Freezing Me

A Record Store Day surprise: Jason Molina (of Songs: Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co. fame) covering the Sabs. Sparky always was a fan of Ozzy & co, and this is a short but very sweet homage. Bonus bonanza: the coked-up proto stoner rock original.

Jason Molina - Snowblind
Black Sabbath - Snowblind

For Sure

A writer's block for our Bonnie Prince? After last May's rather lacklustre collection of Merle Haggard interpretations, Knoxville's finest has now surprisingly decided to cover the whole of Norwegian singer Susanna Wallumrød's Sonata Mix Dwarf Cosmos album. A polished and somewhat subdued affair prominently featuring banjo and violin, Wolf Of The Cosmos has its moments, like the hopeful track below.

Bonnie Prince Billy - Better Days

Cherry Blossom Special

This endearing cover of Bob Dylan's I Shall Be Released, with new lyrics in Japanese, is only one out of many goodies on an exemplary, brand new Light In The Attic compilation mining the rich folk-rock scene of late sixties and early seventies Japan. Sun's about to rise...

The Dylan II - Otokorashiitte Wakaru Kai

It's Golden

That prolific guitarist Steve Gunn has been at it again, this time doing the instrumental thing with John Truscinski on drums and synths. Their hypnotic lovechild is called Bay Head, and is out now on the cool Three Lobed label. File under soothing music.

Gunn-Truscinski Duo - Flood And Fire

It Had To Be

Just got tickets for the upcoming Barcelona gig of Duquende, the mighty Catalan gypsy singer from Sabadell. Finally, for the last time I went to see him, the concert got cancelled at the last moment for some reason or other. And as it's a homenage to flamenco legends Camarón de la Isla and Paco De Lucía, and the masterful Diego del Morao is helping out on guitar, what can possibly go wrong? !Mucha ilusión!

Duquende - Niquelao

Visions Of Nina

The title song of Simon Joyner's new Step Into The Earthquake album sure is one dark Dylanesque  beauty. "Nina takes a drag out in the rain, and dries her hair at the piano..."

Simon Joyner - Earthquake

Meet Me

Out Of Range is the 5th album by L.A. combo Gun Outfit already, and a huge step forward it is, too. Sounding like some westcoast version of the Feelies at times, their meandering cosmic Americana would make an excellent soundtrack to any roadtrip with destination anywhere.

Gun Outfit - Strange Insistence

Something Good

A choice morsel of virtuoso flamenco guitar, courtesy of Gerardo Nuñez. Once named as heir to the throne of Paco de Lucía, all his classic albums, the lovely Jucal among them, are now long out of print as far as I know. Which is definitely odd.

Gerardo Nuñez - Jucal

Dead Moon Night

Just got the sad news that Fred Cole has passed away. The legendary garage rocker, best known for his work with the Lollipop Shoppe and Dead Moon, was 69. Miss him.

Dead Moon - Dead In The Saddle
Dead Moon - D.O.A.
Dead Moon - Walking On My Grave

Hey Joe

Featured Joe Henderson in rare avant garde mode with Alice Coltrane recently, and here's some more of his magic. First shining as a sideman with such greats as Horace Silver, McCoy Tyner, Larry Young, and Lee Morgan, then on his own with a track each from the tenor's much recommended Page One and  Inner Urge albums. It's six pack time then so, jazz cats.

Horace Silver - Song For My Father
McCoy Tyner - Blues On The Corner
Larry Young - If
Lee Morgan - Totem Pole
Joe Henderson - Recorda Me
Joe Henderson - El Barrio

Down The Track

Hurray, the vaults ain't empty yet. To wit: there's a brand new volume of Dave’s Picks in the shops, recorded live in Berkeley '72, a fine fine year in Dead live history. It's an impeccable 'Bear' soundboard with Garcia in full flight, so what are you waiting for? Extra extra: it's 30 Days Of Dead month again, with a free mystery download every day over at Deadnet. Hey now!

Grateful Dead - He's Gone (live Berkeley '72)

Fool's Paradise

Hallelujah, Bob cats. It's time to rejoice, as Trouble No More, the 13th volume of the Bootleg Series, covers our Nobel laureate's underrated gospel years ('79-'81) with a ton of steaming live tracks and rare outtakes. Of which the glorious Making A Liar Out Of Me clearly is the biggest surprise, as even the most diehard Dylan collectors didn't even know it existed. "I can hear the sound of distant thunder from an open window at the end of every hall..."

Bob Dylan - Making A Liar Out Of Me

Cosmic Cats

It's been a wonderful year for Alice Coltrane reissues, and here's yet one more. The Elements suite originally came out in '73, and found Trane's widow collaborating with Joe Henderson, in what's definitely an uncharacteristic cosmic soundscape for this former bop tenor player. Sounds great - and definitely eastern flavoured - though. Dig in, jazz cats.

Joe Henderson feat. Alice Coltrane - Water

Tot Sants

Today's no-brainer: an instrumental Low outtake for your listening pleasure. It's no Warszawa, but it will have to do.

David Bowie - All Saints