by Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Jennifer Castle - "Neverride" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Jennifer Castle - "Powers" (MP3)

Canadian folk singer Jennifer Castle, who previously existed under the moniker Castlemusic, released her first album under her own name (though the album is titled Castlemusic) on April 26 in Canada via Chad Vangaalen's Flemish Eye label. Jennifer was accompanied by Dave Clarke and engineer Jeff McMurrich (Fucked Up, Owen Pallett), who recorded and mixed the album. She brought in friends to help out with piano, organ, flute, vibes, and pedal steel to accompany her voice and guitalele.

Jennifer's brand of folk exuberates with time-honored melodies and arrangements not unlike fellow Canadian Joni Mitchell. You can grab the songs "Neverride" and "Powers" off the album above, and purchase the album download or CD/LP from Flemish Eye. Also check out the videos (filmed by Mitch Fillion) of Jennifer's performance of "Powers" and "Poor as Him" on Southern Souls below.

Jennifer plays NXNE in Toronto on June 16 at WrongBar with Fucked Up, whose new album we recently mentioned Jennifer provides guest vocals on (she has also backed them on at least one older record). She'll play another NXNE show on June 18, the Flemish Eye/Weird Canada showcase, with her labelmates Chad Vangaalen and Braids, and Grimes and Duzheknew.

After NXNE, Chad Vangaalen heads out on short US tour with Nat Baldwin including the previously mentioned Music Hall of Williamsburg show on June 21. Hospital Ships also open that show and tickets are still available. Updated dates below.

All tour dates (though none in the US for Jennifer yet), videos, and Castlemusic stuff below...

Continue reading "Jennifer Castle released Castlemusic on Flemish Eye, hangs w/ Chad VanGaalen, backs Fucked Up, playing NXNE w/ both"

DOWNLOAD: Shearwater - Castaways (MP3)

Shearwater @ All Points West '09 (more by Chris La Putt)

Matador will be releasing the new album by Shearwater, The Golden Archipelago, on February 23rd. You can preorder that in a variety of packages, including The Golden Dossier version which comes as a loose file of ephemera and goodies. More info on both the album and its special edition are below. A song off the record, "Castaways," is posted above.

They'll be in Europe this February and early March before touring North America in March and April with Wye Oak and Hospital Ships (openers vary by date). One of those dates is a Bowery Ballroom show on Saturday, March 27th (with both of those openers). Tickets are now on AmEx presale. General sale starts Friday at noon.

As NPR pointed out, Hospital Ships "founder and sole member Jordan Geiger has a long, varied indie-rock resume, with stints as the trumpeter in Shearwater and the chief songwriter of Minus Story."

Shearwater drummer Thor Harris will also be keeping busy this year as a member of Swans.

More Shearwater album info and all tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Shearwater - new album, MP3 & 2010 Tour Dates w/ Wye Oak & Hospital Ships (Bowery Ballroom)"