Anyone who followed independent music in the ’90s knows Jason Noble. The Louisville musician was an integral member of brilliant math-punk crew Rodan along with post-rockers Shipping News, classically minded Egon Schiele fans Rachel’s, etc. (While we’re thinking about Kentucky, don’t forget Half-Cocked.) Noble has a new project, a band called the Young Scamels. The group features Noble on guitar, bass, drums, and keys along with two Rachel’s cohorts — Christian Frederickson on viola, piano, computer and Greg King doing vibes, percussion, and keys — and some guests. Young Scamels began in 2008 as part of a production of “The Tempest” at Actors Theatre in Louisville, which is why the Shakespeareans amongst you will find “Full Fathom Five (Thy Father Lies)” and the band’s name (“I’ll bring thee to clustering filberts and sometimes I’ll get thee young scamels from the rock,” says Caliban to Stephano and Trinculo) familiar. (If you’re a scholar of indie rock/a fan of Noble’s past projects, it’s good to see he’s still focused on literature/bodies of water.) The album includes “Full Fathom,” of course, along with other music played live during the show’s 41 performances. I’m guessing this one was part of Ariel’s song in Act I, Scene II.

Read More...

Lewis & Clarke is the brainchild of mountain man Lou Rogia, a “rat-race expatriate” who moved his family to the Delaware Water Gap. (We dig backwoods troubadours.) Some call his music freak-folk, but it isn’t all that freaky. Elements of eastern instrumentation blend with acoustic plucking, sounding at once exotic and accessible, à la Macha on morphine, or, on this track, Kings Of Convenience.

Lewis & Clarke – “We Think We Have Eyes” (MP3)

So, Lewis & Clarke — not a duo, but not a one-mand band either. Man Man’s Russell Higbee plays harp and and Eve Miller of Rachel?s joins on cello. They call their sound “Post-Folk Neo-Baroque.”

“Before It Breaks You” is the finest moment on the record, stretching over ten minutes, moving through autumnal chamber folk, ending with group harmonies over a tanpura.

Lewis & Clarke – “Before It Breaks You” (MP3)

Stream Blasts Of Holy Birth here. It’s out 5/15 on La Société Expéditionnaire, and you can pre-order here.