Phosphorescent at Bonnaroo 2011 (more by Graeme Flegenheimer)

As mentioned, Newport Folk Festival is returning this year to Fort Adams State Park from July 26 to 28, and since we last spoke, the lineup has been revealed. This year's fest includes Beck, The Avett Brothers, Feist, Jim James, Colin Meloy, Andrew Bird, The Mountain Goats (who just announced a tour), Father John Misty, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & Dawn McCarthy, Justin Townes Earle, Felice Brothers, Jason Isbell, Amanda Palmer, Phosphorescent, Beth Orton, John McCauley, Michael Kiwanuka, Lord Huron, Frank Turner, Black Prairie, Langhorne Slim, TIft Merritt, Spirit Family Reunion, Blake Mills, Houndmouth, Cold Specks, and others, plus more TBA.

Hope you acted quick back in January. 3-Day passes and 2-day passes are sold out, as are single day tickets for Saturday and Sunday, but you can still get single day tickets for Friday.

Speaking of the Rough Trade-signed, Lumineers-like Houndmouth, you have two chances to catch them in NYC this week before they become as big as the Lumineers. They're at Mercury Lounge on Wednesday (4/10) and Rockwood Music Hall on Thursday (4/11).

Full initial Newport Fest lineup below...

Continue reading "Newport Folk Festival -- 2013 lineup (Beck, Feist, Jim James, Phosphorescent, Father John Misty, Bonnie Prince Billy, Houndmouth & more)"

As you may remember, Brooklyn old time folk revivalists Spirit Family Reunion released their debut album over the summer and sounds more like something from the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack than something from their NYC borrough in 2012. You can stream the whole thing below. The band recently appeared on long-running NPR show Mountain Stage (taped in West Virginia) alongside Dr. Dog, the Mountain Goats, Nellie McKay, and Red Wanting Blue and that episode airs this week, check here for a station near you and look for the episode to go up on their archive next week.

Meanwhile, Spirit Family Reunion have a few live shows coming up, including New Year's Eve in NYC, playing Pianos with Christopher Paul Stelling. Tickets are $15 and include a champagne toast at midnight.

The band were also kind enough to send us their Top 10 LPs of 2012 and if you're expecting a bunch of Bill Monroe reissues on the list, you'd be wrong. Their list includes Ty Segall and Leonard Cohen who maybe they're going to see tonight at Madison Square Garden? Check out their full list below, along with a stream of their album and a list of all upcoming tour dates.

Continue reading "Spirit Family Reunion are on 'Mountain Stage' this week, list their Top 10 LPs of 2012, playing NYC on NYE (dates)"

by Andrew Sacher

DOWNLOAD: Spirit Family Reunion - "I Want To Be Relieved" (MP3)

Brooklyn old-time folkies Spirit Family Reunion will release their debut album, No Separation, on June 15. Steeped in the sound of old midwestern country and bluegrass and the rowdiness of other revival bands like The Felice Brothers and Deer Tick, Spirit Family Reunion fit right in with the bands they'll be sharing the stage with at this year's Newport Folk Festival. You can stream three tracks below and download a new one, "I Want to Be Relieved," which is making its premiere in this post above.

Spirit Family Reunion are playing a free show in NYC TONIGHT (5/14) at Living Room. It's their last local show before they hit the road for the next month, returning for a record release show with Hurray for the Riff Raff on June 15 at Mercury Lounge, the day that No Separation comes out. Tickets for the Mercury Lounge show go on sale Friday (5/18) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (5/16) at noon. They've also got another free show coming up as part of Celebrate Brooklyn at Prospect Park on August 4 with bluegrass vets The Del McCoury Band and revivalist duo Cahalen Morrison and Eli West.

All dates and streams below...

Continue reading "Spirit Family Reunion releasing 'No Separation' (MP3), touring (dates), playing shows (including a free one tonight)"