Album Review: "Desert" by The Dead Tongues

The Dead Tongues released Desert on February 9
at The Cat's Cradle

Ryan Gustafson is a songwriter that I'd only heard of for years, but until Hopscotch 2012 I had never actively listened Gustafson.  Big mistake.  While I'm glad I made sure my first experience with the talented songwriter was a live show, I wish I'd hopped on the train earlier.  After releasing Donkey in 2009, Gustafson hopped around from notable projects like Max Indian, The Light Pines, and Mandolin Orange all the while working on instrumental tracks of his own under the moniker The Daughter Is Ambiguous.  However, 2013 marks the return of Gustafson's solo work, and this new Dead Tongues release is something truly special.  It's clear that Gustafson's break in songwriting allowed him to develop a sense of purpose within his songs, everything feels as raw and personal as it did on Donkey, but it feels far more dynamic than Gustafson's previous release.

Each track has a defining voice, driving the album down a road that contains many exciting peaks and curves, but ultimately arrives at the same comforting sense of sincerity that drew the listener in to begin with.  Ranging from alt-country anthems to expansive six minute tracks like "Milestone" that careen effortlessly through a wide-open musical pallet, Desert is a unique album that can truly connect with listeners through powerful lyrics and gorgeous instrumentation.

Gustafson's lyricism is something that can't be emphasized enough, while each song remains entirely enjoyable musically, the textures and feelings that are brought out through Gustafson's raw approach to songwriting is what makes The Dead Tongues the powerhouse they are.  Tracks like "Depression" boast a bouncy yet rustic approach both melodically and musically, but from the opening lines it's clear that this song contains much more than a catchy hook.  "I get in depression/Like you get into cars driving you home/Like she got into cutting/And I got into drinking on my own".  One of the joys of this album is that each song contains these lyrical gems, these moments where you feel like a veil has been lifted between you and the musicians and you can truly connect with their music.  Tracks like "The Desert" and "No Intentions" feel like sincere statements that can evoke the memories of a particular place or time, sonically they contain memorable melodies and lyrically they draw upon feelings of self reflection and aimlessness that many can immediately connect with.

Shakori Hills Spring Festival Line-up Announcement

Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival is from April 19-22, 2012
in Pittsboro, NC.  Tickets are $95 in advance for
a 4-day pass

We're just under a month away from one of the semi-annual highlights of living in North Carolina, Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival.  The four day festival of music, dance, art and much more  kicks off this spring on April 19 and lasts through April 22.  Pittsboro will once again be packed full of phenomenal local acts as well as promising up-starts from all over the nation.

Headlined by the legendary Leftover Salmon and filled with grassroots favorites like Donna The Buffalo and Greg Humphreys, Shakori Hills is going to be an absolutely magical weekend as per usual.  While the festival lacks the powerful draws that Fall 2011 did (with a phenomenal lineup including Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings as well as a reunited lineup of Bela Fleck & The Flecktones), the lineup more than makes up for that problem with the plethora of amazing local acts and swiftly rising touring bands.  Locals like Justin Robinson & The Mary Annettes, Midtown Dickens, Mandolin Orange, Bombadil, Holy Ghost Tent Revival, and The Beast are huge stand-outs amongst the lineup.

Locals aside, the festival is bringing in some familiar names like Dirty Bourbon River Show (an absolute powerhouse of a band from New Orleans bringing a unique blend of zydeco-swing with a bit of a carnival esque touch to it), Driftwood (the band that seemed to be on everyone's lips at the end of Fall Shakori last year), and Shakori mainstays with Donna The Buffalo.  Other touring acts that I'm already giddy with anticipation to check out include Rubblebucket (with a late-night Thursday set that's sure to kick the festival off with a bang), Elephant Revival, and Dark Water Rising.  The full lineup can be found after the jump.

Around The Triangle: The Big Picture BSS, Automatic For The Joshua Tree, Mandolin Orange, Wiley Hunter & The Cazadores

Birds & Arrows performing at Automatic For The Joshua
Tree @ Local 506 on Jan. 6, 2012

The year has just begun and shows continue to roll right along in the great tobacco state.  This edition of Around The Triangle includes the wrap-up of last years captures from Aggie with the Mandolin Orange Christmas show and Wiley Hunter & The Cazadores at Local Beer, Local Band, as well as our first Bottom String Session of 2012 with The Big Picture (featuring the always awesome Tunnell brothers).  Cap that off with some pictures of last weeks REM/U2 cover show with shots of Birds & Arrows, Magnolia Collective, and much more.  Check out all of the aforementioned media after the jump and welcome to the new year!

Bottom String Session #15 - Mandolin Orange

This session kicks off what was a powerhouse of a weekend for The Bottom String.  We filmed three new sessions, filmed a brand new piece called You Should Know with Gross Ghost, as well as covered The Sea and Cake and Bombadil release show.  Amidst all of the running around Chapel Hill this weekend, some of the best footage I've filmed so far was captured, including some of this excellent session with Mandolin Orange.

Mandolin Orange was the first band I ever attempted to film over a year ago when they stopped through my town of New Bern for a breath taking set in one of the finest venues I've ever gotten the chance to be a part of, the old Broad Street Music space.  It was then that my adoration for this band began and it has only blossomed since then.  Andrew Marlin was kind enough to let myself and Agatha Donkar in to shoot for not only this Mandolin Orange session, but a Sinful Savage Tigers session on his back patio as well (which will be up later in the week).

Mandolin Orange was joined by an array of talented local musicians for this session including Seth Barden on upright bass from Sinful Savage Tigers, Josh Oliver (formerly of The Everybodyfields), as well as Josh Moore. We got one Mandolin Orange original and two classic covers that ended up becoming glorious jams.  Unfortunately the camera shit out on me for an excellent cover of "The Long Black Veil", but alas technology can't always be perfect.  Check out all of the videos plus some excellent photos from Agatha after the jump.

Around The Triangle: Week of October 3

Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks @ Haw River Ballroom
on October 1, 2011

There's been an abundance of incredible acts stopping through the Triangle lately, so much it's almost become rather daunting.  Within a week of each other Fleet Foxes and Wilco both graced the stage of Raleigh Amphitheater (Fleet Foxes in an absolute downpour has become my favorite show I've ever attended) as well as numerous local powerhouses making waves as well.  Our photographer Agatha Donkar has been here, there, and everywhere as well and this week we'll both be out at Shakori capturing Bottom String Sessions and photos of some of the incredible acts that will be playing throughout the weekend.  Below are Agatha's shots from the Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks show at Haw River Ballroom and from Mandolin Orange's big album release show at The Cat's Cradle:

The full sets of Agatha's photos can be found over at her photoblog

The Bottom String's Hopscotch Day Party Schedule

Hopscotch is just over a week away and quite frankly I'm finding it hard to contain my excitement for the whole thing.  The festival has been dropping LPs off at random locations in downtown Raleigh, continually having Day Party announcements and even had a few names drop and get added to the lineup a few weeks ago (The Light Pines being the most disappointing loss for me), so the excitement and hype is all finally going to be coming to a head when next week's festivities kick off on Thursday.  Thursday recently had Day Parties added onto it with an insane amount of music going on at Sadlack's Heroes, a 307 Knox hosted show with the likes of Pink Flag, and a Raleigh Denim/Flander's Gallery show highlighted by a Gray Young appearance.  Hop around town on Thursday if you're free to catch some of these awesome free sets to get you pumped up for the night's festivities.

Mandolin Orange announce new double album + Cat's Cradle release show

Haste Make | Hard-Hearted Stranger by Mandolin Orange
will be released on September 24, 2011

Mandolin Orange dropped a bomb on us today when they announced not only that they'd be having an album release party at The Cat's Cradle on September 24, 2011 but also that it was for a brand new double album that they'd be putting out.  Mandolin Orange is a folk-duo that's been on the cusp of something big for the better part of a year now, this release can have the power to thrust them into the limelight of the Carolina music scene right where they belong.  The band will be playing at Hopscotch Music Festival in Raleigh this September as well as announcing more CD release dates throughout the state including Wilmington, Asheville, and Charlotte.

Haste Make | Hard-Hearted Stranger, the new double album from Mandolin Orange was recorded over the span of the past year with Haste Make being recorded with Jeff Crawford and James Wallace in Winter 2010/2011 at Arbor Ridge Studios and Arbor Ridge Studios West in Chapel Hill and Franklin, NC respectively, produced by Jeff Crawford and Mandolin Orange.  Hard-Hearted Stranger was recorded in the summer of 2011 at Rubber Room Studios in Chapel Hill and features only Andrew and Emily, produced by Andrew himself.