Great new music from independent labels and artists all around the world

All that’s wonderful about independent music on SnC this week. Tracks from all around the world, news of on-line gigs, a chat with John New of New Average, some great music for you from net-labels and at least one commercial track for you to download free and legal.
Oh and it’s CMJ week! So have we got time to listen to SnC? – Hell yeah!
The the bustle and buzz of Manhatten tomorrow will be a bit of a contrast with open fields, forests and huge skies of a rather cold Suffolk this afternoon.
 
Where the wild ones go – Trevor Sewell Blues Project (Sunderland, UK)
Very much in the tradition of early Eric Clapton and Freddie King, Sewell has his own inimitable style that coasts easily between traditional values and the confident and almost nonchalant style that he has recently become known for. 
Has played and recorded with various entourages including The Revillos, The Monroes and the legendary PJ Proby. Loves writing/playing/performing,recording, music and writing for other artists.
His songwriting has to date somehow managed to evade the attention of the masses but maybe … just maybe that might be set to change.
www.myspace.com/trevorsewellmusic
 
Proximity of Death – Jordan Reyne (New Zealand)
Jordan Reyne is, in the true meaning of the phrase, contrary to popular belief. It’s not just a redhead thing; it’s the day-to-day life of this singular musician. Already with 5 albums to her credit, Reyne is a pioneer on new sonic turf. With a sound that has been described as the soundtrack to steampunk, her blend of industrial-tinged dark folk is a meeting of genres.
Her unusual approach to music pairs the rhythms of steam-based technology and machinery with folk instruments and vocal styles, crossing technology with history to tell the dark stories of characters real and imagined. As evidenced by her 3 nominations for the “Tui” Music Award in her native New Zealand and her performance on the soundtrack of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films, she is a serious artist who puts an immense amount of time and effort into her work, yet balances that effort with a playful and brash brava.
She has live online shows coming up too. Her next is:
FRIDAY OCT 22nd 9AM (Berlin Time):(FRIDAY 8AM UK, FRIDAY 9PM New Zealand*, FRIDAY 12AM SLT/Los Angeles, FRIDAY 3AM New York* ) *= subject to Daylight Savings induced human error. Please check against Berlin time or join the Facebook fanpage for updates closer to the time. 
Link to show: http://apps.facebook.com/streamjam/ or www.ustream.tv/channel/jordan-reyne 
Her most recent album, How the Dead Live was commissioned by the New Zealand Arts Council, and tells the story of Susannah Hawes, one of New Zealand’s first pioneer women.
Check the video for the song at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vy3meFwicG0
www.jordanreyne.com
twitter.com/JordanReyne
 
400 – Black Era (Naples, Italy)
“The air resound of passion and love and dedication for sound and life itself. 
From the black side here is a soundtrack for cleaning wounds and opening eyes.
Black is breath. Black is back.”
However, the music really speaks for itself. The fact that it comes from the A Quiet Bump net-label which is based in Irpinia in southern Italy tells us that it is going to be interesting. We’ve heard music from the label before, notably from Sardinia Bass Legalise. 
You can get the track, free of charge on the album How Pierced? Go over to the label and you’ll find it quite easily but please, take a look around while you’re there, they really do put out some interesting material.
www.aquietbump.com
www.myspace.com/theblackera
www.blackera.com
 
Rain or Shine – Sunflower and the seeds (Clifton, NJ, USA)
Sunflower and the Seeds is a now 6-piece folk/rock jam band from north New Jersey that started out as Kyra “Sunflower” Schenck’s acoustic act. Shortly after appearing on the New Jersey open-mic scene in 2007, Kyra joined a local jam band where she met blues-based lead guitarist Teddy Owen and drummer Joe Huster.
Boyfriend and bassist Alex Denney and experienced keyboardist (and father) Bo Schenck finalized the band line-up. Soon after the band started to play live, drummer Joe Huster, suggested to the rest of the group that guitarist Jovan Mann should join. He was a good fit within the band and was included to round out the final line-up for Sunflower and the Seeds.
Joe tells me that Suffolk’n’Cool listeners can download the EP entirely free by visiting the site and leaving their email address. Thanks Joe.
www.sunflowerandtheseeds.com
 
Sun Shaking – Capsula (Bilbao, Spain)
Although from Argentina, that are now based in the Basque Country of northern Spain, their songs are shaking with the punk roar of The Velvet Underground and The Stooges, yet immersed in a psychedelia akin to that of the late 60s and 70s from groups like Os Mutantes and Pescado Rabioso in South America.
The result is ‘a furious hologram with adhesive lysergic songs and future’. After three albums released by their own label in Buenos Aires, Argentina, they published ‘Songs & Circuits’ in 2007 (Liliput) in Europe, an album that garnered rave reviews from the international press and was received with great enthusiasm by the public, and was continued after storming SXSW in 2010 and receiving brilliant reviews placing the band in the Top 10 most exciting bands at the festival from Wired and The Chicago Tribune.
The trio has been wildly on tour with over 100 shows at festivals in Europe and America, launching Rising Mountains, a fascinating strange shock of adrenaline and sounds that hits straight through to your heart and bones.
www.capsula.org/
www.myspace.com/capsulaorg
 
CMJ and Podcrawl
I’ll be in New York from tomorrow for the rest of CMJ and hope to be joining Saturday’s Podcrawl in Sheffield via Skype from there.

PodCrawl

In this photo: Justin Wayne, Peter Clitheroe, Eric Scaresbrook, Pete Cogle, Ro Cutler, Colin Gazeley, Stuart Morrison. Behind the Camera: Jamie Arndt. Great day at Podcrawl: London.

www.cmj2010.com
 
Sor Bor Palinka – Ant on Wax w/ Orkestra Bohemika (Budapest, Hungary)
From the album Hungaricum on Jamendo. This is such a good album and, yes, I know Codger played a track from it already!
Adam was born in Munich in 1976 to Hungarian immigrants. His relatives also include an opera singer and another music producer. Adam attended the organ school and learned about chords and harmonies from an early age. When Adam, alias “Ant on Wax” was 14 years old he started producing electronic music on his brother´s Amiga 500.
In 2004 Adam got to know the singer Lavinia Jones, who was searching for a new challenge after her world hits of 1995/96. They composed an album together, with some musicians, across the internet which consisted of trip-hop music. The album provided the soundtrack for the movie “Das Musikill”
Adam decided to go back to his Hungarian roots and moved to Budapest. He has been living here since october 2006. In existance now is the “Budabeat Studio”. Here a lot of new recordings are being made with vocalists, musicians, and whole bands. The style of music is always chosen by the artists that are working with Ant on Wax. He just influences the music with his personal touch, much like a cook would spice up a soup. Currently about ten projects are ongoing in the „Budabeat Studio” and new creative artists are constantly arising in Adam’s life.
Currently there are three projects that are especially interesting: The collaboration with the 10 member band “Orkestra Bohemika”, which consists of modern gipsy pop music. Furthermore there is work being done on an electronic-oriental music cocktail with the singer “Jeena”, who has a strong asian influence. Guitar player, “Noar”, who studied music and singing in London, is also collaborating with Adam on some excellent projects. Music can be heard at: www.123audio.de
www.budabeat.hu
www.jamendo.com/en/album/49672
 
Interview: John New (New Average)
Over a rather dodgy Skype link from Berlin.
The debut EP Waiting time is out now and will be followed by the album in early 2011.
 
Is it Love – New Average (Germany)
A second track from New Average who’s track Best Friend featured on show 239.
New Average is a musical pop duo formed in 2009 by John New and Emma Average. Their music expresses their passion for writing pop songs with catchy hooks and strong melodies in a contemporary band sound with an all around positive feeling and a feel good mood. Influences can be found by pop music of the late 70’s like Pretenders and Roxy Music and Blondie as well as from the 60’s motown era.
John’s musical work as producer,engineer and musician in the past include acts like “We are Scientists”(crap attack), german multi platinum act “Wir sind Helden” , Indie/New wave act “The Kokoon” and many others.
www.newaverage.com
www.myspace.com/newaverage
 
Rat Rod – Terry Davidson and the Gears (Columbus, OH, USA)
From the album Damnation Blues.
Terry Davidson, a Columbus native, is a veteran of the heartland’s music scene. He has been playing Blues and Rock & Roll around the Midwest and eastern United States for over forty years. His band, The Gears, delivers electrifying performances night after night, winning over fans from New England to Florida.

Terry’s love for the Blues is abundantly apparent, and at the forefront of his music. Styles and influences range from raw, blistering Texas Blues, to low down traditional Chicago Blues, to scorching high-octane Blues Rock; the end result being a ferocious, rockin’ Blues blend, steeped in tradition.

Over the years Terry Davidson and the Gears have released six albums. The latest album, Damnation Blues, was released to rave reviews, and has been receiving media coverage on many regional and national radio and television programs. This includes the song “Rat Rod” being featured on ESPN2’s NASCAR Now, and airplay throughout North America, Europe, and Australia.
Terry Davidson and the Gears “Rat Rod” (mp3) from “Damnation Blues” (Blue Skunk Music) Buy at Napster More On This Album