The Family Jams Dir. Kevin Barker [Factory 25; 2011] by Derek Smith Rating: Back in 2003 and 2004, the term freak-folk was tossed around in a hopeless attempt to categorize dozens of bands whose folk-based music no one could pin down to an existing genre. The ingredients of folk were an important part of the mix, but this movement of sorts was a genuine attempt to take folk music somewhere new. Looking back at the major album releases of 2004, one can see a surge, many would say peak, in the constructed sub-genre, with albums as disparate as the major ...

Devendra Banhart, Joanna Newsom, Vetiver - Featured in The Family Jams documentary [trailer] by Mr P on 04-01-2011 The Family Jams , a documentary by Brooklyn filmmaker/musician Kevin Barker, follows Devendra Banhart, Joanna Newsom, and Andy Cabic (of Vetiver) touring the US in 2004. Antony and the Johnsons, Espers, Meg Baird, The Pleased, and Linda Perhacs also make appearances. Check out the trailer above, and if you're living in New York, it'll screen for a week starting next Friday, April 8 at reRun . If you're not living in New York, it'll still screen there for a week ...

Virginia doom act KING GIANT have released a new performance-based video from their 2009 release SOUTHERN DARKNESS ( read the Kik Axe Music review here ). The new video for "Solace" was filmed at Washington D.C.'s  9:30 Club, and was produced by Kevin Barker and Double Kick Productions, who also produced the first video from Southern Darkness , for the track "13 To 1", released last September. See the new clip below.

Pimmit Hills, Virginia-based doomsters King Giant have just unveiled their new performance-based video. The second video from their 2009-released Southern Darkness full-length, this brand new visual portrayal of the track "Solace" was filmed at Washington D.C.'s infamous 9:30 Club, and portrays the band boasting their soulful Southern rock in a thunderous live setting. The video was produced by Kevin Barker and Double Kick Productions, who also…

As mentioned yesterday, Antony & The Johnsons are releasing Thank You For Your Love in advance of Swanlights. The 5-song EP includes Swanlights‘ “Thank You For Your Love,” those Bob Dylan (Feat. Kevin Barker) and John Lennon (in collaboration with William Basinski) covers, The Crying Light bonus track “My Lord My Love” and a new [...]

As mentioned yesterday, Antony & The Johnsons are releasing Thank You For Your Love in advance of Swanlights . The 5-song EP includes Swanlights ‘ “Thank You For Your Love,” those Bob Dylan (Feat. Kevin Barker) and John Lennon (in collaboration with William Basinski) ... — full article at stereogum.com

Front page photo by Don Felix Cervantes Swanlights , the new album from Antony and the Johnsons arrives October 11 in Europe via Rough Trade and October 12 in the U.S. via Secretly Canadian . But Swanlights won't be the only new Antony joint out soon. The five-song EP Thank You for Your Love will be out August 24 in the U.S. and August 30 in Europe. The EP's title track will also appear on Swanlights , and you can stream it through the widget above or download it in exchange for an email address over at Antony's ...

You & Me, le premier album de Kevin Barker, ne surprendra pas les fans de Vetiver qui connaissent l'individu pour ses contributions guitaristiques au sein du groupe d'Andy Cabic. Oeuvrant dans la même veine folk, Barker a cette fois toute latitude pour exprimer ses talents de musicien, passant avec facilité et élégance de décors west-coast en ambiances british folk. Mélodiquement, l'album est

2-4/ 3 . Jonathan Wilson - Desert Raven The Amazing - Dragon The Amazing - Is It Likely MGMT - Congratulations Jason Collett - Bitch City Jason Collett - High Summer Jason Collett - Love Is A Chain Brendan Benson - Cherries Brendan Benson - Crosseyed Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Sweet Feeling Damien Jurado - Ohio Pearl Jam - Off Ge Goes Small Sur - Two Mantras Kevin Barker - Amber Kevin Barker - You & Me M. Ward - One Life Away M. Ward - Sadie (Joanna Newsom cover) She & Him - Gonna Get Along Without You Now (Skeeter Davis cover) She & Him - Me and You Mazzy Star - Give You My Lovin' Mazzy Star - Blue Flower The Jesus ...

Currituck Co. - Tropics of Cancer Kevin Barker . Currituck Co. Guitar magician. Purveyor of fine videotapes . Maybe one of the best to appear on the GOLDEN APPLES OF THE SUN compilation . Prime player in the heady days of freak folk, when all a man needed was a guitar, a beard, and two hands, maybe just one. People back then thought, Hey, I like this music, It's like the woods is hugging me with all its branchly might (someone surely thought that, right?). Hearing this song for the hundredth time, I realize that one of the reasons I like it so ...

My love for the music of Joanna Newsom has been well documented on this here blog, and her latest 3-disc extravaganza Have One On Me has been no exception. When I started listening to the record, there was a part of me that was a little bit perturbed at the fact that she has somewhat normalized her voice a little bit, feeling as if she was sort of giving in to all of the haters who didn't like the high pitched squeak that accompanied her last two albums. The words "acquired taste" followed defenders of her like the plague ...

Update [March 22/2010, 1:30 AM]: Post now up. Unfortunately, because of the no-cameras policy at the show, security wasn't allowing me to take any photos, but I snuck some photos during the encore anyway - nothing special, but at least I got the one below for posterity.    Joanna Newsom:    photo by Michael Ligon Sometimes you just got to believe the hype. I'd largely been unfamiliar with singer/songwriter Ms. Joanna Newsom who'd until this year had already released two albums on the strength of which she'd built a loyal following. With the release of her ...

Joanna Newsom / Kevin Barker The Phoenix, Toronto, ON March 13 By Stephen Carlick After a half hour set of mid-tempo, folk-tinged grooves courtesy of Kevin Barker's guitar-bass-drums trio, the curtains of the Phoenix pulled back to reveal a handful of classically trained musicians, including the ... — full article at exclaim.ca

Joanna Newsom / Kevin Barker The Phoenix, Toronto, ON March 13 By Stephen Carlick After a half hour set of mid-tempo, folk-tinged grooves courtesy of Kevin Barker's guitar-bass-drums trio, the curtains of the Phoenix pulled back to reveal a handful of classically trained musicians, including the ... — full article at exclaim.ca

Yes, I've decided to forgo the final night of Canadian Musicfest / Canadian Music Week . I made it out to 4 of the 5 nights which I'd say is a pretty good effort, but I'm pooped and I'm not in the mood to gamble on the lineups and getting in with my media pass at the 'big' shows tonight (ie. Born Ruffians / Young Rival / Parlovr @ the Phoenix and Woods / Real Estate @ the Horseshoe Tavern). Maybe I'll use my time constructively and process some of my photos from the festival. Let's just say with the rain ...