I came across some really good bluegrass music from some guys from West Virginia who go by the name The Fox Hunt. First glimpse of the band would probably give you the idea that these guys are a rock group, influenced by 90’s alternative rock, but that isn’t exactly the case. Especially when you hear the bass, fiddles, banjos, mandolins, and bluegrass vocal harmonies. All the guys in the band range from the early to mid twenties, but don’t let their young age fool you. The bluegrass sounds coming from the band are quite mature, and appeal to country music and bluegrass fans of all ages. Their 10 track debut album “Nowhere Bound” was released back in April of this year on Skull City records. Members of The Fox Hunt include John R. Miller on guitar, bass, and vocals; Matt Metz on mandolin and vocals; Matt Kline on vocals, guitar, and bass; and Ben Townsend on fiddle, banjo, and vocal harmonies.

Visit The Fox Hunt at Myspace to download and listen to some tracks from the band.

Upcoming Shows:

Sep 30 2007 Mast General Store – Knoxville, Tennessee
Oct 06 2007 Millstone Barbeque – Burlington, West Virginia
Oct 13 2007 The Coffee Table (Matt K, John) – Frederick, Maryland
Oct 20 2007 Acoustic Brew – Lamont, Pennsylvania
Nov 09 2007 Limerick’s Pub and Grille – 21+ Show – Martinsburg, West Virginia
Nov 10 2007 Longbranch Saloon – 21+ Show – Hedgesville, West Virginia
Nov 16 2007 Floyd Country Store – Floyd, Virginia
Nov 17 2007 Gunther O’Darby’s – 21+ Show – Roanoke, Virginia
Dec 21 2007 Private Function – Martinsburg, West Virginia
Dec 22 2007 Unique Bar & Grill – 21+ Show – Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania

Want some free music? Well before I send you off to download some free mp3s from some really great bands, I’ll share with you  a little info about Seattle based Band of Horses.  There is brilliant music coming from these guys.  The songs are plastered with emotionally driven melodies, perhaps offering a glimpse into our subconscious mind.  Band of Horses came together in 2004, forming from Carissas Wierd, who some of you may be familiar with.  I highly admire the music of Band of Horses.  Give them a few moments of your time to take a listen, and if interested, take the opportunity to see them on tour in support of their latest phenomenal album “Cease to Begin” on Sub Pop Records.  Band members Ben Bridwell, Rob Hampton and Creighton Barrett have worked hard to bring a bit more sophistication to their newest release, and in my opinion have succeeded.

Oh, and of course, the free music information.  If you go to the Sub Pop Records website, you can download excellent mp3s and learn more about the bands the label has signed.  Do it!

Download or Listen to “Is There A Ghost” by Band of Horses:

Upcoming Tour Dates:

Oct 14 2007    Park Tavern – Atlanta, Georgia
Oct 30 2007    Satellite Ballroom – Charlottesville, Virginia
Nov 01 2007    Lincoln Theatre – Raleigh, North Carolina
Nov 02 2007    9:30 Club – Washington, Washington DC
Nov 03 2007     Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel – Providence, Rhode Island
Nov 04 2007    Terminal 5 – New York, New York
Nov 06 2007    Toad’s Place – New Haven, Connecticut
Nov 07 2007    Pearl Street – Northampton, Massachusetts
Nov 08 2007    La Tulipe – Montreal, Quebec
Nov 09 2007    Phoenix Concert Theatre – Toronto, Ontario
Nov 10 2007    Crofoot Ballroom – Pontiac, Michigan
Nov 12 2007    Metro – Chicago, Illinois
Nov 14 2007    First Avenue – Minneapolis, Minnesota
Nov 15 2007    The Aquarium (Dempsey’s Upstairs) – Fargo, North Dakota
Nov 17 2007    The Filling Station – Bozeman, Montana
Nov 18 2007     Neurolux – Boise, Idaho
Nov 19 2007    Showbox – Seattle, Washington
Nov 20 2007    Showbox – Seattle, Washington
Nov 21 2007    Crystal Ballroom – Portland, Oregon
Nov 23 2007    Mezzanine – San Francisco, California
Nov 24 2007    Avalon LA – Los Angeles, California
Nov 26 2007    Glass House – Pomona, California

It all began in 1998 for the band Okkervil River.  This band from Austin Texas has created their musical art in such a way that it’s guaranteed to make an impact on their listeners.  Their 4th fourth full length studio album titled “The Stage Names” on the Jagjaguwar label has grabbed some well deserved attention.  Brilliant songwriting goes hand in hand with the band’s ability to perform with sincerity.  You can call Okkervil River an indie rock band, but over the years they have proven they are so much more than that.

Will Sheff takes care of the vocals and guitar, Brian Cassidy on guitar/mandolin/vox, Travis Nelsen on drums, Patrick Pestorius on bass, Seth Warren on various electronics, and Scott Brackett on trumpet and keys, Jonathan Meiburg on vox, keys, and accordian.  The band is currently on the road, so catch them somewhere if you can.

The Official Website of Okkervil River
Visit Okkervil River at Myspace

Tour Dates:

Sep 15 2007     Picador – Iowa City, Iowa
Sep 17 2007    Pabst Theater – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Sep 18 2007    Logan Square Auditorium – Chicago, Illinois
Sep 19 2007    The Canopy Club (Pygmalion Festival) – Urbana, Illinois
Sep 21 2007    Lee’s Palace – Toronto, Ontario
Sep 22 2007    Pepper Jack’s Cafe – Hamilton, Ontario
Sep 23 2007    La Sala Rossa – Montreal, Quebec
Sep 24 2007    Higher Ground – Burlington, Vermont
Sep 25 2007    Middle East – Boston, Massachusetts
Sep 26 2007    Iron Horse – North Hampton, Massachusetts
Sep 28 2007    Webster Hall – New York, New York
Sep 29 2007    Johnny Brenda’s – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Sep 30 2007    Rock and Roll Hotel – Washington DC
Oct 02 2007     Cat’s Cradle – Carrboro, North Carolina
Oct 03 2007    40 Watt – Athens, Georgia
Oct 04 2007    Club Downunder – Tallahassee, Florida
Oct 05 2007    House of Blues – New Orleans, Louisiana
Oct 06 2007     Walter’s on Washington – Houston, Texas
Nov 06 2007    Colchester Arts Centre – Colchester
Nov 07 2007    The Social – Nottingham
Nov 08 2007    Newcastle University – Newcastle
Nov 09 2007    Nice N Sleazy – Glasgow
Nov 10 2007    Manchester Roadhouse – Manchester
Nov 12 2007    Ancienne Belgique – Brussels
Nov 13 2007    La Cigalle – Paris
Nov 14 2007    Fri-Son  – Fribourg
Nov 19 2007    Szene – Wien
Nov 20 2007    Registratur – Muenchen
Nov 22 2007    Brotfabrik – Frankfurt
Nov 23 2007    Crossing Border Festival – Den Haag
Nov 24 2007    Gleis 22 – Muenster
Nov 25 2007    Prime Club – Koeln
Nov 26 2007    Lido – Berlin
Nov 27 2007    Knust – Hamburg
Nov 29 2007    Loppen – Copenhagen
Nov 30 2007    Spark Club – Debaser Medis – Stockholm
Dec 01 2007    John Dee – Oslo
Dec 04 2007    Pressure Point – Brighton
Dec 05 2007    Liverpool Academy – Liverpool
Dec 06 2007    Whelans – Dublin
Dec 07 2007    Brudenell Social Club     Leeds
Dec 08 2007    Barfly     Cardiff
Dec 09 2007    Luminaire     London

I’ve always admired those who master playing a fretless bass. The four piece band Stryngs based out of London and Cambridge UK features Chris Marshall who showcases his excellent bass playing skills. If you enjoy really good folk songs, the music of Stryngs is absolutely perfect for you. Their colorful acoustic sound is one of a kind, full of beautiful poetic lyrics, accented with the upbeat sounds of a mandolin and violin.

Listen to Perfect Cruelty by Stryngs:

Visit the Official Website of Stryngs
Visit Styngs at Myspace

Believe it or not, some record labels are actually pretty cool. When I mean cool, I mean “giving away free music” cool. One record label doing just that is Labrador out of Stockholm Sweden. The label has some really decent artists on board, and just recently they are giving everyone the opportunity to download the Labrador Summer Sampler 2007, which includes 68 tracks, yes.. 68 tracks! If you would like to listen to some of the artists on Labrador, I encourage you to download additional mp3s and watch some of the band’s videos at the Labrador Sound Library.

Thank you Labrador!

I always get strange comments regarding my interest in such a wide variety of music, but I welcome them. I always feel good about telling someone about my ability to listen to my favorite death metal cd followed by my favorite bluegrass cd. It helps me appreciate every aspect of music while keeping an open mind.

So, since I just gave a quick mention of a Norwegian progressive metal band, I’ll now mention a great sounding bluegrass country group from Nashville. The melodies coming from the folk songs of Old Crow Medicine Show are sure to please anyone who enjoys good bluegrass tunes. Invite a fiddle, a banjo, a harmonica, an upright bass, twangy guitars, and some mighty soulful vocals, and you got yourself an Old Crow Medicine Show.

Check out the video for “Tell It To Me” which I have posted along side this blog. Find out a lot more information about the band at their official websites listed below.

The Official Website of the Old Crow Medicine Show
Visit the Old Crow Medicine Show at Myspace

Upcoming Tour Dates:

Jul 19 2007 Moonlite Gardens – Coney Islands – Cincinnati, Ohio
Jul 20 2007 Summer Festival – Boone, North Carolina
Jul 21 2007 Master Musicians Festival – Somerset, Kentucky
Aug 05 2007 Belly Up Tavern – Solana Beach, California
Aug 08 2007 Avalon – Hollywood, California
Aug 09 2007 The Catalyst – Santa Cruz, California
Aug 11 2007 The Fillmore – San Francisco, California
Aug 13 2007 The Crest Theatre – Sacramento, California
Aug 14 2007 Music on the Half Shell – Roseburg, Oregon
Aug 15 2007 Woodland Park Zoo Amphitheatre – Seattle, Washington
Aug 17 2007 Oregon Zoo Amphitheatre – Portland, Oregon
Aug 18 2007 Paradise Performing Arts Center – Paradise, California
Aug 19 2007 Humboldt State University – Arcata, California
Sep 21 2007 John Dee – Oslo
Sep 27 2007 ABC2 – Glascow, Scotland
Sep 28 2007 Open House Festival – Belfast, Ireland
Sep 29 2007 Black Box – Galway
Sep 30 2007 The Village – Dublin, London and South East
Oct 05 2007 Paradiso – Amsterdam
Oct 27 2007 Ryman Auditorium – Nashville, Tennessee

Toronto indie pop rock group A Certain Symmetry was able to treat their fans to a 3 track teaser CD at one of their live performances back in June. The much anticipated full length release titled “Pursuit” will be released by the end of summer. The three songs that are featured on the teaser CD can currently be downloaded at the band’s myspace site. All three songs are plastered with great sounds, which makes me even more eager to hear what else the band has in store. I’m not going to throw out any comparisons to their sound, because I think they have some very original offerings which deserve full recognition. They write some great music, and I encourage you to give them a listen.

Listen to the song “Fwd: Re Our Appointment” by A Certain Symmetry:

The Official Website of A Certain Symmetry
Visit A Certain Symmetry at Myspace
Read the official blog of A Certain Symmetry

Another surprise to some of you is that I enjoy bluegrass music, a lot.  I have an extensive collection of really good, and really not so good bluegrass music.  And my collection keeps growing.  I’m happy to find a lot of excellent bluegrass music still being played and recorded to this day.  So from time to time I will share info about some of my long time faves as well as some bluegrass musicians I am newly aware of.

My first shout out is to a band in Atlanta Georgia which I discovered not too long ago.  They call themselves “The Barn Rats”.  A pretty awesome name for a good sounding bluegrass band, I must say.  This good ol’ fashion down home bluegrass sounding band has been playing together for quite some time, and it shows.  The band is made up of Scott Morgan on lead guitar and vocals, Jody Hughes (banjo, fiddle, guitar, mandolin, and vocals), Chuck Sitero (rhythm guitar and vocals), Todd Freeman (mandolin and lead vocals), and Justin Roberts on the upright bass fiddle.

Visit the official site of The Barn Rats at myspace to view some great videos of some of their live performances and to listen to some of their songs.

It’s the perfect time to experience the music of John Batdorf.  John truly knows he is Home Again, and there is no better place to be.  Anyone who appreciates good music must appreciate John Batdorf.  His energy driven vocals singing heartfelt lyrics, accompanied by perfect harmonic melodies are not to be forgotten.  John leaves a long lasting impression the very second his acoustic guitar is in his hands.

Longtime fans will know that John Batdorf’s journey began in 1970 with Mark Rodney, and they were known as “Batdorf and Rodney”.  They released a couple albums and gained a nice fan-base during the early 70s, John also being part of the group Silver.  Over the past 30 years he has been busy singing as well as songwriting for artists such as America and Kim Carnes.  You will even hear John singing background vocals for a variety of artists like The Jefferson Starship, Motley Crue, David Lee Roth, and James Lee Stanley.

He has released a CD with James Lee Stanley titled “All Wood And Stones” which is an acoustic focused album featuring Rolling Stones songs.  The most recent release is “Home Again” which is John’s latest solo work.  The songs are absolutely fantastic, and I highly recommend giving the album a good listen.

You can read a lot more about John at his website.  The website is very informative, so be sure to check it out.  You can listen to and buy albums and dvds at the site.

The Official Website of John Batdorf
Visit John Batdorf at Myspace

Some Upcoming Shows:

Jul 13 2007    The Coffee Mill – Clayton, North Carolina
Jul 14 2007    House Concert/Block Party – Open To The Public, Mt. Pleasant, SC
Jul 18 2007    Martin’s Downtown Bar and Grill – Roanoke, Virginia
Jul 21 2007    Carter Sinclair House Concert – Virginia Beach, Virginia
Jul 27 2007    International Pop Overthrow – Los Angeles, California
Jul 28 2007    Boulevard Music – Culver City, California
Jul 29 2007    “Circle of Friends” Fund Raiser – Santa Barbara, California
Jul 30 2007    BackStage Los Angeles – Chatsworth, California
Aug 03 2007    Minden Village Concert Series – Minden, Nevada
Aug 10 2007    Wood & Souls Concert Series – Costa Mesa, California
Aug 11 2007    Acoustic Music San Diego – San Diego, California
Sep 08 2007    Santa Barbara Acoustic Concert Series – Santa Barbara, California
Sep 15 2007    Casita Enguita House Concert – Lancaster, California
Sep 28 2007    Canal Street Tavern – Dayton, Ohio
Sep 29 2007    Kent Stage – Kent, Ohio
Oct 04 2007    Garfield House Concerts – Northville, Michigan
Oct 05 2007    Trinity House Theatre – Livonia, Michigan
Oct 06 2007    Pam Rossi Radio Show WCSX – Detroit, Michigan
Oct 06 2007    We Be Music Production Center – Cincinnati, Ohio
Apr 12 2008    Bodie House Concert Series – Agoura Hills, California

The next time you find yourself driving down that long, dark, and lonesome road, make sure you are listening to the music of Rocky Votolato.  Rocky has fantastic tunes which are perfect for those very mellow moments.  He has worked hard to get where he is today.  Rocky has worked with some of the best in the industry, and his latest “The Brag and Cuss” CD is proof of just that.  The collaboration of musicians is awesome.  You’ll find James McAllister on drums, Rick Steff (worked with Hank Williams Jr, and many more) on keys, Bill Herzog (Jesse Sykes) on bass, Casey Foubert (Pedro the Lion) on guitars and percussion.

Official website of Rocky Votolato
Rocky Votolato at Myspace

Upcoming Shows:

Jun 27 2007    Harper’s Ferry     Allston, Massachusetts
Jun 28 2007    Bowery Ballroom     New York, New York
Jun 29 2007     First Unitarian Church     Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Jul 10 2007    The Casbah     San Diego, California
Jul 12 2007    The Troubadour     West Hollywood, California
Jul 13 2007    Bottom Of The Hill     San Francisco, California
Jul 14 2007    The Holland Project     Reno, Nevada
Jul 15 2007    The Satellite Cocktail Lounge     Reno, Nevada
Jul 19 2007    Doug Fir Lounge     Portland, Oregon
Jul 20 2007    Hell’s Kitchen     Tacoma, Washington
Jul 21 2007    Rymar Studios     Bellingham, Washington
Aug 11 2007    Jackson Hall     Silverdale, Washington