Leave it to the folks at Glassnote Records to find bands from across the pond who look to our shores for inspiration. First, England’s Mumford & Sons and now from the Emerald Isle, anthemic, roots-folk band Little Green Cars. This young five-piece with the five-part harmonies just released their full-length debut Absolute Zero. Steve Appleby’s…

A singular band of multi-instrumentalists and vocalists, the California group who call themselves Milo Greene make shimmering, cinematic rock. And given all their hours traveling across the country by van, it sure helps if to have an affinity for movies and a DVD player. Their self-titled debut features instrumental interludes between songs; the warmly-layered music…

The Denver folk-rock band Churchill may have Morrissey to thank for thier big break. The avid animal rights advocate refused to play Jimmy Kimmel Live because the scruffy hunter pimps on reality show Duck Dynasty were booked for the same episode, and so, the band that recently played Sunny Side Up stepped in for the…

Though there had been flirtations on previous albums, keyboards really explode on Ra Ra Riot’s latest Beta Love. The Brooklyn by way of Syracuse University quintet last year parted ways with their longtime cello player Alexandra Lawn, and though they don’t ditch strings completely (violinist Rebecca Zeller still contributes her instrument as well as synths),…

Alternative music star Ben Harper and blues harmonica king Charlie Musselwhite, two surprising kindred musical spirits, release their first album together, the scorching Get Up on January 29th. They came together over their love of the blues and it shows with this collection of straight up, defiant rockers and uplifting, gospel tinged ballads. Backed expertly…

For Vintage Trouble, a band who wanted to stand out among the increasingly crowded field of retro r&b acts, they turned to friends in high places and their rabid group of fans. Having legendary rock manager (Kiss) Doc McGee behind you didn’t hurt nor did admirers in England, who, after seeing Vintage Trouble on a…

Justin Townes Earle has found his niche making cosmopolitan Americana/ gospel and proving he’s successfully emerged from the shadow of his roots-rocking twangy troubadour father Steve Earle. Geek chic Justin even looks the part of urban beat poet! His sporting of thick glasses, bow-ties, thrift store and designer threads earned him a spot on GQ’s Top…

Neil Halstead has done it again! He’s made another superb, artfully-crafted acoustic record in Palindrome Hunches that’s as easy to cozy up to this season as an autumn sweater- remarkable given the Cornwall, England native’s former penchant for plugging-in, looking down and drenching his music in distortion as he did as frontman of shoegazing trailblazers…