The sun will come out...tomorrow

It's been a craptacular couple of days around Charleston, but the sun is starting to come back out and it's just in time for some pretty special music happenings going down this weekend! We live in a remarkable town ~ so get out there and enjoy it!


Charleston Bluegrass Festival
First off is the 2013 Charleston Bluegrass Festival at Awendaw Green (which actually kicks off tonight). Pack a tent, load up the kids and leash the dog, because this is going to be a foot stompin', thigh slappin', ear ticklin' extravaganza filled with musicians from all corners of the bluegrass belt! Just don't pack a cooler - Awendaw, The Southern Bar & Grill and Sewee Outpost will have everything you need to eat, drink and be merry with your family, friends and new found camping comrades! 

Tickets available HERE
ADV: $20 Friday OR Saturday / $30 2-day pass
DOS: $25 Friday OR Saturday / $35 2-day pass

Friday Line-up
6p - The Empty Bottle String Band
7p - Underhill Rose
8p - The Corduroy Road
9p - Town Mountain w Jim Lauderdale
* Justin Johnson performs between sets

Saturday Line-up
12p - Island Girls
1p - Great Smoky Mountain Bluegrass Band
2p - The Bushels
3p - Packway Handle Band
4p - Seven Handle Circus
5p - The Empty Bottle String Band
6p - Great Smoky Mountain Bluegrass Band
7p - Blue Billy Grit
8p - Packway Handle Band
9p - Cranford and Sons
* Justin Johnson and Island Girls perform between sets


Cooper River Bridge Run
The biggest news of the weekend has to be the Cooper River Bridge Run, with registrations capped at 40,000 participants. It's a fantastic event that gives a lot back to the greater Charleston community, especially through the race's Charity Connection that features not only nationwide organizations like the American Lung Association, but locally-based nonprofits such as Pet Helpers and Water Mission International.

But let's face it - we're not all athletes. And that 8am start time would creep around pretty early after a night out at The Mill or Tin Roof. However, there is now a way for the booze hounds and nocturnal among us to take part in the Bridge Run, in our own way. This year marks the first time that live bands will be stationed along the route, their genres and tempos paired with the difficulty and terrain of the race. And it gets even better - The Music Initiative and This Is Noteworthy have teamed up with the race organizers to put together "Run With Me", the 2013 Official Cooper River Bridge Run Bands compilation CD! Featuring more than twenty bands and musicians, "Run With Me" can be bought online or at a laundry list of local businesses. All artists receive 10% of sales, and when you purchase the CD online, you have the option to specify your favorite band. 

Featured Bridge Run Bands
Schema
College Lounge
Irene Rose
Hibachi Heroes
Savage Tongues
Forrest Baldwin
DTSMB
Heartfelt Hinges
Heyrocco
Salem Lake
Synergy
Pierce Edens
Bad Drew Baldwin
Jefferson Coker Band
Lionz of Zion
Yellowknife
Will Hastings
The Grand Folks
Luke Cunningham
Call Momma Band
Tyler Boone


Benefit Show for Anthony Macchio
Tin Roof in West Ashley is hosting a very special benefit show this Sunday (4.7) for Anthony Macchio, a 23-year-old graduate of Full Sail University who moved to San Francisco earlier this year to pursue his dreams and launch his career in Design. Six days after landing on the west coast, Anthony was involved in a serious bicycle accident that left him with an unknown degree of brain damage. In the ensuing months, Anthony has exhibited some signs of recovery, yet his doctors estimate that he may be facing a 2-year process before he is fully out of the woods. The Macchio family has hope that his recovery will not take that long, but in the meantime, the medical bills have begun to add up. 

Beginning at 5p this Sunday, please join the Tin Roof, Holy City Brewing and ten local bands and musicians as they rock and swill the night away, raising money for Anthony's family. $10 at the door will get you access to the following folks:

Mechanical River
Bully Pulpit
Can't Kids
el Camino
Mountains of Earth
ELIM BOLT
The Cattle and The Cane
Lily Slay
Beattie and Edwin Porter
Co.

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St. Paddy's Day ~ Charleston Style

Charleston may not exactly be known for its Irish heritage, but it damn sure knows how to celebrate St. Paddy's! There's plenty to do around town over the next few days, so pull on your drinkin' boots and program those cab companies into your phone - it's gonna be a long weekend!

 

FRIDAY ~ 3.15
* "Goodbye, Goodnight, So Long" - Crowfield, the 2012 CPMA Rock Band of the Year, plays its final show tonight at the Charleston Music Hall. Joined by friends Ryan Bonner, Luke Cunningham and John Satterfield, this beloved band's grand finale is sure to be one filled with good tunes, tears and tales for the ages.
@ Charleston Music Hall
Doors 7p
$20

* Happy Story Hour, the thoughtful and at times haunting duo comprised of Mackie Boles and Jordan Igoe, join forces tonight with Sinners & Saints (Charlotte) to finger pick and strum their way into your soul.
@ The Mill
Doors 9p
FREE - 21 and up

* West Ashley's Tin Roof is playing host to a metal blues brawl with local badasses Bully Pulpit and Wilmington import Thunderlip. The parking lot will be tight, the music will be loud, and the PBR will be nice n cold!
@ Tin Roof
Doors 9p
$5


SATURDAY ~ 3.16
* The Next Charleston Record Expo is going down from 10a - 5p at Monster Music & Movies in West Ashley! Admission is free and parking is plenty (remember, the Citadel Mall is just across the street). There will be food trucks, vinyl vendors and sweet deals on everything from dive bins and rarities to imports and collectibles! Bring in your old vinyl if you're looking to trade!
Monster Music & Movies
10a
FREE

* Repeated winner of The City Paper's "Best Of" awards for Most Authentic Pub and Best North Charleston Bar, Madra Rua Irish Pub recently celebrated its 10th anniversary in Park Circle, and on Saturday proudly celebrates the Tenth Annual St. Paddy's Day Block Party and Parade! East Montague will be shut down for the parade at noon, followed by food trucks, artists, family fun and three stages of live music (full schedule, below)! With entertainment ranging from Irish classics and swing tunes to blues and funk, the show will be capped off by local line-up, Wadata at 6p.
Madra Rua Irish Pub / East Montague Ave. / Park Circle
12p
FREE

* A mash up of regional bands are lining up your Saturday night at Tin Roof, with Modern Man (Greenville), Cement Stars (Charlotte) and Knives & Daggers (Asheville). Not sure about the cover for this one, but bring a couple bucks for the door, just to be safe.
Tin Roof
Doors 9p
? - 21 and up

SUNDAY - 3.17
* "St. Patrick's Brunch and All Day Erin Go Bragh Party" - Drink off the hangover with the good folks at Tin Roof! They'll be cooking up a tasty brunch menu starting around noon, and celebrating with Irish festivities throughout the day. Stick around for gypsy sex rockers The Royal Tinfoil that night, hitting the stage around 9p!
Tin Roof
12p Party / 9p Tinfoil
FREE / $5 - 21 and up

 

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** Announcement ** Spring Jam Music Fest 2-day Schedule Revealed!

Less than two weeks now stand between Charleston and its first annual 2-day music festival, Spring Jam Music Fest 2013, taking place March 23rd and 24th at Brittlebank Park along the Ashley River!

Presented by local radio station 105.5FM the Bridge, and sponsored by companies including local sister station 98.1FM Rock and businesses such as Bottles Beverage Superstore, Charleston City Paper, Charleston Green Taxi, The Royal American and The Green Heart Project, Spring Jam Music Fest 2013 has just announced the performance times for the twelve bands scheduled to appear (listed, below). And after the last band wraps on Saturday, head over to The Royal American on Morrison Drive for the official after party at 8p ($10 at the door)!

In addition to the hours of live music, the festival is also going to feature local and regional artisans, including Charleston Sound, Loose Lucy's, ETSY artist Bird Flower Creations and Bottles n Brushes, alongside local food trucks and other food and craft beer vendors. Passes for the festival can be purchased through the event website or at Bottles in Mount Pleasant. Two-day passes are going for $30, while a one-day pass will run you $20 ($25 dos), and kiddos under the age of five get in for free.

General Admission parking will be available at the Joe Riley Stadium lot for $5, but if you plan on having a few drinks at the festival, please budget for calling a cab. Spring Jam Music Fest 2013 has partnered with two local companies to help make it easier for festival goers to enjoy the weekend while still being able to get home safely. Take a second to program these numbers into your phone: Charleston Green Taxi @ (843) 819-0846, and Home-Ped @ (843) 412-9716.

Debit and credit cards will be accepted for festival ticket and beer ticket purchases, but the food trucks and other individual vendors may not be equipped with a card machine, so you may want to grab some cash on your way in (or be prepared to stand in line for the on-site ATM).

All in all, the festival should be a good time, and an affordable way to check out some regional and rising bands. Kick-start the most gorgeous time of year that our kick-ass town has to offer with Spring Jam Music Fest 2013!

March 23rd (Saturday) Line-up Schedule:
11:20a - The Vagabond Union
12:30p - Pierce Edens & the Dirty Work
1:40p - Ghost Tent Revival
3:00p - The Mowgli's
4:20p - Family of the Year
5:50p - Truth & Salvage Co.

March 24th (Sunday) Line-up Schedule:
11:20a - Stop Light Observations
12:30p - The Corduroy Road
1:40p - Ed Sheeran
3:00p - The Dirty Guv'nahs
4:20p - Sol Driven Train
5:50p - Alpharev

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Connoisseurs of the Lesser Things - Adam Lee + Matt Woods at The Mill

As Charleston braced itself against the bitter cold on Saturday night, bar flies and music fans were kept aglow as Adam Lee and Matt Woods lit up The Mill with their honky tonk, outlaw tunes, kicking off their two-week Connoisseurs of the Lesser Things tour.
 

Armed with an acoustic guitar and a coal black Carl Perkins pompadour, Kansas City crooner Adam Lee opened the night. As lead singer for the Missouri band Adam Lee & the Dead Horse Sound Company, this solo performance was a stripped-down showcase of Lee's stunning voice, a beautiful baritone rivaling the likes of Don Williams and Bill Medley, and surely causing Orbison to stir in his grave. In fact, the only thing deeper than Lee's melancholic voice may have been his stare, which was often cast towards a distant point buried somewhere among the crowd. Dressed in pegged jeans and a fitted cuff-sleeve button down, and resonating with an understanding of Dust Bowl Americana that would have made Woody Guthrie proud, there was an authenticity to Lee's presence that is often lost on so many musicians throughout the retro crooner circuit. Playing in support of his recently released self-titled EP, Lee sang with a fervency and affectation for the travelling life - road weary and worn, but not worn down. With his voice effortlessly navigating the classic country landscape, and dipping low into the depths of heartache, his was a commanding set that left a palpable buzz in the air and set the bar high for tour mate, Matt Woods.
 

Having recently wrapped a 3-month trek in support of his latest release, The Matt Woods Manifesto (Lonely Ones Records), the Connoisseurs tour is a departure from Woods' full band performances, which often include a revolving door of independent East Tennessee musicians. But a humble reverence for life's hard times and the gritty fortitude needed to persevere are just a few of the qualities that help to set this Manifesto maverick apart from his country chorots. He is a seasoned performer with a penchant for storytelling that's on par with the moodiest of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, while employing an enthusiastic guitar style and a threadbare voice that howls with honesty. Spinning tales of the rusted American Dream, the hauntings of bad decisions, and the ever-elusive promise of a better tomorrow, Woods' sound is one of gutsy, straight-forward, solid country music. Swinging from rowdy roadhouse to soulful vagabond in the blink of a whiskey-red eye, Woods delivered a powerful performance that was a favorable complement to the stylings of Lee, who took to the mic for a second time to wrap up the night.
 

Selling CDs and stickers out of a dusty suitcase, this pair of country rock troubadours easily won over the crowd and earned a swath of new supporters and fans in Charleston. Check out their websites, linked below, for free music downloads and to get the rest of the Connoisseurs of the Lesser Things tour dates.
 

Adam Lee's website: www.AdamLeeBand.com

Adam Lee on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/AdamLeeBand

Matt Woods' website: www.TheRealMattWoods.com
Matt Woods on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/MattWoodsMusic
 

 

 

 

 

Matt Woods

 

 

Adam Lee 

 

Show Calendar ~ February

This blog seeks to promote the musicians and bands throughout Charleston and our sister cities who are working hard on crafting their own original music, so this post may not appear as full as some of the other sites that list every live set (including cover and party bands) going on around town. If I'm missing anyone, please post in the comments section below or send an e-mail so that new shows can get added.

FEBRUARY 4 - Monday
Cattle in the Cane @ EVO Pizzeria
9p - Free
Dangermuffin, February Weekly Residency @ The Pour House
8p - $5
Sarah Cole + the Hawkes @ The Drop In Bar & Deli
11p - Free
Songwriter's Association Open Mic @ Home Team BBQ (West Ashley)
8p - Free

FEBRUARY 5 - Tuesday
Happy Story Hour; Looka Looka Looka (FL) @ Tin Roof
9p - $5
ALBUM RELEASE: Sol Driven Train, Underdog
Marshall Hudson + Brad Edwardson EP "Anecdote" @ Kudu
8:30p - Free
Unit 4 @ The Tattooed Moose
9:30p - Free

FEBRUARY 6 - Wednesday
Jordan Igoe + Friends @ Juanita Greenberg's Nacho Royale
10:30p - Free
Lowcountry Blues Club @ Home Team BBQ (West Ashley)
8p - Free
Guilt Ridden Troubadour @ Home Team BBQ (Sullivan's Island)
8p - Free
Barn Jam @ Awendaw Green
6p - $5 donation
Sarah Cole + the Hawkes @ Arts Bar & Grill
10p - Free

FEBRUARY 7 - Thursday
Pierce Edens + the Dirty Work (Asheville) @ The Royal American
9p - $5
Meet the Sky; Pan (Columbia) @ Tin Roof
9p - $5
Local Music Showcase, feat. Hobo Ground Suckers; Harlem Downtrotters (Atl); Antagonizers (Cola) @ The Mill
9p - Free

FEBRUARY 8 - Friday
Pierce Edens + the Dirty Work (Asheville) @ Morgan Creek Grill
7p - Free

FEBRUARY 9 - Saturday
Elonzo (Rock Hill) Album Release Show, feat. ELIM BOLT @ The Royal American
9p - $5
"Folly Gras After Party" feat. Gaslight Street; Ryan Bonner @ Loggerheads Beach Grill
4p - Free

FEBRUARY 10 - Sunday
Allstar Blues Jam + Oyster Roast @ Home Team BBQ (West Ashley)
12p - $10

FEBRUARY 11 - Monday
Dangermuffin, February Weekly Residency @ The Pour House
8p - $5
Sarah Cole + the Hawkes @ The Drop In Bar & Deli
11p - Free
The South Carolina Broadcasters @ Yo Burrito
6:30p - Free
Songwriter's Association Open Mic @ Home Team BBQ (West Ashley)
8p - Free

FEBRUARY 12 - Tuesday
Cattle in the Cane @ The Tattooed Moose
9:30p - Free
Eclectic Evenings @ The Royal American
7:30p - Free
ALBUM RELEASE: Unifier, Colorado (Atlanta)

FEBRUARY 13 - Wednesday
Jordan Igoe + Friends @ Juanita Greenberg's Nacho Royale
10:30p - Free
Lowcountry Blues Club @ Home Team BBQ (West Ashley)
8p - Free
Guilt Ridden Troubadour @ Home Team BBQ (Sullivan's Island)
8p - Free
Barn Jam, feat. Savage Tongues, Firewater, The Ray Sisters + more @ Awendaw Green
6p - $5 donation
Sarah Cole + the Hawkes @ Arts Bar & Grill
10p - Free

FEBRUARY 14 - Thursday
"A Whole Lotta Love", feat. Elise Testone @ The Charleston Music Hall
6:30p - $18 balcony, $20 floor, $35 VIP
Guilt Ridden Troubadour @ Southern Bar & Grill
9p - Free
Local Music Showcase @ The Mill
9p - Free
Graham Whorley @ Juanita Greenberg's Nacho Royale

FEBRUARY 15 - Friday
Jordan Igoe's One Woman Band @ Cutty's Elliotborough Establishment
9p - Free

FEBRUARY 16 - Saturday
Rachel Kate Gillon, Lily Slay + Jordan Igoe @ The Royal American
9p - $5

FEBRUARY 17 - Sunday
Alex Vans + the Hide Aways (DC); The Tarlatans @ The Royal American
9p - $5

FEBRUARY 18 - Monday
Dangermuffin, February Weekly Residency @ The Pour House
8p - $5
Sarah Cole + the Hawkes @ The Drop In Bar & Deli
11p - Free
Songwriter's Association Open Mic @ Home Team BBQ (West Ashley)
8p - Free

FEBRUARY 19 - Tuesday
Rachel Kate Gillon + Antoine Carmine Dukes, Tour Kick-off @ The Tattooed Moose
9p - $5
Eclectic Evenings @ The Royal American
7:30p - Free
Luke Cunningham @ Home Team BBQ (West Ashley)
9p - Free

FEBRUARY 20 - Wednesday
Wadata @ The Pour House
9p - $5
Jordan Igoe + Friends @ Juanita Greenberg's Nacho Royale
10:30p - Free
Lowcountry Blues Club @ Home Team BBQ (West Ashley)
8p - Free
Guilt Ridden Troubadour @ Home Team BBQ (Sullivan's Island)
8p - Free
Barn Jam @ Awendaw Green
6p - $5 donation
Sarah Cole + the Hawkes @ Arts Bar & Grill
10p - Free

FEBRUARY 21 - Thursday
The Royal Tinfoil; Holy Ghost Tent Revival; Carrie Nation + the Speakeasy @ The Pour House
9p - $10 adv/$12 dos
ELIM BOLT; Wilder Maker (Brooklyn) @ Tin Roof
9p - $5
Local Music Showcase @ The Mill
9p - Free

FEBRUARY 22 - Friday
Sol Driven Train, Album Release Celebration @ The Charleston Music Hall
7p - $22

FEBRUARY 24 - Sunday
Elephant Man + the Dubplates, w Zumjay @ The Pour House
7p - $17 adv/$20 dos

FEBRUARY 25 - Monday
Dangermuffin, February Weekly Residency @ The Pour House
8p - $5
Sarah Cole + the Hawkes @ The Drop In Bar & Deli
11p - Free
Songwriter's Association Open Mic @ Home Team BBQ (West Ashley)
8p - Free

FEBRUARY 26 - Tuesday
Rachel Kate Gillon + Antoine Carmine Dukes @ The Recovery Room
9p - $?

Eclectic Evenings @ The Royal American
7:30p - Free


FEBRUARY 27 - Wednesday
Jordan Igoe + Friends @ Juanita Greenberg's Nacho Royale
10:30p - Free
Lowcountry Blues Club @ Home Team BBQ (West Ashley)
8p - Free
Guilt Ridden Troubadour @ Home Team BBQ (Sullivan's Island)
8p - Free
Barn Jam, feat. Megan Jean + the Klay Family Band @ Awendaw Green
6p - $5 donation
Sarah Cole + the Hawkes @ Arts Bar & Grill
10p - Free

FEBRUARY 28 - Thursday
Old You; The Tumbleweed Wanderers @ The Pour House
9p - $8
Alswell; Linear Downfall @ Tin Roof
9p - $5
Local Music Showcase @ The Mill
9p - Free


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Megan Jean and the KFB release The Devil Herself

Megan Jean and the KFB release The Devil Herself March 1, 2013

 

35-date tour to support a new self-released album. Cities include Atlanta, Charleston, and Washington D.C.
 
CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Avant-Americana duo Megan Jean and the KFB is self-releasing it’s second full-length album, The Devil Herself, March 1, 2013 at the Tinroof in Charleston, South Carolina on their label Guts and Know How Records. This will be vocalist/instrumentalist Megan Jean Klay and multi-instrumentalist Byrne Klay's third studio release following 2010's full-length Dead Woman Walkin’ and their 2007 debut EP Autumn which was released under the name The Klay Family Band.

The Devil Herself is comprised of eleven new tracks written by the duo over the course of a 22-month, 450-date American tour, focusing on the vibrant music scene of the Southeast. The album was recorded in four days by Zac Thomas at the Jam Room in Columbia, S.C., and funded through a successful Kickstarter campaign.

"The devil is wherever we seek it out. We tend to see those lifestyles we can't or won't understand as a kind of possession, the devil's hand upon their heart, guiding and claiming them," says Megan Jean. "If we look too hard, that moral standard becomes too much for anyone. They end up the devil themselves."

Featuring her undeniable vocals and bassist/banjoist Byrne's Klay's unmistakable visual art, The Devil Herself is at heart a tribute to the love that Jean and Klay have for each other and the music they make.

The married couple live and operate on the road full-time, playing 20 shows a month from the East Coast to the Midwest. "These Bones" off The Devil Herself is featured on an episode of Music Voyager after its live performance attracted the attention of PBS. This year it will be one of the headliner's of Floydfest alongside the Lumineers and Trampled By Turtles after winning the 2012 Under The Radar Competition.

Track Listing:
1. The Dead Show
2. Mr. Bone Man
3. No Good Girl
4. Skeletons
5. These Bones
6. Little Miss Fortune
7. Martians featuring Philip Cope
8. Hometown Hero
9. Tobias
10. Idle Hands
11. Last Days

Contact: Megan Jean Klay (646) 345-9869
meganjeanandthekfb@gmail.com

P.O Box 60421
North Charleston, SC 29419
 www.meganjean.net
www.facebook.com/meganjeanandthekfb
www.youtube.com/meganjeanfamilyband
www.sonicbids.com/meganjeanandthekfb
http://onesheet.com/megan-jean-klay/profile/
 

 

 

 





It's a brave new world for Brave Baby

With roots that delve deeply into the rich Carolina soil, Brave Baby has released its debut album, "Forty Bells" (courtesy of Charleston-based record label, Hearts & Plugs), an adventurous and soaring ode to the fleeting nature of childhood nostalgia and the dreamscapes of early love. And it comes at a poignant time in the band's career, on the precipice of new beginnings and with a solid, new line-up.

Featuring the astral guitar work of Christian Chidester, and anchored by the lockstep precision of bassist Jordan Hicks and drummer/producer Wolfgang Zimmerman, "Forty Bells" has a surprisingly electronic influence; yet Brave Baby captures an organic emotionality that tends to be lost on most electronic-fusion bands. On songs such as "Living in a Country", "Last Gold Rush" and "Denmark", Steven Walker's synth pop keys reveal hints of The Killers and newcomers Walk the Moon. But it is Keon Masters, topping off this treasury of talent as the band's vocalist, whose voice and lyrics provide much of the mood and set the enchanting tone for "Forty Bells".

The record opens with "Magic and Fire", an energetic track with an irresistible beat and lyrics that paint an image of longing. "Take me home / it's where my heart is / Don't let me go / we've come too far now." The chorus uses a chiming, rhythmic guitar hook with percussive accents that sweep the song along into a beautifully, reverb-laden ending, only to suddenly erupt into the next track, "Nothing in Return", a straight forward tune with an unhinging, apathetic drive. The record proceeds with this element of surprise, intriguing the listener and stirring a curiosity that leads from one song to the next. 

The album's title track is the longest on the record, coming in at 5:31, and showcases Chidester's atmospheric and cascading guitar work. The stripped down vocals are beckoning in their honesty, with Masters penning such lines as "And maybe all we need is love / maybe all we need is love for ourselves / Maybe all we want is more / I want it all myself." The record changes direction again with "Lakeside Trust", a swift and upbeat song with a playful bass line, steadied by Zimmerman's solid percussive work. This could be a tune by Arcade Fire, evoking all the excitement of a late summer evening with friends and first loves. 

The acquiescent "Days of our Youth" introduces some adolescent frustration into the otherwise wistful and saudade album. "So why should I be good / when he is not? / Why should I get territory rights / when nothing here is mine?" The bottom drops out at the 2:30 mark, just long enough for Masters to lament, "There's a sad story growing / but you don't want to know it." When the bass and drums rush back in, heavy and full, the weight of the song beautifully illustrates the sadness of a heavy heart.

Lightening the mood is the simple and sweet "Grandad", complete with a Bossa nova-style snare tap and sliding, surf rock guitar lines that drip with reverb and delay. "Cooper River Night" is a love letter to Charleston, a fresh and spirited song that makes clever use of time and phrasing. "It was a Cooper River night / We ditched the cars / and rode our bikes / to watch the ships / sail out of sight," Masters sings, really showing off his range and stepping nimbly out of the Bon Iver shadow that many critics and music writers are quick to cast onto him. "Living in a Country" (the first single off the album, released Nov. 2012) slips back into the darker side of the band, exposing a vulnerability and regret that we all feel at one point or another, while "Foxes and Dogs" is possibly the most ambitious tune on the record. With fantastically pretty chord progressions and layers of vocals, there is a lush softness to the creative and sentimental lyrics on what has grown to become my favorite song on the album.

"It's a civilized sacrifice / when nobody knew / that foxes and dogs play, too / that I will come back for you."

"Last Gold Rush", as mentioned earlier, is one of the more synth-heavy songs, with a rolling drum cadence that calls to mind The Killers's "Believe Me Natalie" (from their debut record "Hot Fuss",  released in the U.S. on Island Records in 2004). The shortest track, "Denmark", employs its fair share of Walker's synth pop as well, but in a much different way. Coming in at just 2:31, the track channels late 90s Prince sensibilities, with some Fleet Foxes thrown in for good measure. Featuring a soulful backing chorus and a cleanly executed Masters falsetto, this song bestows an apt closure to the gallery of emotion that is "Forty Bells", gently laying to rest the days of adolescence and bravely looking over the precipice, into what is sure to be an illuminating and auspicious future.

Catch Brave Baby this Friday, 1.17.13, for their "Forty Bells" Album Release Show at The Charleston Pour House. Joined by Octopus Jones and label mates ELIM BOLT, it's sure to be a great show. Doors open at 9p and the $10 cover charge includes a copy of the new record.

Brave Baby website: www.bravebabymusic.com
Brave Baby on Facebok: www.facebook.com/bravebabytheband

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