y lime? - Hunan Garden

Y Lime? is a brother sister duo from Chicago. Emily sings and plays guitar, while Zak plays bass. They sing songs about zombies, veganism, and friends.

(taken from last.fm)

There's really nothing more to say. Beautiful folk with extremely cute lyrics sung by a girl, what's more to life?

[ probably self-released | 2008 | Folk | 128kbps | 19:56 ]

Tracklist
1. Not Ass Like Donkey, Ass Like Your Butt - 3:20
2. Nostalgia - 3:43
3. Animal Testing 2:48
4. Zom-bees 3:11
5. Corey 3:46
6. 4131 (apples) - 2:11
7. Springs 3:15
8. Copper Harbor - 2:23
9. Casper - 2:51
10. Leaving Isolation Station - 2:28

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Nucleus Torn - Knell

Is it probably their most enigmatic album? An answer is not important n here but the word “enigmatic” stuck into my mind by the first time I heard this for a strange and unknown reason. Probably due to the fact that every time I hear the album I discover something new. Probably due to the fact that it is obviously enigmatic to me how they have managed to bring the musical harmony between their sad, deep and emotional acoustic melodies and themes combining them with those electric breakings that are coming almost from nowhere like a storm…

And even in those breakings the music still sounds so natural and smooth but at the same time it hides an unknown wild force. From storm back to calm as the acoustic musical rivers will carry the listener far away, until the next storm. Strange the game that they play but I would be a part of it anytime.

This is the second release by this Swiss musical act. If you are aware of their 2006 debut “Nihil” you could probably form a general idea of what is to follow in here but even in that case you would find extremely difficult to form your feelings in words if you want to describe what you are hearing, yes the same is happening to me now. The fact is that there are negative feelings buried under their classical music oriented acoustic parts, feelings of sadness, sorrow and melancholy. But the question comes straight ahead: “Can we point those fallings as negative?” It depends… but this is another topic out of here… And yes there is a mysterious strength on their electric breakings thanks to the slow riffing and the esoteric electric guitar themes, bringing in my mind the most clever guitar moments of the Scandinavian post Black Metal scene. And the vocals male or female… they are putting their own trademark into the final musical piece of art…

A strange kind of whispering, esoteric and dark musical beauty: this is what it is all about. I have placed the album on my CD player at about 7 o clock in the afternoon and it is five o clock in the morning now that I am writing those lines… and its music still fills the air, it is obvious it has managed to overtake me… And you know something? This happens not quite often…

(from here)

Those who like dark music will love this album. It is covered with beautiful and depressing acoustic melodies and some outbursts you will definitely love. Enjoy it!

Nucleus Torn - Knell

(Prophecy Productions / 2008 / Avantgarde/Progressive Metal/Folk / VBR2 189 kbp/s)

Tracklist
01. I 8:05
02. II 14:29
03. III 29:14
04. IV 4:16

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Ataraxia - Nosce Te Ipsum

Nosce Te Ipsum, a new steep into the ancient times of this very important medieval band from Italy !!! This is a re-release, the songs were taken from the 1991 homonym Ataraxia’s demotape previously included in « Ad perpetuam rei memoriam » CD. ...the states of mind and heart collected in the pages of a voluminous book, "Prophetia". Is destiny driven by accident or by Fortune ? A Kafkian succession of questions without answer in a re-created inquisitorial trial of our times, the slow march of a humanity who tries desperately and unsuccesfully to know itself bearing the burden of its own chaotic existence and blindness. Finally, an act of rebellion and courage, an awakened consciousness that could lead to a new birth and refound harmony in the fluid cycle of Nature where every gesture and sound acquires a metaphysical value. Will we be able to transform the rought material into Gold?

via Twilight Records

My favorite Ataraxia release.


myspace

[Italy / 1991-2008 / Twilight Records / Medieval - folk / v0]

tracklist:
1 Prophetia 1:37
2 Aigues Mortes 6:20
3 Tu Es La Force Du Silence 4:19
4 Flée Et Fabian 4:43
5 Nosce Te Ipsum 6:23
6 Zweistimmenstäuschung 6:19
7 Torquemada 4:40
8 Incabala 3:31
---------
37:56

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Roky Erickson with Okkervil River - True Love Cast Out All Evil

Roky Erickson (born Roger Kynard Erickson on July 15, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter, harmonica player and guitarist from Austin, Texas. He was a founding member of the 13th Floor Elevators, who are considered to be the first band to ever use the word “psychedelic” to describe rock music.

Okkervil River began as a mutual project of Will Sheff (vocals, guitar), and Seth Warren (guitar). They met and collaborated together when both were still in high school in Meriden, NH. After relocating to Austin, TX in the late 90’s, the duo decided to re-assemble the band with the addition of Zachary Thomas (vocals, bass), Jonathan Meiburg (vocals, banjo), and drummer Travis Nelsen. In 1998, the group self-released their first disc, the “Bedroom” (EP), followed a year later with their debut album “Stars Too Small to Use”. During the succeeding years, the band regularly played live on numerous occasions, including an appearance at the South by Southwest festival in 2000.

(more on Last.fm)

Myspace

(Anti Records / 2010 / Indie/Folk/Psychedelic / 261kbp/s)

Tracklist
01. Devotional Number One 2:17
02. Ain't Blues Too Sad 1:23
03. Goodbye Sweet Dreams 4:26
04. Be and Bring Me Home 5:36
05. Bring Back The Past 2:02
06. Please Judge 4:26
07. John Lawman 3:56
08. True Love Cast Out All Evil 4:30
09. Forever 3:58
10. Think Of As One 5:21
11. Birds'd Crash 3:59
12. God Is Everywhere 2:41

Taken down by request

Murder By Death - Good Morning, Magpie

Indiana’s Murder by Death (formerly known as Little Joe Gould) layers the vocal sounds of an old saloon with the haunting strings of a Hungarian folk dance and the hard driving rhythms of pure rock ‘n’ roll, producing what Stuff magazine has called “lush, orchestrated songs,” somehow simultaneously reminiscent of Johnny Cash and Radiohead. Added to that thick and intriguing sound are a series of dark and ironic lyrics, combining the mood and tone of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds with the narrative force of The Decemberists or a short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Adam Turla fills out these sometimes frightening, sometimes beautiful lyrics by conjuring up a cast of character voices, allowing the songs to speak with the force of the characters themselves, and providing the listener with a sense of ensemble unique in rock music.

(Read all at Last.fm)

I fell in love with this band some years ago when I was listenning to their debut album and since then I've seen them live and I was always digging their music. I didn't think that this was to happen that fast but here is the new record of this indie-folk-rock band. If you don't know them give 'em a try, their brilliant. Enjoy!

Myspace

[ Vagrant Records / 2010 / Indie-Folk-Rock / CBR@320kbp/s ]

Tracklist

01. Hentucky Bourbon (00:33)

02. As long as there is Whiskey in the World (03:14)

03. On the dark Streets below (02:36)

04. King of the Gutters, Prince of the Dogs (04:42)

05. Piece by Piece (04:27)

06. Good Morning, Magpie (05:24)

07. You don't miss twice (when you're skavin with a Knife) (02:36)

08. Yes (02:23)

09. Foxglove (03:06)

10. White Noise (04:52)

11. The Day (03:32)

---

37:31

Mediafire

Joanna Newsom - Have One On Me

Joanna Newsom (born January 18, 1982) started taking piano lessons at a very early age and played for a couple of years, but switched to the harp at seven. Her approach to the harp, from the percussive aspects of her playing to her chord changes, was also influenced by West African and Venezuelan harp music, which she began studying at a folk music camp she attended in her early teens. At the same time, she also listened to more vocal-based folk, punk, and jazz like Karen Dalton, Texas Gladden, Patti Smith, and Billie Holiday. By the time she reached high-school age, Newsom decided she wanted to become a composer, and while that became the focus of her studies, in her free time she began writing and recording instrumental songs. Eventually, Newsom’s passion for songwriting won out, and she began studying creative writing to work with words in the same way she was accustomed to working with music.

(read more at last.fm)

I realize I'm a little late with this one, but since Have One On Me is probably my favorite record of 2010 so far, I figured I'd share it here anways.

[ Drag City | 2010 | Indie Folk | VBR | 2:03:58 ]

Tracklist
Disc 1
1. Easy - 6:03
2. Have One On Me - 11:02
3. '81 - 3:51
4. Good Intentions Paving Company - 7:01
5. No Provenance - 6:25
6. Baby Birch - 9:30

Disc 2
1. On A Good Day - 1:48
2. You And Me, Bess - 7:12
3. In California - 8:41
4. Jackrabbits - 4:22
5. Go Long - 8:02
6. Occident - 5:31

Disc 3
1. Soft As Chalk - 6:29
2. Esme - 7:55
3. Autumn - 8:01
4. Ribbon Bows - 6:10
5. Kingfisher - 9:11
6. Does Not Suffice

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Songs: Ohia - The Lioness

Songs: Ohia is largely a solo project for singer-songwriter Jason Molina. Critics and fans alike have found considerable difficulty in trying to define the band’s sound, usually settling on more general labels such as indie rock and folk rock. Most are quick to draw comparisons to Neil Young and Will Oldham, (the latter of which Molina has collaborated with, alongside Alasdair Roberts, as the Amalgamated Sons of Rest).

So sad, so beautiful. A masterpiece.

[ Secretly Canadian | 2000 | Folk Rock | 192kbps | 39:29 ]

Tracklist
1. The Black Crow - 7:16
2. Tigress - 3:20
3. Nervous Bride - 2:43
4. Being In Love - 5:41
5. Lioness - 6:37
6. Coxcomb Red - 4:05
7. Back On Top - 4:22
8. Baby Take A Look - 3:06
9. Just A Spark - 2:19

Mediafire

Subaudition - Discography

Subaudition was founded in spring 2003 as a sideproject to our prog metal/rock band Manifold Object, because after two years with MO the two of us wanted to create music which would be realised with totally different methods compared to our previous compositions. The project started as an acoustic one, but we ended up including some electric guitars and keyboards to some of the songs as well. We really took our time with the debut demo, Waves at Ease, as we were also taking our matriculation exams at the same time. After that we were just plain lazy to release the stuff and in July ‘03 we started to do our duties in the Finnish military.

In September Antti decided to leave Manifold Object mostly due to lack of time (army and forthcoming university studies) and he also felt that Manifold wasn’t heading in the direction he’d have wanted. Finally, in October we activated ourselves to create a suitable artwork for our debut-release and in December it was unleashed to the still unexpecting crowd…

(more on Last.fm)

Subaudition - The Scope

Tracklist
1. Raindrops
2. The Blue Light
3. No Angel
4. Blinking In The Piers
5. Moods Through Spirals
6. A Golden Staircase
7. Fractures
8. Counterwise
9. Godspeed

Mediafire

Subaudition - Light on the Path

Tracklist
1. Alms Of The Sun
2. Sínne
3. Now That We've Spent All The Light
4. Feathers Fall
5. The Soul Unto Aether
6. Human Abstract
7. Wall Of Water

Mediafire

Arbouretum - Song of the Pearl

Dave Heumann lives and works in Baltimore. He has played with The Anomoanon, Bonnie “Prince” Billy, Cass McCombs and Papa M. Arbouretum is the first band for which he is the primary songwriter, guitarist, and singer. Heumann’s idea for the band was one whose songs would evoke natural forms and movements as opposed to architectural constructions with rigid forms and linear progressions. Whilst the band’s hard-to-find debut was largely an individual process with players working to articulate Heumann’s vision, Rites of Uncovering is the work of a group. Long-time friend Walker David Teret is a multi-instrumentalist who had played in many of the same groups as Heumann. In those groups and in Arbouretum, he has played guitar, bass, keyboards, even the drum kit at times. Walker primarily plays the guitar in the current lineup, but plays a variety of instruments on Rites of Uncovering. Also on the album is drummer Mitchell Feldstein of Lungfish, who filled in when David Bergander (of Love Life and the Celebration) had to depart for other commitments mid-way through the recording. Bassist Corey Allender also played in bands such as STArs of the dogon, Fascist Fascist, and Cass McCombs’ band before joining Arbouretum.

(Taken from Last.fm)

Myspace 

Tracklist

1. False Spring

2. Another hiding Place

3. Down by the Fall Line

4. Song of the Pearl

5. Thin Domination

6. Infinite Corridors

7. The Midnight Cry

8. Tomorrow is a long Time

Mediafire | Rghost

Sturmpercht - Schattenlieder: Eine kleine Nachtmusik für Berggeister und Waldteufel

Sturmpercht is an Austrian experimental, traditional folk and neofolk group inspired partially by indigenous alpine tradition.

(from Last.fm)

Myspace

Tracklist
1. Wildschuetz Jaennerwein
2. Der Tanz Des Tatzelwurms
3. Stechapfelnacht
4. Tannenwichtel
5. Der Wolpertinger
6. Irrwurz
7. Nachtfratzen
8. Salamanderschnaps
9. Winterreigen
10. Wolfsschlucht
11. Einheit
12. Zur Zwoelften Stund
13. Auf Den Schwingen Der Stuerme
14. Wallfahrt
15. D Forstwuudz Onnd Dr Dannagoschd
16. Mittn In Da Nocht
17. Der Traenenkrug
18. Novembervoid
19. S Jagagstanzl
20. Die Teufelsgeiger

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Bobb Trimble - Iron Curtain Innocence

Born ten years too late to attract the attention he deserved, Bobb Trimble created an utterly unique body of work that merged psychedelia, folk-rock, space music and sound effects into rock’s most convincing depiction of a disturbed mind.
As with most tortured artistic souls, Bobb’s distinct vision is filled with much more than just fear and self-loathing. It drips with beauty and heartbreak, and his high, fragile voice bleeds with passion. The music evokes the sixties yet sounded contemporary when released in the eighties and again when re-released in the nineties.

Bobb’s two impossibly rare albums change hands for ungodly sums of money, and for years his reputation grew among collectors as his music was heard via tape trades (often on unlabeled tapes, which led to one male collector falling in love with the beautiful voice only to be informed that the singer was actually a man).
In the mid-90s, Bobb’s music was finally made widely available when the bulk of the two albums were released on CD as Jupiter Transmission. Die-hard fans of psychedelia rate Bobb’s music as the finest in the genre from the 80s.

(Taken from last.fm)

Jex Thoth covered "When The Raven Calls" on their self-titled debut album.

Tracklist
1. Glass Menagerie Fantasies
2. Night At The Asylum
3. When The Raven Calls
4. You Little Pawn
5. One Mile From Heaven (short version)
6. Killed by the Hands of an Unknown Rock Starr
7. Through My Eyes (Hopeless as Hell: D.O.A.)
8. One Mile From Heaven (long version)

Mediafire

The Microphones - Mount Eerie

The Microphones is the name of a project that Anacortes, WA’s Phil Elverum has headed since the late 90s. Its sound is best described as lo-fi “fuzz folk,” ranging from drum-crashing, bass-thrashing sonic freakouts, strummy classical guitar love songs, angelic vocal choirs, and almost-whispered vocals over harmoniums and bell kits. In 2004, Elverum abandoned the “Microphones” name to begin recording as Mount Eerie.

(Taken from last.fm)

Yeah you guessed it: more strange-beautiful fuzz folk by Phil Elverum, just as requested.

Tracklist
1. The Sun
2. Solar System
3. Universe
4. Mt. Eerie
5. Universe Conclusion

Mediafire | Rghost

Mount Eerie - Wind's Poem

Wind's Poem is the name of the fourth full-length album by Mount Eerie. It is largely inspired by black metal, and showcases Phil Elverum in his "relatively newfound affinity for Xasthur and other lynchpins of the unholy genre".

(Taken from wikipedia)

The follow-up to this post. Definitely download this if you like either of the following genres: (indie) folk, atmospheric black metal, drone, dark ambient. Even better if you like two or more of these. This record cannot be pigeonholed into any of the aforementioned styles, but it borrows aesthetics and techniques from all of them and it's masterfully done.

Tracklist
1. Wind's Dark Poem
2. Through The Trees
3. My Heart Is Not At Peace
4. The Hidden Stone
5. Wind Speaks
6. Summons
7. The Mouth Of Sky
8. Between Two Mysteries
9. Ancient Questions
10. (something)
11. Lost Wisdom Pt. 2
12. Stone's Ode

Mediafire| Rghost

Mount Eerie - Lost Wisdom

Mount Eerie represents the latest evolution of Phil Elverum’s musical vision. Formerly known as The Microphones, Phil changed his project’s name to Mount Eerie while maintaining his subtle, lo-fi, and lyrically dense fuzz-folk aesthetic.

(Taken from last.fm)

What a beauty this record is. Just above 23 minutes of wonderful dreamy lo-fi folk with both male and female vocals. Based on this record it's hard to imagine how Mount Eerie could ever open for a Wolves in the Throne Room show, but they actually do so in February - mostly of course because one of Elverum's favorite bands is Xasthur and he introduced black metal aesthetics in his music on the 2009 record "Wind's Poem" which I'll share soon.

Tracklist
1. Lost Wisdom
2. Voice in Headphones
3. You Swan Go On
4. Who?
5. Flaming Home
6. What?
7. If We Knew...
8. With My Hands Out
9. O My Heart
10. Grave Robbers

Mediafire | Rghost

Crippled Black Phoenix - The Resurrectionists/Night Raider

Crippled Black Phoenix is a post-rock band from the United Kingdom, formed in 2004 by members of Electric Wizard and Mogwai.
The band has described their own songs as "end time ballads. ” They go on to say, “Born from a blizzard of horned cats, Crippled Black Phoenix bring you a twisted cinematic experience, handcrafted by a mercenary crew of underground heavyweights, giving depth and gravity to regal songs about love, loss, tragedies and redemption.” The band got its name from the nickname Justin Greaves took on when he played with Stephen O’Malley and Greg Anderson in Teeth of the Lions Rule the Divine.

(Taken from last.fm)

This is probably my favorite release of the year 2009 - folky, doomy post-rock from Great Britain, highly emotional with more than just a hint of Pink Floyd worship.

Tracklist
The Resurrectionists
1. Burnt Reynolds
2. Rise Up And Fight
3. Whissendine
4. Crossing The Bar
5. 200 Tons Of Bad Luck
6. Please Do Not Stay Here
7. Song For The Loved
8. A Hymn For A Lost Soul
9. 444
10. Littlestep
11. Human Nature Dictates The Downfall Of Humans

Mediafire | Rghost


Night Raider
1. Time Of Ye Life / Born For Nothing / Paranoid Arm Of A Narcoleptic Empire
2. Wendigo
3. Bat Stack
4. Along Where The Wind Blows
5. Onward Ever Downwards
6. A Lack Of Common Sense
7. Trust No One
8. I Am Free, Today I Perished

Mediafire | Rghost

Comus - First Utterance

Taking their name from a character in a John Milton poem, Comus was a short-lived yet powerful folk-rock band that seems to have made an attempt to mix elements of progressive rock with the influences of Pentangle, Fairport Convention and other more traditional folk outfits. Their debut, First Utterance (1971), was followed by To Keep From Crying in 1974, moving into even more experimental sounds. Original copies of the first album still command remarkable prices, despite recent reissues by BGO in the U.K. and Si-Wan in Asia.

Their “Complete Collection” has also now been issued on CD, which is well worth a listen , not least for “Children of the Universe”.

(Taken from Last.fm)

Homepage

Tracklist

1. Diana

2. The Herald

3. Drip Drip

4. Song to Comus

5. The Bite

6. Bitten

7. The Prisoner

Mediafire | Rghost

Master Musicians Of Bukkake - Totem One

The Master Musicians of Bukkake are a loose-knit posse of Seattle-based musicians performing collective ceremonial music, far removed from category and pushing well beyond the “outsider” fashions of those willing to settle for less.

They are signed on Sun City Girls’ Abduction label.

(Taken from Last.fm)

Myspace

Tracklist

1. Bardo Chikkhai

2. A Mist of Illnesses

3. In the Light of the Sonaran

4. People of the Drifting Houses

5. Shism Prism - Adamantos

6. Cascade Cathedral

7. Eaglewolf

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Agalloch - The Silence of Forgotten Landscapes (Live)

Disenchanted and frustrated with the confines of their previous projects, Agalloch began in 1995 as the creation of John Haughm and Shane Breyer. In early 1996 in Portland, Oregon, USA, songs began to be produced by the duo and, during the summer, Don Anderson was added to the band to further refine the material. These songs would later become the From Which of This Oak demo tape in the autumn of that year. This recording showed a large amount of black metal influence, with an amount of material which would later appear on subsequent albums in one form or another. Shortly after the recording, Jason William Walton was added to the line up as bassist.

(Read more at Last.fm)

Myspace

Tracklist

1. Limbs

2. Falling Snow

3. As Embers dress the Sky

4. Dead Winter Days

5. I am the wooden Doors

6. In the Shadow of our Pale Companion

7. Not unlike the Waves

8. Bloodbirds

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Sir Richard Bishop - The Freak of Araby

By trade Sir Richard Bishop is a dealer of rare occult books and fine paper ephemera. For many in the musical cosmos, he has occasion to travel the smoke filled carnie circuit as 1/3 of the Sun City Girls medicine show. But in the twilight hours of a shadow world sensed only by few, Bishop is a dazzling unaccompanied guitarist.

Thanks to the powers that BE, in early 2005, Sir Richard Bishop began extensive touring as a solo artist, performing throughout Europe, Australia, and the United States, armed with only an acoustic guitar. His multiminded solo playing reflects influences of Django Reinhardt, Jimmy Page, and Ravi Shankar & the sounds of India, the Middle East and other points along the Gypsy trail.

(Taken from Last.fm)

The man is a legend. His newest album got the focus on Arabian / Middle East influenced folk. Enjoy!

Myspace

Tracklist

1. Taqasim for Omar

2. Enta Omri

3. Barbary

4. Solenzara

5. The Pillars of Baalbek

6. Kaddak el Mayass

7. Essaouria

8. Ka'an Azzaman

9. Sidi Mansour

10. Blood Stained Sands

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Lamp of the Universe - The Cosmic Union

Cosmic hippy acid folk/psychedelic/drone one-man project of Craig Williamson (known also from the heavy/stoner rock band Datura and now ARC OF ASCENT). From New Zealand.

(Taken from Last.fm)

If you want to spend your saturday afternoon trippin' next to your stereo then just give this baby a listen. Free form psychedelic/acid folk with nice drones and a lot of warm vocals. Sounds a little bit like Six Organs of Admittance from time to time, but that's nothing to worry about. Enjoy!

Myspace

Tracklist

1. Born in the Rays of

2. Lotus of a thousand Petals

3. In the mystic Light

4. Give yourself to love

5. Freedom in your Mind

6. Her Cosmic Light

7. What love can bring

8. Tantra Asana

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