Category: Local Music

General coverage of local music happenings

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Local Music New Album Review

New Local Music

Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba // The Great Peace

Some truly entrancing music from this Carrboro based outfit. Diali Cissokho hails from Senegal but moved stateside and teamed up with a crew of really talented local musicians to form this incredible band. Some ridiculously dancy tunes interspersed with some intensely emotional tracks. To hell with the language barrier, music is universal. Play it if you’re looking for something different!

Ladyfriend // Ladyfriend EP

This band is split between N.C. and N.Y, but you wouldn’t know that with how cohesive and smooth this EP is. Sort of like a mix between Love Language and Jamaican Queens, Ladyfriend combines surf-psych elements with experimental pop and some slight electronic instrumentation pepper throughout the mix as well. REALLY awesome stuff!

Ellis Dyson & The Shambles // Whiskey Business

The name of this EP is far more descriptive than I’d imagined. These whiskey-soaked tunes can easily lead to some foot-stompin’ hootin’ and hollerin’ (pardon, that’s the eastern North Carolina coming out in me). A bit of ragtime influence thrown in with some exciting folk-rock standards, there’s tons of potential here! Remind me a lot of an early Holy Ghost Tent Revival.

Sinners & Saints // Love & Misery

This Charlotte based duo is churning out some excellent folk-rock music. A lot of strong influences bleeding through on this release, very reminiscent of acts like The Avett Brothers. All around some really enjoyable tunes that range from poppy and anthemic to slower folk-leaning ballads.

Estrangers // Season of 1000 Colors

One of the most slept on local releases of last year without a doubt. Lots of comparisons can be drawn to The Love Language, but Estrangers add enough of their own flair to make it interested and unique (a little bit of classic 50s pop stylings and some sweet harmonies!) An excellent way to kick off Spring is by spinning these sun-soaked tunes!

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Band/Artist Profile Local Music

Estrangers

Estrangers is a five-piece hailing from Winston-Salem, NC consisting of Philip Pledger on vocals and guitar, Mike Wallace on Guitar, David-Todd Murray on keyboards, Nathan H. Bedsole on bass, and Drew Braden on drums.  The fuzz-pop quintet formed in the summer of 2011.  By November, they had released their debut effort Black Ballroom and had opened for Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Titus Andronicus.  Their bright, washed-out pop was reminiscent of older days.  After a period of indecision and a few lineup changes, they were back with their follow-up Sunmelt EP.  This effort found them exploring more into a psychedelic side of their lo-fi pop sound.

Their latest LP, Season of 1000 Colors, was released last summer as their first release of their newly founded label Phuzz Records.  This album really finds Estrangers nailing down their sound.  Season features more polished production then their last two outings, but still maintains their earnest, fuzzy pysch-pop tunes.  The album is a melodic wash of bright pop comprised of huge melodies, complimented by fuzzy guitars and synths grounded by thundering drums and bass.  Through and through, their first full-length is a brilliant album that picks you up on the first listen and has enough layers to keep bringing you back.

Philip Pledger not only serves as the singer and guitarist of Estrangers but also as the founder and co-director of Phuzz Phest.  Phuzz Phest is an annual music festival that is now in its 4th year that takes place in downtown Winston-Salem.  The festival works to bring some of the best local acts as well as some great local acts in for a weekend long festival.  This year during the first weekend in April, Phuzz Phest brings No Age, Kool Keith, Jessica Lea Mayfield, White Fence, Diarrhea Planet, Mount Moriah, Ex Hex, The Love Language and over 40 more incredible acts to Winston-Salem for an insane weekend that will now also feature a coffee conference and afterparties. Check out their website for the full schedule and more information.

With Phuzz Phest right around the corner, Estrangers is hitting the road again with some new songs before they return home to play Phuzz Phest.  Tune in to WKNC at 7pm on Wednesday March 12th to hear an interview with the band before their show at Kings that night!

3/12 Kings Barcade (Raleigh) with Eston & The Outs, Flash Car

3/13 The Gold Bar (Baltimore) with Infinite Honey, Joy Classic

3/14 The Gutter (Brooklyn) with IYEZ

4/04 Phuzz Phest (Winston-Salem)

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Concert Preview Local Music

Local Band Local Beer // 2.27.14

Younger Brother Productions, WKNC 88.1 FM, and Tir na Nog Irish Pub present Local Band Local Beer featuring Ellis Dyson and the Shambles, Debonzo Brothers, and Cousins this Thursday, February 27, 2014.

The show starts at 9:30 pm and as always, admission is free!

18 and up.

A drawing of an anatomical heart for the Local Band Local Beer poster

Be sure to tune into WKNC at 5pm to hear DJ Kataclysm interview the bands before their set.

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Local Music Weekly Charts

Local Music Charts: Feb. 3 – Feb. 17

1. The Love Language – (Last Position = #2)

2. Mount Moriah – (Last Position = #1)

3. T0W3RS – (Last Position = #4)

4. Loamlands – (Last Position = #3)

5. Ghostt Bllonde – (Last Position = #5) 

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Band/Artist Profile Local Music

Local Artist of the Month: Daniel Bachman

A man standing in front of house's front door

In a time where many artists are moving away from traditional instrumentation and moving towards electronics, acts like Daniel Bachman help keep music lovers rooted in the fundamentals. But that’s not to say that Bachman is an ordinary artist by any means. Daniel Bachman is a swiftly rising traditionalist in the music scene and when he made the move to Chapel Hill he was immediately embraced by the local community. There’s no wonder why either, Bachman’s acoustic fingerpicking is anything but simplistic. Using varied open tunings Bachman weaves together complex compositions filled with dense layers of melody, making his perplexing techniques seem effortless.

Bachman’s music is soothing and enchanting, making him an easy choice for our February Artist of the Month. Bachman’s most recent release Jesus, I’m A Sinner delves into American Primitivism, using bluesy fingerpicking techniques to convey his rustic instrumental aura. Whether Bachman is wielding a lapsteel, acoustic or banjo, he’s creating expansive and limitless music using minimal equipment. Bachman knows how to create an immersive environment within his music, making it easy to lose yourself in his rich sounds. With three LPs out within the past two years and another on the way for 2014, this young workhorse has no slowing down in sight.

John Kovalchic’s interview with Daniel Bachman will air on Feb. 14, the same day that Bachman is set to take the stage at Lincoln Theatre for Night 2 of our annual Double Barrel Benefit. Bachman will be performing alongside Mount Moriah, Bombadil and Loamlands. Tune in at 5:00 on Friday, Feb. 14 to hear our Artist of the Month segment with this immensely talented young guitarist.

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Local Music Weekly Charts

WKNC Local Music Charts: Jan 20 – Feb. 3

1. Mount Moriah – (Last Position = #1)

 

2. The Love Language – (Last Position = #2)

 

3. Loamlands – (First week on charts)

 

4. T0W3RS  – (First week on charts)

 

5. Ghostt Bllonde – (First week on charts)

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Local Music Music News and Interviews

January’s Local Artist of the Month: Hiss Golden Messenger

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Hiss Golden Messenger

is a true testament to the musicianship that resides in the Triangle. Both in a live setting and on the record, Hiss Golden Messenger is a roll call of many of the great musicians who come together under Durham songwriter M.C. Taylor and Brooklyn recordist Scott Hirsch to make something incredible.  The albums are a careful work of genius that brings together a wide-range of genres that together scream “North Carolina.”  Their most recent effort Haw brings together some of the best of the best to create their fullest, most beautiful album yet.  Seeing Hiss Golden Messenger at their show at Haw River Ballroom was such an incredible treat.  The Triangle came together for a night of music led by some of the giants of the local scene who brought to life this music that is so wholly North Carolina.

Taylor and Hirsch have released 4 albums as Hiss Golden Messenger including last year’s Haw.  Named for the river that strikes right through the heart of North Carolina, the album is their most adventurous to date as the duo expanded and enlisted the help of some old friends.  The band consisted of Megafaun’s Phil Cook, The Black Twig Picker’s Nathan Bowles, and William Tyler.  Each of these men is a great musician in their own right and came together to round out Taylor’s incredible vision perfectly.  Like their previous albums, Haw brought together wide array of different genres including folk, blues, country, and soul.  While Hiss Golden Messenger is a champion of an older country era, the music is universal and draws people that have never before been a fan of these genres.  As such, Haw was incredibly well received by people of all genres as it made the rounds on both local and national end of year lists.

On January 14th, their second album Bad Debt is being reissued after coming to an untimely end.  All copies of the original CD edition were destroyed in a warehouse fire during the London riots in 2011.  Bad Debt was written during the time of the collapse of the global economy.  Now after its symbolic demise, these songs will see the light of day 5 years later.  While we may not know what the future of the global economy may hold, these songs still hold weight as we look towards the not entirely cheery future.  But the future may be a bit brighter with Hiss Golden Messenger reminding us we aren’t alone in our struggles.

Tune in to hear our interview with Hiss Golden Messenger during Carolina Grown on January 17th as we discuss what lies ahead for them.

Check out a review and listen to a track off of Bad Debt on Pitchfork.

Hear the interview now.

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Band/Artist Profile Local Music

Carolina Grown Preview: Magpie Feast w/ Texoma, Magnolia Collective & Kenny Roby

An abstract bird-like figure drawn on a black background

For the last official Carolina Grown of the year we’re gonna be going all out. And by that I mean we’ve got FOUR artists joining us throughout the span of our two hour show, making for the busiest week yet! From 5-6 we’ll be highlighting a few local artists that will be playing at Local 506 later on Friday night, Texoma, Magnolia Collective and Kenny Roby. After tackling some conversation and acoustic tunes with those three we’ll be onto our hour-long feature of Magpie Feast, our December Artist of the Month. It’ll be two hours filled with Southern-styled rock n’ roll goodness and an excellent send-off for what’s been a busy and wonderful first year of the show.

The first hour’s guests are some of the area’s staples when it comes to Americana music. Kenny Roby and Magnolia Collective have become figureheads of the local scene, serving as gatekeepers for the swiftly expanding roots rock scene. However, that doesn’t mean that you should write either of them off. Kenny Roby is winding down one of his best years in recent memory, anchored by the stellar release Memories & Birds back in April. Memories & Birds proves that this local icon still has plenty of gas in the tank and the same can be said for Magnolia Collective. While MagCo. is still in its early years as a project, the band’s members are no strangers to the scene. Magnolia Collective was born of Southern Rail jam sessions and has maintained that intimate vibe while slowly evolving into a cohesive and impressive unit of songwriters.

Texoma on the other hand marks a brand new start for some Triangle staples. Songwriter Zach Terry was one of the founding members within Magnolia Collective and before that was a member of the foot-stomping roots rockers The Whiskey Smugglers. As Texoma, Terry turns over a new leaf while staying firm to his alt-country roots. Texoma, Roby and Magnolia Collective will all be chatting and performing stripped down songs throughout the hour, so alt-country fans should most definitely stick close to their radios.

And if you’re a fan of the southern vibes then you’ll surely want to stick around to find out more about the elusive Magpie Feast. Though the band has been around for years now, little is known about this stellar blues-driven act. That’s one of the main reasons we’re aiming to shine our light upon this overlooked act, the other being their undeniable knack for barn-burning sing-along tracks that pack as heavy of a rhythmic punch as they do an emotional one. Expect some enlightening conversation and some brilliant renditions of the standout tracks from their latest release Out of the Womb.

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Local Music Music News and Interviews

Local Artist of the Month: Magpie Feast

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Throughout most of 2013 we’ve taken time each month to highlight some of our favorite local artists in the area. Our Artist of the Month feature is meant to shine a light upon the folks in the North Carolina music scene that deserve is most. Whether that be some of the scene’s longstanding champions like Bombadil and The Love Language, swiftly rising up-and-comers like Baobab or punk-rock renegades like Whatever Brains, we always try to focus on an act that stands for all that our scene represents.

That’s why we’re proud to present our final Artist of the Month for 2013 with Raleigh’s little-known Magpie Feast. Prepare yourself for a rootsy blast of foot-stomping tunes that are dripping with bluesy rhythms and passionate melodies. For years Matthew Southern has crafted rough around the edges Americana-leaning tunes that have flown quietly under the radar. Despite the lack of critical acclaim, Southern’s songs have grown from enjoyable trips into the songwriter’s psyche to memorable displays of his ever-increasing songwriting prowess.

Your standard Magpie Feast song feels reminiscent of a dirty southern take on Devendra Banhart. These tracks are firmly based in blues-rock stylings while interspersing traditional folk melodies, yet they somehow find their way into sprawling territory that gives this music a modernistic hue. Magpie Feast’s most recent release Out of the Womb sheds the lo-fi veil in favor of a much more dynamic and engaging approach, taking this already riveting sound and piling on layers to enrich the experience. 

On Friday, December 13 I’ll be joined by Magpie Feast to discuss the evolution of this promising and under-appreciated act and to find out where they stand amongst a crowded North Carolina scene. Magpie Feast will be performing some stripped down takes on tracks from Out of the Womb, so tune in from 6-7 for our last Artist of the Month feature before the new year begins!

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Concert Preview Local Music

Carolina Grown Preview: Nov. 29

Blue and yellow logo with red lightning bolt and heart symbols and the text "NC Music Love Army."

Just because we’re not on campus doesn’t mean the show won’t go on! For the last Carolina Grown of November, I’ll have the first hour entirely dedicated to the North Carolina Music Love Army, a group that’s comprised of some of the state’s finest musicians joining hands to create a unified voice of protest against our state’s current administrative decisions. Co-founders Caitlin Cary (of Whiskeytown) and Jon Lindsay are joined by Skylar Gudasz to discuss the founding of this coalition of well-known local musicians and what they hope to achieve with their recently released album. The second hour will of course be filled with local tunes!

This summer as the Moral Monday protests were coming to a head, Cary and Lindsay joined together and formed the NC Music Love Army after being motivated by Django Haskin’s (of The Old Ceremony) gripping protest song “We Are Not For Sale.” Though the months have passed and Moral Mondays fizzled out a bit, the NC Music Love Army is still going strong. On Saturday, Nov. 30 they’ll celebrate the release of their album We Are Not For Sale at the Cat’s Cradle, a show in which some of the state’s most revered musicians will come together to celebrate their songs of protest.

The album is broken up into two parts, the first 5 tracks (or Side A) are comprised of songs that the Army recorded together in-studio, while Side B (which they “fondly” refer to as the “guerrilla side”) features contributions from artists like Hiss Golden Messenger and Shirlette Ammons. Caitlin, Jon and Skylar joined me to discuss a bit about the reception that they’ve received from the project thus far, the logistics of organizing such a large-scaled project and their history with protest songs.

Tune in on Friday at 5:00 to hear our full conversation along with an in-studio performance of a Love Army track that’s not featured on the album called, “Dear Mr. McCrory.”