Robyn Hitchock is one of my all time favorite musicians. His green tinted acoustic based LPs (EYE, I Often Dream of Trains and the somewhat more recent, Spooked) always find their way onto my record player when the leaves start changing colors.

‘Atmospheric’ is how the man himself described them to me during an interview back before a gig in Hoboken, NJ, over a decade ago. They are like old friends: spare and acoustic, but always revealing something new with each listen. They distill the best of Barrett, Lennon and Dylan through Hitchcock’s own surreal worldview.

The post Cynthia Mask: music by Robyn Hitchcock appeared first on Lost At E Minor: For creative people.

Whatever happened to good old fashioned jam-sessions and chilled acoustic music? It’s all over at Watch Listen Tell. Watch Listen Tell, based in England, records bands performing acoustic versions of their songs. From names like Bombay Bicycle Club, Lucy Rose, Two Door Cinema Club and Young the Giant, they will easily soak up hours of your time, and even more of your internet.

The post Watch Listen Tell: a series of acoustic sets by indie bands appeared first on Lost At E Minor: For creative people.

Everybody loves an awkward, bearded introvert. Let’s just be grateful for that moment when Keaton Henson broke from his shell and opened his mouth to sing. Henson’s lyrics are vulnerably honest and his muffled voice with his guitar make for a beautiful listen.

The post Keaton Henson: the bearded introvert singer appeared first on Lost At E Minor: For creative people.

Carolina Chocolate Drops are the best live acoustic group I’ve seen in a long time. Their sound is roots country and blues music with banjo, dobro, fiddle, jug playing and foot stomping. Singer Rhiannon Giddens is radiant, one of the most charismatic performers I’ve ever seen, and her voice is transcendent and beautiful. Along with co founder Dom Flemons, this group showcase the best elements of early (African) American music. But be warned: listening to a CD will pale in comparison to the power of these guys live.

The post Carolina Chocolate Drops: roots country and blues music appeared first on Lost At E Minor: For creative people.

Slow Wolf have their bodies in London and their heads in a distant country. With three Scots and a partially devolved English rhythm section, they range from intimate acoustic sets to a stomping full band. Definitely one to watch.

The post Slow Wolf: new music out of London appeared first on Lost At E Minor: For creative people.

Paris-based Thomas Straub has worked as a photographer in advertising for the past fifteen years, with client including Piaget, De Beers, Yves Saint Laurent and Hennessy.

The post Thomas Straub appeared first on Lost At E Minor: For creative people.

Don’t be fooled: The Middle East actually hail from Queensland, Australia, where their mini-album, The Recordings Of The Middle East, was originally self released 2008 before the always hip record label Spunk re-issued it with new packaging and a new tracklisting in 2009. Next up for the band are their first shows ever on American soil at this year’s SXSW Music Festival in Austin in March.
[audio:http://get.mysw.ag/private/the_middle_east/blood.mp3]

The post The Middle East appeared first on Lost At E Minor: For creative people.

Flashguns are a killer British trio who just survived a break-up following the recent departure of keyboard player, Oliver Wright. I’m delighted the guys chose to run strong as a three-piece and recorded some acoustic sessions on the road while supporting Bombay Bicycle Club’s UK tour. Before you watch Samuel Johnston’s interesting van acoustic version of their single, I Don’t Not Love You, I suggest you listen to the studio version and Lagos Boys Choir remix [below] to get a feel for the track’s full glory.
[audio:http://welikeitindie.com/music/flashguns3.mp3]

The post Flashguns’ I Don’t Not Love You acoustic van version appeared first on Lost At E Minor: For creative people.

I saw Norwegian duo Kings of Convenience play the other week in New York. As a long time fan of the group, this was a much anticipated show. And while I was a little disappointed that they opened the set playing their entire new album — Declaration of Dependence — from beginning to end (which no one had been able to hear yet), and not any of their earlier material, there were some truly beautiful songs amongst it all that have quickly become oft-repeated favorites. At the top of that list is this typically wistful and melancholic track, 24-25.
[audio:http://www.michaelbeijer.com/image/sb/Kings%20Of%20Convenience%20-%2024-25.mp3]

The post Kings of Convenience’s 24-25 appeared first on Lost At E Minor: For creative people.

A former bare-knuckle boxer from Yorkshire, England (for real), Findlay Brown was heralded by many as the UK’s answer to Jose Gonzales when his debut album, Separated By The Sea, was released on Peacefrog Records in 2007. Love Will Find You moves beyond his earlier folk sound to a more ambitious — and soulful — place. Produced by Bernard Butler (Suede), the album features songs that are lush and intimate, influenced as much by Phil Spector and Ennio Morricone as by Roy Orbison or The Beatles. The album came together while Brown was stuck on his sister’s couch nursing a broken leg, having been run over by a cab driver: ‘I’d already started going back and listening to a lot of records I’d grown up on, like Elvis Presley, soul music, doo wop, Phil Spector, The Righteous Brothers and the like. I had an idea about making a modern record influenced by the songwriting of the late 50s and early 60s. I just started writing, trying to work out what made a universally great song, like Stand By Me. These new songs are the first part of that process’. You can download his new single, Holding Back The Night, for free in our Music Download section.
[audio:http://www.girlieaction.com/findlaybrown/sounds/holdingback.mp3]

The post Findlay Brown’s Love You Will Find You appeared first on Lost At E Minor: For creative people.

Seattle band Fleet Foxes create such delicate, seductive and soulful music that you kinda want to pick up a guitar again, dust off the rusty strings, and see if any of their heartfelt, introspective magic rubs off. Quick disclaimer: it doesn’t.

The post Fleet Foxes’ play Oliver James live in Chicago appeared first on Lost At E Minor: For creative people.

We featured Nouvelle Vague frontman, Marc Collin’s Secret Playlist recently, so we thought it would be a good time to check in with him on the eve of the band’s Unplugged Australian tour, which will see them play shows in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane in mid-December. As a child of the 80s, I love your covers from that era. Is there a song that you wouldn’t cover? ‘No, I think that every song can be reinvented. It’s only a matter of having the right idea for arrangements, vocalist, production, and so on’. How did you manage you make the Yazoo song Don’t Go sound so damn sultry? ‘It was fun! I asked Gerald Toto to play the chords and sing the melody,thinking of how Jose Feliciano could have done it in the late 60s, and it happened. It is a magical moment when your ideas suddenly become real’. Do you find audiences singing along loudly to the music you play now wherever you perform? ‘It’s always good when the audience is singing. It brings us energy and shows us that they know the albums. Also, we can see which songs are the favourites’.

The post Nouvelle Vague go unplugged. Again appeared first on Lost At E Minor: For creative people.

Firekites, from small town Australia (Newcastle to be exact), are my new musical obsession, and have been since early yesterday when their song Autumn Story randomly burst into my headphones and latched itself deep into my inner ear iPod. I wish they’d been around when I last lived in Sydney; it would have been well worth the two hour drive north to see them play. The whole album (The Bowery) is beautiful, but this song especially rings out with poignancy. I love the subtle sound of the fingers sliding across the guitar frets, the gently whispered vocals, which hint at secrets and cheeky serenades, and the sense of soulful introspection that tangles itself elegantly amongst its minor chord tapestry.

[audio:AutumnStory.mp3]

The post Firekites’ Autumn Story appeared first on Lost At E Minor: For creative people.

Rob Dickinson, former frontman of highly influential British band Catherine Wheel, is set to re-release his debut solo album, Fresh Wine For The Horses. The album will be released as a two disc set on June 10 with one new song, End Of The World. The bonus disc will contain six acoustic versions of classic Catherine Wheel songs. From a conversation with Venus on My Name Is Love, to the whimsical heartbreak of Oceans, to the emotional highs of Towering and Flowering, Dickinson’s Fresh Wine for The Horses bristles with romance but still keeps its manly charm. Says Dickinson of the recording: ‘This record is about recognizing and accepting the sometimes ugly truth. It’s about love, devotion and enlightenment’. Dickinson’s Resurrection Part II came after the unfortunate dissolution of the record company that first released this stunning album. Handpicked by legendary producer Bob Ezrin of Pink Floyd, Kiss, Lou Reed (and Catherine Wheel) fame, Fresh Wine For The Horses was presented to Universal Records on a silver platter, and the second chance given to the album begins a new chapter for the audacious performer.

The post Rob Dickinson’s Fresh Wine For The Horses appeared first on Lost At E Minor: For creative people.

Oh man, what I wouldn’t give to be able to sing like Neil Finn. His voice rasps with all the sincerity and integrity of a thousand heartfelt melodies. Heck, I’d probably trade my prized collection of Archie comics for just the chorus on this song. Driving Me Mad? You betcha(dupa). This man is a treasure. Bow low indeed.

The post Neil Finn’s Driving Me Mad appeared first on Lost At E Minor: For creative people.

Hooray! Scottish troubadour Malcolm Middleton is touring Australia and we have double passes to his shows in Sydney [May 8], Melbourne [May 9] and Brisbane [May 10] to giveaway.

To win one, just be the first reader in one of those destinations to leave a message under this post. It’s as simple as that! First in, best dressed. Oh, and we’ll throw in a copy of his Sleigh of Heart EP for each winner as well.

The post Malcolm Middleton ticket giveaway appeared first on Lost At E Minor: For creative people.

There was a lot of fuss about former Arab Strap frontman Malcolm Middleton’s recent single, We’re All Going to Die, and the timing of its release around Christmas. We asked him if it was a publicity stunt, a reality check, a coincidence, or all three wrapped up into a two minute fifty slice of classic, introspective pop. ‘It wasn’t a publicity stunt I’m afraid. That would imply that I cared about publicity. It was simply a joke that got taken out of hand and then avalanched a bit. I’m glad it only got to number 31 over here as it could have ruined the nice little rut of miserablism that I’ve carved for myself. Ho-ho-ho!’ Four Cigarettes has been played over and over on my Ipod. A wonderful track. Do you recall writing it and then playing it for someone the first time? ‘I remember writing it and then immediately recording a pretty detailed demo the same day, including all the string and brass parts. The demo is slightly rockier, with louder choruses and distorted guitars. I felt it need softening a bit though. I can’t remember playing it to anyone. I tend to work in a vacuum’. Has it been a challenge moving away from the sound you created so successfully with Arab Strap? Though there are parallels to be drawn obviously. ‘It hasn’t been a challenge — more like fun. I now get to do all the bits that were good in Arab Strap but also stuff that I like without having to compromise or fight about it. I miss being in the band, though we did end it at the right time’ Does Australia [where he's about to tour] hold fond memories for you? If so, which part in particular? ‘I played on a boat in Sydney harbor in 2002 with Mogwai, Arab Strap, Machine Translations and myself. That was good fun. Most memories involve alcohol fueled youthful jet-lag. I’ll hopefully make some more memories like that, except without the youthful, of course’.

Malcolm Middleton’s new EP, Sleight Of Heart, is out now on Pod through Inertia. Malcolm will be touring Australia between 7th and 10th of May.

The post Malcolm Middleton’s down to his last cigarettes appeared first on Lost At E Minor: For creative people.

We’re big fans of Texas-based group, Midlake, whose melodic indie-rock is deliciously produced. We interviewed guitarist Eric Pulido. There was a pretty big shift in sound between the first album and [new album] The Trials…, the latter being much more mellow, acoustic-based. What brought on the change? ‘We started getting influenced by bands and artists of the 70s folk era, such as Fleetwood Mac, Neil Young, CSNY, Jethro Tull, Jimmie Spheeris, and so on. We were always aware of those bands, but not as immersed in the sound. While for the first album we were listening to bands like Grandaddy and The Flaming Lips, to name a couple, for the second album we switched gears, and so did our sound’. Whatever the shift, you’ve seen far greater success with it. Was the comparatively quiet response after the first album constructive for you guys? ‘Well, we got right to work on the second album after we toured briefly on the first. It was motivating to get back to recording because we felt like we hadn’t quite found the sound we wanted on the first album. Even though we’re still striving for better songs and sounds, we feel like we’re evolving and hopefully getting better’.

The post Midlake appeared first on Lost At E Minor: For creative people.

Empty Bottles was the first track by Santa Cruz songwriter Reed KD where I really felt like I was getting a sense for him as a lyricist. The song is a synergy of so many beautiful elements: from the bittersweet words to the subtle sweep of the acoustic picking. I asked him if he remembered writing it and the reaction he got the first time he played it to someone: ‘At the time I wrote Empty Bottles, I was living in an old garden shed that had been turned into a studio. There was a gap between the roof and the walls so that you could see outside while in bed in the loft. The bed sat on top of the bathroom and the kitchen doubled as a living room — or my recording space. Besides the bugs that came in through the gaps, and the neighbor’s cat that would climb in through my screenless skylight, I was living alone. However, this place more than made up for its lack of integrity with charm. When I first played Empty Bottles for my closest friends, it seemed like they were a little surprised. I’m typically very shy, so being outspokenly intimate probably seemed uncharacteristic of me. Paraphrased, I’d say their typical response was, “Really?!. That’s so sad. But I really like it. Is that an accordion?!” Ha ha …’ Would you describe your songwriting as confessional, or do you more project into other people’s lives to form your lyrics? ‘Hmmm … I’d say that many of the songs on The Ashes Bloom are loosely, but sometimes rigidly, based around autobiographical happenings’. You Can Call Me is a big diversion from the rest of the material on the album — if only for the classic synth pop feel (long live The Cars!) A pointer for the next album perhaps? ‘Yikes … This is a deceptively complicated question for me. I’ve been working on a few electro-pop songs, some boot stompin’ hand clappers, some ambient songs. I hate to be vague, but I’m still a fan of the idea of covering myself in body paint and throwing myself on the canvas to see what feels good’.

Listen to the Reed KD song, Empty Bottles.

[audio:http://scrink.com/blog/music/reedkd-emptybottles.mp3]

The post Reed KD appeared first on Lost At E Minor: For creative people.

Formerly of Arab Strap, Scottish songwriter Malcolm Middleton sings with all the integrity and smoky purity of someone who has spent way too much time puffing away in the back corner of a sketchy Dundee pub. Four Cigarettes is a devastating track – sparse in the verses, lush in the choruses, and majestically organic in the delivery. I discovered it quite by accident on a wet New York morning whilst working away at a Soho cafe. It kinda shimmied into my headphones, the crackling wickedness of Middleton’s Scottish lilt ripping me straight out of my cappuccino induced haze. ‘Oh man!’, I thought to myself. ‘This is the greatest song most people will never know about’. Until now. Well, for a few of us anyway.

Listen to Malcolm Middleton’s track, Four Cigarettes.

[audio:http://www.antichri.st/share/Malcolm_Middleton-A_Brighter_Beat-%28Advance%29-2007-ESC/07-malcolm_middleton-four_cigarettes.mp3]

The post Four Cigarettes appeared first on Lost At E Minor: For creative people.