Album Review: "Fortescue EP" by The Charming Youngsters

"Fortescue" was released on April 25, 2011 and is
available for purchase on Bandcamp

The Charming Youngsters are a band from Greenville, NC that's come from the humblest of beginnings in their bedrooms and attics, but their latest EP entitled, "Fortescue" shows the development that the band has had over the years.  In comparison to their "Famous For Something Magical" EP, the band has got a much more fully developed sound and seems to have finally found a niche to fit into with their music, filling the listener's ears with infectious melodies and catchy hooks.  The EP was recorded last winter in Altamont Studios in Asheville and the band will be releasing a special limited edition version of their EP on cassette for their show on Friday, May 6 at Motorco in Durham, NC when the band will be playing with Annuals and Oulipo.

Back in March The Charming Youngsters joined me for a special Bottom String Session from Spazzfest in their hometown of Greenville, NC.  Nolan talked a bit about the recording of this EP, their songwriting process, and joined the rest of the band to play two songs for their Bottom String Session.

Hear Here: Week of May 2

A new month and a new week of great shows.  April saw some awesome acts come through the state, but May packs an even heavier punch with some North Carolina favorites stopping through the state, whether it be Lost in the Trees or The Old Ceremony stopping through the Cat's Cradle in a few weeks or even indie powerhouses Interpol when they come to Disco Rodeo this week.  But first and foremost is this week's awesome shows, we've got two album releases and loads of great stuff in between.

Show of the Week: Phosphorescent w/ Family Band @ Kings Barcade in Raleigh, NC

Album Review: "Pretty Money" by Jack the Radio

"Pretty Money" was released on April 26, 2011

Jack the Radio is the brainchild of A.C. Hill and George Hage, who met at NC State University. It began as a side project back in 2005 between the two when they were roommates, but it soon faded in favor of other interests. Hill and Hage have recently revived the project, adding more members and a fresh focus. Jack the Radio sounds like country indie funk, somehow seamlessly mixing the genres into something unique. “Pretty Money” is their debut album, showcasing their amazing dynamic as a band.

The Bottom String Session w/ Langhorne Slim

Photo by Kathryn Friedman

At Shakori Hills we sat down with two artists for Bottom String Sessions.  BSS #8 was an acoustic performance from Stephen and Kevin from Holy Ghost Tent Revival (which can be found here on our Youtube channel), but on Friday we sat down with Langhorne Slim for an interview and acoustic session.  Braving the cold weather and rain, Langhorne talked a bit about his upcoming releases, touring, and a couple of prime North Carolina acts and venues.

Before the interview though Langhorne performed a brand new song called "Leander Apple" which can also be found on the Youtube channel or beneath the interview below

Hear Here: Week of April 25

Last week was huge for North Carolina, with Shakori Hills popping off and the gigantic announcement that Hopscotch dropped with their headliners of The Flaming Lips, Guided by Voices, The Dodos, and much more (check out the full lineup here), but this week offers some exciting bits of it's own.  Some big names like Peter, Bjorn, and John are stopping through the Triangle, Smith Westerns are stopping in at Kings, and Valient Thorr is throwing a 10th anniversary show.

Show of the Week: Smith Westerns w/ Unknown Mortal Orchestra @ Kings Barcade on Friday, April 29

Show Review: Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival

Shakori Hills Grassroots Music & Dance Festival was held
in Pittsboro, NC from April 21-24

Though the rain poured down on Friday, leaving Shakori a muddy mess for the weekend, the music shined throughout the festival brighter than imaginable. This was my first Shakori Hills and it certainly won't be my last, with every new act I saw I was finding a new band I'd want to delve into, and that's what you're looking for in a festival, isn't it?  Rain or shine there were fans standing outside and watching the festivities, it's a sign of the positive vibes flowing through the air at Shakori, and those vibes were present from day one.

Instead of giving a day by day update on who did what, when, where, and how, I'll be giving you a list of some of the outstanding artists I got to check out throughout the weekend and which ones stuck out the most.

The Flaming Lips, Guided By Voices, and more to play Hopscotch Music Festival

The Flaming Lips will be headlining the 2nd
Hopscotch Music Festival in Raleigh, NC

Hopscotch Music Festival announced their lineup on midnight Tuesday night, and with names like The Flaming Lips, Guided By Voices, The Dodos, Superchunk, and much more, they've proved that this year is a whole new ballgame.    Tickets will go on sale at 10:00 am on Wednesday, April 20 and tickets will range from $155 VIP Passes to $32/$34 for Friday/Saturday night City Plaza shows.  Tickets are $105 for an all-show wristband and $65 for only club shows.

The City Plaza show lineup is as followed: