Enjoy a collection of tracks from artists that we are working at the moment. Be sure to open the player in a new window if you’d like to keep listening as you continue browsing.
“With opener “Lucky Penny,” Jean Caffeine slides into a groove so familiar that Geckos in the Elevator tricks you into thinking this veteran rocker spent the last decade honing these 11 celebratory, confessional, autobiographical, and gorgeously patterned songs here in Austin instead of Durham, N.C.”
Geckos follows the troubadour’s usual folk/country/rock template fairly closely – there’s nothing here the average No Depression fan wouldn’t clasp tightly to his/her breast. But the LP isn’t a series of clichés, either, given Caffeine’s very personal outlook on the world. Her smarts, sensitivity and, most of all, conversational style elevate the political commentary of “Devil I Know,” the storytelling waltz of “Sadie Saturday Night” and the hometown salute “Hey Austin” far above formula.
“Caffeine’s vocal idiosyncrasies at times create a sense of listlessness and her preference for simple Reed and Smith-like arrangements offers more of the same. When it works, almost inexplicably, on tracks such as “Hey Austin” and “Mary O’ Shea” and punk rock memoir “Sadie Saturday Night” the results are undeniably memorable and winning.”
Catch Jean Caffeine Live:
Sept. 3rd, 3pm, Antone’s Records In Store, Austin, TX
Sept 3rd, 7pm, Lucky Lounge, Austin, TX with Chelle Murray.
Sept 4th, 7pm, Roadhouse Rags, Austin TX
Brooklyn’s Extra Arms are playing at the Knitting Factory tonight with Pomegranates and Figurines! Doors are at 8:00PM and the music starts at 8:30PM. That’s some good news.
Fear not, non-New Yorkers! What’s even better news (considering most of you reading this probably aren’t in Brooklyn) is that tonight’s show is being broadcast live at Livestream!
Their debut full length, In Parallel comes out October 11th. Check out their new single “Powerlessness” in the stream below!
Thanks to our friends at Magnet for premiering this raucous new video from Abstract Artimus. “Quitter’s Face” was shot over a long weekend in NYC fueled by massive amounts of sushi and beer. The full-length, Rite of Passage, comes out September 6 via Dire Life Records.
“…Simply put, The Great Book of John is a stunning record, one without a weak track in sight, and is one of the most consistently enjoyable albums to reach these ears in quite some time. The Great Book of John is unrelentingly stark and brilliant in equal measure, and you simply just cannot. get. enough. of. it.”
Brian Keenan, frontman of cosmic Americana outfit, Proud Simon, recently released his debut solo album, Today This Year. The record was produced by Jamie Candiloro (Ryan Adams, R.E.M., Willie Nelson) at the legendary Avatar Studios in NYC. The video for the first single, “From Scratch”, takes Keenan on a magical journey through the forest and beyond. Check it out on Paste.
The wonderful outlet, My Old Kentucky Blog the 2nd single off of the debut album from Birmingham, Alabama’s The Great Book Of John. The self-titled affair will be released Tuesday, August 16th, via upstart label, Communicating Vessels.
Click on the above link or listen here to “Robin Hood.”
August marks the long anticipated release of Jean Caffeine’s new full length release Geckos In The Elevator!
Jean is certainly no stranger to the stage or stereo. She drummed for 70’s SF all girl band The Urge and NYC 15-minutes-of-famers Pulsallama, who were known for chanting, cardboard props and rhythmic cacophony.
Jean went on to front her own “y’allternative country” band Jean Caffeine’s All Nite Truckstop out of Austin, TX in the 90s. Jean is touted as having the first SXSW day party, one of which featured R.L. Burnside playin’ on her back porch accompanied by her dog Pee Wee.
The 21st century finds Jean on a more singer/songwriter tack, adding pop, and folk n’roll into the mix. Previous releases include Jean Caffeine’s All Nite Truckstop, Knocked Down 7 Times, Got up 8, and Idee Fixe.
Jean in also a visual artist and has exhibited work in the US and Canada. She was one of the animators in Richard Linklater’s Waking Life and if you look carefully you can see her in Linklater’s movie, Slacker.
A blog featuring indie music, band interviews, music news, and Windsor Ontario Pickled Pork.
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The Cropper! accepts submissions of music of all kinds. Though we can’t guarantee write-ups, we eagerly anticipate writing about new and exciting artists. Submit your music now. Thanks!
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