Sam Lee

Cocteau Twins' Elizabeth Fraser guests on new Sam Lee song (listen)

In the 22 years since Cocteau Twins broke up, Elizabeth Fraser has kept a pretty low profile, making a few guest appearances here and there — like lending her voice to the Lord of the Rings scores — but not much else. This year, though, we’ve seen a lot of Liz…

globalFEST 2015 lineup and tickets

The annual NYC world music festival globalFEST returns in 2015 to Webster Hall on January 11. This year’s performers — many of whom are making their US or NYC debuts — include (descriptions via press release):Bixiga70 (US debut; Brazil): Brazil’s brassy Afrobeat orchestra Emel Mathlouthi (Tunisia/France/US): Electro-inspired voice of Tunisia’s Arab Spring Emil Zrihan (Morocco/Israel): Soaring Moroccan improvisations and Jewish songs The Jones Family Singers (US): Hard-driving Gospel funk from Texas Just a Band (Kenya): Nairobi’s Super-Nerdy Electronic Music & Art Collective Kahulanui (US): Hawaii’s kings of swing Kevin Johansen + The Nada (Argentina): De-genre-ate Sub-tropicalia from Argentina The Nile Project (US debut; various): Trans-border collaboration across the Nile Basin Puerto Candelaria (NYC debut; Colombia): Colombia’s rebellious cumbia experimentalists Riyaaz Qawwali (various): Pakistani Sufi Music made in the USA Sam Lee (NYC debut; UK): Unconventional Songs of the British Isles Zap Mama (Belgium): Polyphonic a capella Afropop pioneersTickets are on sa…

Alt-J, Django Django, Jessie Ware, Michael Kiwanuka, Field Music, Richard Hawley and more vying for 2012 Mercury Prize

Django Django at Glasslands, March 2012 (more by Dominick Mastrangelo) The shortlist for the 2012 Mercury Prize, an award voted on by a panel of music industry professionals and journalists honoring UK albums of the year, was just announced: The Maccabees – Given to the Wild Jessie Ware – Devotion Alt-J – An Awesome Wave Richard Hawley – Standing at the Sky’s Edge Michael Kiwanuka – Home Again Lianne La Havas – Is Your Love Big Enough Ben Howard – Every Kingdom Sam Lee – Ground of its Own Field Music – Plumb Django Django – S/T Roller Trio – S/T Plan B – Ill ManorsOdds seem pretty good for Alt-J (who play Bowery Ballroom tonight), who have not only made a great album with An Awesome Wave, but also the kind of album the Mercury Prize voters like…