New Music

Ok, something brief for fans of music you wouldn't find just by looking or listening.

Nat Baldwin - Nat Baldwin is an upright bass player who also happens to write incredibly beautiful not-quite-pop songs. He's basically a one-man Kronos Quartet playing Philip Glass, but with a voice like Halfway between Jeff Buckley and Joey Burns of Calexico. He also injects his songs with momentary John Cage style avant garde freakouts and blips. His arrangements and instrument choices are left-field in the best possible way. Surprise after Surprise confronts the listener. He is a genius, friends. No two ways.

Tulsa - Pastoral, soulful foursome from Cambridge who have that great country sound, even if their music is made in a city. Like some of my other favorite new-wave country influenced bands like Honeychurch and Fleet Foxes they have that sweet, amber-tinted soundscape down and can pull off a timeless musical happening whether in a full band setting or a Carter Tanton solo sitting. Real ageless type stuff. Their on Park the Van and their getting huge, so listen now so you can tell everyone you did it before it was cool.

Thomas Francis Takes His Chances - This wonderfully weird New Jersey band just opened for Sunset Rubdown at the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia and they assure me that their going to start taking themselves seriously. I hope they do because they are an exciting musical feast. Jarring dystopian lyrics and a lot of really interesting production design make them a unique offering indeed. A little early Modest Mouse, a little Devendra Banhart, a little Captain Beefheart, a lot of fun