J. Tillman has been releasing albums on his own for a better part of the last half of the decade, but it’s been his recent gig as the drummer for fellow flannel wearing folk-rockers the Fleet Foxes that has helped to give his career a major boost. Year In The Kingdom, Tillman’s second full-length release this year,  captures his sparse and haunting, slow-developing folk sound that at times channels the spirit of Nick Drake. If there was a list made of “sensitive beard rock” albums this one would surely be included.

4. Thao With The Get Down Stay Down – Know Better Learn Faster

Who said a break up record has to sound sad? With her knack for crafting bouncy rhythms and catchy hooks, Thao Nyguen’s latest proves that you can make an indie-pop record that contains as much heartbreak as say something like Blood On Tracks and yet still somehow sound cheerful doing it. It’s hard not to get sucked in by Nyguen’s quirky and endearing vocal style and heartfelt confessional lyrics that by the end make you somehow want to give her a big reassuring hug.

3. Dave Rawlings Machine – A Friend Of A Friend

While we haven’t gotten a new studio album from Gillian Welch in six years, fans of the folk singer got the next best thing with the release of the debut record from her longtime musical collaborator David Rawlings under the slightly tongue-in-cheek moniker the David Rawlings Machine. Backed by Welch, Old Crow Medicine Show, Benmont Tench and Nate Walcott – the album features a mix of Rawlings originals, alongside smartly chosen covers of both traditional and contemporary tunes that showcase not only his fantastic guitar playing, but tender vocal delivery and sweet as honey harmonies.

2. Dawes – North Hills

The heyday of Laurel Canyon sound ended sometime in the mid ’70s, but over the last few years there has been a new generation of bands have embraced the area’s sun-baked, country-folk tradition including Dawes who recorded their ATO debut live to tape there. Full of lilting pedal steel, high harmonies and dusty laments, North Hills is the template for modern sounding quintessential California country rock record in the vein of The Eagles, The Byrds and Jackson Browne. Give a listen to When My Time Comes and see for yourself.

1. Monsters Of Folk – Monsters Of Folk

When three of my favorite artists of the decade – Conor Oberst, Jim James and M. Ward, got together to make an album under the name Monsters Of Folk, there was little doubt that it wasn’t going to end up at the top of my list. While there may be a couple of clunkers, the majority of this collaborative effort brings together the best of what these guys do separately – wordy songs via Conor, sepia-tinged Americana courtesy of M. Ward and Jim James fondness for Southern soul music – often times all within the course of one song, turning them into the 21st century’s equivalent of The Traveling Wilburys.

So what are you favorite albums of the last six months of the year? Leave your choices in the comments section.

Previously On HT:

• Top 6 Of The First 6 ’09
• Top 6 Of The Last 6 ’08
• Top 6 Of The First 6 ’08

The band’s latest record expands on their quirky upbeat jangly sound, but lyrically make no doubt about it this is a break up album laced with Nguyen’s ruminations about the ups and downs of being in a relationship.  You’d never know that they were covering such heavy topics after watching the playful beach party with their first video from the album for When We Swam…

Click here to view the embedded video.

Thao & The Get Down Stay Down are in the midst of their fall tour, that brings them to New York City’s Bowery Ballroom on November 4.

Previously On HT:

• Pullin’ ‘Tubes: If I Had A Hammer

]]> http://www.glidemagazine.com/hiddentrack/pullin-tubes-the-deep-end/feed/ 0 http://www.glidemagazine.com/hiddentrack/bloggy-goodness-john-lennon-in-nyc/ http://www.glidemagazine.com/hiddentrack/bloggy-goodness-john-lennon-in-nyc/#comments Thu, 30 Apr 2009 19:30:23 +0000 Jeffrey Greenblatt http://www.glidemagazine.com/hiddentrack/?p=12506 A few months back, our very own Ryan Dembinsky headed over to the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame’s New York City Annex for a great profile on the relatively new outpost. On May 12 the Annex will debut its second feature exhibit – John Lennon: The New York City Years, which will focus on the former Beatle’s time in the Big Apple. According to the press release “the show will feature numerous Lennon artifacts – including items representing his inimitable fashion statements – as well as iconic photographs, legendary instruments, original handwritten lyrics and artwork”.

The folks at the museum have also announced that they will be extending their hours of operation during the exhibit’s stay. The Annex will now be open until 10 PM during the week and until midnight on the weekends.

• List Time: Top 10 Album Openers Of The ’90s
• Rolling Stone to close its San Francisco office
• Cover Alert: Thao & GDSD tackle Lovin’ Spoonful
• The Playlist asks are Rock-Docs a dying art form
• DSoS kicks down a Simon & Garfunkel show from 1969
• David Fricke shows some love for Marco Benevento

Finally, have you ever had the urge to own your very own rock club? Well, that dream could come true as Live Nation is currently looking for someone to take over the lease at the soon to be former Blender Theater at Gramercy. The 600 person bi-level space is “centrally located near all major subway and transportation hubs, has 186 fixed loge seats, lowerl level lounge with LCD TVs and an existing liquor license” – sounds good to us, so who wants to help raise some cash for the Hidden Track Theater?

If you’re not into Sam’s singer-songwriter stylings than maybe you’ll want to check out one of these recently announced tours…

• Thao & The Get Down Stay Down line up a month long trek (begins: 04/17)
• STS9′s upcoming run sees them spending multiple nights in cities (begins: 02/28)
• Brooding rockers The National schedule a short eight date tour (begins: 05/21)
• NMAS put together a 22-city Spring tour (begins: 03/20)
• Kings Of Leon will hit arenas across the country (begins: 04/19)
• Brit-pop act Travis crosses the pond for a NA tour (begins: 03/27)

Finally, Brit indie-rock act Gomez will hit the road this Spring in support of their sixth studio album A New Tide which hits stores on March 31 – the same night they will play a record release party at New York’s Bowery Ballroom. The band will kick off their tour at SXSW before heading to the East Coast where they will team up with former BtN act Josh Ritter for a handful of co-headlining dates as well as show with new HT fave Blind Pilot. In anticipation of the release Gomez is currently offering up a free download of Airstream Driver via their website, so head on over and grab it today.

We kick things off with Bag Of Hammers from Thao Nyguyen off her fabulous indie-folk-pop album We Brave Bee Stings and All. From there comes one from the rediscovered Rodriguez with Sugar Man from the re-release of his brilliant debut album Cold Fact. Next up is former BtN act Okkervil River with Singer Songwriter from quite possibly the Smart Rock album of the year The Stand Ins. Then, we’ve got the song that I’ve been obsessed with for the last few weeks Margot & The Nuclear So & So’s – Tall As Cliffs – which is featured on both Animal! and Not Animal. We continue with the amazing Dr. Dog and the very last track on their latest effort Fate – My Friend - that vaguely reminds of The Beatles’ A Day In The Life. Finally we close things with Campus from Vampire Weekend infectious self-titled debut.

The song comes from Thao Nguyen and her fantastically named band the Get Down Stay Down. Check out the video for Bag Of Hammers (which looks like it cost less to make then an episode of Mr. Bill)…

Click here to view the embedded video.

Thao and her band recently wrapped up a tour opening for Rilo Kiley and has already lined up a number of summer dates. Be sure to see ‘em!