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Aural Slate Recordings: “Weeds” from Small Sur’s Bare Black

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MP3: Small Sur – Weeds

Just so everyone knows that I haven’t been completely resting on my laurels in regards to Aural States and affiliated enterprises, I come to you with an offering. I’m very proud and excited to present to you, reader, the track “Weeds.” It serves as the opener, and first single, from our label’s third record: Small Sur‘s Bare Black EP.

With this EP, Small Sur take their music to new heights of beauty by laying down some breathtakingly lush sounds, expanding their instrumentation (guests include Susan Alcorn, Geoff Graham, Natasha Tylea-Cooke, and Kate Barutha), further refining their exploration of space and almost spartan arrangements, and embracing some gorgeous and organic drones. We’re beyond thrilled with this special release, limited to 200 physical CDRs with gorgeous letterpressed packaging and art from Justin Lucas. As always, digital downloads will also be available in FLAC and MP3 formats.

Check the EP page on the label site for more details, track previews and links to buy online.

Album art is forthcoming, as well as a phenomenal EP Release Show on Friday July 9th at the Windup Space with Lo Moda, Moss of Aura (J. Gerrit Welmers of Future Islands), and Ghost Life (Wheattie Mattiasich + ex-More Dogs). This is a doubly-relevant show since Lo Moda will be providing the fourth release on Aural Slate Recordings later this year. Stay tuned for more developments!

Livewire: Small Sur @ the Windup Space (2010.03.01)

Flickrshow will appear here!

Photo credit: Greg Szeto

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Note: Some tracks not posted by artist request.

MP3: 1. Elder Days (3:28)
MP3: 2. Ohhhhh pt 1 (6:45)
MP3: 3. Ohhhhh pt 2 (3:00)
MP3: 4. Sea Stones (4:48)

Total time: 18:02

Lineage:

AKG 414 mid/side pair -> Zoom h4n 48/24 -> Nuendo (stereo encoding, limiting) -> MP3

Recorded by:

David Carter (carteriffic@gmail.com)

Photos / Live Review: Future Islands, Lonnie Walker, Small Sur, Jared Paolini @ Zodiac (2009.10.01)

Jared Paolini @ Zodiac Jared Paolini @ Zodiac Andy Abelow of Small Sur @ Zodiac Austin Stahl of Small Sur @ Zodiac Bob Keal of Small Sur @ Zodiac Andy Abelow of Small Sur @ Zodiac Andy Abelow of Small Sur @ Zodiac Austin Stahl of Small Sur @ Zodiac Small Sur @ Zodiac Andy Abelow of Small Sur @ Zodiac Bob Keal of Small Sur @ Zodiac Lonnie Walker @ Zodiac Lonnie Walker @ Zodiac Lonnie Walker @ Zodiac Lonnie Walker @ Zodiac Lonnie Walker @ Zodiac Lonnie Walker @ Zodiac Lonnie Walker @ Zodiac Sam Herring of Future Islands @ Zodiac Sam Herring of Future Islands @ Zodiac Will Cashion of Future Islands @ Zodiac Sam Herring of Future Islands @ Zodiac Sam Herring of Future Islands @ Zodiac Sam Herring of Future Islands @ Zodiac Sam Herring of Future Islands @ Zodiac Sam Herring of Future Islands @ Zodiac Sam Herring of Future Islands @ Zodiac

All Photos: Greg Szeto

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MP3: Lonnie Walker – Compass Comforts

A sweaty grower of a Thursday night show, from the blissful haze of expertly layered guitar loops to the serenity of nature, followed by big-riff country-fried rock and capped off with high-energy, soul-filled dance songs.

Jared Paolini’s measured performance matched his meticulous and painstaking live layering of guitars to produce vast and glorious escapist textures. Small Sur’s set was pitch perfect, some new cuts being played, while Andy Abelow often stole the show with his ever-improving, excellent sax work (nary a squawk or hesitant entrance in earshot, and rich, full tones abound). This is no small feat considering Bob Keal’s soaring vocal work and subtle, lyrical guitar, and Austin Stahl’s deliberate and expressive drumming. Future Islands provided the soulful dance party we have all come to expect, Sam Herring’s emphatic, raw vocals and uniquely theatrical delivery proving ever effective. Will Cashion’s bass work also proved spot on, providing a much needed, kinetic bass line you could feel, compensating for the somewhat hollow drum machine beats in the background.

But for me, the big find of the night was how much I absolutely fell in love with Lonnie Walker’s foot-stomping, knee-slapping, crunchy and rousing Americana rock. Building each song from rambling country riffs and vocals to huge guitar shredding payoffs, frantic vocals, and ramped-up, urgent tempi. So versatile was their approach that they even dropped one of their songs into something like a syncopated ska beat. Expect to hear more from them in these pages in the very near future.

Aural States Fest 2009: Photos (Shantel)

Wye Oak is already posted, and over the next 11 days we’ll be posting the rest of the live audio and tons more coverage from our first annual Aural States Fest! Thanks for coming out!

All photos: Shantel Mitchell

OK, I am sure I am not alone in thinking that this was one of the best shows that I’ve been to in awhile. Not only did this show run so smoothly with both stages in action at all times, but it was also a night filled with some of the best bands from Baltimore and DC. I mean, 12 bands on two club stages over a period of about 6 hours – for only $10 bucks: who could want for more? Well, there was also free coffee (thanks to Zeke’s Coffee in Parkville) and door gifts for those who came early – filled with vinyl, CDs, books, and other goodies (thanks to Soundgarden, Atomic Books and a slew of record labels).

This was the perfect event. If you were there, I am sure you are agreeing with me and if you weren’t, well then you missed an awesome show! Here are my photos from the evening. I was able to get all of the bands but two: Title Tracks and Hollywood (so sorry!). I picked out a few from each band. If you want to check out everything, you can see them here.

Andy Abelow

Andy Abelow, a solo artist who also performs in Small Sur started the evening, featuring accompaniment by Austin and Bob from Small Sur, Caleb Stine, John Varrone and Bethany Dinsick.

img_9087 Read the rest…

Aural States Fest 2009: The Final Cut


OK everyone, gather round! The line-ups and venue info are all finalized. Here we go:

January 30th (Performance Night) @ Sonar Club Room/Talking Head Club

$10 // 2 stages // Doors 630PM // Music 730PM // Tickets

Free grab-bags including CDs, MP3s, merch & Video Americain rentals. Handed out to paid entrants starting at doors until supplies run out.

asf-flyer-1-web

Arbouretum

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MP3: Arbouretum – Buffalo Ballet

Wye Oak

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MP3: Wye Oak – For Prayer (Live)

Lo Moda

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MP3: Lo Moda – Buildings Dansante

Pleasant Livers

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MP3: Pleasant Livers – Destroy Tokyo

HOLLYWOOD

Sri Aurobindo

Small Sur

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MP3: Small Sur – Roots

Andy Abelow feat. Caleb Stine, Austin Stahl, Jamie Saltzman, Brendan Sullivan, Bethany Dinsick

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MP3: Andy Abelow – Inside This Calm 

Title Tracks (ex Q and Not U, Georgie James)

Imperial China

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MP3: Imperial China – Mortal Wombat (Live)

Caverns

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MP3: Caverns – Brodown High Noon

CANNOT BE STOPPED

poster

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MP3: CANNOT BE STOPPED – Dull Fangs

January 31st (Dance Night) @ Whole Gallery

Donations

CEX

Craig Sopo

Garret McIndoe

Photos / Review: Caleb Stine, Small Sur, Stephen Strohmeier, Andy Abelow @ the Talking Head (2008.12.04)

IMG_0555

Photo credit: Greg Szeto

Baltimore has once again served up a night of fantastic folk-inspired live music along with a cozy sense of brotherhood and community between the artists and the audience, and between the artists themselves.

Andy Abelow headed off the night with probably the best set I’ve ever seen him play.  Read the rest…

Live Audio: Small Sur @ the Metro Gallery (2008.11.20)

Download the full set as a ZIP file formatted in: FLAC or MP3

Small Sur
The Metro Gallery

Baltimore, MD
November 19, 2008

Band:
Bob Keal-guitar, vocals
Austin Stahl-drums, vocals
Jamie Saltsman-bass

Source: Peluso CEMC6/ck4(card)>PS-2>AD-20>NJB3
Transfer: NJB3>PC>SF-7>Wav>FLAC
Taper: Jeff Mewbourn (jm292@yahoo.com)

baltimore-taper.blogspot.com

Read the rest…

Interview: Small Sur (w/ Bob Keal)

We’ve lavished praise upon Small Sur’s first full-length, released earlier this year.  And over the course of the year, their live performances have become more and more vital and assured.  Given their album is one of my favorite releases all year, and the fact that Bob and crew have a show coming up at Metro Gallery this Wednesday with Horse Feathers (Kill Rock Stars), I dropped by Bob’s house to chat about all things Keal and Small Sur.

Read on, intrepid musical explorer. And enjoy this previously unreleased track, “Weeds.” This cut will likely be reworked for the next album.

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MP3: Small Sur – Weeds

Aural States: I wanted to explore what, early on, got you into music. Read the rest…

Small Sur Record Release Party @ 2640 Space

I had high hopes and expectations for this show. So high, in fact, that I skipped out on my first ever chance to see Underworld in Baltimore. I was a huge fan back when the Everything, Everything live album/dvd came out, and I was a huge fan of Trainspotting in high school. Who can forget that last monologue by Renton done over the opening chords of “Born Slippy Nuxx”? But that monologue is all about choice, and Saturday night I chose the rustic world of Bob and Small Sur over the nighttime beats of Underworld. I chose happiness and bliss.

Another huge factor in my decision to forgo Underworld was the fact that I love the 2640 space. I have never been to a poor show there. It is intimate, a place to see familiar faces and enjoy great music. This was the exact opposite of Virgin Fest, a scene resembling a Hieronymus Bosch painting, and unfortunately more often than not, with fitting music, too

It would also have been hypocritical of me not to show up. Ever since Aural States received We Live in Houses Made of Wood, we have been extolling the virtues of folky-americana-pysch-rock (not a catchy title, but I don’t know what else to call it) a la Small Sur. The band’s new album is nothing short of amazing, and I have been telling everyone who cares to listen (and some who really didn’t want to listen) how great this album is. Read the rest…

Small Sur – We Live in Houses Made of Wood (Tender Loving Empire)

Don’t miss Small Sur’s CD release show Aug. 9 @ 2640 Space, and their show at the Talking Head Aug. 30 with Duchess and the Duke.

With this first release on Tender Loving Empire, Bob Keal, ringleader for the motley crew of wilderness folksters Small Sur including one familiar face Andy Abelow, banks on a hypothesis…one he clearly bases on years of tradition and strength in circles of bluegrass, country and the many sounds of folk in rural Americana. He is betting that there is a well of universal memories, vivid images ingrained in our social subconscious, just waiting to be unleashed…triggered by a steady, knowing hand.

Here’s the good news: he is completely right. Read the rest…

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