If you didn't know any better you'd probably swear that Zoe was born and raised in the Appalachians and at times she almost seems to channel Dolly Parton. But alas, this Seattle native is part of a growing number of classic country interpretors who are taking country back to it's roots. Accompanied by the extremely talented Lost High Rollers, Zoe's songs and lyrics are reminiscent of country greats like Emmylou Harris, Gram Parsons and John Prine. Like any good county music there's plenty of heartache and heart break but it's nothing you can't tap your toe to.

Without further ado, my pick of the week: Zoe Muth and the Lost High Rollers - Hey Little Darlin'

Honorable Mentions:


Wayne Hancock - Miller, Jack and Mad Dog
Oh Susana - Greyhound Bus
Caleb Klauder - It's All Your Fault

That's it for this week folks, I think I've got the country out of my system, so to those of you who absolutely can't stand it check back later for something completely different!

Until next time,
Matt

Readers (few as you may be) beware, this paragraph is written more to myself than you, skipping it is advised but not mandatory. I have a problem with committing to the little things, things like this blog. I only post when the fancy strikes. This, as made so painfully obvious by the archives , is rare. So I write this in public as a promise to myself that I will compose, edit and publish a new post at least once a month. Even if no one ever reads it again. Even if I never make a bloody dime from it, I will continue to post at least once a month until emerging technologies render blogs as a whole useless and dumb. Because I need to establish the discipline required to follow through on the little things. As a show of good faith I am posting this when it's the last fucking thing in the world I want to do. Now that that's taken care of, on to the music!

Castleton has played with Brother Ali, Mike Doughty, Common, The Roots, De La Soul, Ray LaMontagne, Mos Def, Sugarhill Gang, Wilco, Incubus, Fun Lovin' Criminals, 3rd Eye Blind, Save Ferris, Luscious Jackson, Joe Cocker, Awol One, and many others I didn't list here.

Bah! Yeah, ok fine. I suck at updates but you know what? Fuck you. So I can't always find music good enough to share here, sue me. But you know what? This week... This week I've got some high quality shit to lay on you. Because this week I discovered the new Freeland album. This week I discovered some pure audio awesomeness!

"Cope" is Adam Freeland's first album in six years and let me tell you, it was well worth the wait. "Do Ya!" the first track on the disk has proven it's self pretty much undefinable - imagine DJ Shadow given a Mooged-out Krautrock retrofit by Can with Bonham sitting in on drums, and you kind of get the idea. Bringing fantastic back to the dance floor this is easily one of my favorite tracks of the year!

Freeland - Do Ya!

Honorable Mentions

King Khan and the Shrines - Land of the Freak
Portugal, The Man - Guns and Dogs
Port O'Brien - Stuck on a Boat

Florence Welch, along with a collaboration of artists and backing vocalists known only as The Machine, turned heads faster than a wet t-shirt contest in a church when they exploded onto the scene earlier this year. And with lyrics that are so awesomely wrong like, "a kick in the teeth is good for some/a kiss with a fist is better than none", it's easy to see why.

An art-college dropout from Camberwell, London, Welch was discovered singing Motown covers in a nightclub toilet, drunk. And has since rocketed up the proverbial ladder to become top contender for this years Mercury Prize.

According to Welch, her nominated debut album "Lungs" is about love and pain and is made up of "harps, choirs, drums, elevator shafts, bits of metal, love, death, fireworks, string quartets... wedding dresses". Her music is probably best described as soul inspired indie rock and that soul really shines. Listening to her belt out the lyrics on "Girl with one Eye" or "Drumming Song" it's easy to picture her stumbling out of the loo singing "Where Would I Be" at the top of her lungs with an awestruck producer at her heals.

All in all "Lungs" is one of the strongest albums to come out of the U.K. this year. The opening track "Dog Days are Over" starts out soft and melodramatic, fooling you into thinking that maybe "Florence is just another Colbie Caillat". But quickly transforms into a whirlwind of intrigue and desperation with lyrics that clash so well against a beat that is deliberately too ecstatic for the dark poetry Welch espouses, a meme that carries throughout the rest of the album. The arrangements force pain and happiness to co-exist, so much so that it's almost impossible to tell the one from the other.

While the lyrics are dark, depressing, even violent at times Florence manages to somehow come across with her innocence intact, doe-eyed and smiling through it all. It's impossible not to fall in love with her really. You try ignoring a voice that could give Gladys a run for her money and a wit that would make Kathy Griffin blush.