Woodsist Fest [Henry Miller Library]

Woods

Woodsist Fest [Big Sur 2011 Mix]

To simply state that I am excited for this year's Woodsist Fest would be an understatement. I'm beyond excited; I don't even think a word exists in the English dictionary that can describe the sensation. The music is only one aspect of this weekend event. Its the people one meets, the Red Woods, nature, nirvana. In preparation for the second annual fest, I've put together a compilation of the participating artists which can be streamed above.

Playlist


Real Estate - It's Real
Thee Oh Sees - Corprophagist (A Bath Perhaps)
The Fresh & Onlys - Tropical Island Suite
Woods - Be All Be Easy
White Fence - The Pool
Ducktails - Killin The Vibe
The Mantles - Don't Lie
Nodzzz - Heyday Past Heyday Due
Sic Alps - Meter Man
Sun Araw - Last Chants

Record Review: Matt Valentine [What I Became, Woodsist]

By Jennifer Graciano

Throughout Matt “MV” Valentine’s musical career, he has dabbled in just about everything: from psych-folk to blues. The only thing missing from his catalog, and maybe for good reason, is a straight laced disco album. Releasing material with Tower Recordings, the Werefrogs, as MV & EE, solo efforts and countless other projects, Valentine manages to keep his sound fresh and his latest is no exception. Reminiscent of his work with long time collaborator, Erika Elder (the EE of MV & EE), What I Became layers acoustic and electric throughout that gives a warmth and a calming persistency to Valentine’s solo music.

That this release is out on Woodsist is no real surprise, What I Became is easily one of Valentine's folksier sounding efforts. An album that longtime fans will surely appreciate and no doubt sounds comfortable amongst Woodsist company. His ability to pluck strings as heard on "Continuing the Good Life," is superb and should be highlighted any chance he gets. Valentine shakes it up on “Hit The Trails” with a steady amount of electric and acoustic noise; Valentine sings :“Hit the trails/get off of the road” repeatedly over distorted chords. “PK Dick” spotlights Valentine’s guitar skills as they push his vocals to a barely audible point, an unhurried jam that’s almost haunting.

Record Review: Woods [Sun and Shade, Woodsist]

By Jennifer Graciano

Woods’ Sun and Shade is, as expected, another faultless release from the psych folk four piece. Sun and Shade marks Woods’ fifth LP, one that takes some of the best musical bits from the bands catalogue for another stunning full-length. Their latest doesn’t demonstrate any drastic change from what we’ve come to expect from the Brooklyn natives; by resurfacing some of their earlier, relatively experimental efforts and not abandoning the catchy melodies Woods craft so well, Sun and Shade never bores and keeps us listening.

Album opener, “Pushing Onlys,” is positively charming for its guitars, uncomplicated melodies, and downright catchiness. Jeremy Earl’s quivering vocals have stopped hiding behind slight reverb and muddled noise (as on much of At Echo Lake) which makes for a better listen and easier appreciation for his songwriting skills.

Everything you could ever want from a Woods full length is in Sun and Shade: folk, pop, ‘60s influences, untried sounds, melodies that you’ll recall for days. “Who Do I Think I Am?” a mid-tempo self-questioning song with soft percussion has Earl calmly questioning: “What’s going on inside my brain/I must be going insane”. Woods continue to churn out lyrics that are not only emotive, but catchy, which is no easy feat. While on “White Out” the band tries their hand in previously explored sounds; a relatively safe experimental track with more than a minute of pure instrumentation.

Woods [Pushing Onlys, Woodsist]

Finally found an embedable of the excellent new track for Woods (courtesy of Force Field PR). The song is the first single to be released from the band's upcoming album Sun & Shade on June 14th. The song is a pretty strong indication of more good things to come from the psychedelic band. Announced yesterday via Force Field were the dates for the second annual Woodsist Fest in Big Sur. No lineup announced yet, but keep your eyes peeled on the Henry Miller Library's website for details.

Pushing Onlys

Ducktails [Don't Make Plans, Live Clip]

Recorded this performance during an in-store at Mollusk Surf Shop in San Francisco way back in October. Pleased and not so pleased with how it came out; a little farther away than I would have liked and the audio is okay. The track is from Ducktails' latest record out on Woodsist

Record Review: Ducktails [Ducktails III: Arcade Dynamics, Woodsist]

by Rebecca Gayle

Real Estate guitarist Matthew Mondanile returns as Ducktails with Ducktails III: Arcade Dynamics, which brings his signature lo-fi cassette sound back for a third release. On Arcade Dynamics, Mondanile moves away from the heavy reliance on drum machines that permeates his earlier release, Landscapes. The drum machines haven’t entirely disappeared from Arcade Dynamics, but they do take more of a backseat, allowing the listener to more fully appreciate the beautiful wash of guitars and tamborines that appear throughout the album. The relative absence of strong, prominent drum machines in this Ducktails release is refreshing in that it allows the album to better create its own atmosphere and place.

Perhaps the strongest element of Arcade Dynamics is its ability to create a particular space. The meandering songs and subdued, somewhat tip-toeing vocals and instrumentation carve out their own niche throughout the album. Each of the tracks’ elements unite to effortlessly transport the listener to a tropical beach / zen paradise peppered with nostalgia to reflect on the passing of time with Mondanile himself. The qualities of Arcade Dynamics manage to take the listener on a leisurely aural journey, but one that has a direction and refrains from putting the listener to sleep.

Nodzzz [Time (What's It Gonna Do?), Woodsist]

San Francisco'a Nodzzz have released a brand new track called "Time (What's It Gonna Do?)". The song will be from their next album set to be released on Woodsist records titled Innings. 

Time (What's It Gonna Do?)

Spectre Folk [The Blackest Medicine, Woodsist]

Pete Nolan of Magik Markers fame will be releasing a new EP on Woodsist March 29th under his Spectre Folk moniker. It's always a pleasure to put his music on this site and "The Blackest Medicine" is Nolan at his best.

The Blackest Medicine


mp3[via]

White Fence [Lillian (Won't You Play Drums?), Woodsist]

Its been a busy few months for Woodsist, with releases from Royal Baths, Sun Araw and Purling Hiss, not to mention some FIT activity with Ducktails and Herbcraft, favorite label of this blog keeps the momentum going come next year.  In January psychedelic musician White Fence (Tim Presley from Darker My Love) will release his second solo album titled Is Growing Faith in early January; below is a spectacular track from the record.

Lillian (Won't You Play Drums?)

mp3[via]

Record Review: Sun Araw [Off Duty, Woodsist]

by Jennifer Graciano

Sun Araw’s “Off Duty” (Woodist) will take you on an epic journey through the psychedelic wilderness California native Cameron Stallones has proved time and time again, he knows so well. Be prepared to jump head first into an uproar as the opening track Last Chants, greets your ears with an explosion of sound. The almost overwhelming buzz smoothes over before you know it and you'll find your head bobbing along to Stallones’ chanting alongside a groovy clamor. The peculiar assortment of sounds is refreshing and oddly soothing, giving the track a mysteriously captivating quality. Stallone is a master shaman--effectively communicating with the spiritual world through the use of clouded vocals, sick guitar licks, and continuous thuds. The space-age funk takes over for most of Last Chants and eases out…as one by one, sounds disperse and come to an immediate stop.

Barely audible at first, as if submerged in deep water, Midnight Locker quickly bubbles to the surface..only to expose itself as a truly magnificent composition. The gloomy feel is undeniable and is amplified as Stallones’ voice echoes throughout, laying a dense veil over an already heavy rhythm. A sinking feeling may come over you as scattered percussion and eerie chords envelope you in the loveliest of ways.

Deep Temple may be the strongest track off of “Off Duty,” as everything which makes Sun Araw a standout act is incorporated in those eleven minutes and thirty seconds. The all too familiar “afro-beat” and “tropical” feel associated with Stallones returns with a slightly different spin. "On Patrol" (Not Not Fun) held the same gurgling tropics, which can be heard on tracks such as Beat Cop and Deep Cover.. yet lack the richness Deep Temple offers. Stallones’ skill with a guitar is definite, overtaking the song sporadically as chords pierce through the various battling sounds beautifully.

Two tracks: In The Trees and Canopy from Sun Araw’s 2008 EP “Boat Trip,” round out the newer tracks as the journey has come to a close. The drone behind In The Trees and procession-like quality to Canopy serve as a perfect conclusion to “Off Duty.”

Stallones has set up these songs in such a way that they resemble a stream of consciousness rather than five independent tracks. The way these pieces fit together effortlessly call to attention just what an excellent musician Cameron Stallones really is. His ability to create strikingly catchy tunes without sacrificing his notoriously enthralling tempos creates a world full of alluring mystique, making “Off Duty” an essential in any music library.

Last Chants

mp3[via]

Royal Baths [After Death, Woodsist]

"After Death" is the latest track from Royal Baths to be released from their killer re-released album on Woodists. This song is the follow up to "Nikki Don't".

After Death

Get the album here

mp3[via]

Purling Hiss [Public Service Announcement, Woodsist]

As if releases from Royal Baths and Sun Araw weren't enough this month, Woodsist will be release the third full length album from Philadelphia's Purling Hiss on October 26th. The single released "Don't Even Try It" is a quick 40 second snipit (unsure as to why this is) which sounds like a very raw recording or something played on an old tape deck. Not convinced by the track? Go here and listen to some of his other tunes where he performs some gritty punk and some excellent psychedelic jams.

Don't Even Try It

mp3 [via]

Herbcraft [Papers, Woodsist]

By far, Brooklyn label Woodsist has got to be my favorite because founder Jeremy Earl has that sort of ear for raw psychedelic music that I absolutely love. Recently a couple tapes were released on FIT, one of them being Herbcraft (the other being Ducktails), a band I knew little of until a few days ago. One of my favorite blogs and Altered Zone contributee, Raven Sings The Blues, featured a couple tracks from the cassette and was instantly drawn in by the psychedelic music Matthew Lajoie makes. The cassette features five new tracks plus a couple live rehearsals and is a follow up to the band's earlier release Herbcraft Discovers The Bitter Water of Agartha on Hello Sunshine Records.

One Thousand Papers

The tape can be picked up here

mp3[via]

Royal Baths [Litanies, Woodsist]

After a moment of brief confusion, San Francisco's The Baths have had a slight name change due to the emergence of LA's electronic guru Baths; but under the brand new moniker Royal Baths, the band still perform their brand of garage rock and are dark as ever. A few months back the band released a now sold out limited cassette on Wizard Mountain which will now be released on Woodsist Records called Litanies. A little mixed as I was hoping for some new tracks as the all the songs from tape will be on the LP and features just one new song "Sinister Sunrise". The LP will be released October 5th and will go on tour with The Fresh & Onlys for the month on October.

Nikki Don't

mp3 [via]

The Art Museums [Wrong Boys / Wrong Girls Music Video, Woodsist]

New music video for The Art Museums. The clip was directed and animated by Kerry Mclaughlin and the track is currently not on any release by the San Francisco duo

Ducktails [Hamilton Road, Woodsist]

Here is the latest track and new single off of Ducktails' next full length LP Ducktails III: Arcade Dynamics. The album has a Fall time release date and will be released by Woodsist Records.

Hamilton Road

Woodsist Fest [Henry Miller Library, Big Sur 06.12.2010]

The Art Museums

The Mantles

Eat Skull

Kurt Vile

The Fresh & Onlys

Moon Duo

Woods

Real Estate

Woodsist Fest

After a week of hell thanks to class, thus the delay in posting a lot of great stuff that happened this week, the weekend is finally here. Tomorrow not only marks the day when the United States face the Three Lions (I'm on England's side here, sue me) but it is also the day of the Woodsist/(((Folk Yeah!))) Woodsist Fest. The venue is the Henry Millar Library in gorgeous Big Sur California, the perfect way to end the worst week in recent history. The festival has been sold out for quite some time now (a few tickets have been released here) and the scheduled lineup is incredible:

Real Estate

Woods

Kurt Vile

Moon Duo

The Fresh & Onlys

Art Museums

The Manltes

Eat Skull

But even if you can't make it to the fest do not worry, this weekend is packed with some amazing acts, performing all over San Francisco:

Friday, June 11th

Woods, Kurt Vile, The Mantles and Eat Skull - Slims

Or, The Whale, A B & The Sea and Get Back Loretta - Rickshaw Stop

Sic Alps, Bill Orcutt and The Baths - Berkeley Art Museum

Sonny and the Sunsets, Wounded Lion, John Wesley Coleman - Hemlock Tavern

Sunday, June 13th

Real Estate, All Saints Day and Young Prisms - The Independent

Welcome Home / Diggin' The Universe [Woodsist Records]

FIT has a new release and it is something to get excited about. Welcome Home/Diggin' the Universe is a compilation of between several Woodsist artists (Woods, Fresh & Onlys, White Fence, Moon Duo and the Mantles) as well as several others such as RUN DMT, Alex Bleeker, City Center and Ducktails. There are 13 tracks overall and the line up is simply phenomenal; this is one compilation tape definitely worth giving a listen to.

Full Lineup:

Woods

RUN DMT

White Fence

The Fresh & Onlys

The Mantles

Skygreen Leopards

Alex Bleeker

Moon Duo

City Center

Cause Co Motion

Art Museums

Nodzzz

Ducktails

Thanks to Tally Ho for putting up the list

The tape can be purchased here