Great covers EP from Pete Molinari

the first release since his great second album (A Virtual Landslide) last year, this EP was recorded in Nashville and features The Jordanaires on mighty fine backing vocals. 'A Satisfied Mind' is maybe the standout track, but the other three are fast catching up, 'Today, Tomorrow, and Forever', 'Guilty' and 'Tennessee Waltz'

Like Mariachi...

Well i thought Richmond Fontaine were amazing the other night: the stuff of the new record sounded great, particularly 'Lonnie', and the title track 'We Used the Think the Freeway Sounded like a River'. Other highlights were 'Lost in This World', great to hear live for the first time, with Ralph Huntley on piano, and the awesome instrumental 'El Tiradito'. They finished with fierce versions of 'Song for Dead Moon' and 'Four Walls' at what was their biggest London show to date, i think, over 500 people.
Only two complaints: I've still not heard the band play 'The Water Wars' live and the new Garage was nice as a venue, but way too much noise from the bar that runs all the way across the back. Great night though, and i was lucky enough to catch The Duke and the King at the same venue on friday night, short, early set, but great nonetheless.

Here are my four top tunes to check out, i'm guessing they're all on itunes to take a listen, but i recommend buying the albums they're from (all mentioned here once or twice over the past few months)...

'Lonnie' Richmond Fontaine
'Waterspider' The Duke and the King
'Goode's Field (Alternate Version)' Drive-by Truckers
'A Satisfied Mind' - Pete Molinari

Albums of the Year '08

So don’t worry about old Maggoty (i’m still at 6th form College) Lamb from the guardian, 2008 was, for me, a great year in music. There were really strong returns from two old favourites who had looked in a bit of a mess with their previous albums (DBT and Calexico) as well as a fine new project from M Ward in conjunction with a strange-voiced actress (She & Him). Also from the US there was a brilliant, and obscure covers album (Vetiver), two very slow-burn records that up until recently wouldn’t have made this list (The Felice Brothers and The Hold Steady) and the UK debut of a brilliant new voice whose gig at the Borderline back in March was one of my favourites of the year (Dawn Landes – seriously her album is worth a buy).
Closer to home, it was a fine year for British music too, with a superb young debut (Laura Marling) a second from a man with some serious high-lonesome to his voice (Pete Molinari), again a brilliant live performer, and then there was probably the most popular and warmly received winner of the Mercury Prize ever (Elbow). So here are ten albums (in no order) to check out if you haven’t already. Finally, i've held back my very top two albums for tomorrow's post...


Drive-By Truckers – Brighter Than Creation’s Dark
Calexico – Carried to Dust
She & Him – Volume I
Vetiver – Thing of the Past
The Felice Brothers
The Hold Steady – Stay Positive
Dawn Landes - Fireproof
Laura Marling – Alas, I cannot Swim
Pete Molinari – A Virtual Landslide
Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid