New Music Recommendations 2012

Rok2id...Didn't mean for the thread to be limited to 2012
releases, more just new music to us that we wanted to
recommend to others. I just put a year on it thinking we'd
start one every year. Thanks for the contribution!

Obrown...Hope you enjoy it too, love that record. Also good
to know you're enjoying the music these days:) I think this
forum has helped many of us experience some great new music.

And...another pretty cool album going here. Jason Simon
(S/T} (Folk Rock/Stoner Rock). He's only released one solo
album, this self titled on Tee Pee Records in 2006, the rest
of the time he's with a band called Dead Meadow that I'm not
as fond of. This album is really growing om me. Some of it
reminds me of Jason Pierce with a folk country twang, it's
got that psychedelic vibe to it like Spiritualized. Anyway,
I'm really digging on it so thought I'd post.

NY Gypsy All-Stars - Romantech

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p66kffsA_mQ

Sao Paulo Ska Jazz

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBNg5QSLXMA

Arturo Sandoval Big Band - Dear Diz

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vXsDAfQzcI

Outstanding records that, while individually the tracks are great, the records are best experienced whole!

The Black Swans "Occasion For Song" [Folk/Rock]

I confess, I root for my home town. Most prolly don't think
of Columbus, Ohio as a music town but man back in the day
there were guys/bands that should have rocked the
world...and sure as hell rocked some bars here. Bands like
Great Plains, Gaunt, The New Bomb Turks, Scrawl, Bassholes,
Cheater Slicks, Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments, The
Haynes Boys. Legendary artists (some still at it well into
their 50's)...Ron House, Don Howland, Marcy Mays, Tim
Easton, Derek Dicenzo just to mention a few. I could write
volumes on those guys both personally and professionally.
Quietly, many of them have been major influences to popular
music today (The White Stripes would not exist if not for
Don and The Bassholes and on and on).

So many late nights at Staches/Little Brothers.....but that
was a long time ago, now. I stopped following local music as
time wore on and staying out till 4am was/is just not
happening anymore. Other than our annual visits to Comfest I
have no idea who the local bands are nor have I for a
decade.

I'd heard of The Black Swans, occasionally written up in the
Dispatch or Other Paper here in town and even on Pitchfork,
Mojo and some other music sites. Recently I came across some
press raving their new record and picked it up on a whim. At
first listen I new this was special. It's simple music with
gentle banjo, warm organ in the background and a solid
country/folk rhythm section. Timeless and American at heart.
But it's Jerry Dicca's words and voice that makes this a
record with depth and soul. I highly recommend this album
and will be off to find their others today. Easily one of
the better records I have heard this year, regardless of
where they hail from.

Link to Portsmouth Ohio from the new album on Soundcloud:
http://soundcloud.com/misrarecords/the-black-swans-
portsmouth

Link to Pitchfork review:
http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/17091-occasion-for-song/

So many great ones this year: Beach House, Calexico, Jimmy Cliff, Jonathan Wilson, Jack Johnson

Ben Howard __ Every Kingdom

A performance on the order of Van Morrison's Moondance. A landmark pop-folk album. Outstanding lyrics, original and stirring music, soulful performance. An artist to be reckoned with. Don't miss this one.

Neal