February 19th, 2009
(c) Alissa Anderson
Kevin Barker‘s new album You and Me will be out later this year via Gnomonsong on CD and LP. Kevin previously released records under the name Currituck Co., but he has also served as a member of Vetiver, Antony & The Johnsons, and Joanna Newsom’s Ys Street Band (to name just a few).
This time around he is joined by Eric Johnson on lap steel, Joanna Newsom on piano, Jonathan Wilson on bass, Pat Sansone on keyboards, and Otto Hauser on drums. Thom Monahan did the recording, and the album features string arrangments by Ryan Francesconi. To hear some tracks head over here.
-kevin-
Tags: currituck co., gnomonsong, kevin barker, you and me
Posted in gnomonsong | 1 Comment »
June 18th, 2008
I first saw Rio en Medio perform live in the early Spring of 2007, where she was opening for Vetiver at Southpaw in Brooklyn. Not only had I never heard her perform live, I had never heard any of her music, period. The night was frigid. Inside, warm and woozy, I stood amongst Brooklyn’s hipster elite waiting to hear Danielle Stech-Homsy. As she and her band took the stage and performed their first musical mosaic, I was equally frozen as I had been in the will-call line outside the door. My shoes were glued to the floor, my jaw somewhere alongside them. My thoughts leaped in all directions but were instantly cradled and comforted by the ethereal atmospherics of a plaintive ukulele.
Well, time has passed and the world has certainly changed. With her debut LP The Bride of Dynamite behind her, Rio en Medio just announced the title of her new album and has released a new song for us to enjoy! Frontier will be released by Manimal Vinyl Records this September…but until then, enjoy “Fall Up.”
[download] “Fall Up” from Frontier
=tyler=
Tags: Danielle Stech-Homsy, fall up, frontier, gnomonsong, Manimal Vinyl, Rio en Medio, southpaw, vetiver
Posted in gnomonsong, Rio en Medio | No Comments »
May 15th, 2008
The fine folks over at Mp3.com sat down with the always enigmatic Rio En Medio and recorded two beautiful unplugged performances of “My Star” and “Kill the Messenger.” Its always fascinating to hear musicians stripped down to the core of just them and their instrument. Danielle’s simple, plucked baritone ukulele and delicate voice create a lilting yet unsettling dynamic, made even more so here with the removal of the sonic elements found on record.
[link to videos]
Tags: Danielle Stech-Homsy, gnomonsong, Rio en Medio
Posted in gnomonsong, Rio en Medio | No Comments »
January 3rd, 2008
Andy Cabic is finishing up a new album of covers that includes guests by Vashti Bunyan, Michael Hurley and the Chapin Sisters. The as-yet-untitled new album will be released Spring ’08. Details are still slowly coming in but expect to hear The Chapin Sisters singing back up vocals on a Townes Van Zandt song and on Elyse Weinberg’s “Houses.” Jonathan also makes an appearance on it. The album will be Vetivers first full-release on the co-run with Devendra Banhart Gnomonsong label .
Check Gnomonsong in the upcoming months for more info.
Photo (c) by the always lovely Alissa Anderson
More here: Alissa on Flickr
Posted in 1, andy cabic, Devendra, gnomonsong, vetiver | 39 Comments »
March 27th, 2007
Jana Hunter’s new album There’s no home hit the internet this week but will not see an actual release until April 2nd. Initial responses online are that it’s a grower. I haven’t had time to fully digest it yet but my upon my first listen I was completely blown over with how great it sounds. But why listen to me or anyone else…judge for yourself: Here’s two new tracks from Jana Hunter’s There’s no home
Jana Hunter – Bird
and
Jana Hunter – Vultures
Meanwhile, fellow boat mate and There’s no home contributor Castanets (Ray Raposa) has a new tour only split album with Shapes And Size out on Asthmatic Kitty. Castanets contributes 2 new songs to the split, as well as 2 covers. Here’s his great new cover of Viking Moses’ “One arm around the sinner:”
Castanets – One arm around the sinner
As for Castanets new songs on the split, all I can say is that they’re mind-melting and hauntingly dark. (In a good way)
Visit Jana Hunter @ myspace to order her new album.
and
Castanets @ myspace
Posted in castanets, freak folk, gnomonsong, gothic americana, Jana Hunter, naturalismo, new weird america, There's no home | 3 Comments »
February 1st, 2007
Rio en Medio is Danielle Stech-Homsy. Danielle Stech-Homsy is crafting some of the most metaphysically beautiful folk songs that I’ve heard that have come out of naturalismo. Her debut album, The Bride of Dynamite, which was produced by Andy Cabic, comes out on February 14th and features appearances by Sierra Casady (Coco Rosie), Tim Fite, David Coulter and Devendra Banhart. The first single off her album is named “Everyone is Someone’s.” This song is the ear to the eye that was Pans Labyrnth. Hauntingly angelic, the allure of the song sweeps over you as her soft vocals are interposed with a childs laughter and other sound artifacts that help to fulfill her narrative.
Download her new single here:
Rio en Medio – Everyone is Someone’s
Pre-Order her new album here.
Posted in andy cabic, Danielle Stech-Homsy, Devendra, freak folk, gnomonsong, new weird america, Rio en Medio | 3 Comments »
January 20th, 2007
Recently signed to Devendra Banhart and Andy Cabic’s new record label Gnomonsong, Papercuts is releasing a new album next month and the first single “John Brown” was recently put up on their website. I’m really struggling with the description that the label put up about the album and song. It mentioned that it was richly textured, which I think is a synonym for the sound of air being let out of a hose. Luckly, it doesn’t sound like that and this track shows a lot of promise. “John Brown” starts off with a riff that I can only describe as the james bond theme if it were to be reinterpreted by Brian Jones. From there it bridges into a mellow folk song that is just upbeat enough that its melodic chorus hooks you in.
Papercuts – John Brown
I also recommend going to his myspace page to listen to some tracks from his debut album:
Papercuts Myspace
Posted in andy cabic, Devendra, gnomonsong, papercuts | No Comments »
January 19th, 2007
Gnomonsong is the new record label formed by Devendra Banhart and Andy Cabic in parnership with Revolver USA. Banhart and Cabic do not push the paperwork in the label as much as work with the artists.
The label’s first release was Texan singer/songwriter Jana Hunter’s album, entitled Blank Unstaring Heirs of Doom, released in October 2005. The second release was a CD version of the self-titled debut of Feathers (April 2006). Releases are expected from ABRA, a NYC family band, as well as Michael Hurley and Danielle Stech Homsy. [wiki], Devendra & Andy Photo (C) Alissa Anderson
Posted in andy cabic, Devendra, freak folk, gnomonsong, Music, new weird america, papercuts | 1 Comment »
