Root Down in the Shadow

Brown Bird - James Joiner Today marks the release of the final Brown Bird album Axis Mundi.  The powerful album carries a full band sound filled with songs grappling with the concept of mortality.  While it would be easy to explain why the album is a quality one, it begs to have explained what preceded the album.  So let's go back a few years through the rise of Brown Bird. 2011 Newport Folk Fest Sunday schedule Brown Bird , is an amazing band from Providence, RI.  For many, 2011 was the first notice of this "folk-duo" as they ascended to NPR darlings.  It was an incredible year for David Lamb and MorganEve Swain starting with the release of The Sounds of Ghost ep, peaking with a spot on the widely-known Newport Folk Festival , and wrapping up with expansive touring to support their most impressive album Salt for Salt .   2012 meant more touring, along side fellow Newport Folk Fest newcomers The Devil Makes Three .   201...

The view for most fans in the PACKED Main Street Music   With the help from a friend, here's a shoulder view of the In-Store session of Dawes  Los Angeles band Dawes has a love affair with Philadelphia's WXPN and Main Street Music . This summer they are attempting their 4th appearance at XPoNential Festival , after releasing ALL YOUR FAVORITE BANDS . In the meantime, a trip back to Main Street Music was in order, to get fans ready for the new album. The band played 6 favorites in the store, but peaked out of the store onto the steps to play for the dedicated fans that didn't get into the event. Here's most (sorry I missed a few seconds) of "How Far We've Come". Mainstreetmusicpa.com/ Pledgemusic.com/projects/dawes Dawestheband.com/tour/  www.Xpnfest.org/ Dawes "How Far We've Come" Live at Main Street Music In-Store Session #SuperFans #ShareMoment with Caitlin Phillips of Pancakes and Whiskey #Best...

It can be fairly said, that what we consider today to be the Bluegrass style of music spent its formative years in Baltimore, MD. Still, somehow, Bluegrass isn't the first thing to come to mind when people are asked about Baltimore; the home of America’s national anthem, where Edgar Allen Poe sloughed of the mortal coil, and where Babe Ruth first swung a bat. Many of the components of Bluegrass are at home in Baltimore. In fact, the form is firmly rooted and for many years revolved around the Charm City. Meaning, one of Baltimore’s best secrets is its deep bluegrass roots. Even the name “Banjo” was coined there. It was used the first time in an advertisement for the plucky off-shoot of the original African instrument produced in downtown Baltimore. It's fitting that in its third year, The Charm City Folk and Bluegrass Festival, being held in Druid Hill Park on April 25th, is reclaiming some of that history. Though this year's lineup is a mighty one; besides th...

Philadelphia Americana Rockers Song Dogs are finally ready to present their next best work, Heartlands .  Over two years since the Bill Moriarty produced Wild Country, the band is poised and proud of their newest effort.  The self-produced album contains songs ranging from several years to a few months old. This collection, or more so, this atlas of songs speaks to the "people and places in [their] lives."  The band continues as a shared experience, rather than Mike Southerton' s or Sam Conver 's band. With each member sharing writing duties, it's a storytelling session amongst great friends.  Likewise, the band now features five vocalists throughout Heartlands with Mariama O'Brien and Emily Southerton each making their lead vocalist debut. To give a taste of the new album, Song Dogs have leaked "Sun In The Valley" to Root Down In The Shadow to share with readers as a free download.  The album will be on hand at their release party at Franky ...

photos by Dan McGurk Haunt The House / Amanda Glasser / Anna Coogan  Last Tuesday, rising folk stars  Haunt The House came to town for their first Philly show. Tagging along to Bourbon and Branch were two more out-of-towners; Amanda Glasser and Anna Coogan . Haunt the House Anna Coogan Anna Coogan Anna Coogan, the veteran of the line-up, was up first at the always interesting Bourbon and Branch.  The gritty songstress was ready for her set no matter what, even if it meant disobeying doctors' orders after a recent broken bone. The best/most ironic part of her set was the ease with which she was able to switch back and forth between love songs and break-up songs.  She explained this may have to do with the break up songs, such as "Cricket Sea", being mostly about the man she eventually married.   However, there was that extra oomph of grit and passion on the love songs.  Before turning over the reins to the next ar...

John Shavel of Sympathy and the Lion - Photo by Kettle Pot Tracks Fleisher Art Memorial - Philadelphia, PA Photo By Dan McGurk Spring is upon us here in Philadelphia.  It's time to start exploring again and shaking off those winter blues.  What better way to celebrate than by going to check out a venue and band for the first time?  I thought it was a great idea, so off I went to Fleisher Art Memorial for an afternoon show with Sympathy and the Lion. Fleisher Art Memorial at first glance appears to be your standard gallery with classes and community space, but it also has a 19th century church connected to it where they occasionally host some shows!  For this Sunday's show in the front of the old church, the bands were tucked neatly in the choir chambers with fans at arm's reach sitting comfortably in the small pews. Photo By Kettle Pot Tracks Cardinal Arms , the musical arm of artist/poet/song-writer Bevan McShea was first to delight fans....

Kevin Killen has been hard at work at Philadelphia's Cambridge Sound Studios lately laying down some new tracks. To give us a tease of what he's been working on, here's the brand new video for "Streets of Sorrow", a cover originally by the Pogues. Kevin Killen - "Streets of Sorrow" (Pogues cover) Streets of Sorrow from Kevin Killen on Vimeo . Kevin Killen plays tonight at the Root Down In The Shadow - Living Room Show. Follow us on Twitter @RootDownPhilly for more infomation as we're working on getting a live stream together of the at-capacity show.