Chelsea Wolfe - Unknown Rooms: A Collection of Acoustic Songs (2012)

This is the second album from Chelsea Wolfe, and its a chilling album made with simple americana folk traditions, and often two chord arrangements. Its a different direction since her last album Ἀποκάλυψις where now we find her leaning more towards early PJ Harvey or Nina Nastasia. Unknown rooms is a little on the short side but i feel this brings it to a more close and personal conclusion. Its a bitter sweet story she tells with complete honesty. A beautiful album.

Unknown Rooms: A Collection of Acoustic Songs (320 MP3)

Unknown Rooms: A Collection of Acoustic Songs (FLAC)

Tracklist:

1. Flatlands

2. The Way We Used To

3. Spinning Centers
4. Appalachia
5. I Died With You
6. Boyfriend
7. Our Work Was Good
8. Hyper Oz
9. Sunstorm

Chelsea Wolfe - Ἀποκάλυψις (2011)

Amazingly dark and brooding recording from NYC artist Chelsea Wolfe. Thick with reverb and folk doom undertones such as Earth, Chelsea Wolfe even has similar characteristics as PJ Harvey or Portishead at times. I wasn't to much of a fan of her first recording The Grime and The Glow but she has come a long way and developed much more of her own sound and leaning away from cliche gothic witch pagan folk music. 

Ἀποκάλυψις

Tracklist:

1. Primal / Carnal

2. Mer

3. Tracks (Tall Bodies)

4. Demons

5. Movie Screen

6. The Wasteland

7. Moses

8. Friedrichshain

9. Pale On Pale

10. To The Forest, Towards The Sea

Delaney Davidson - Self Decapitation (2010)

Self Decapitation is one of few amazing albums from New Zealand one man band musician Delaney Davidson. His music is heartfelt, tasteful, and generally figgin beautiful. There is a great cover of In The Pines with special guest Reverend Beat Man. Trust me on this one, if you like dark folk with a twist of rockabilly and humor this album is for you and will become a common sound within your home. Be sure to also keep you eyes out for one of his shows, This guy gets about.

Self Decapitation

Tacklsit:

1. Around The World

2. Tonight

3. In The Pines

4. Little Heart

5. Lackie's Men

6. Dirty Dozen

7. Back In Hell

8. Homeward Bound

9. Seasond Of God

10. I Slept Late

11. Magpie Song

Dead Brothers - 5th Sin-phonie (2010)

I thought these guys broke up but after doing some quick research I found this unexpected fifth album from swiss band Dead Brothers. Classic sounding dark, poetic, beautiful folk blues with cajan and bluegrass elements. But I personally find this album a slight bit lacking compared to their 2006 realease Wunderkammer which features one of my favourite musicians Delaney Davidson from New Zealand. Which is why I have also featured Wunderkammer on this post as a bonus prize.

5th Sin-phonie

Tracklist:

1. Drunkards Walk

2. Death Blues

3. The Story It's Always The Same

4. The Power a Secret Holds

5. Bela Lugosi's Dead

6. Tic Tac

7. Drunkards Dream

8. I am All I Got

9. Langenthal

10. Exotic Odyssey

11. Policeman

12. Teenage Kicks

13. How Deep Is The Water

*Bonus Prize* Wunderkammer (2006)

Hail Seizures - For The Ruin (2010)

Hailing from Olympia Washington. these guys put us up in their house and made killer burritos. when the cops rocked up to the house party we were playing at because of the volume, Hail Seizures finished the night completely acoustic and rocked out more then i've ever seen any acoustic act before. And as a band they travel bloody light with the drum kit consisting of a snare and a kick drum made out of a suit case. much respect!

For The Ruin

Tracklist:

1. Last Transmission

2. Ruined It

3. Hunter

4. Daddy

5. Crossroads

6. Rusting Friendships

7. Weights Of Our Words

8. Stolen Speech

9. The Wall

10.  Song For A Ride

Blackbird Raum - Under the Starling Host (2009)

During my touring in America everyone we were hanging out with wouldn't stop going on about this band. It wasn't until we got to Montreal/Canada that i found one of their CD's on our merch table which was happily supplied by our booker and friends Meow Pow Now. Blackbird Raum play some pretty fucking amazing Anarcho fueled acoustic folk punk made up of Accordion, Banjo, Mandoline, washboard, washtub bass, and singing saw. vocally they have incredible gritty three part harmonies and even pay homage to our own Ned kelly. its perfect music for road tripping and hopefully i'll get to see then once i return to the states.

Under A Starling Host

Tracklist:

1. Turning Away

2. Catherine's Wheel

3. Lucasville

4. All Turning Backs In The Meadow And Wail While Bones Are Thrown

5. To The Barricades!

6. William

7. The Helm Of Ned Kelly

8. Crumbs

9. Snare

10. Ensemble Suicide

11. Old One Eye

12. Conquest Of Bread

13. A Rat In My Dream

14. Path Of Raven

Efrim Manuel Menuck - Plays "High Gospel" (2011)

The new record from Montreal's Efrim Manuel Menuck (Godspeed You Black Emperor!, A Silver Mt. Zion) Plays "high Gospel" is a deeply emotional album with its spatial guitar sound and harmonious uplifting songcraft that definitely delivers. It swells and soars with beautiful layers of textured field recording, tape manipulations, electronics, organ, piano, and vocal harmonies. the opening track "our lady of parc extension and her munificent sorrows" has the simplicity of a indie folk song. where by track two "a 12-pt. program for keep on keepin' on" you are taken on a schizophrenic soundscape with heavy driven drums and grey noise. Plays "high Gospel" is an album that should not be overlooked and is definitely worth 40 minutes of your time.

Plays "High Gospel"

Tracklist:
1. our lady of parc extension and her munificent sorrows
2. a 12-pt. program for keep on keepin' on
3. august four, year-of-our-lord blues
4. heavy calls & hospitals blues
5. heaven's engine is a dusty ol' bellows
6. kaddish for chesnutt
7. chikadees' roar pt. 2
8. i am no longer a motherless child