Stornoway - We are the battery human

So this might get taken down quickly, but hopefully I can share a bit of love for a band that loves Fleet Foxes and the Decemberists in almost equal measure, with extra banjo. A late entry for the best album I've heard released this year (are we doing one this year Beth?), Stornaway's Beachcomber's Windowsill start with a touch of plainsong about zorbing and drifts off into sea shanties and the folkier end of rock and pop, but don't let that put you off.

Listen: Stornoway - We are the battery human

Buy it

More rumination on marriage

Dolly and Porter were never married, but their studio recordings (and by all accounts their live shows) are full of ad-libs that show just how close they were - check this piece of high cheese from 'We Found It'

Listen: Dolly Parton & Porter Wagoner - I've been married just as long as you


But I like to think this is much closer to the truth of their relationship, with its harking back to the music of Dolly's youth. Excuse the vinyl scratches.
Listen: Dolly & Porter - I know you're married but I still love you

Many of their joint albums are out of print, so go for a best of.

dry the river

Mentioned in the press a fair bit the last few weeks, Dry the River have a free 3 track EP you can download from their website including this one - embedded straight from their Soundcloud:
History Book by Dry the River

It's close harmony and acoustic instrumentation could do with filling out with a bit of mandolin and more fiddle if you ask me, but that might push it a bit too country.

You can buy it with a couple of extra tracks from here.
also an excellent excuse to post a bit of Moose:

Listen: Moose - This River Will Never Run Dry

I have a load more stuff on marriage and weddings

First a proper blast of banjo, still not allowed one in the house, that's why I'm getting a shed. Both Roscoe Holcomb's albums are highly recommended. Music with grit.

Listen: Roscoe Holcomb - Married Life Blues - Buy it



Jean Shepard could probably fill an album with wedding, marriage and divorce related songs. I think we've found our Lonesome groove again - check out these beauties:
Listen: Jean Shepard - My Wedding Ring
Listen: Jean Shepard - Don't Fall in Love with a Married Man
Buy it

When we admit our parents were right

I took a small sojourn from my current occupationless status this weekend to be take up officiant/reverend-duties at the wedding of one of my very best friends. The lakeland horizontal rain held off, hands were fasted, fires were lit, fiddles were played, hearts were warmed.
Happy, happy days. So let's have a bumper crop of (slightly sadder) wedding songs, shall we?

Listen: Tim Hart & Maddy Prior - Sorry the Day I Was Married (Buy)

Listen: Mark Lanegan - Wedding Dress (Buy) (this really gets me)

Listen: The Arlenes - Married Life (Buy)

Listen: The Reeltime Travelers - Too Young to Marry (Buy)

Listen(kind of a little anthem): Tom Waits - Better Off Without a Wife (Buy)

What have I missed? (Apart from good old TS and his private words addressed in public, obviously - still trying to wean myself off of all that).

Jonny - Gloria

Well, that was an interesting spell. Long story short, I've just been released from a project that required complete radio silence for the best part of a year and Beth is sorting out 'alternative employment options'.

So here's a quick post to tell you that Lonesome favorites ex-Gorky's Zygotic Mynci frontman the gloriously named Euros Childs and Teenage Fanclub's Norman Blake have a free EP of woozy folk pop you can download. It's not tearjerkingly saturated in pedal steel, but I'm sure we'll find our lonesome groove again as soon as we hit a smooth patch.

Listen: Jonny - Gloria