Posts Tagged ‘ folk ’

Ryley Walker: March 15, 2015 Baby’s All Right

March 22, 2015
By

ryley-walker
[photos by Jill Harrison]

There are many good singers, many more good writers of songs. More than enough to fill entire festivals with them year-round, to stuff streaming sites with more than anyone can listen to. But among that vast number, there are a tiny few in whom you can sense that something else, that spark, that undergirding realness, that makes their performance more than just-singing or just-playing-guitar. To see Ryley Walker perform is to experience a man singing to somewhere else, sending sound out to and for souls long since gone. That voice, that sound of his, the ecstatic yelps, those long, punch-drunk runs, threatening to split apart but never quite doing it, is singular. It may resonate with you, or it may not, but if it doesn’t, the thing missing in the equation is what you’re putting into it, not him.

This show at Baby’s All Right, our fourth time seeing Ryley in the last twelve months, finds him at an interesting point. Primrose Green, his tour-de-force second record, releases at month end, and has already found itself hailed in all the right places, turning Walker into a critical darling seemingly overnight. He’ll be at this summer’s Pitchfork Festival, at Wilco’s Solid Sound Festival, at Levitation in Vancouver, and any number of other places in the U.S. and Europe where of-the-moment acts can be seen. It’s hard to know what the effect of the crowds might be on this man, this music that requires him to give so much of himself emotionally every night. There are too many tales about how this part of the music world has split women and men in half.

But our best evidence about Ryley’s part of this story is this night at Baby’s All Right, in a jammed show room on a Sunday night. The 38 minutes of this set consist of just four songs, played this time with a band consisting of Ryley’s Chicago-based musician colleagues on second guitar, upright bass, and keys (over half of the band that we first saw perform in Raleigh back in September). The foursome appeared, as far as I know, only in Chicago and at this New York date — D.C. two nights before was a threesome (minus upright bass), as was Philadelphia just before the Brooklyn show — but their playing reminds you how well they know this material. The band weaved around Ryley’s lead as they reinterpreted Primrose Green songs that most of these fans probably haven’t heard original versions of yet on record. These weren’t idle-minded jams, either, but successful experiments, one after the other, from the new “Funny Thing She Said”, to tour staple “Summer Dress”, to “Primrose Green” to Ryley’s go-to cover song of late, Van Morrison’s “Fair Play” from Veedon Fleece. Shaved, hair clipped, wearing a collar and sweater that even had Ryley laughing at himself, Walker played with all the intensity he’s mustered every time we’ve seen him, but there was a new assuredness there, too, an ability to pull back just when he needed to. These thirty-eight minutes were like all of his sets I have seen: a thing of beauty, something memorable, something unique.

If you go to see one new artist this year because you read about them on this site, I hope Ryley Walker is the one. Nobody, not even him, knows where his story is headed. But this set proved once again where he deserves to be.

Baby’s All Right engineer Harrison Fore recorded and mixed this set live; I mixed this and the house-installed audience mics and mastered the recording in post. The sound quality is outstanding, equal to the quality of the performer you’re listening to. Enjoy.

Download the complete show from the Live Music Archive: [FLAC] | [MP3]

Ryley Walker
2015-03-15
Baby’s All Right
Brooklyn, NY USA

Exclusive download hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded and live mixed by Harrison Fore
Produced by acidjack

Soundboard (engineer: Harrison Fore) + Audio Technica 4051>digital multitrack>SD card>Adobe Audition CS 5.5 (mix down individual tracks, compression, fades)>Izotope Ozone 5 (EQ, imaging, exciter)>Audacity 2.0.5 (tracking, amplify, balance, downsample, dither)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks [Total Time: 38:06]
01 Funny Thing She Said
02 Summer Dress
03 [banter]
04 Primrose Green
05 [banter2]
06 Fair Play [Van Morrison]

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT Ryley Walker, like him on Facebook, and buy Primrose Green from Dead Oceans.

ryley-walker-2

Ryley Walker: October 24, 2014 Aquarium Drunkard CMJ Showcase, Rough Trade – FLAC/MP3/Streaming

November 21, 2014
By

IMG_0321
[photos by acidjack]

It seems only appropriate to post a recording of Ryley Walker on the heels of one by the great Hiss Golden Messenger. These two artists represent among the very finest of their time, separated by a generation but potentially on very similar career trajectories. The two are also likely to have a lot of overlap in fans, because those drawn to authenticity, a canny understanding of their musical past, and honest songwriting are likely to find good company with these two. My first experience with Ryley Walker — playing with a full band at the Hopscotch Music Festival — also mirrored my first live experience with HGM two years before. Here, at the Aquarium Drunkard CMJ showcase at Rough Trade, Ryley proved himself alone (with a supporting bassist for part of the set). More to the point, Ryley proved himself an unmitigated master of his art, far beyond his years in poise and style.

Most CMJ sets tend to be truncated versions of artists’ “best stuff”, run through in perfunctory fashion to get the most bang for the buck in terms of setlist. Walker saw things differently, leading off with a twelve-minute, spine-tingling “Summer Dress” that equaled about a third of the set. That time wasn’t wasted, either, as Walker soared on improvised vocal runs that took the song beyond the singer-songwriter realm into something spiritual, his voice becoming its own instrument rather than the mere vessel of lyrics. As with the bulk of the set in North Carolina back in September, this focused entirely on new material in lieu of Walker’s outstanding album of earlier this year All Kinds of You. That alone should say something about how prolific this artist is at this point. The ability of the young Chicagoan to distill such pain and emotion into his work is a humbling surprise, the kind of thing you’d never guess from the rest of his happy-go-lucky stage persona. This is a man possessed of rare gifts, and we cannot wait to see them brought to a wider world.

I recorded this set primarily with a soundboard feed by Rough Trade engineer Kameron Biehl, with a small amount of Schoeps audience microphones added for ambiance. Other than a few glitches with a DI during one song, the sound is excellent. Enjoy, and spread the word!

Thanks to Ryley Walker and Aquarium Drunkard for permitting the recording.

Download the complete show via the Live Music Archive: [FLAC] | [MP3]

Stream the complete show:

Ryley Walker
2014-10-24
Rough Trade NYC
Brooklyn, NY USA

Hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded and produced by acidjack

Soundboard (engineer: Kameron Biehl) + Schoeps MK41 (DFC, PAS, at SBD)>KCY>Z-PFA>Sound Devices USBPre2>Edirol R-44 [OCM]>2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Adobe Audition CS 5.5 (align, mix down, compression)>Izotope Ozone 5 (exciter effects)>Audacity 2.0.3 (tracking, amplify, balance, downsample, dither)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Summer Dress
02 The West Wind
03 [banter1]
04 Primrose Green
05 [banter2]
06 Sweet Satisfaction

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT Ryley Walker, like him on Facebook, and buy his records here.

IMG_0370

The Wood Brothers: March 1, 2013 Bowery Ballroom – FLAC/MP3/Streaming

March 5, 2013
By

woodbros2013-03-01-1
[Photos by acidjack]

The surge in interest of late in traditional American roots music has generated new heat for a number of acts, some more worthy and authentic than others.  The Wood Brothers fall solidly into the former camp, being the project of brothers Oliver and Chris  Wood, who pursued separate music interests (Chris with the legendary NYC jazz unit Medeski, Martin & Wood, Oliver as a guitarist for bluesman Tinsley Ellis and later with the band King Johnson) before coming together to perform the music they grew up with.  After playing to an audience of 900 the night before in Boston, the Brothers hit the cozier Bowery Ballroom here in New York on a Friday night for a very, very sold out show so packed that folks were three- or four-deep on the balcony.  This nearly two-hour show, played as a single set, showed what makes The Wood Brothers so special – stylistic range, a flair for entertainment, skill at their instruments, and a sound that respects its source material.  Indeed, the Brothers’ vision for this band hasn’t been to slavishly clone one genre, but to create a sound that shows their deep knowledge across American music of the last two centuries.  Thus, songs like “Atlas” have a gospel-country feel, while songs like “Spirit” and “Twisted” marry that country twang with electric blues.  Then there are the rockers – especially popular on a Friday night – like “Honey Spoon”.  The Brothers also paused mid-set for a quiet pair of songs performed in the old bluegrass tradition, with the performers surrounding a single onstage microphone.  Even with the amount of money Bowery was making at the bar that night, the crowd paused the revelry long enough to respect a lovely rendition of “Muse” and another new song I did not know.

Fittingly, the band was touring to support their 2012 live record, available now as a two-volume LP package entitled Vol. 1: Sky High and Vol. 2: Nail and Tooth.  We saw many of those songs played here, along with several numbers that should be on their way for the band’s next LP (if you can identify some of the titles I didn’t know, please assist).  This set arguably peaked with three songs that are on the live record, when they followed their classic “Luckiest Man” with an extended jam on “One More Day”, and went into “Glad”.  After that, just before the encore, we got a duo of “sweet” songs in “Chocolate On My Tongue” and “Shoo Fly Pie”.  The set easily could have ended there, but the Brothers went ahead and treated us to a double encore anyway, in the form of a cover of the country classic “Fox On the Run” and the defiant closer, a cover of Allen Touissant’s “Get Out of My Life Woman”.  The band left the stage and headed down to the Bowery Ballroom bar to chat with fans and sign newly-bought copies of their records. The Wood Brothers are that type of band.

Download the complete show on the Live Music Archive: [MP3] | [FLAC]

The Wood Brothers
2013-03-01
Bowery Ballroom
New York, NY USA

Exclusive download hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded and produced by acidjack

Schoeps MK41 (DINa, balcony, ROC)>KCY>Z-PFA>Roland R-26>24bit/48kHz WAV>Adobe Audition CS 5.5 (pan R channel slightly)>Izotope Ozone 5 (EQ)>Audacity (set fades, tracking, additional EQ, amplify, balance, downsample)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks [Total Time: 1:49:56]
01 [intro]
02 Sing
03 Keep Me Around
04 Atlas
05 [banter1]
06 Mary Anna
07 Smoke Ring Halo
08 [banter2]
09 Spirit
10 Twisted
11 [banter3]
12 Postcards From Hell
13 [unknown1]
14 Honey Spoon
15 [banter4]
16 Muse
17 [banter5]
18 [unknown2]
19 Little Liza Jane
20 [banter6]
21 Luckiest Man
22 One More Day>jam>One More Day
23 Glad
24 [banter7]
25 Chocolate On My Tongue
26 Shoo Fly Pie
27 [encore break 1]
28 Fox On the Run [Allen Touissant]
29 [encore break 2]
30 Get Out of My Life Woman

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT The Wood Brothers, visit their website, and buy their records and merchandise from their official store [HERE]

Hiss Golden Messenger: September 7, 2012 Hopscotch Festival (Raleigh, NC) – FLAC / MP3 / Streaming

September 11, 2012
By


[Photos by acidjack]

It’s a fitting coincidence that as the third annual Hopscotch Music Festival took place in venues across downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, the Democratic Party gathered for its annual convention in Charlotte a few hours south to officially re-nominate the nation’s first black President. People unfamiliar with North Carolina have a habit of lumping it in with places that have little to do with it; witness the epithets thrown at the state following the passage of the state’s anti-gay marriage amendment. Like every state in this Union (including New York, where gay marriage didn’t exactly pass by overwhelming margins), North Carolina is a complicated jumble of old and new, and the negative things I saw people saying on social media and elsewhere didn’t square with the place I lived in eleven years ago. What I saw during this past weekend bested my highest expectations for the area’s future; more than ever, the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area (the “Triangle”, as it’s known) is a place of big, positive things. Hopscotch – of, by and for the vibrant music scene of the Triangle – in many ways is a microcosm of modern North Carolina. And if one single artist could encapsulate all that was good about Hopscotch, I would submit that it’s the Durham, NC based songwriter MC Taylor, aka Hiss Golden Messenger.

Taylor took the Fletcher Opera Theater stage in the dark, the room so quiet we could hear his footsteps.

“Hey now, brother, don’t you know the road?” he called out, voice as sweet as that tea they like to drink down here.

And as they walked on, his current bandmates responded back: “Yes, my brother, I know”.

The classic blues call-and-response builds for a few minutes, as Taylor’s fellow players (an all-star cast consisting of, among others, the Nashville guitarist William Tyler and Phil and Brad Cook of Megafaun) take the stage behind him.

“I was no good and I was all alone,” Taylor sings, that sweetness rent with heartbreak.

“Yes, my brother, I know”.

The verses of “Brother, Do You Know the Road” continue until they build to an extended instrumental bridge, Tyler wailing a mournful line on his Telecaster, and ending, as it began, with that call-and-response. And that’s only the first few minutes of an hour-long set so beautiful it brought me to tears a couple of times. Taylor’s voice is spine-tingling good, with the songs to match.

This show never slowed from those first verses of “Brother”, as the band – who had never played together as a complete unit before this show – jelled into a formidable seven-piece that added a wealth of new texture to Taylor’s compositions. Along with “Brother,” Taylor played the as-yet unreleased “Red Rose Nantahala”, a bluegrass-tinged number in which Nathaniel Bowles’ (of the Black Twig Pickers) banjo lead melded with Tyler’s electric guitar. “Jesus Shot Me In the Head” was treated to a meditative, extended intro that accentuated its psychedelic leanings. Rather than a new band, this one sounded like a group of longtime collaborators; it couldn’t hurt that many of them are friends, and some had played on Taylor’s latest record, Poor Moon.  But really, even with a crack band, the centerpiece of Hiss Golden Messenger is always Taylor and his voice, and this intimate theater proved to be the perfect venue to showcase Taylor’s abilities. The band closed with “Super Blue (Two Days Clean)”, a rocking song about an addict’s welcome of a relapse. Charley Patton might have found a lot to like in Taylor’s lyrics, and he’d probably have been jealous of the quality of the players behind it.

Despite a much-deserved spate of recent positive press, Taylor still doesn’t play out much other than in North Carolina, where his legend is spreading. He has released a few records, including the hard-to-find Bad Debt LP of roughshod motel blues, the pop-veering Country Hai East Cotton, and the aforementioned current masterpiece, Poor Moon. Poor Moon, consisting partly of filled-out versions of the Bad Debt material, saw limited release on North Carolina’s Paradise of Bachelors imprint in 2011 before being re-released more widely by the Tompkins Square label (and re-pressed by Paradise of Bachelors) in 2012. Drenched in the blues, gospel, bluegrass and Appalachian folk, Poor Moon is an almost flawless work of songwriting in which Taylor melds those classic styles into a new form that is distinctly his. A lecturer on folklore, it is no surprise that Taylor is an expert on this area’s rich past.

This was my favorite by far, but this set from Taylor is one of many, many magical moments at this year’s Hopscotch. Co-founders Grayson Currin (a Pitchfork contributor) and Greg Lowenhagen and their team have created something truly special down in North Carolina. At this rate, it won’t be long before the Triangle is joining or even replacing the Austins of the world near the top of the U.S. musical conversation. Brother, now you know.

I recorded this set with Schoeps MK5 microphones from the center of the balcony. Due to a battery failure, the last few minutes of the last song are patched from an inferior backup source, but other than this small flaw, the recording is excellent. Enjoy!

Stream “Jesus Shot Me In the Head”

Stream “Call Him Daylight”

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE] | Direct download of FLAC files [HERE]
If the FLAC link is no longer working, email nyctaper for the FLAC files

Follow acidjack on twitter

Note: All of the material on this site is offered with artist permission, free to fans, at our expense. The only thing we ask is that you download the material directly from this site, rather than re-posting the direct links or the files on other sites without our permission. Please respect our request.

Hiss Golden Messenger
2012-09-07
Hopscotch Music Festival
Fletcher Opera Theater
Raleigh, NC USA

Exclusive download hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded and produced by acidjack

Schoeps MK5 (cardiod, balcony, DFC, DIN)>KC5>CMC6>Edirol R-44 [OCM] + (last few minutes of last track only) Tascam DR-40 internal mics (X/Y)>>Audacity (set fades, tracking, EQ, amplify, balance, downsample)>FLAC ( level 8 )
Tracks
01 Brother, Do You Know the Road?
02 [band intros]
03 Call Him Daylight
04 Red Rose Nantahala
05 A Working Man Can’t Make It No Way
06 Jesus Shot Me In the Head
07 [banter]
08 Drummer Down
09 O Nathaniel
10 Westering
11 O Little Light
12 Super Blue (Two Days Clean)

Musicians:
MC Taylor (Vocals, Acoustic Guitar)
Scott Hirsch (Bass Guitar)
William Tyler (Guitar)
Nathaniel Bowles (Banjo)
Terry Lonergan (Drums)
Phil Cook (Keyboards, Guitar)
Brad Cook (Electric Guitar)

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT Hiss Golden Messenger, like him on Facebook, and purchase Poor Moon on digital or vinyl from Paradise of Bachelors [HERE] and all of his releases on vinyl [HERE].

Sean Rowe: July 21, 2012 Mercury Lounge – FLAC / MP3 / Streaming

August 10, 2012
By


[Photos by acidjack]

Sean Rowe has that kind of deep, bone-shaking voice that sticks with you; the dark, harrowing type that gives voice to a thousand souls. Born and raised in upstate New York, Rowe has been kicking around there for awhile, doing his thing in local bars and clubs, playing to whoever will listen. In a welcome development, ANTI Records picked him up a few years ago and re-released his first solo album, Magic.  Since then, he has enjoyed a wider audience, and this show at Mercury Lounge found Sean on the cusp of his second ANTI release, The Salesman and the Shark, which drops at the end of this month. Joined onstage by Sarah Pedinotti from Railbird on keys, Rowe showcased several new songs from Salesman as well as some truly classic covers.

Magic reflected Rowe’s other main passion, being a naturalist, and was the result of 24 days spent foraging in the wilderness. Based on what we were previewed at this show, Salesman will be another dramatic artistic statement, with songs like “Joe’s Cult” evoking some of rock and folk’s most cherished vocalists. You can imagine Rowe sharing the stage with any number of great artists: Tom Waits, Bob Dylan, Steve Earle, Johnny Cash, were he still with us. Rowe’s baritone has a timeless, evocative quality, and that made his covers at this show as memorable and true as his originals.  Because everything has to have a label to hang it on, PR people have taken to calling this “alt-folk”, and maybe, as the work of an accomplished woodsman with a love and respect for the outdoors, that makes some sense. But I don’t think Rowe is trying to be the “alternative” to anything; his music is classic, as well as relevant. Although, in fairness to the “alt” tag, he had a bit of fun with us at the end with his cover of the Violent Femmes’ “Gone Daddy Gone” – an 80s staple that, like Rowe’s own music, wears awfully well.

Rowe will be performing two NYC shows in September – on the 19th at Mercury Lounge, and on the 20th at Brooklyn Bowl.

I recorded this set with Schoeps MK41 microphones and an excellent soundboard feed from Kevin, the head engineer at Mercury.  Like the Field Report recording from this same night, it is outstanding in quality.  Enjoy!

Stream “Joe’s Cult”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/S2107SeanRowe2120/04 Joe’s Cult.mp3]

Stream “Jesus Gonna Be Here [Tom Waits]”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/S2107SeanRowe2120/07 Jesus Gonna Be Here.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE] | Direct Download of the FLAC files [HERE]

Follow acidjack on Twitter

Note: All of the material on this site is offered with artist permission, free to fans, at our expense. The only thing we ask is that you download the material directly from this site, rather than re-posting the direct links or the files on other sites without our permission. Please respect our request.

Sean Rowe
2012-07-21
Mercury Lounge
New York, NY USA

Exclusive download hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded by acidjack and Johnny Fried Chicken Boy
Produced by acidjack

Soundboard + Schoeps MK41>CMC6>Sound Devices USBPre2 >> Edirol R-44 [OCM]>2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (mixdown)>Izotope Ozone 5 (various)>Audacity (set fades, tracking, amplify, balance, downsample)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 Flying
02 Bird On A Wire [Leonard Cohen]
03 [banter]
04 Joe’s Cult
05 [banter]
06 The Walker
07 Jesus Gonna Be Here [Tom Waits]
08 To Leave Something Behind
09 Gone Daddy Gone [Violent Femmes]

If you enjoyed this recording, please support Sean, visit his website, and pre-order The Salesman and the Shark from ANTI Records [HERE].

Lucius: July 14, 2012 Backyard Brunch Sessions – FLAC/MP3/Streaming

August 6, 2012
By

lucius-14
[Photo courtesy of Backyard Brunch sessions]

acidjack reports:
“The duo of talented vocalists that make up the band Lucius joined us for the inaugural Backyard Brunch Session of the season recently, and proceeded to blow us away. Holly Laessig and Jess Wolfe’s note-perfect vocals were as well matched as their outfits at this casual backyard show, which consisted primarily of their 2012 self-titled EP plus some new songs. In BBS tradition, the duo were backed by lightly-played instrumentation, but little was needed; Laessig and Wolfe’s voices are the only instruments required. Their latest work is sweet and dreamy, but never comes off as twee. The band has range as well; the new “Two Of Us” has a bit of a rootsy twang, while the new “Wildewoman” is a spare, breezy number that builds to a life-affirming climax. “Turn it Around,” the hardest rocking song from the Lucius EP, closed the set, and the semi-acoustic setup focused the crowd on the vocal, rather than robbing the song of its power.  With only one full album – 2009’s Songs from the Bromley House – under their belts, Lucius are a young band, but one that is obviously full of promise.

hi and lo recorded this set with a combination of Schoeps and MBHO microphones and the weather was fortunately cooperative. Only some very minor wind gusts occurred and the overall sound is excellent. Enjoy!”

Thanks to the BBS sponsors for this show, Grady’s Cold Brew and Kings County Distillery Moonshine.

Stream “Don’t Just Sit There”
[audio:http://nyctaper.com/L1407Lucius1212/lucius2012-07-14.nyctaper.t03.mp3]

Stream “Wildewoman”
[audio:http://nyctaper.com/L1407Lucius1212/lucius2012-07-14.nyctaper.t06.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE] | Direct Download of the FLAC files [HERE]

Note: All of the material on this site is offered with artist permission, free to fans, at our expense. The only thing we ask is that you download the material directly from this site, rather than re-posting the direct links or the files on other sites without our permission. Please respect our request.

Lucius
Backyard Brunch Sessions
Brooklyn, NY
2012-07-14

Recordist : hi and lo
Source 1 : MBHO KA200/603 + Schoeps MK5 (omni, mono) > Naiant PFA >> Tascam DR-680 @ 24bit / 48kHz
Edit : WaveLab V5 (mixdown/eq/gain/fades/dither/resampling)
Encoding : FLAC v1.2.1 Level 8 with TLH v2.6.0 (Build 168)

Tracklist:

01. Intro
02. Go home
03. Don’t Just Sit There
04. Genevieve
05. Two of Us
06. Wildewoman
07. Turn it Around

Running Time: 27:29

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT Lucius, visit their website, and purchase their record from [HERE] or on iTunes.

Prairie Empire: June 10, 2012 Mercury Lounge – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

June 26, 2012
By


[Photos by Dominick Mastrangelo]

When I first head singer-songwriter Brittain Ashford, I knew right away that she was something special. With a voice that is sweet, delicate and whimsical, Ashford draws you in and keeps you in her headspace, with clear, confessional lyrics that give you that proverbial window into her soul. Prairie Empire is Ashford’s first full-band project, and musically, it is a successful one.  With a full complement of talented players with a range of instruments at their disposal that includes strings, cello, violin, viola, drums, sleigh bells, dulcimer and trumpet, the sum of Prairie Empire is far greater than its parts, and Ashford’s judicious arrangements give grace and power to her songs without cluttering them.

This show at Mercury Lounge celebrated the release of the band’s debut LP on Trailer Fire Records, and found Ashford and her bandmates delivering beautifully-realized live renditions of the majority of the record. The band’s LP is one of the most well-mixed and recorded albums I have heard in some time (the vinyl pressing is of exceptionally high quality), with a dry, dynamic mix, and I was thrilled to hear how well the band brought the material across live.  Along with “Give,” the studio version of which has been streaming on the band’s website for awhile, I was particularly partial to “Under Hum” and “Where You Are”, with its plaintive, emotionally wrenching chorus. We are thrilled to have had part of presenting this show, and wish the band the best of luck on their current tour.  If you are in one of the areas of the Midwest or East Coast where the band is touring, you owe it to yourself to go and see them.

I recorded this set with Schoeps MK5 microphones from the center of the room by the board, along with a stereo soundboard feed. Other than the occasional sound of the door between the show area and the bar  opening and closing, and some very light DI distortion on a couple of songs, the recording is flawless, and an outstanding representation of the band’s live sound. Enjoy!

Special thanks to Brittain Ashford and Prairie Empire for their invitation to us to present this show and to record it.

Stream “Under Hum”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/P6001PrairieEmpire2012/05 Under Hum.mp3]

Stream “Where You Are”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/P6001PrairieEmpire2012/08 Where You Are.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE] | Direct Download of the FLAC files [HERE]

Follow acidjack on twitter

Note: All of the material on this site is offered with artist permission, free to fans, at our expense. The only thing we ask is that you download the material directly from this site, rather than re-posting the direct links or the files on other sites without our permission.  Please respect our request.

Prairie Empire
2012-06-10
Mercury Lounge
New York, NY USA

Exclusive download hosted at nyctaper.com
Recorded and produced by acidjack

Schoeps MK5(cardiod, DFC, POS, 7.5ft)>CMC6>Sound Devices USBPre2 + Soundboard >> Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod]>2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Adobe Audition CS 5.5 (mixdown)>Izotope Ozone 5 (light EQ)>Audacity (set fades, tracking, amplify and balance)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Tracks
01 [intro]
02 Tenfold
03 Snow
04 Winter Came
05 Under Hum
06 Give
07 [banter]
08 Where You Are
09 Pieces, Parts

If you enjoyed this recording, PLEASE SUPPORT Prairie Empire, visit their website, and purchase their record from Trailer Fire Records [HERE] or on iTunes.

NYCTaper Presents: Prairie Empire Record Release Show this Sunday at Mercury Lounge

June 7, 2012
By

Prairie Empire is the current project of the multitalented musician and songwriter Brittain Ashford, who is another Seattle transplant to Brooklyn that we are thrilled to have in our midst. As a singer, Ashford’s voice packs incredible emotional presence and range, as well as a little pixie dust pinch of whimsy; you feel an instant kinship with her and her music even if you’ve never met her. As for her band, their lush arrangements provide a broad sonic palette for Ashford’s compositions, incorporating strings, cello, violin, viola, drums, sleigh bells, dulcimer and trumpet, not to mention vocal harmonies. No surprise, then, that no less than eight other musicians played on the band’s new record.

Fresh off a recent Daytrotter performance, Ashford and her bandmates (several of whom live in Portland, making this no small trip) are celebrating the release of their eponymous debut album on Durham, NC’s Trailer Fire Records with this very special early show at Mercury Lounge this Sunday night. Although Prairie Empire has not been on the site before, everything we know about this band suggests that they will deliver a performance with a grace and beauty that more than does justice to their new album material. Opening the show will be the singer-songwriter Jo Schornikow, another young talent that we look forward to getting to know.

The NYCTaper crew will be on hand to capture audio of this event and to celebrate Prairie Empire’s new album and future success.  We hope that you will join us!

Tickets for the show are $10 and can be purchased [HERE] or fee-free at the Mercury Lounge Box Office.

Following this show, Prairie Empire will be going on an early summer tour of the Northeast and Midwest (and hopefully more to come).  Those tour dates are listed on their website [HERE].  You can also follow Brittain Ashford on twitter.

The show starts at 6:30pm SHARP (no, not 6:30pm “rock n’ roll time”)

Lady Lamb the Beekeeper: October 9, 2011 Backyard Brunch Sessions – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Songs

October 11, 2011
By

backyard_brunch-22
[Photo by Dominick Mastrangelo]

When I first heard Aly Spaltro, aka Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, I flat-out couldn’t believe a girl so small (the band’s Facebook page cheekily describes her as 6’2″) – and so young (early 20s) – could make such a large, mature sound. Her “band” is no more than her and her guitar, but Aly never sounded intimidated or lonely on that empty stage. She cold-opened with an a cappella number – “Up In the Rafters” – that gave me chills. Stripped bare, the song is a sustained cry of longing, at once sultry, dangerous and sweet, and it’s delivered fearlessly. She closes out “Rafters” and moves straight into “Mezzanine”, this time accompanied by her guitar. Her playing is the equal of that lovely gravel in her voice, taking abrupt and unexpected twists in time and tempo. Both songs appear on LLTB’s current release Mammoth Swoon, a collection of unreleased, rare, and bedroom tracks that Aly released at the end of last year. You may be asking yourself how a young artist like Aly manages to have a rarities comp already, and that would be a good question. But head to LLTB’s bandcamp page, and you’ll see that she is already three releases deep. This set of six songs was culled from several of her records other than Mammoth, and each song showcased her unique songwriting ability. It’s hard for the word “precocious” not to come to mind, but LLTB would be an act of striking talent and depth at any age.

Backyard Brunch Sessions work best with artists who have the confidence to let their music stand unadorned. In a simple East Village backyard surrounded by a garden, new friends (and some delicious French Toast Grilled Cheese Sandwiches), Aly Spaltro fit this show’s aesthetic perfectly. She’s been playing alone on that empty stage since day one.

I recorded this set with a combination of high-end microphones, including the DPA 4021 that you can see miking Aly’s vocals. The sound quality is excellent, other than a two-second spot during “Up In the Rafters” where her guitar hit the mic stand. Enjoy!

Lady Lamb the Beekeeper’s next show will be a Windish Agency CMJ Showcase at Rockwood Music Hall on October 21.  More info here.

Stream “Up in the Rafters”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/L1009LLTB0211/Rafters.mp3]

Stream “Southernfly”
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/L1009LLTB0211/Southernfly.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE] | Direct Download of the FLAC files [HERE]

Follow acidjack on twitter | visit the backyard brunch sessions homepage

Lady Lamb the Beekeeper
2011-10-09
Backyard Brunch Sessions
New York, NY USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded and produced by acidjack for nyctaper.com

AKG C 414 B-XLS (cardiod pair, on guitar amp)+DPA 4021 (on vocals)>Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod] (24/48)>Audition (studio effects, mixdown)>Audacity (set fades, tracking, amplify and balance)>FLAC Level 8

Tracks
01 [intro]
02 Up In the Rafters
03 Mezzanine
04 Between Two Trees
05 Florence Berlin
06 Southernfly
07 [banter]
08 Crane Your Neck
09 [outro]

PLEASE SUPPORT Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, like her on Facebook, visit her website, and purchase her releases from her bandcamp page.

Bonnie “Prince” Billy: December 7, 2010 Maxwell’s – FLAC and MP3 Downloads + Streaming Song

January 3, 2011
By


[Photos by Barry Yanowitz. Visit his website for these and many other excellent photos]

Will Oldham is one of those musical old souls, whose sound is impeccably ageless. With songs that incorporate elements of Americana, folk, country, rock, punk, blues, and a tinge of gospel, he is the consummate American artist, carrying in his haunting voice the sound of six generations’ worth of hardscrabble and heartbreak. Oldham has recorded in recent years under the moniker Bonnie “Prince” Billy, with this particular roster of players dubbed Bonnie “Prince” Billy and the Cairo Gang. Although they were opening for Yo La Tengo on the seventh night of their incredible Hanukkah run at Maxwell’s, Oldham and the band treated us to a full-length set that leaned heavily on Bonnie “Prince” Billy and the Cairo Gang’s current release on Drag City, The Wonder Show of the World, but also showcased some rare and unusual numbers, including a cover of Willie Nelson’s “In God’s Eyes”, and the Hasidic spiritual “Dark’cho”. The players comprising the Cairo Gang gave each song the benefit of rich, full arrangements that highlighted Oldham’s unforgettable vocals. In particular, I was blown away by the soulful “Teach Me To Bear You” from The Wonder Show of the World, with an extended, more rocking closing than on the record. Having enjoyed Oldham’s records for years, it was truly a holiday gift to finally experience this incredible artist and songwriter’s live show.

Special thanks go to Will Oldham for approving this recording.

I recorded this set from the same spot as the other sets we have posted from this concert series, using a soundboard feed and the Schoeps supercardiod microphones. The sound quality is excellent. Enjoy!

Stream “Teach Me To Bear You”:
[audio:http://www.nyctaper.com/B7012BPB0210/BPB-TeachMeToBearYou.mp3]

Direct download of MP3 files [HERE]

Download the Complete show in FLAC [HERE].

Bonnie “Prince” Billy
2010-12-07
Maxwell’s
Hoboken, NJ USA

An acidjack master recording
Recorded and produced by acidjack for nyctaper.com

Equipment: Schoeps CMC6/mk41+Soundboard>Edirol R-44 [Oade Concert Mod] (24/48)
Position: LOC, clamp to soundboard booth, mics at 7.5′, pointed at stacks
Mastering: 2x24bit/48kHz WAV>Audacity (EQ AUD source, mixdown, set fades, tracking, amplify and balance, downsample)>FLAC ( level 8 )

Bonnie “Prince” Billy and the Cairo Gang are:
Will Oldham, voice
Emmett Kelly, guitar/voice
Danny Kiely, bass
Van Campbell, drums
Angel Olsen, voice
Ben Boye, keys

Tracks [Total Time 1:06:09]
1. The World’s Greatest [R. Kelly]>Island Brothers
2. Easy Does It
3. Someone Coming Through
4. -banter-
5. Teach Me To Bear You
6. Troublesome Houses
7. In God’s Eyes [Willie Nelson]
8. New Wonder
9. Go Folks, Go
10. I Never Thought My Love Would Leave Me
11. -banter-
12. Merciless and Great
13. Darkecho Elokeino
14. The Sounds Are Always Begging

If you download this recording from NYCTaper, we expect that you will PLEASE SUPPORT Bonnie “Prince” Billy and Will Oldham’s other projects, visit his website, and purchase his official releases from Drag City records here.

SUPPORT NYCTaper




Email

Email nyctaper

DISCLAIMER and LEGAL NOTICE

nyctaper.com is a live music blog that offers a new paradigm of music distribution on the web. The recordings are offered for free on this site as are the music posts, reviews and links to artist sites. All recordings are posted with artist permission or artists with an existing pro-taping policy.

All recordings and original content posted on this site are @nyctaper.com as live recordings pursuant to 17 U.S.C. Section 106, et. seq. Redistribution of nyctaper recordings without consent of nyctaper.com is strictly prohibited.

nyctaper.com hereby waives all copyright claims to any and all recordings posted on this site to THE PERFORMERS ONLY. If any artist posted on this site requests that recordings be removed, those recordings will be removed forthwith.