Category: Things I Should’ve Mentioned

SwimDrinkFishMusic with Great Lake Swimmers

This week, Great Lake Swimmers released “Ballad of a Fisherman’s Wife” for Swim Drink Fish Music Club.  The charity was developed by Lake Ontario Waterkeeper, and other Waterkeeper organizations in Canada.  Here’s how they describe their mission: “The Swim Drink Fish Music Club brings together artists, activists, and citizens just like you who care about clean water. By celebrating the Club’s exclusive and rare music, you are contributing to the fight for swimmable, drinkable, fishable water in your community.”

As for the Great Lake Swimmers track, here’s a bit about that:

“”Ballad Of A Fisherman’s Wife” was written after hearing, with great dismay, news about the oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. Most striking and heart-felt to me were the sentiments of outrage from those who made their living in and along these waters, especially the fishermen, and especially their wives. I wanted to comment on this ongoing crisis from that very specific viewpoint.”

You can head over to the site to hear the track, and you can sign up for only $10.  While you’re there, check out more Great Lake Swimmers, and browse around a bit.  I’m sure you’ll find something you’ll like!

Out Now: Dear New Orleans – Benefit Album

Out now, for the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, is Dear New Orleans – A benefit album from Air Traffic Control.  The album features Laura Veirs, The Wrens, Indigo Girls, Mike Mills of R.E.M., and dozens of other artists.  Here’s how they describe the project:

Air Traffic Control has been co-hosting artist activism retreats in New Orleans for the last four years. To mark the 5 year anniversary of the storm and floods we thought it appropriate to produce a benefit album. We started by asking the 60 alumni artists who participated in the retreats if they’d be interested in donating a track for a benefit album – we had no idea over half of them would send us music.

We are grateful they did.

Some of the songs that appear on this album are specifically about the city, or the disaster. Others pay a more oblique tribute, and still others are songs that the artist played at the concert we close each retreat with.

Dear New Orleans is a letter of gratitude and promise to the city and her people — to never forget what happened and to continue to rebuild.

You can listen to the album after the jump, and you can find lots more info on the Dear New Orleans website.  I definitely encourage you to do what you can to help out, and to spread the word.

Continue reading “Out Now: Dear New Orleans – Benefit Album”

Robin Pecknold Performs Three New Songs in Seattle

On August 4th, during his opening set for Joanna Newsom at Seattle’s Moore Theater, Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes) performed three new songs.  And thanks to the hard work of the fine folks over at We All Want Someone to Shout For, and Stereogum, I’m very pleased to bring them to you.

Continue reading “Robin Pecknold Performs Three New Songs in Seattle”

Peter Gabriel Performs for Guitar Center

Peter recorded a version of ‘Here Comes the Flood’ as part of the Guitar Center “Sessions” program, which will debut August 21st on DIRECTV.  Below, you can see the performance, which is also available as a free download from the session.  To check it out, in all its stripped-down glory, follow the link:

Continue reading “Peter Gabriel Performs for Guitar Center”

New Sufjan Stevens EP – All Delighted People

Last Friday, Sufjan Stevens released a new EP – All Delighted People – over at bandcamp.  Here’s how they describe it:

All Delighted People is built around two different versions of Sufjan’s long-form epic ballad “All Delighted People,” a dramatic homage to the Apocalypse, existential ennui, and Paul Simon’s “Sounds of Silence.” Sounds delightful, yes! The song was originally workshopped on Sufjan’s previous tour in the fall of 2009. Other songs on the EP include the 17-minute guitar jam-for-single-mothers “Djohariah,” and the gothic piano ballad “The Owl and the Tanager,” a live-show mainstay (and Debbie Downer if you ask us; what’s it doing on a “Delighted” EP?).

Raise Your Hands!

You can hear the EP, and download a track after the jump.  After that, check out the bandcamp page:

Continue reading “New Sufjan Stevens EP – All Delighted People”