From The Vault Part 5: Jared Mees and the Grown Children – 2010 Tour EP

Cover Art by Santiago Uceda

If you fine readers will allow it, I am about to go full blown obscure on your asses. The album (and show) I am about to tell you about was technically “reviewed” at Fensepost.com way back in 2010. The album is just a touring EP that provided a great sample to one of my favorite albums of all time, Only Good Thoughts Can Stay, which I already covered. And I actually did review the show at Fensepost as well, both of these still live on the Internet. But, with this rejuvenation of TWS, I feel like I need to tell the story in a new way. Also, I am just such a huge fan of Jared Mees and everything he has done in his lifetime that I will use any excuse I can to write about him. So here we go!

So, back in 2010 I went to see one of my favorite bands at a burrito bar. Yes, that is how this story is going to start. Spokane Washington in all of its hopes to be more like a couple of different cities on the other side of the Cascades houses an intentionally tiny bar that is attached to a burrito, both of which are connected to a motel. That’s just how they do things around there. It is what some show goers would call “intimate”. The type of place where you could have 15 people in attendance and it would appear to be a “good turn out”. I honestly and truly loved this venue for this reason alone.

So I arrived at the bar a bit early to grab a burrito and gear up for some great tunes, but not without first taking a quick smoke break. And there he was! Well, I honestly didn’t fully recognize the man I had been listening to consistently for the last two years, until he asked if he could bum a smoke. As I was obliging, that was when it hit me. Jared Fucking Mees was standing right there asking me to aid him in his journey towards lung cancer (Actually, he made a point to let me know that it was just a the occasional drag on tour, but you get the joke). But the hipster king had fooled me gravely when he was without his signature (or so I thought) cluttered and bushy facial hair. I was shocked! Could this be? A musician from Portland, Oregon in 2010 with NO BEARD?? What a revolutionary this guy was!

But in all honesty, this became an amazing experience. We chatted a bit about the other side of the Cascades where I am from and he currently resides. We talked about Spokane and how much potential the city could have if it were better located, but how it makes a great little pit stop on certain tours. He also gave me a tour of their very cool Tender Loving Empire van/mini bus/camper thing and introduced me to the rest of the band and just shared a few laughs and bits of small talk and I was feeling like a fucking Make A Wish Kid meeting Spider Man! Now, I am perfectly aware that the idea of getting amped about meeting a touring indie folk band that was to perform in a tiny burrito with the same excitement one would with hanging out with Keith Richards or something is probably pretentious and/or sad. But, fuck that. I love great music. I’m not concerned with what level an artists is on, if they are creating magic, I am going to worship the shit out of them. And Jared Mees has amassed a damn good following and has managed to be able to remain creative as a profession. Which is

And magic is what they definitely brought! The band rocked the old dried salsa lining the walls of this place. There was not a disappointed face in the crowd (I know, I was searching for one). They played some of the new tracks from their then upcoming album, as well as a great selection from their previous album Caffeine, Alcohol, Sunshine Money, and I became giddy to hear “Tallest Building In Hell” in person. It was just a down right beautiful experience, and definitely lives on as one of my favorite show going experiences I have ever had. And definitely the best I had experienced in the city of Spokane.

Me and The Man!

And when it was all over, there was a feeling of deep sadness. My show was over, but theirs had to go on. We shook some hands, took a photo, and moved on with our lives. I eventually covered the show as a professional, but there was no real way to convey how important their work was to me and how thrilled I was that this night happened. Therefore I am very excited to be able to finally find the nerve to it now. And when Jared handed me the 2010 Tour EP, I left Cloud 9 and shot up to 11. And I know for a fact (thanks to iTunes) I burned through each of these 5 tracks at 100 times each before Only Good Thoughts Can Stay was finally released. This EP is a complete embodiment of the idea of physical reminders that I have spoken of previously in this series. I will never let this one go. Also, I do have to mention that the version of “Shake” that was used for this EP is a bit stripped down from the one that appeared on the LP, and while I love them both, I find myself a bit more passionate about the stripped down version. But, that’s just my love for acoustic guitar sounds.

So there you have it! My bit of geeking for you all! I’m honestly not certain if you can get this EP anywhere, as it was obviously a promotional tool. But, Tender Loving Empire is still alive and thriving in the City of Roses. If you have been following this series, you may recall my writings about Gratitillium, which was a TLE release. And I have covered and loved many other releases they have put out into the world, including the AMAZING group known as Y La Bamba. Seriously can’t say enough great things about them. So, head on over to the Tender Loving Empire website to to check out more!

Oh and check these out! A few shots I took at the show:

From The Vault Part 4: Tha Dogg Pound – Cali Iz Active

I absolutely love hip hop music. Even more specifically, I love west coast hip hop. I actually many forms of the art that is hip hop, but old school west coast hip hop will always hold a very special place in my heart. As I grow older, I do find myself becoming more immersed in the “alternative hip hop”. In fact, acts that I have covered here at Trainwreck’d Society (Bodi, Cas One, Sleep, Sadistik, etc.) are probably a bit more “conscious” (what the fuck does that really mean, anyway?) than the great Kurupt Young Gotti, Daz Dillinger, and Big Snoop Dogg. But, god dammit if I don’t appreciate them all that they are. This is why I still have a place in my heart for the 2006 one off comeback of Tha Dogg Pound that had me banging in my Toyota Corolla like a motherfucking boss for all of 2006, and is still a staple in the Vault that I don’t believe I will ever be able to let go of any time soon.

West Coast hip hop in the early to mid-90’s definitely reigned supreme during its time. It was just a strange contrast to what everyone typically knew as hip hop. It’s definitely false to say that it was “better”, it was just different. It was a sound that took the smooth flow of a group like De La Soul, but spoke just as rough and raw as a Rakim. It was a sound that felt as soaked in sun as the folks who were putting the music out did. N.W.A. led the way in bringing the reality of the street life to the mainstream, but it was their followers that truly laid the framework for what could be known as the West Coast Hip Hop. I actually like refer to them as Dre’s Kids. When Dr. Dre released The Chronic in 1992, nothing would ever be the same. From that point on we were introduced to the likes of Kurupt, Daz, Nate Dogg, DJ Quick, etc. Also we can’t forget about the associated G Funk Era with folks like Warren G, The Twinz, and The Dove Shack. What a fucking time to be alive, that’s all I’m sayin’. I mean, was like 8 or 9 years old, so I don’t entirely know, but you know what I mean. Although I will say that I was listening to these dynamic records only shortly after they were released, yet were still very relevant and mostly current.

So, it is safe to say that I have always been infatuated with West Coast hip hop, and more specifically, Tha Dogg Pound. And if I really had to get more specific, Kurupt Young Gotti. I have long considered Kurupt to be one of the greatest lyricists. Now, I’m not going to sit here like a fucking MacBook Warrior and say that Kurupt is some kind of poet. Because a poet he is not. But in the world of hip hop, there is so much more that goes into creating and disturbing lyrics. And Kurupt knew (still does actually!) how to fucking RHYME. He may not be Shakespeare, but I do believe he is the Shakespeare of the West Coast Hip Hop sound (which ironically might have something to do with his east coast roots? Maybe). At the very least, he has been pretty under appreciated for what he has given to the world of hip hop. But, that’s another story.

So now that I have spent enough time evading actually talking about the album Cali Iz Active itself, I guess I will get into it. In all reality, this album is not that great. It does have some great bars from Kurupt and Daz, and also Snoop is in there every once in a while. You get a bit of that old school feel, but basically not enough. But, you have to remember what hip hop was like around the time that this album was released. It is most obvious when you notice guest appearances from the likes of Paul Wall and David Banner. In the world of hip hop around that time, they were the type to run the show. So, it pretty much made sense that Dawg Pound would feel the need to be somewhat relevant and bring some of these people on board. And an appearance from Diddy might be symbolic reminder that the beef shit has been long and over. But I will have to say with all honesty that these were the low points. Especially in contrast to the high points, whiter there were a few, I promise you. Highlights would have to be the single by the same name “Cali Iz Active” that kicks off the album and was obviously meant to be the highlight. Other less obvious highlights are actually the tracks where they almost bring the whole thing back to the old school. Kurupt is at his best on “Keep It Gangsta”, and dammit was it great to hear Lady Of Rage again! And “It’s All Hood” brought us back to the old school with a great appearance from Ice Cube and what felt like Snoop Dogg doing his best Kurupt impression, which was something entirely different from his normal swagger rap but ultimately enjoyable.

In the end, this was just a fun album that I always want to hold on to. Also a great friend of mine gave it to me for my 21st birthday, which was so unexpected that I remain grateful. And the friend in question was actually a guy who was teaching me all about hip hop in the south, especially the stuff that was all the rage at that time. I will admit that it never real sunk in with me. And at the same time I was trying to legitimize West Coast hip hop to this dude from Atlanta, which I don’t think it really sunk it with him either. But, it was a mutual love and respect. So, it’s not the greatest bit of symbolism, but I like it. And that’s all that matters.

You can buy this album on the internet.

From The Vault Part 3: The Young Immortals – When History Meets Fictions

Get ready for story time boys and girls, because this is going to be a good one. Well, I guess good is a subjective descriptor. But, here we go.

The story of how I came across this album has many ups, a few lows, but eventually has a happy ending, I think. And just to forewarn everyone, I don’t actually have much to say about the album itself. It’s not bad. It’s some hardcore press play pop punk that is heavily distorted with somewhat whiny vocals that were probably 6-8 years too late to really have an impact. That’s about all I have to say about the actual content of the album. I do know that I as hear it while I am typing these words, I am reminiscent as fuck, and sometimes that is fun.

I am not entirely certain of how I came across The Young Immortals. But, I clearly remember the time period. It was 2007. I was a 22 year old “up and coming” music blogger. It was the heyday of Myspace, and I was mesmerized by the power of this social media thing that was happening. I was living in Rapid City, South Dakota yet obsessed with my “homeland” of the Pacific Northwest. I feel like I had to have come across this band when I was starting my Myspace page Northwest Flava (yeah, I’m not that proud of that, but I was 22, leave me alone).  I was consistently searching for music from the Portland area. The area was blowing up, and such wonderful things were happening. A few years later an Emmy Award winning sketch show would be based out of there, we should have seen that coming. The whole seen was/is ripe for parody. But, I digress. Somehow I came across The Young Immortals. And via their MySpace page, I found out that they would be in Rapid City. I sort of freaked out. I was only toying around with the idea of writing about music on the interwebs at this point, I hadn’t become the unpaid pretentious dirt bag that I eventually became just yet. So I went to see a band. I went to see The Young Immortals at….I seriously can’t remember. But, I do remember that the place seemed more like a restaurant. I do know that I lived there for 2 more years after this show, and I don’t remember any more shows advertised there outside of Sturgis season. I could definitely be wrong, but this is what I know now.

The energy of these guys really blew me away. They were perfectly loud and melodic, and seemed like a wonderful trio. So, of course, I bought their album at the merch table that everyone seemed to ignore, and this is why I have this album. What I didn’t expect to happen was that I would develop a great friendship with that band’s bass player, a man not unfamiliar to the Children of Mercy and Trainwreck’d Society world, Mr. Mike Phillips. I have developed a great friendship with this cat over the last decade that I am eternally grateful for. Through the positive powers of the internet, I have stayed in touch with this guy for all of these years. He was actually a part of the that PDX based group of contributors I met with for signings that I mentioned in the the last Vault edition, which I know you all read. And with that meeting and another at The Hop & Vine, also in Portland, to see his second band The Fenbi International Superstars (also not a stranger to TWS), it has always felt like we are just old pals meeting up one again, as though we have known each other our whole lives. Basically, the friendship I have with Mike is one of the few success stories of the internet.

And if I were to be perfectly candid, Mike is the only real reason that I simply cannot let this record go. It is a good album, for better or worse, but it’s really just another physical reminder of the beginning of a time that would encapsulate my life up until July of 2015 when I hung up my cap in the music blogging world, after what I felt was just enough.

The Young Immortals eventually dissipated in a rather ugly way. There are a lot of details that, out of respect for the great Mike Phillips, I don’t really feel like I should get into. But, I am willing to make one statement that might swirl the right ideas around in your head. The band’s frontman, Jacob Ray has a solo record out there that actually features some of the same tracks that are on When History Meets Fiction. Yet, they are just awful. I could never deny that Ray can write the fuck out of a catchy pop punk song, but the absence of Mike Phillips and drummer Scotty Gervais (Sorry for taking this long to shout you out Scotty, you’re dope too!) is severely missed on that record. And I honestly don’t know what he has been up to since The Young Immortals demised, yet I’m not really that interested in any art he may wish to create that didn’t involved Mike and Scotty. That’s all I will say.

So, where is the happy ending in all of this? Well, I personally have such fond memories that revolve around this brilliant collection of 13 fun and delightfully depressing tracks. And I have a great friend out of the whole deal. Mike is doing great things with his live back in Portland, and I couldn’t be more proud of him. So, yeah, I don’t see myself shoveling this one off to the local pawn shop anytime soon. I may not break it out for a listen that often, but the memories will always be there. And why would I want to lose those?

From The Vault Part 2: Gratitillium – Gratitillium

Album art by Nik Ayres

This album will mark the debut of the batch of non-promotional albums in the vault that I am so excited to share with you all. In fact, most of them will be so. I have some damn fine promotional discs that I for one reason or another never got around to writing about as well, mind you, but some of them I want to talk about are simply collecting dust in the vault because I am simply a huge fan of the work.

And Gratitillium’s 2009 self titled debut from the renowned Tender Loving Empire is definitely one of those beautiful little gems that I have never quite been able to part with. I’ve been a fan of Nick Caceres, who is basically the tofurkey and potatoes of Gratitillium for a whole lot of years now, but I’m not certain that I had ever gotten around to talking about him and his amazing work. It was actually a bit of a toss up between writing about this album, or his equally (I might personally say superior, but that doesn’t really matter) impressive 2006 E.P., Hours of Life, which is a beautifully stripped down batch of folk songs that I can still repeat word for word on command. But, there was honestly so much about this album that felt could be discussed. So discuss we shall!

To start with, I can actually clearly recall when I purchased this album, in the Tender Loving Empire store (at it’s original location) in Portland, Oregon. It was early 2011, a couple of years after the album was released, and I was in town doing some Children of Mercy related business with some of the book’s contributors at the Living Room Theatre and few book stores. I had some time to kill so I decided I needed to see TLE in real time, as I had become a massive fan of everything they release/make/conjure from the heavens. I was well aware of Gratitillium and had managed to hear a lot of the album through the power of the world wide web. And I loved it, and had to have the album itself. Now I know you are probably saying to yourself, “Damn man, that is an amazing story!” in your best Jim Halpert sarcastic tone, and you definitely would be right. What I’m really getting at is that this album has always served as a sort of heirloom to a time in my life that was very memorable. I have several items that remind me of this time, but this album is the physical reminder of that beautiful day when I met up with a few of the PDX based contributors to COM to sign some books, watch Marty Mitchell from Soul Distraction show us what it means to be a motherfucking rockstar, and eventually have the best damn sushi I’ll ever have a strip mall in Vancouver with our old friend Chris Eaves and his life mate Jill. As well as the 7 hour drive back to Spokane blaring strange and beautiful animal noises on repeat the entire time.

But, back to the music at hand. This album is a wonderfully crazed whirlwind that weaves in and out between obscurity and melody. There is an undeniably unique bit of experimental noise making happening, but it always swoops its way back into the regular world with the structure of a David Lynch film. With that, it is nearly impossible to choose an individual track to showcase (which is a tool you may notice that I often reach for) because each “track” is simple a piece of the 45 minutes of sound that you really have to listen to in order to truly grasp what is going on on this record. Although there is a break down half way through “Horse Around” to amps things up a bit with heavier guitar riffs and terrific female vocals (by who, I am sorry to state I do not know, but I’d like to!). But as I said, this more of an experience rather than just a track list.

Photo by Rachel LeCrone

I remember reading somewhere, probably in regards to this album, that the term gratitillium means “gratitude to animals”. I’m gonna have to pull a Michael Rapport “I don’t fact check” on this one because I honestly don’t know. But, I do know that animals are a very important theme associated with album, so I am willing to go along with the concept. In fact, there are actual animals featured on the record such as frogs from Oaks Bottom and birds from Singapore (Yes, I am literally copying from the liner notes, sue me). But the features I was most excited about is the appearance of two individuals in particular, who would be Mark McIntire and Jared Brannan. The first cat shared some trumpet skills for us on the album, and also happens to be a former member of one of my favorite bands of all time, the long time separated No Go Know, who you may remember as topping my Top 37 1/2 Albums of 2009 list (Or you may not). And the latter is the man I like to refer to as the Dostoevsky of Folk rock. He provides acoustic for a moment on this album and is as stunning as usual. I’ve known Jared a long time, and with each project I hear from this man, I continue to be more and more impressed.

But, the swing it all back around to the man of the hour, Mr. Nick Caceres. As I stated before, I am a fan. Many people are guitar players, songwriters, or instrumentalists. But this man, ladies and gentleman, is damned ARTIST. What he does with sound and lyrics can only be declared as art. He is a mad man of intellect and an overall joy to hear create. This man released a little 7 track E.P. a decade ago that I still can love and enjoy to this day. And oddly enough, he was only getting started. And a few years later he assembled the gem of an album/group that we now know as Gratitillium. I really feel the need to extend a personal thank you to Nick for the joy he has brought to my earholes over the last decade. And I do hope to hear more.

You can still pick up this amazing album at the Tender Loving Empire website.

From The Vault Part 1: Carissa’s Wierd – They Only Miss You When You Leave: Songs 1995-2003

I have to preface this piece by stating that this album scared the hell out of me. The reason has absolutely nothing to do with the sound of the Carissa’s Wierd, which is like a more delicate and intricate version of all the mainstays of 90’s alternative rock that we now hear in grocery stores across the country. No, it was the substantialness and underground credibility that the band held, and the fact that I was GIVEN their “best of” album to review by my then boss at Fencepost.com. I didn’t feel ready. It was the summer of 2010, and A Band of Horses was (is) a really big deal. Sera Cahoone was (is) as well. And for those who didn’t know, they are both byproducts of this amazing band, Carissa’s Wierd.

So it was basically my own feeling of insignificance and unworthiness that eventually led me to holding onto this fantastic album from the beautiful label Hardly Art (Tacocat, Bitches!!), letting it slowly collect proverbial and actual dust for the last 6 years. When this album was released, I had just started my “career” as a music blogger and was content with writing features and album reviews for relatively smaller acts that I simply adored. I dare say I was just another pretentious 25 year old asshole who thought this band was not up my alley, but that was definitely untrue. The Seattle based Carissa’s Wierd is exactly up my alley! They were god damned brilliant. Just plain magical. The truth is, as I mentioned before, I was scared to fuck this one up. Which I am still certain I would have done, and unfortunately may be doing right now. But, I’m older and looser these days, which leads to less concern for failure. Therefore, I shall fail on just to finally get to tell you fine folks just how much I love this album, even if it’s 6 years too late, and Hardly Art probably doesn’t give a shit anymore.

Photo by Brian Marr via hardlyart.com

Carissa’s Wierd was ironically enough a perfect band of it’s time. And I only say ironic, because they were formed in 1995 and probably had no idea how annoying their name would 20 years later in the age of autocorrect. But, hey, I guess people read books back then, right? Anyway, they were perfect when they started, and they were perfect when they ended. Carissa’s Wierd was a band that fell perfectly into the evolution from grunge, to the “The” band era of the early 00’s, right into the explosion of soft indie rock. They spent 8 years evolving into one of the most memorable acts in the world of independent music, and They Only Miss You When Leave is an absolutely brilliant compilation of the magnanimous and astounding fortitude for TRUE music serves as a perfect example of the evolution that the band soared through in their heyday. And in my own humble opinion, there is no better example of this than the track “Ignorant Piece of Shit”. Deriving from their final album, Songs About Leaving, I really believe that this song encapsulates everything they accomplished as a group. It is a moody gem but provides an uplifting sense of rhythm that is undeniably beautiful. It is also one of a handful of songs I have heard with an appropriate use of the violin.

If I can say one last thing about this amazing album, it has to be that this might very well be one of the greatest “best of” albums I have ever heard. Everything is fresh, fun and/or only mildly depressing, and cuts like a knife whether through a fresh piece of gouda or through your own wrist. And I sincerely regret not moving past my fears oh so many years ago and just agreeing to tell the digital world how I felt about this manically enjoyable/depressing collection of an almost decade’s worth of wonderful tunes. And while this album may have been released 6 years ago, and is based around material that was produced as far back as over 20 years ago, it “holds up” as some would say. It is brilliant, fun, and, wait for it, delightfully wEird.

I seriously can not say enough nice things about this beautiful collection of songs, I just wish it hadn’t taken my 6 fucking years to do so. But, here we are. Closure. Closure is good. Carissa’s Wierd is even better.

You can find this album and more from Carissa’s Wierd at the Hardly Art website.

Robin Grey: More Than Today [Album]

It has been just over 6 years since I first decided to enter the world of “music blogging”, which would later turn into simply full-fledged “blogging”.  So much has changed since then.  Our American president is well into his 2nd term, a long way from the days when we were so amped about Change We Can Believe In.  Well, a whole lot has definitely changed since then.  It almost seems that there is very little constancy in this world, which can surely be quite disheartening at times.  But, from the very earliest stage of my “career”, there is one discovery I made that has continued to stick with me, and has been a driving force that reminds me just why I love the world of music, film, art, etc. just so damn much.  That driving force is, and will always be, the absolutely lovely English human being and singer/songwriter Robin Grey.

While I’ve spent most of 2014 caught in living the American in the European world type of life or developing interviews with former television stars, there has been this wonderful little folk album sitting in my iTunes since mid-Winter.  The album is More Than Today from the aforementioned genius Robin Grey.  And as you would expect, I absolutely adore this collection of 10 (mostly) brand new tracks from one of the greatest singer/songwriters of our time.  Two years in a row, Robin Grey nabbed the #1 spot on our Top 37 1/2 Albums of the Year in a most deserving fashion.  And with his latest efforts, he could very well have snagged another year!  His beautifully yet sometimes haunting lyrical greatness plastered ever so gently over melodic acoustic guitar are something that simply can not go without notice and awe.  He has been creating such magic for oh so many years, and with no surprise at all, he has done it again with his latest efforts that is More Than Today.

As he tends to do sometimes, there are a couple of tracks on this beautiful record that his avid fans should already be well aware of at this point (somewhat redux’s of “Till Dawn” and “I Love Leonard Cohen”, the latter being the very reason I fell in love with this mans work so many moons ago).  But, Robin also tends to do, he has given us a gift of even more wonderful new tracks for us to sink our delicate teeth into.  “I’ll Give You My Heart” is a delightful little ode to love, “The Dirk of Mark Duggan” is a delightful tale of potential triumph and standing for what is right, and the title track “More Than Today” is one of the finest and catchiest tracks Robin Grey has ever made (and there are many more!).  I am not kidding.  

While it took me quite a while to finally get the word out, I feel as though it could never be too late to speak about this absolutely brilliant album, one of the finest folk albums to be released since, well, the last time Robin released the finest folk album to date.  I first learned of Robin when was singing about certain obsessions fading away (Ani Difranco, Weezer, REM, etc.), but he could never lose his love for the wonderful Leonard Cohen.  Well, as I look onward from the past, into the hopeful light of the future, I think I can without a doubt say this:  You might ask is anything certain these days, I would probably tell you that,…..I love Robin Grey.

Check out More Than Today and other great works from the wonderful Robin Grey right over HERE.

Brianne Kathleen: How The Rain Goes [Album]

There are certain artists out there we all consider their word as bond, and whoever they vouch for to be equally worth listening to or should be admired as an equal to said artist.  I know I am not alone in this thought, we are all guilty of this line of thinking.  But, is this such a bad thing?  Absolutely not, especially when it is a brilliant singer/songwriter/all around genius musician like Bradley Wik who is advertently suggesting what we should be listening to right now.  Especially when he suggest an album he played a little guitar on and co-produced entitled How the Rain Goes from the wonderful Portland based singer/songwriter Brianne Kathleen.  He really hit the nail the head with this one, and I am personally grateful he was kind enough to let us know about this brilliant artist.

Brianne Kathleen is an artist with an amazing set of vocal chords that stand out in the city of Roses, a city filled with amazing artists with amazing vocals.  And it is almost uncanny how natural it seems to Brianne to stand out amongst her peers.  She sings oh-so-sweetly, yet matter of factly enough whether she is breaking it down with a country-esque slow but steady swing on a track “Where Does Your Heart Go?”, or tossing in a bit of rockabilly meets hipster driven folk blended greatness on “So Afraid” (Note: I have not had the opportunity, but I feel like this is the track that you MUST see her perform live.  I hope to do so someday).  But, if it where indeed necessary to choose a stand out track from this, one of the finest albums of 2014, it has to be “Paper Bag Dreams”.  Much like her friend Mr. Wik, this is a lady who obviously understands the power of metaphor and the draw of lost dreams and tortured souls.  “Paper Bag Dreams” is one of those tracks you will surely find yourself listening to over and over again, simply to answer an undying question for your own mind’s sake…. Why does this seem so damn personal?

There are many artist out there who are “like” Brianne Kathleen.  So many comparisons can be drawn to this wonderful artist.  But, she is also one of those artists that you really shouldn’t care to scapegoat in such a manner.  We should simply be able to realize that Brianne Kathleen is a wonderful artist who takes very little effort to fall in love with.  With powerful lyrics, a great group of friends, and voice to pine over, How The Rain Goes is an obvious gem of an album, and a brilliant sophomore effort from Brianne.  And with that, brings the hope that we will soon have the chance to hear even more from this brilliant musician.

How the Rain Goes is available now.  Pick up a copy for yourself at her WEBSITE.

(Official music video for “Where Does Your Heart Go?”)

Cariad Harmon: Cariad Harmon [Album]

With that feeling that the sun is finally breaking through the thick white clouds to brighter up our lives, we have discovered another beautiful singer/songwriter who creates beautiful little tunes that splash together Americana and Blues lyrics over a some precious acoustic strumming in precisely the perfect manner!  Yes, describing the beautiful music that Cariad Harmon has created on her self titled album is well-deserving of run on sentences, and bouts of explicit happiness.  With an album that can conjure up imagery of smoky jazz clubs or even smokier blues bars located in Anytown U.S.A., Harmon is a wonderful British artist who definitely understands Americana music, and has found just the right away to perfect it.

Whether it is beautiful little ditties about not giving up on what you truly need/want (“Old and Grey”) or one woman’s love/hate relationship with NYC (“Wicked Town”), there is something so deeply personal and touching about this collection of Cariad Harmon tracks that you just can’t help but sway your head to, even just a little bit.  Whether she is breaking it down with piano driven melodies (“Williamsburg Bridge”) or adding just the right amount of country twang to a self esteem boosting cut (“You Don’t Know Me Yet”), there is something on this beautiful album for anyone who appreciates brilliant singer/songwriter stylings.

We’ve covered a whole mess of Americana artists here at Trainwreck’d Society because, well….trains.  The image of a train rolling through a corn field in middle America somewhere as the sun is setting over the prairie is about as American as it gets, right?  But, really, this is the new age of Americana music.  The revolution that began oh so many years in places like The Village in NYC has brought these roots driven tracks all over the land, and even across the pond.  Cariad Harmon used to spend her days running around the streets of London dancing around to house music and techno, but deep down inside, there was a real artist.  And we should all be so damn grateful that she chose the path that has brought us her brilliant self-titled sophomore release.  So, it would behoove other great singer/songwriters like Laura Gibson or Theressa Anderson to join forces with this whirlwind of talent, or simply step aside as a new queen steps in to rule with her beautiful album in tow, which is one of the finest pieces of work of 2014.  And it would behoove you to jump on the bandwagon right about now.  Because like said train in a cornfield, Cariad Harmon is going places.  Going places fast!

Cariad Harmon’s self titled album will be available November 11th, 2014.  Stayed tune for updates at her website and be sure to Friend her on Facebook.  You can also preview and download “You Don’t Know Me Yet” at Large Hearted Boy.

Rocket 3: Burn [Album]

What do you get when you combine saucy lyrical goodness that is thicker than Taco Bell hot sauce with a delightful jingly jangly pop/rock sound that can induce bouts of joy at any given moment?  Well, I would say you would easily have the Rocket 3’s debut album Burn in all its greatness.  I’ve covered a whole bunch of great pop rock groups from across the pond that I adore and admire, but this time I am able to display a beautiful new group right from my old stomping grounds of Portland, Oregon.  Their sound is as delightful as old Hot Hot Heat song, just a bit milder, and all the better I might add.

Burn might be a very perfect and fitting title for the speed and pleasantry this album can bring you.  The songs are quick, anthemic, and just a whole lot of fun to listen to.  By the time I made it to “Good Enough”, I knew I was going to be hooked on this wonderful threesome just as much as I have been on the Pastime Records crew over in Exeter.  The sounds are very similar, but definitely quite different.  Rocket 3 is a band that hits hard with sometimes bass heavy riffs that bring to mind some of the sort of pop punk that established itself as a mainstay in the mid 90’s.  With all of these different types of sounds being mixed together like a wonderful seafood gumbo, it seems as though it might be something very easy to screw up.  But, Rocket 3 did far from that.  With their wonderful ingenuity and obvious talent, this is a band that seems to know all the right cards to play, and have laid down a wonderful hand with their debut album Burn.

From what I have gathered, Rocket 3’s front woman, Ramune, is relatively new to the music game.  But, you would never be able to tell with the way she slams the electric guitar down with the greatest of ease, and provides a beautiful line of vocals that are just oh so damn appealing.  Rocket 3 is definitely not a band to sleep on, and I am certain the future will prove this to be a solid truth when the world gets ahold of Burn, and is sure to fall in love after just one listen.

Burn will be available for purchase November 4th.  Stay in touch with the band on their Facebook Page.  Be sure to discover where they are performing one of their magnificent live shows near you! 

Pawns or Kings: Pomme de Terre [Album]

Ah, yes.  Americana.  A genre of music that is no stranger to us here at Trainwreck’d Society.  I mean, we are a site that is centered around a train, right?  What is more symbolic of Americana life than a train headed out to nowhere?  Well, I will tell you – the damn Ozark mountains!  Just as there may have never been real “blues” without the days down in the Delta, there may have never been true Americana/Folk music without those truly talented folks hiding out in the Ozarks and the Appalachians.  And I believe I may have just discovered one of the finest acts to pour out of those majestic midwest mountains.  Allow me to introduce the immaculately talented group Pawns or Kings, and their brilliant new album Pomme de Terre!

Pomme de Terre is an album that has been long overdue.  A series of tragedies and misfortunes kept these sweet tunes out of our grasp for quite some time, but the diligence and determination of Pawns or Kings proved to be much stronger than any sort of damnation could be.  Now we are fortunate enough to have tracks like “Names and Maps”, “Shadow of a Man”, “Late Have I Loved”, and so many more, right at our disposal when in need of some seriously amazing new age folk goodness.  Somewhere between the new age obsession with simple folk music and the glory days of simpler times on a front porch somewhere out in the Ozarks is exactly where you will find a band like Pawns and Kings.  Each song is a beautiful story.  Each song is a treasure!

With so many things obviously wrong with the land in which I came, it is so great to hear a truly gifted Americana act.  To have this brand of music associated with Americanisms is a true gift.  Especially when a band like Pawns and Kings is out there to perfect it so brilliantly.  And with Pomme de Terre, these geniuses from the back country have not only created one of the finest Americana albums of 2014, but one of the finest albums in general.

Pomme de Terre will be officially released on July 25th, but head on over to the band’s Facebook page to find out how you can listen to it right now!