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Greg Ashley

Former Gris Gris singer, Greg Ashley’s new album (and first with Trouble In Mind) A Generation of Slaves is a smooth slab of lo-fi goodness. Mixing jazz and folk with hints of country to create 9 songs that you will find yourself revisiting over and over again.

The male/female vocals and honky-tonk piano on “Misery Again” (below) combine to make it one of the best tracks on the album. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. A Generation of Slaves is out now and available from Trouble In Mind. I suggest you get your hands on a copy as soon as you can.

Greg Ashley – Misery Again from Another Generation of Slaves (2014)

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Small Wonder

Three year removed from his last album, New York’s Small Wonder (Henry Crawford) has finally released his new album Wendy. The album feels very personal, like Crawford poured his entire soul into the writing and recording of each and every song. The emotions seem at their peak toward the end of “Until I Open My Wings” (below) when guest vocalist Susannah Cutler repeatably tries to convince Henry that she is not Wendy. I am completely fascinated by this song.

Wendy is out now digitally on Small Wonder’s Bandcamp page and on cassette soon from Father/Daughter Records. What a surprise this album has been for me. Everyone needs to hear it. Enjoy.

Small Wonder – Until I Open My Wings from Wendy (2014)

Small Wonder

Father/Daughter

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New Bums

New Bums are a new band featuring  Donovan Quinn (Skygreen Leopards) and Ben Chasney (Six Organs of Admittance, Comets on Fire). Their sound is simply put, two guitars (with the occasional drums and other instruments) and two voices.

Their debut LP, Voices in a Rented Room is out now through Drag City. Album opener “Black Bough” (below) illustrates their sound perfectly. Two voices and two guitars playing nicely together, while the minimal amount of drums fill in the extra space to make this one of the standout tracks on the album. Enjoy.

New Bums – Black Bough from Voices in a Rented Room (2014)

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Lightning Dust

Lightning Dust is the side project of Black Mountains’ Amber Webber and Josh Wells. They released their third LP Fantasy last year with Jagjaguwar.

Their synth-pop sound is quite the departure from the heavier music of Black Mountain. Opening track “Diamond” (below) utilizes a driving beat, heavy-synth bass lines and Webbers’ incredible vocals over the top of super catchy electronic beeps and bops.

Lightning Dust – Diamond from Fantasy (2013)

Lightning Dust

Jagjaguwar

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Juan Wauters

Juan Wauters’ debut solo album, N.A.P. North-American Poetry, is very chill, quite the departure from his more rowdy garage-rock band The Beets. But it still has that edge, do you know what I mean?

Listen to “Water” (below), Juan’s voice plays well with his gentle guitar picking and is one of the standout tracks from the album. N.A.P. North-American Poetry is out now on Captured Tracks. I highly recommend it. Enjoy.

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RUMTUM

If you like listening to cut up bits of soul, tropical, world and basically any other genre of music all mixed together with some slick hip-hop beats, then Cleveland’s RUMTUM (aka John Hastings) is the artist for you. Even if this concept seems completely foreign to you, trust me, you will dig this.

RUMTUM released his debut LP Mystic Wonders back in September on 1320 Records and his own Bandcamp page. He has also collaborated with the one and only Monster Rally on a couple EPs. Enjoy the songs below, they are just a taste of RUMTUM’s greatness. Now get out there and track down the rest of his stuff, all of it is must have music.

RUMTUM – When from Mystic Wonders (2013)

RUMTUM – Get It from Mystic Wonders (2013)

 

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Roman Ruins

I am super late to the Roman Ruins party, and even later sharing the album on 3hive. Better late than never, right?

Roman Ruins is the solo project of Oakland-based Graham Hill. Hill began crafting these songs while on tour with Beach House as their drummer.  His debut LP, Homebuilding, came out in 2012 on Gold Robot Records. On a side note his first 7-inch, Releasing Me/Your House, was Gold Robot’s first ever release.

Check out the fantastic, slow building “Mighty Love” (below). It’s chilled-out, electro-pop goodness has more layers than my mom’s seven layer dip. You will go back for more.

Roman Ruins – Mighty Love from Homebuilding (2012)

Also for your listening pleasure

Gold Robot

Roman Ruins Bandcamp

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Boardwalk

Boardwalk is the Los Angeles based duo Mike Edge and Amber Quintero. They met through mutual acquaintances in 2012 and released their debut, self-titled LP with Stones Throw in the fall of 2013.

Dreamy, fuzzed-out vocals and lo-fi instrumentations of “Crying” (below) make it one of the standout tracks on the album. Boardwalk is available in whichever media suits your fancy on Stone Throw’s site. Enjoy.

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Mike Donovan

Former Sic Alps frontman, Mike Donovan, has recently released his new solo album Wot with Drag City. Check out the “chunk-a-chunk-a” acoustic guitar driven goodness of opening track “New Fieldhand Pop” below. If you like what you hear, and I’m pretty sure that you will, head over to Drag City‘s site and snag yourself a copy. Enjoy.

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November Mixtape

Here are 15 tracks that are sure to meet your fancy. Featuring hits from Monster Rally, The Chemical Brothers, Black Lips, The Hold Steady, Pixies, La Luz, Bill Callahan, First Base, The Limiñanas, The Velvet Underground, Epicycle, Troubadour Dali, The Undertones and Elvis Perkins In Dearland. Enjoy.

November ’13 from simco1974 on 8tracks Radio.