Born of the legendary Muscle Shoals, Alabama, music scene and boasting contributions from local luminaries John Paul White, Dylan LeBlanc, Thad Saajid, and The Pollies, Pond Diver’s debut EP Flashbacks is a promising entry in the region’s deep and eclectic musical canon.
After six years and three albums as part of Brasher/Bogue, Andy Brasher is going solo again with his first outing in 14 years, Myna Bird — from which opening track “21” is premiering on Billboard today (Jan. 15).
“It was terrifying at first, actually, because it was a big change, and our band was doing really well,” Brasher, who released his previous solo set in 2006, tells Billboard, referencing the duo’s history opening for the likes of Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw and others. “But I just had the pull to get out of the duo thing and start focusing on my own vision and what I wanted to write again. Even though it was scary, it felt like the right thing to do.”
Listen to this week’s State of the Art Spotify playlist featuring:
Church Girls – Nothing
Charly Bliss – Supermoon
Emby Alexander – Arabesque (Wet Rusting God)
Danny Brown, Run the Jewels – 3 Tearz
Homeboy Sandman – Far Out
The Exbats – I Got Fights
Agnostic Front – Anti-Social
Lindy Vision – Handshakes
Brittany Howard – Georgia
StarBenders – Holy Mother
The Growlers – Try Hard Fool
Ricardo Dias Gomes, Star Rover – Chocolate Moon
Pet Shop Boys – Burning the heather (radio edit)
TRASHCLUB – It’s so Bad
Guided By Voices – Street Party
Tsutro, Natalie Nicoles – Al the Good Parts
Wanderwild – In Repeat
SebastiAn, Charlotte Gainsbourg – Pleasant
Wax Fang – California
Big Nothing – Monday Morning
Slow Mass – Mal
Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra, Fionna Apple – Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me
Michael Kiwanuka – You Ain’t the Problem
Chromatics – You’re no Good
Turnover – Much After Feeling
Nikki Jean, Lupe Fiasco – Mr Clean
Locobeach – The Devil is a Charmer
Caribou – Home
The Districts – Hey Jo
Run River North – Monsters
Brother Ali, Talib Kweli – De La Kufi
Mayhem – The Dying False King
Or check out the YouTube Playlist:
Listen to this week’s Captain Americana Spotify playlist featuring:
The Little Miss – A Week into New Year’s Resolutions
Mail the Horse – Pitch and Haw (Baby Robot Records)
Lowlight – NYE (Telegraph Hill Records)
Nikki & the Phantom Callers – They’ve Never Walked Through Shadows
Metric – Dark Saturday – Dirt Road Edition
Shane Palko – Metamorphosis of a Dream
Trampled By Turtles – Ooh La La (Faces / Rod Stewart cover)
Alan Barnosky – Lonesome Road
John Prine – The Ways of a Woman in Love (Thirty Tigers)
Phoebe Hunt – November
John Moreland – Harder Dreams
Jen Starsinic – Picture in a Frame
Saw Black – Christmas in the Background
Jeff Crosby – Northstar
Sarah Peacock – Burn the Witch
Phoebe Hunt – December Again
Katie Pruitt – Out of the Blue (Rounder Records)
William Prince – Always Have What We Had
Dan Reeder – Stay Down, Man (Thirty Tigers)
Anna Ash – Stalemate
Nathaniel Rateliff – And It’s Still Alright
Drew Young – Try Me
Zoolux – Golden Gun Blues (Blind Owl)
Deap Lips, Deap Vally, Flaming Lips – Hope Hell High
Corey Kent – Hold Up
The Dead South – Diamond Ring
Darling West – Hey There
The Mastersons – No Time For Love Songs
Mountain Man – You and I (Wilco cover)
Possessed By Paul James – Be at Rest
Maggie Rose – Pull You Through
Foy Vance – Malibu Jane
Or check out the YouTube Playlist:
The story of Bee Appleseed sounds like a fable: a tumultuous youth spent in Oregon; three years as a vagabond musician subsisting via “divine channels” as he trekked to some 50 countries; friends old and new helping him push forward his psychedelic folk-rock; a life-changing encounter with a Native American shaman; and, finally, making Los Angeles the home base for his ministrations. READ MORE…
Americana band Pond Diver is here to remind you of the truth. With a new song called “Look Around,” premiering today on American Songwriter, lead singer Daniel Lewey beacons you through the sands of time.