Album Stream: mr. Gnome ‘Madness in Miniature’
While the White Stripes are no longer active, the boy + girl two-piece formula still lives on in Cleveland’s mr. Gnome. They bring a sense of distorted, psychedelic mystery to their sound. A rugged, unpolished rhythm seems consistent in all of their work, but the persistent uncertainty looms as I listen to their latest release on El Marko Records, Madness in Miniature. Listen:
Singer/guitarist Nicole Barille and drummer Sam Meister produce mood swings that, at times, make me feel like I am stuck in the mind of Donnie Darko. Even their album artwork mimics a character that might have been responsible for the take over of Darko’s mind. While the Stripes gave all of their fans a sedative when they announced their retirement this year, bands like mr. Gnome continue to provide wild delusions for supporters of this formula.
Watch mr. Gnome play “Vampires” at Fountain Square’s Radio Radio. Thank you to our friends at MonkeyEatsMonkey for shooting this video.
Connect with mr. Gnome via Twitter | Facebook | Bandcamp.
Written by Brett McGrath
Video: The Drums – Sleepover Show
Any devout follower of this blog, of which there are at least two (my mother and Brett’s) has probably noticed our affinity for The Drums. I’ve been hooked on these guys since catching their show at Lollapalooza this summer. Their stellar live performance was reinforced by an equally stellar studio album, Portamento, released in September. Read our review for more on the release.
The Drums recently recorded a Sleepover Show. This Boston project records three acoustic videos from bands passing through the New England hub. The Drums have a relatively dense sound and I had a tough time imagining a stripped down version of it. However, the results speak for themselves. Watch “Best Friend” from their debut, self-titled LP below. See the rest of their Sleepover Show HERE.
Connect with The Drums via Facebook & Twitter.
Written by Rob Peoni
Thought on Tracks 
Live & Reel + Daytrotter Session: Andrew Combs
Texas-born Nashville, TN resident Andrew Combs has had a big year. The singer-songwriter’s debut EP, Tennessee Time, has been steadily gaining momentum since its May release. The five songs harken back to the writing of country legends like Hank Williams and Guy Clark, feeling as if they have been staples of Music City jukeboxes for years. Listen to my personal favorite, “Too Stoned to Cry”, below:
In November, Combs offered fans a pair of terrific supplements to his initial release. He recorded a trio of new tracks with our pals at Live & Reel. “Heavy”, “Devil’s Got My Woman”, and “Playing The Part” fall in line nicely with the foundation Combs built on Tennessee Time. Watch “Devil’s Got My Woman” below and visit Live & Reel to see the rest of his session.
The release of Combs’ Daytrotter Session came a few days later. The visit featured a combination of songs from his EP and his newer tracks. Listen and download the full session HERE. Connect with Combs via Facebook | Twitter | Bandcamp.
Written by Rob Peoni