Nickie’s Niches #26: February 2024

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ØXN “CYRM” (sy-rum) Lead singer of Irish sensation Lankum and members of Percolator combine their talents to enchant darkly with their heavy doom/drone folk on this EP. These are mostly traditional tunes, and included is an epic cover of Scott Walker’s Farmer in the City. A plethora of instrumentation is utilized: various keyboards and percussion, guitar, harp, and the Japanese taishōgoto. There’s good reason for their popularity in the dark folk scene, because this is done splendidly. Favourite Track: Cruel Mother (9:29

Zac Bauman “Bell Jar” Northern Californian Zac Bauman is an adept guitarist, sometimes utilizing elaborate fingerpicking, ala Kottke and Fahey, aptly describing his music as “baroque pop bedroom recordings.” The release is quirky, and, like the cover art with a heart floating in a bell jar, the lyrics are intimate musings, and although the strings are complex, overall, there is a naiveté to the songs. It includes a bit of recorded reading by the poet, e e cummings, of “somewhere I have never traveled,” on one of the tracks. Favourite Track: Bell Jar (4:50)

1. 

   To the Lighthouse

   by Olivia Chaney
   Single Olivia Chaney is no stranger to my collection,, her releases are always top-notch and unforgettable. So far, there have been two advance singles for her new release, which promises to be just as excellent as her previous solo works. Here, she sings of her sister’s family, who have moved to a remote island lighthouse. Simply beautiful.

   1. 

      Voice Of The Seven Woods

      by Voice Of The Seven Woods
      favorite track

      Silver Morning Branches

      This is a very prog/psych/folk outing from Rick Tomlinson, a superbly agile shapeshifting guitarist, who is joined by drummer Chris Walmsley, and Paul Blakely on upright bass. They dabble with Middle Eastern themes, jazz, folk and psych, conjuring up sitting around a fire with talented friends who are improvising for the sheer love of it.

      1. 

         Whose Woods These Are

         by Eimear Reidy & Natalia Beylis
         favorite track

         The Sloes Made Sweet

         Billed as “an arboreal music and research project,” this experimental/sound art duo is inspired by the Robert Frost line, “The woods are lovely, dark and deep.” Performed and recorded outdoors, the cello and keyboards of the pair indeed invoke the spirit of the woods, and, as this is a field recording, including incidental sounds of their live session, like a barking dog, which actually doesn’t detract from the music being performed.

         1. 

            Rizoma (24 bit Hi-Res)

            by LUZ DE RIADA
            favorite track

            ÑUÑOA.wav

            An experimental /fusion/ progressive rock outfit from Mexico City, these guys are all obviously incredibly adept at their instruments. Guitars, bass, keyboards, brass, drums and other percussion make up the core of the musicians. Challenging and sometimes whimsical listening, I guarantee you’ll not be bored or lulled into complacency by a single track.

            1. 

               Shawna Ray

               by Scott Flaherty
               Oregonian Scott Flaherty composed and played guitar and keyboards on this instrumental piece, inspired by, and dedicated to his daughter. He was joined by bassist Ray Kinman, who also played drums on the recording.

               1. 

                  Heron Oblivion

                  by Heron Oblivion
                  favorite track

                  Beneath Fields

                  Meg Baird, former Espers singer and drummer, is joined by some fine SF Bay Area musicians, Ethan Miller on bass, and Noel Von Harmonson and Charlie Saufley, both on guitars. The release is haunted by the ghost of SF psych, and bewitchingly so, with Meg’s ethereal vocals spinning out and over the thickly reverb-y and controlled feedback of the two guitarists. This may sound like it won’t make sense together, but it does.