big thanks to my friend Rick for this EP.

Fern Knight - Castings - 2010

Quality: CBR 320 kbps
Label: VHF Records, VHF 122, US / LP VHF 122 Limited Edition, US

01 From Zero To Infinty
02 The Poisoner
03 Pentacles
04 Long Dark Century
05 Cave Of Swords
06 Cups And Wands
07 The Eye Of The Queen
08 Epitaph (written-by King Crimson)
09 Crumbling Stairs

Credits:
Jim Ayre: electric guitar, drums, percussion, vocals
Jesse Sparhawk: harp, bass, drums, electric guitar, vocals
James Wolf: violin
Margaret Ayre: vocals, cello, acoustic guitar

Notes:

Released in a Digipak.

Producer: Jim Ayre, Margaret Ayre

Recorded By: Jim Ayre

Written By: Margaret Ayre

Fern Knight - Fern Knight - 2008

Quality: CBR 320 kbps
Label: VHF Records, VHF 110, US

01 Bemused
02 Silver Fox
03 Sundew
04 Loch Na Fooey
05 Hawk Mountain
06 Synge's Chair
     Magpie Suite:
07 Prelude
08 Part II
09 Part III

Credits:
Jim Ayre: electric guitar (Flying V), drums, percussion
Jesse Sparhawk: harp, bass (electric bass)
James Wolf: violin
Margaret Wienk: vocals (singing), acoustic guitar, cello, double bass, harmonium, triangle, synthesizer (Arp Odyssey), metallophone, written-by (all songs), producer
Gillian Chadwick: backing vocals (07), choir (Boys' Choir) (09)
Orion Rigel Dommisse: backing vocals (07), choir (Boys' Choir) (09)
Greg Weeks: backing vocals, drums, synthesizer (Arp Odyssey) (07), recorder (08), electric guitar (09)

Notes:
Recorded by Greg Weeks, at Hexham Head, Philadelphia, PA
Photos by Alissa Anderson ©2007

Thanks to:
Ex Reverie, Jack Rose, A Fine Tooth, The Big Huge, Greg Weeks, Orion Rigel Dommisse, Arborea, Silver Summit, Moutain Home, Berry and Maurice at VPRO, Irene Trudel, David Garland, Ed Hardy at Eclipse, Alissa Anderson, Brooke Sietinsons, Howard and Amy Wuelfing, Katt Hernandez, Helena Espvall, Jay and
Joanne Eisenberg, Sam Cusumano, Julia Hebner, Lord Whimsy, Mark Schoneveld, The Honeymoon Compound and our families and friends.

Fern Knight - Music For Witches And Alchemists - 2006

Quality: CBR 320 kbps

Label: CD - VHF Records, VHF 101, US / LP - Eclipse Records, ECL-057, US

01 Song For Ireland

02 Awake, Angel Snake

03 W. Memphis

04 Murder Of Crows

05 Lintworme, Pt. I

06 Marble Grey

07 Shingle River

08 The Dirty South

09 Summer Of Throg

10 What The Crows Left Behind

11 Lullaby

Credits:

Alec K. Redfearn: accordion

Otto Hauser: drums, percussion

Orion Rigel Dommisse: harmonium, synthesizer

Jesse Sparhawk: harp

Christine Saraullo: saw

Meg Baird: vocals

Margie Wienk: vocals, guitar, cello, bells, triangle, producer, written & lyrics by

Greg Weeks: vocals, recorded by

Notes:

CD comes in a digifolder.

LP Hand-numbered, limited to 800 copies.

Fern Knight - Seven Years Of Severed Limbs - 2003

Quality: CBR 320 kbps
Label: Not On Label (self-released) UK,EU,US / Normal, NORMAL 246 CD, Germany

01 She Who Was So Precious To You
02 If I Could Write A Book About You
03 Wolf I
04 Theme
05 Kingdom
06 Wolf II
07 Chelyabinsk
08 Boxing Day
09 Mover Ghost / Mark The Days Off On Your Wall
10 Sunday Afternoons
11 Dog Named Summer

Credits:
Mike Corcoran: guitar, backing vocals, violin, steel guitar (lap)
Margie Wienk: vocals, guitar, cello, double bass (upright bass), piano, electric piano (Fender Rhodes), percussion (mallet), drums (08)
Joel Thibodeau: drums (01,11)
Alec K. Redfearn: accordion (05,07)

Notes:
Recorded and mixed between 1999 and 2002. Mastered at Peerless Mastering.

Margaret Ayre / Margie Wienk

Birch Book with Annelies Monseré - Tangles Of The Vine (VPRO Session) - 2005

Quality: CBR 192 kbps
Label: CD-r, sold through the artist

01 Christina's Song
02 New Song
03 Song Of The Nightingale
04 The Wandering Boy
05 Aurora
06 Train To Rome
07 Warm Wind And Rain
08 Young Souls
09 New Joy

Live session in the studios of Dutch broadcaster VPRO, August 2, 2005

Credits:
Composed By - B'ee (tracks: 2 to 4, 6 to 9)
Engineer - Berry Kamer
Lyrics By - B'ee (tracks: 5) , Blair Grant (tracks: 5) , Christina Rossetti (tracks: 1)
Recorded By - Berry Kamer
Annelies sings on several tracks recorded during a radiosession for VPRO.

Notes:
Single take performances recorded and engineered by Berry Kamer for "De Avonden" on VPRO, Amsterdam, Holland.
This is the CDr edition, whereof only a few copies were sold through the artist.
CDr housed in foldout cartonbox-slipcase.

Very intimate and beautiful release, recommended!

Laike - Långt från stadslivets dån - 2012

Label: Les Cousins Music, UK

01 Modeslavarnas marsch
02 Långt från stadslivets dån
03 Ser du inte vad som fattas
04 Ensamhetens borg
05 Gladiatorkamp
06 Bygger stegar upp till himmelen
07 Du är mer än vad jag ser
08 Städernas tid blev inte lång
09 Tankefabriken

Credits:
Christofer Ståhle: singing, guitar, flute, piano etc
Joel Munther: bass and backing vocals
Jerker Wennström: drums and percussion
Sanna Sender: recorder
Albin Johansson: Wurlitzer electric piano and synthesizer
Johan Malmberg: violin
Olof Svensson: electric guitar
Mats Björk: psychedelic sound engineering
David Svedmyr: zither, sitar, mellotron and chimes
Mark Pavey: Mastering

Biography:
Laike is a one man project that started about 1,5 years ago. Laike consists of Christofer Ståhle who has played in several different bands for many years before the Laike project. Among other things he played the flute on the album ”Beautiful Days” by Majessic Dreams, released in 2008.
After more than 10 years in different bands he decided that he wanted to make music on his own with just a little help from some of his friends. The album ”Långt från stadslivets dån” (Far away from the noice of the city) was mostly recorded on the country side outside the town Lund where Christofer lives. In his home beside the biggest field in Sweden he could sit and think about arrangements without stress.
The sources of inspiration are many but during the last years Christofer has been very much into British folk bands from the seventies like Steeleye Span, Fairport Convention and Pentangle. These type of songs have been combined with more rytmically driven songs. 2 years ago Christofer lived in Shanghai for 6 months and the improvisations you can here between some of the songs of the album were recorded in an oil cisterno of a Shanghai suburb. Right now Christofer is working on a new album.

This is unusual post in many ways. Some days ago I’ve received message from man name Christofer Ståhle (aka Laike), from Lund, Sweden, with link to hear one his song. I liked that song very much as entire album too.
Wow, great stuff. Very good flute playing, good arrangements too. Some psychedelic touch, not boring moments at all, every songs is different, it was a very difficult to select some become favorites; all is very good and “ask you” to listen again and again. Language is not problem for me; give some charm to my ears full of English. In a word there is a GREAT ALBUM.

The album will be released on 27 February 2012 on the British label Les Cousins Music. You have opportunity to hear now (few days before officially released, thanks Laike) 

Recommended!!!

Please go to comments there we find links to listen entire album:

Laike - Far Away from the Noise of the City (Långt från stadslivets dån) - 2012 (Les Cousins lc015)

Avital Raz - Sad Songs About The End Of Love - 2012

 

 

Quality: CBR 128 kbps (sorry no better copy available)
Label: Digital Album / Self release

01 Lean Out
02 The Twilight
03 I Would
04 This Heart
05 My Dove
06 Because Your Voice
07 Strings
08 Silently
09 Gentle Lady
10 Rain Has Fallen
11 Sleep Now
 
Credits:
James Joyce - words
Avital Raz - music

Itzik Yona - guitars
Hemad Kamal - sarangi
Sasha Shlain - keyboards
David Martin - vocals
Avi Agababa - percussion
E. T. Doolin - bass guitar
Ronen Tat - bass guitar
Yosef Halachmi - drums
Ali Abas - shenai
Ari Gorali - piano
Eyal Faran - tibetan bowl

Notes:
Sad Songs About The End Of Love was recorded in 2004 in India and in Israel. The songs are based on James Joyce's Chamber Music poem cycle.
Till this year, Joyce's work was under copyright and his estate would not allow this music to be released.

Superb album, as usual. You like it, Recommended!

Avital Raz - Skin & Feathers EP - 2009

 

 

Quality: CBR 128 kbps (sorry no better copy available)
Label: Digital File / Self release

01 Sweeter Than Candy
02 Unknown Angry Female Rock Star
03 Beautiful (Kali's Garland)
04 Songs of Waiting
05 My Next Lover
06 #3972

Credits: No data available
released 26 September 2009

Avital Raz is a vocal artist who travels across many genres.
Her songs may resemble old English lute songs, Indian Classical Ragas, Cabaret, Blues or Eastern-European Jewish melodies. A multi-cultured get-together of many strange characters, all rolled up into one quirky singer- songwriter.

Great EP!

Nick Castro & The Young Elders - A Day Without Disaster (vinyl) - 2007

Quality: CBR 192 kbps (incl. covers)
Label: A Silent Place ASP25 10" Vinyl, Black or Gold, Italy

01 Lock & Key
02 Great Divide
03 Yadmur
04 Sirens
05 The Voyager

Credits:
Ryan Kirkpatrick - bass
Jebediah Lipson - guitar (dobro)
Wendy Watson - vocals, harmonium, whistle
Nicholas Javier Castro - voice, guitar, lute (saz), whistle, mandolin

Gold vinyl limited to 100 copies

Notes:
Embossed sleeve. Shaped poster included.
Black vinyl, limited to 500 copies.
Gold vinyl limited to 100 copies.

Nick Castro

I'm eternally grateful to my friend Bert for this album!

Nick Castro & The Young Elders - Come Into Our House - 2006

Quality: CBR 320 kbps (incl. covers)

Label: Daffodelic,601 (2LP+7"),Netherlands / Strange Attractors Audio House,SAAH042,US

01 Winding Tree
02 Sleeping In A Dream
03 Picolina
04 One I Love
05 Attar
06 Voices From The Mountains
07 Standing On The Standing Stone
08 Lay Down Your Arms
09 Promises Unbroken

Credits:
Nick Castro - vocals, acoustic guitar, guitar (electric), piano & prepared piano, lute (saz), oud, harmonium, whistle, percussion, bells, hammond organ, psaltery (ukelin), bouzouki, shaker, performer (music box), bass
B'eirth - vocals, whistle, harmonica
Wendy Watson - vocals, harmonium, bells, percussion (chimes)
Ryan Kirkpatrick - vocals, bass (contrabass, fuzz bass, elctric bass), gong
Martin Salisbury - trombone
Tom Wunder - mountain drum, moroccan tabla
Julia Cunningham - celtic harp
Vince Perez - harmonium
Brian Dyson - dumbek (goblet drum), tambourine (rik), frame drum
Chris Guttmacher - nyabinghi drum, kalimba (mbira), court drum
John Contereas - cello

Notes:
2LP+7" (9+3 tracks) / CD Digi-Pack (9 tracks)

Not on CD (7" single):
A1 Beggar's Tongue
A2 Dance With Death
B It's All A Dream

The Young Elders

Superb album... Recommended!

Nick Castro & The Poison Tree - Further From Grace - 2005

Quality: CBR 320 kbps (incl. covers)
Label: Eclipse Records,ECL-047,US / Strange Attractors Audio House,SAAH030,US

01 Sun Song
02 To This Earth
03 Unborn Child
04 Won't You Sing To Me
05 Waltz For A Little Bird
06 Guildford
07 Music For Mijwiz
08 Deep Deep Sea
09 Walk Like A Whisper

Credits:
Nick Castro - guitar, piano, organ, whistles, mijwiz, voice
Otto Hauser - percussion, dumbek (goblet drum), trap kit (drums)
Helena Espvall - flute, cello, percussion
Chris Smith - bass
Adam Hershberger - flugelhorn
Meg Baird - lap dulcimer on Sun Song
Josephine Foster - voices on Sun Song

Notes:
CD in Jewel-case

Very enjoyable album...

Nick Castro - Live 2004 & 2005 (Solo and with Friends) CDr - 2005

Quality: CBR 192 kbps (incl. covers)
Label: Records Of Gauhd, RoGCD 05, US

01 Unborn Child
(Recorded at Strange Maine, Portland, ME)
02 To This Earth
(Recorded at Glass House, Brooklyn, NY)
03 Sun Song
04 Unborn Child
05 Deep The Sea
(Recorded at The Khyber, Philadelphia, PA)
06 Deep The Sea
07 No Sweeter Thing
08 Jack Of All Seasons
(Recorded at WMBR, Cambridge, MA)

Credits:
Nick Castro: vocal, guitar
with additional musicians:
Helena Espvall - flute, cello
Otto Hauser - dumbek, daf, electric guitar, shruti
B'eirth - whistle
Chrystopher (Chris) Smith - bass

Notes:
This is a tour and mail-order only release / Limited Edition CDr

Beautiful...

Nick Castro - A Spy In The House Of God - 2004

Quality: CBR 320 kbps (incl. covers)
Label: Records Of Gauhd, RoGLP 04/RoGCD 04, US

01 Jack Of All Seasons
02 No Sweeter Thing
03 Ukelin Suite
04 Winter's Chill
05 Flight Of The Mourning Dove
06 Zoey
07 If Your Soul Could Sing
08 This Was That And Then
09 Stranger
10 The Opposite Of It
11 Ordinary Life

Credits:
Wendy Watson: Vocals
Nick Castro: Vocals, Performer (Instrumentation), Written-by, Music By, Producer, Engineer, Mixed.

Notes:
LP Hand-numbered edition of 300 copies / CD in slipcase.

Nick Castro & Wendy Watson

As my friend says: a wonderful debut album by Nick Castro...gentle and reflective! Enjoy.

Roger Wootton & Piu - Cut the air at Mello Club - 2009

Quality: CBR 256 kbps Label: Mellotronen, MELLOCD 030/MELLO LP7, Sweden 01 Down (Like a Moviestar) 02 Song to Comus 03 Equatorial Changes 04 Cinnamon Sea 05 Out of the Coma 06 The Prisoner Roger Wootton (Comus) and Piu, performed two unforgettable evenings at the Mello Club in Stockholm. Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th of December 2008 did Roger Wootton (frontman from Comus) perform together with the band Piu (the Kings and Queen of Swedish Acid Folk). Both concerts was held in front of a fantastic and thrilled audience. Claes Persson (The Mellotronen soundman on almost all MELLO-releases) and his assistant Fredrik Andersson recorded both shows. They performed songs from both Comus albums First Utterance & To Keep from Crying in absolute phenomenal versions. The CD also includes 2 songs from Piu´s forthcoming album and a never before performed Comus song! The CD is housed in a nice Digi-pack with detailed story and pictures. I can just tel that the audience was thrilled! The CD and LP are limited to 1000 copies and the vinyl version comes in three different shapes. 700 copies in black vinyl / 300 copies in limited multi-coloured vinyl.  

Credits: Joel Munther: Electric Bass David Svedmyr: Guitar, Mellophone, Backing Vocals Anders Engqvist: Percussion Gabriel Liljenstrom: Violin Roger Wootton: Vocals, Guitar Lisa Isaksson: Vocals, Guitar, Flute Notes: A Live recording from the Christmas Party at Mello Club 4-5th of December 2008 For all lovers of Comus and Lisa o Piu. Highly Recommended!!!

Lisa o Piu - Behind The Bend - 2010

Quality: CBR 192 kbps
Label: Subliminal Sounds, SUB-071-LP/SUB-072-CD, Sweden

01 Was it the Moon
02 Simplicity
03 Dreams of Goats
04 World Falling Down
05 Child of Trees
06 Gong for Hours (Jupiter’s Under the Moon)

Brand new recordings from this bewitching Swedish folk siren and her band.
This is the follow up to last years critically acclaimed debut album “When this was the future”. To get inspiration for the creation of the new album “Behind the Bend” (technically this is a "mini album") Lisa spent time in a small cottage located deep in the vast woods of Vastmanland, Sweden, where she enjoyed the last breath of the summer.
Every evening she and David walked further in to the woods to an old rowing boat that lay on the edge of a forest lake. In the light of the magically ever glowing Swedish summer midnight sun they paddled across the lake and then further along a forest creek with lush green trees that hangs down over the fresh running water and water lilies. This is the kind of set and setting where you travel into another world….and they did. The initial recordings were made under a vaulted blue ceiling with gold stars in the old 15th century timber church of Hjulsjo, Sweden.

The new album is filled with delicious and bewitching watery woodland folk hymnals, eloquent yet eerie. The harp has been given more space, the violin plays a greater role, the twelve-stringed guitar plays graceful melodies and all is led by Lisa's gossamer vocals, as delicate as a wavering candle flame. Come along for the ride.

CD Limited edition of 1200 copies worldwide. LP Limited edition of 500 copies worldwide.

For me this is the best work until now! Highly Recommended!!!

Especially to my friend Richard

Autumn Grieve - Stray Birds EP - 2009

Quality: CBR 192 kbps
Label: Corbel Stone, CDr, Limited Edition, UK

01 Alight
02 Within Hollows
03 Shades
04 Revenants
05 Depart
06 Kneel
07 The Colling (see below: Aeolian Edition .....)

Credits:
Autumn Grieve: guitar, vocals
Richard Skelton: strings, piano

Notes:
CDr is packaged in handmade canvas card wallets with two inserts, bound in translucent paper and sealed with golden wax.
Limited to 21 numbered copies.

Stray Birds is a collection of songs penned from the shared soil of past failings and continuing hope. It was recorded in Cumbria and Lancashire, England, in the early winter of 2009.

Cover illustration from Historia Animalium (Volume III), first published in 1551, Conrad Gesner
by Alexander Francis Lydon - White Owl


Very beautifully music too! Not to be missed this one!

Aeolian Edition (Digital Album, released 09 January 2013) contains the additional song, "The Calling", first released as part of the "Vertical Integration" compilation on Second Language, 2010.

Autumn Grieve - Stray Birds (Digital Album) - 2013

07 The Colling (bonus track)

Big thanks to my friend Babu who reminds me on this beautiful song!

Autumn Grieve - Terra Infinita (Extended Edition) EP - 2009

Quality: CBR 192 kbps
Label: Not On Label (Self-released), CDr, Limited Edition, UK

01 Flown
02 The Balance And The Beauty
03 Today The Rain
04 The Borrowed Light Of Memory
05 Sea-Maiden's Daughter
06 Hold A Light

Credits:
(tracks 01 to 04)
Autumn Grieve: guitar, vocals
Scott McLaughlin: piano, violin, effects
Sean Og: baritone saxophone
Dave Colohan: tin Whistle
(tracks 05 & 06)
Autumn Grieve: guitar, vocals
Christian Frederickson: viola, mandolin

Tracks 01-04 were taken from Terra Infinita EP - 2007
Tracks 05-06 were taken from Another Window EP - 2001

Notes:
A limited pressing of 100 silk screened discs, packaged in handmade canvas card wallets with one of ten herbal cover prints (The Common Yarrow, Dog Rose, The Elder, Hawthorn, Hemlock, Male-fern, The Osier, Sanicle, Scot's Lovage & Wormwood).
Each edition is individually numbered, bound in translucent paper and sealed with wax.

This young lady made one of the most intimate and beautifully recordings in years! Not to be missed this.

Espers - III - 2009

Quality: CBR 192 kbps
Label: Drag City, DC416CD, US / Wichita, UK

01 I Can't See Clear
02 The Road of Golden Dust
03 Caroline
04 The Pearl
05 That Which Darkly Thrives
06 Sightings
07 Meridian
08 Another Moon Song
09 Colony
10 Trollslända

Espers III CD/LP will be released October 20, 2009

"Recorded over the Winter and Spring of 2009, Espers III was intended to be an aural tonic to the layered fullness of the band's second offering. The idea was to record as little as possible in the hope of achieving a stronger, more oxygenated sonic presence. Where II was meant to be almost claustrophobic in its density and darkness, III was envisioned as being a lighter affair; less heavy and more nuanced. The band attempted to create something that would be perhaps cheery at times, though that mark may have been missed. As more time passed in the recording process, a growing dementia within both song and lyrics occurred, such that even the lightest of fare from III seems oddly unwholesome at heart".
"This album's shift in cover aesthetic mirrors the band's themes and their desire to reach beyond what might be expected of an Espers album. Gone is the folk art two-dimensionality so skilfully provided by the band's guitarist Brooke Sietinsons. Welcome to the three-dimensionality and metaphoric imagery of the new Espers aesthetic".
"Now officially a five piece, Espers III features bass by Greg Weeks, this being the only structural change from previous efforts. Espers II was the last full length album recorded in Greg's Hexham Head studio. Weeks and the studio have moved from city locale to pastoral backdrop, a relocation that will no doubt factor into the sonics of future Espers endeavours".

"Who says that sequels can't be better than their predecessor? With psychedelic-folk-experimentalists Espers, the music not only gets better with age, but better with each release".

Recomended!!!

Birch Book - Vol. III - A Hand Full Of Days - 2009

Quality: CBR 192 kbps
Label: Little Somebody Records, LSR 11, US (Standard Letterpress Edition)

01 Birch Leaves
02 Feet Of Clay
03 Empty Corner Of The Page
04 Left Hand
05 Patchwork Woman
06 Stray Summer Song
07 Hatched In Stone
08 Sad Song
09 Nothing More
10 White Angel
11 Right Hand
12 Life's Lace
13 Will Of The Wind (Written By: Lincoln Lysager)
14 Birch Leaves

Credits:
Subhadra: chorus
Pascal Humbert: bowed contrabass, electric bass guitar
Ron Walker: hammond organ, pedal steel guitar
B'ee: voice, guitar, piano, harmonica, sundry instruments

Notes:
Third in the Birch Book series, 'A Hand Full of Days' represents the culmination of a bizarre journey through 'That High Lonesome Path'.
Recorded through the years of 2006-2009 in the American Northwest: Portland, Astoria, Naselle & San Juan Island.

In a word, this is superb album as always – recommended!