William Elliott Whitmore - Field Songs (2011)

Field Songs unfolds like the musical score to a film on agricultural life. I can't help but think of digging my hands in the dirt, hammering cracked barn siding and tilling long stretches of soil on a rusted-out tractor. With this album as my soundtrack, such a life almost sounds appealing. The vivid imagery speaks to Whitmore's ability to channel so much soul, old-timey grit and emotion with just his unique voice, banjo or acoustic guitar and crickets, birds and frogs as backup singers. Field Songs is even more simplistic than Animals In The Dark, Whitmore's fantastic 2009 release, which is fine from my perspective. It also helps that Whitmore seems like a genuinely likable and humble guy—someone I'd really enjoy sharing a Black Star sixer with on a front porch somewhere where the stars glow like floodlights. The title track (below) is probably my favorite, but in truth, I could listen to the whole album over and over without interruption. For additional individual highlights, check out: "Everything Gets Gone" and "Not Feeling Any Pain."

The man will be playing Slim's in San Francisco on September 23rd with James Vincent McMorrow. Should be an amazing show.

Mumford And Sons - "The Cave" (Acoustic Bookshop Sessions)

Sigh no more! My much-anticipated Mumford and Sons show is this week and I am beyond excited to finally see these Brits get their banjo on, even if it's at the less-than-intimate NYC monstrosity otherwise known as Terminal 5 (a venue that seriously needs to accidentally burn down already, as I've requested many moons ago). QuickCrit is no stranger to loving Mumford hard this year, so where's the harm in gushing a little more? I serendipitously stumbled upon some baller acoustic versions of M&S playing their tracks at Treadwell's Bookshop in London. Oh please, please, please play similarly stripped-down versions at T5 and maybe I'll refrain from jig dancing. They even called this performance the "Bookshop Sessions." Flawless acoustic Mumford... in a bookshop? Blimey! I think I just had a tiny musical orgasm.



"Little Lion Man" sounds great too, no surprise there.

The SteelDrivers - Reckless (2010)

The bluegrass streak continues, and I am excited! The Quickcrit faithful are probably well aware of my bone-deep affinity for The SteelDrivers, and their new album "Reckless" is ridiculous. For those not familiar with The SteelDrivers I will say this band makes me want to read more, so I can have a better understanding of the English language and poetically describe their sound to strangers. I just said I want to read more people; let that sink in for a minute. This is one powerful force of a band. Chris Stapleton's vocals and songwriting is some of the best I've heard in years, in any genre, and the plucky banjo combined with the country-road fiddlin' is very simple, special and essential, all at the same time. There's something about bluegrass, especially The SteelDrivers, that reminds me of the basic things. Simple things that give me a shit-eating grin and a bounce in my step, even though they both don't come around an awful lot. But when they do, they can make your week. Few quick examples: using the word "chagrin" in a sentence, and hearing the phrase "Smith converts on 3rd down".* They both happen, but not nearly enough. This last example is somewhat abstract, but I felt obliged to mention it anyway. I live in a fairly metropolitan city, full of traffic jams, alarm clocks, tall buildings, and concrete. I must say it's easy to forget that the whole world does not look this way, and operate on deadlines, paperwork, and bus schedules. I am reminded of this reality by surprise twice a month when the street-sweepers push the leaves, and dirt into a gigantic pile next to where I park my car. When I leave for work at three in the morning I am hit with a big earthy smell, which instantly reminds me that the food I eat does not come from Safeway. The SteelDrivers hit me like that compost heap and wake my sleepwalking soul. They are like that jolt of earthy goodness that puts me at ease and a smile on my face. The whole album is great, but some songs that need to be checked out are "Where Rainbows Never Die", which is high in the runnings for my favorite song of 2010. Also listen to "Can You Run" and "You Put The Hurt On Me". Enjoy folks!

*Sorry to non-Niner fans who might not get the reference.

Mumford & Sons - Sigh No More (UK 2009 / US 2010)

With Midlake, Local Natives, and Mumford & Sons all releasing albums in a span of a few months (weeks, depending on when you evaluate the international release dates), folk rooted rock is really making a surge. I suppose this is really nothing new in particular, I just feel like the market for stringed, minstrel-like  instruments (other than guitar and bass of course) and layered harmonies have really hit a high.  Fleet Foxes appears to be the preeminent power in this broad genre at this point in time; however, with the Sigh No More LP I think Mumford & Sons can give ‘em a run for their money. This London-based quartet, whose name sounds more like a general store or cobbler shop than a band, takes their vocal harmonies and instrumentation real seriously, with nearly every track making a slow-building skyward arch until your heart is lifted and your speakers are overflowing with sound. The absence of drums on most tracks does not prevent them from inducing foot-stomping and body rocking. There is plenty of strummy acoustic guitar, joined by vigorous banjo, key pounding and memorable lines - creating tracks that ooze with upbeat, confident vibes. This album accomplishes what I think a lot of bands aim for but fall short of... an LP that doesn’t feel deflated by already released EPs. “Little Lion Man,” “Awake My Soul” and “Winter Winds” are my favorites, but truthfully, I don’t think that there is a bad piece on the entire release.

Friday Night Beer Pairing: Miller High Life & Valient Thorr

After fleeing their overpopulated and war-torn home of Venus, Valient Thorr settled in North Carolina. Since their arrival, the other 49 states are in debt. They have a very unique sound not of this earth, if you will. They have been spreading positive vibrations on an insane touring regime that has only been interrupted by Valient Himself donating one of his kidneys to his earthling father. The band is a hybrid of punk, bluegrass, and metal that is very unique, and so good. It feels as if I am listening to Adolescents, Sir Lord Baltimore, Thin Lizzy, and the dueling banjos of Deliverance all at the same time. Because of this reason, it reminds me of several different times in my life, and there is only one beer that represents my drinking life since its inception at the precious age of 14. Miller High Life.

The first time that I drank a High Life was with my old friend Miles Leland. It is a little bit creepy, because he has two first names, and his infatuation with High Life was due to his attraction to the babe on the moon. Little did I know his genius, and the way he would change my life. The ways that I enjoy High Life is just as dynamic as Valent Thorr. Its a perfect beer for camping, watching a movie, road trips, river rafting, chilling at the beach, chores, listening to tunes... but especially for partying super fucking hard. This song reminds me of riding my bike in Santa Cruz, looking for chicks...failing miserably, then getting super trashed with brosephs and getting in a ton of trouble. I saw Valient Thorr last year, and it was the best show I had seen in a long time. I was there with friends, drinking High Life, headbanging with my foot on the monitors, and pouring every third beer on my head. It was amazing. High Life and Valient Thorr remind me of not giving a shit, getting heated, and making bad decisions. Put the video on, get a High Life, and get ready to make bad decisions.