Root Down in the Shadow

Today marks the 5th annual 2nd Street Festival in Philadelphia's Northern Liberties neighborhood.  Headlining in the last slot on the Piazza stage is Rhode Island's the Low Anthem !  Incredible Philly area acts, New Sweden , the Bailey Hounds , Kuf Knotz , Brad Hinton , and DJ Slowpoke ( Birdie Busch ) are sure to bring solid performances, but it's the Low Anthem that are bringing the intrigue. Wild success and international acclaim surrounded their first two albums, What the Crow Brings and Oh My God, Charlie Darwin.  They followed up with Smart Flesh , but despite stellar tracks 'Apothecary Blues', "Boeing 737', and 'Hey, All You Hippies', and live show staple 'Ghost Woman Blues' it just didn't seem to have the edge like the previous offerings.  Even still their careers were in an upward projectory.  Larger audiences were becoming aware, as they had a track on the Hunger Games Soundtrack and a fantastic collaboration with The Chi...

New Album In The Works!! Brian Dale Allen Strouse and the Lawsuits were up to their usual shenanigans making music like rabbits fornicate, all the time.  After two EP's in 2012 with the summer party Hot Love and the chill Numbers it was time to take the expected leap into the Philadelphia upper echelon.  To get there, the Lawsuits worked with Bill Moriarty at Waking Studios ( Dr. Dog , Joshua James , Don McCloskey ) and had mastering by Howie Weinberg ( Nirvana , Garbage , Beastie Boys , etc.). Brian Dale Allen Strouse, a producer himeself, was happy to let go of the reins.  "Bill Moriarty didn't try to sell us on his equipment or his records.  He really cared as a friend throughout the process." Eleven new tracks made the complete journey from Brian Dale Allen Strouse's head to the final mixing station.  Some expected tracks, such as 'Ebony Rose' or 'French Roast', which had been in set lists for almost a year now did not make th...

Maybe Boys Finding a Way on The Maybe Trail Artist Feature: Toy Soldiers  By: Carolyn Lederach , Co-Writer/Editor: Dan McGurk Carolyn Lederach is a contributor to Root Down In the Shadow.  Knee deep in the music scene with her work for Sofar Sounds: Philadelphia, Communion Music, and Hey Cole she brings a seasoned view to Root Down in the Shadow   My interaction with Toy Soldiers began as a solo exposure when we had lead singer, Ron Gallo , play our Sofar Sounds Philadelphia show. I had heard nothing but great things about Toy Soldiers from the beginning by alumni like The Lawsuits and other trusted ears.  It wasn’t until Ron actually starting playing that I truly discovered what everyone was talking about.  It’s one thing to hear the songs people send in, but seeing it live and getting the same quality is always a treat for the listeners. Hearing Ron doing a solo set, one can only imagine how it carries over into a full live band sound. For th...

Maine, singer-songwriter Max García Conover , shook off the New England winter funk and hit the road in April.  For Max García Conover, April marked many premiers.  April 2nd was the launch of his debut album Burrow and his inaugural Philadelphia show! "Burrow is the debut album from Max García Conover. Recorded in Max’s attic studio during winter in Maine, these songs are about digging in, or trying to, through the work that we do and the art that we make. Burrow was mixed, mastered, and co-produced by Pete Morse ( Red Vault Recording ). Pete also wrote and recorded the electric guitars. The album is being released through Clip Records , a Portland-based independent label. The artwork is by painter Meghan Howland ." While 2012 was a time of growth, as he worked on his ambitious Sunday Sessions and was rewarded with Maine’s Best New Act ( Portland Music Awards ). 2013 has been the time to show off his wares, taking the best songs from Sunday Sessions and...

Boston band Kingsley Flood first came to my attention late last year.  I had been browsing the Boston Music Award ballot for bands to check out.  A favorite of mine The David Wax Museum was up for another award, so I wanted to see who the competition was.  With the internets at my fingertips I was quickly was smitten with Kingsley Flood.  I found ' Roll The Dice ' from the 2010 debut Dust Windows , and 'I Don't Wanna Go Home ' and ' Wonderland ' from the 2012 EP Colder Still.  According to my friends as long as it's a Dylan derivative, I must love it.   Oversimplifications aside, these guys had my attention; the songs were loud, bouncy, fun, catchy, and everything missing from a lot of music today!  All the singles jump out screaming HEY LISTEN TO ME!!!! Checking them out further, I found they have racked up many awards in the past few years.  Kingsley Flood has been named New Artist of the Year at the 2010 Boston Music Awards, has been featu...

Brian Dale Allen Strouse has a problem.  He can't stop writing new songs.  For years now he has been releasing music in solo form and with The Lawsuits.  Despite the popular Lawsuits album Darleen and the Hot Love EP, released in early 2012 he couldn't be stopped.   He kept writing, and the songs kept coming. to hear Numbers  click here!!! Of these recent new songs six of those tracks have recently been released on the new Lawsuits  Numbers EP.  More are expected to be released in '13 on a full length album.  With 4 of the 6 songs on Numbers already having videos before the official EP release, the band clearly doesn't fear putting too much out there.  Some of those tracks were heading for a solo release, but just as Brian finds it "easier to lay the foundation on his own", the songs "really come to reality faster with the band."  Each time the band would get together to practice and fill out some tunes, the creative jui...

Recently I came across this incredible session by Pearl and the Beard with the folks @ Audiotree Live .  It's not often that you find a session that you want to watch over and over again; maybe a track here or there, but not a full show.  This breaks the trend.  This session shows off everything wonderful about Pearl and the Beard.  You get to really meet the band, while hearing their pure, incredible sound.  It's a great sampling of their tracks, some new some older, some yet to be released.   I saw Pearl and the Beard back in November by chance as they were opening for another uber talented band The David Wax Museum.   I had about a week to get familiar with the band and while learning about the band I was so impressed and excited to see them, the opener , that I requested an interview before the show.  They were just such cool, interesting folk, that I really could have spent a whole evening just hanging out and picking their brains....

Pearl and the Beard recently sat down with Root Down in the Shadow for a casual look at some myths and legends about the band!  Topics ranged from the silly to the serious, touching on their backgrounds and the awesomeness of the David Wax Museum ! Pearl and the Beard is three voices, one cello, one guitar, one glockenspiel, one melodica, several drums, one accordion, ninety-six teeth, and one soul.  Former strangers Jocelyn Mackenzie, Emily Hope Price , and Jeremy Styles were united in the great city of New York. Each had migrated there from a far corner of the nation with naught but food in their pockets and money in their bellies.  Each had the same true love. Since then, the three have nested, and their unique brand of brightly melodic songcraft continues to blossom of its own accord. The Brooklyn-based trio Pearl and the Beard released their first full-length album, God Bless Your Weary Soul, Amanda Richardson, spring of 2009, followed by the Black Vess...