Art Project is the third time lucky album for Detroit based group Mascott, with indie veteran Kendal Mead running the show. While she may have been going a while, to date this is her first UK release — and what a cute one it is. The first song, ‘Live Again’ is bringing back the “la la la’s” in a way the Kooks wish they’d thought of. Incredibly upbeat and sunny, it offers a decent sampling of what’s to come.
Album: Matt & Kim – Grand [sampler]
There’s something in the water in Brooklyn that makes it churn out the coolest of cool bands- Grizzly Bear, Vivian Girls, Bear Hands to name but three, with Matt and Kim’s superbly simple and imperfect DIY indie somewhere amongst all those. And this sampler of Matt and Kim’s second album, Grand, is as bare-boned and rough around the edges as you could wish for, or very Brooklyn.
Album: Iron & Wine — Around The Well
The long awaited Around The Well is split into two halves, the first a soft collection of home recordings, the second a spruced up smattering of studio work. Disc one is reminiscent of 2002’s “The Creek Drank The Cradle” in that it is restrained of detail and relies solely on a minimal amount of musical instruments. This gives it a wholesome, stripped down atmosphere, and seeing as all 11 tracks on the first part are unedited and raw, there is nothing to distract from Iron & Wine’s (Sam Beam’s) genius.
Album: Draw Me Stories – The Unplugged Sessions
Fixing you into a lazy haze-filled melancholy from the get go, Draw Me Stories bring their second album of folk infused ambience, this time with added roots. Following on from their debut The Plugged Sessions, the Welsh troupe unplug and play with their voices and more instrumentation to create a delicious album full of transcendental hymns.
Album: Grant Campbell – Expecting Great Things
Ah, be still my beating heart! If ever someone was to capture the gentle-giant ethos through music, this is it. The third album by husky baritone troubadour Grant Campbell offers a delicacy which manages to penetrate the most heavy hearted amongst us, and leave a mass of quivering wrecks in its wake.
Laura Marling to support Neil Young on four European dates
Whilst the rest of us are busy dusting down our wellies, rolling out our tents and bracing ourselves for the start of festival season, songstress Laura Marling has just excitedly announced that she will be gearing up to support Neil Young on part of his European Tour.