americana
PREMIERE: Modern Hinterland – ‘California (August 16th 1998)’: some much-needed Americana sun
CHRIS HORNSBY’S Americana outfit Modern Hinterland are all set to release their new album, Diving Bell, on January 29th – almost a year to the day since their last, The Longest Part Of The Night. Chris and the band, Simon Shippey, Tim Thackray and Colin Marshall, found a new creative level, laying down the album …
ALBUM REVIEW: Anna McClellan – ‘I Saw First Light’
While this may be her third album, you get the feeling this is merely the tip of the iceberg and there is so much more in terms of potential and ability at her disposal
TRACK: Brooks Hudgins – ‘February’: fine ‘n’ free-associating Americana
BORN in Dallas, baptised in Tennessee, raised in LA, Brooks Hudgins had seen a lot of the States by an early age. It was also pretty early on that he discovered all the good stuff that could come from guitars, the booze, and writing; he had plenty to express, sparring with his folks, who were …
SEE: Tele Novella – ‘Words That Stay’: another beautiful, quirky lament
VINTAGE shop owner Natalie Ribbons and rare record collector Jason Chronis had been kicking around in various musical projects in Austin, Texas, but knew they could fashion something pretty special when they met and started creating tunes: ladies and gentlemen, we give you the medieval outsider country of Tele Novella. (Hey, it’s what they call themselves). They …
Album Review: Young Jesus – ‘Welcome to Conceptual Beach’
Saddle Creek ‘s emo-jazz-rock band presents its most accomplished album, a spiritual journey driven by a swirl of enthralling riffs
CASSETTE REVIEWS: A trio of leftfield beauties from Fritz Pape, Stephen Molyneux, and Laura Luna Castillo
WHITED SEPULCHRE is one of those brilliant little labels nibbling away at, and fascinated by, what’s happening out on the margins. The artists driven less by adoring teens and the bucks, and much, much more by exploring what’s possible, following their muse ever deeper into a particular aesthetic. As la mode, many of Whited Sepulchre’s …
SEE: Calexico to release seasonal album; watch the video for ‘Hear The Bells’
ARIZONA’S atmospheric Tex-Mex outfit Calexico have returned after last year’s collaborative album with Iron & Wine, and have announced a new album whose songs are very much concerned with this time of year in the shape of Seasonal Shift. The album is a celebration of the wider winter and festive season and will be released …
SEE: King Hannah’s ‘Meal Deal’; they announce first EP for City Slang
LIVERPOOL’S Hannah Merrick and Craig Whittle who, after working as musicians separately for years, met in a bar job, and decided to make beautiful music together as King Hannah, have just dropped their second single after signing to City Slang, “Meal Deal”. Have a watch of the video, below. It comes after the stark, emotionally …
Premiere: Desure releases new track and visuals for the beautifully melancholy Hi/Lo
Los Angeles Desure, aka Joshua Desure, is gearing up for the release of his Pollen EP, out on November 20th, and ahead of it, we’re delighted to premiere the lyric video to the track Hi/Lo right here on Backseat Mafia. Of the track Desure says “Hi/Lo is a perfect example of what the process in …
SEE: Tele Novella – ‘Technicolor Town’: ramshackle and beautiful Texan alt.country
COMING atcha outta Austin, Texas, Tele Novella is currently the duo of vintage shop-owner Natalie Ribbons and Jason Chronis, who collects rare records. Tele Novella arose from the ashes of other musical projects they were involved deep down in Texas: Agent Ribbons, Voxtrot, Belaire. When they met they knew they could fashion something pretty special. Self-described as “medieval …