Kory Quinn Returns for Midwest Shows
Butler University grad and Portland, OR resident Kory Quinn is returning to the Midwest to retrace the steps where he cut his teeth a few years back. Quinn is currently on the road with his backing band The Comrades. He fronts the four man outfit that specializes in the type of new grass, Americana that has remained a constant across this region for decades. Think a less sappy Old Crow Medicine Show, without the fiddle.
Last summer, Quinn released a nine track LP entitled Waitin’ for a Train. The album was recorded during a two week stint on a cross-country train tour. Quinn and the Comrades will be playing a sold out show tonight at Hideout in Chicago. Watch a recent video during a visit to Park City’s KPCW below. The video features Quinn in collaboration with his pals from Bitterroot under the alias The Low Down Whiskey Rebels. He will be playing Indianapolis’ The Melody Inn on January 19th along with Mark Alexander and Cincinnati’s Young Heirlooms. The venue holds sentimental value, as it was the first place the artist ever had a gig. Tickets are $5. Visit Do317 for the details.
Connect with Kory Quinn via Facebook | Bandcamp
Written by Rob Peoni
Fresh Track + Video: Little Jungles “Nothing Will Grow”
Some songs take a few spins to embed themselves into your brain. Others resonate immediately and then fade upon repeat listens. The best, though, hit hard from the start and stay there, stuck in your subconscious like giant immovable objects. Such was the case with “Nothing Will Grow,” a new single from Canadian band Little Jungles. The song is the first from their forthcoming LP I Would Kill For Some Sunlight – a relatable sentiment this time of year as we shuttle to and from work in the darkness. The LP is the follow-up to their debut Wuts Goin Thru Yer Head, released independently last March. Track “Winter Was Warmer” is a sure-fire winner, but the release is solid top to bottom.
Matthew Niemann, the brains behind Little Jungles, combines immediately addictive synth lines, fuzzy rhythms and gloom-ridden lyrics to create the kind of auditory environment that tugs on my heart muscles. In fact, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that “Nothing Will Grow” is, by far, my favorite track of 2012. Okay, so it’s only the 6th, but an award is an award damn it! Stream the song and watch the video below. (WARNING: audio doesn’t kick in on the video for a few seconds, so be patient assholes.) Stop by Little Jungle’s bandcamp page and name your price for a copy of Wuts Goin Thru Yer Head.
Connect with Little Jungles via Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp
Written by Rob Peoni
Video: Jessie Baylin ‘Little Spark’ Trailer
To put it mildly, I have been head over heels for Jessie Baylin since the release of her free Pleasure Center EP in late November. The EP, of mostly covers, has been a weekly listen and my go-to before bed spin. January 17th will serve as the release date for her full length album Little Spark. My guess is that you won’t find Baylin gaining much coverage across the indie blogosphere. Her pop music upbringing and marriage to Kings of Leon drummer Nathan Followill make her too un-hip for the likes of Pitchfork. This is an outright shame, because Little Spark has the potential to contend for one of the top releases of the first half of 2012.
Baylin reached out to some seriously talented folks to add their touch to the album. Richard Swift, of The Shins, served as multi-instrumentalist and played an integral role in Little Spark‘s arrangements. (Pleasure Center EP was recorded in a single day on a four-track in Baylin’s living room, with Swift at the helm.) Legendary composer and three-time Grammy winner Jimmie Haskell played the role of conductor, while Kevin Augunus rounded out the squad as producer. Augunus has worked with a wide range of artists from Sinead O’Connor to Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. Watch the trailer for the album below, and prepare yourself for one of the pleasant surprises of 2012.
For a limited time, Amazon is offering a FREE DOWNLOAD of the track “Hurry Hurry.” Stream below.
Connect with Baylin via Facebook | Twitter
Written by Rob Peoni
Thought on Tracks 