Galactic

New Releases:

The Brew - Triptych 3 CD set - Last year The Brew took stock of what they had created since 2008’s Back To The Woods. The result is their most ambitious project to date; the release of a three-album set called Triptych. Each album reflects a facet of this multitalented, New England-based group: A Garden In The Snow, showcasing song-craft; Light From Below, bringing live-show energy into the studio; Hard Enough To Break, a romp of polish and power.

Triptych: The Brew’s triple tour-de-force, hailed by seminal rock writer Steve Morse as “…raising the bar for an eclectic sound that touches everything from classic rock to Appalachian root notes and Romantic classical music, topped with dashes of art rock, psychedelia and jazz funk. It is a combination that is theirs alone.”

The Radiators - The Last Watusi (3 CDs) - These 3 CDs represent the best of each of the final 3 shows at Tips. The first night was an all acoustic affair mixing Rads originals with covers by Bob Dylan and Jesse Winchester. The last two discs represent a band on a mission, to go out in style and leave nothing on the table. The songs cover the entire 33 year career of the band and include fan favorites and a couple of lesser known Rad's gems. Altogether the set includes over 3 ½ hours of gritty down home Nawlins' rock n' roll that shows just how versatile the band was. Enjoy!!!
 

The Disco Biscuits - Otherwise Law Abiding Citizens CD - This album originally released in 2011, has finally found its way to the shelves of HGMN! Praised by many as the first studio Bisco CD in ages that actually sounds like the band they love. Some fans say its the best studio CD of their career. We agree that its great and if you've yet to add it to your collection - we can now hook you up!
 

NEW ORLEANS JAZZ & HERITAGE FESTIVAL 2012!!!
Professionally recorded performances captured live at the legendary JazzFest!

Ani Difranco - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Astral Project - Live at Jazzfest 2012 CD

Big Al Carson & the Blues Masters - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Big Chief Bo Dollis & the Wild Magnolias - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

The New Orleans Bingo! Show - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Bonerama - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

John Boutte - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Boutte Family Sunday Praise - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Bobby Rush - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Big Sam's Funky Nation - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Better Than Ezra - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Henry Butler - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Tribute to Alex Chilton - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Cowboy Mouth - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Brother Dege - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Rockin' Dopsie Jr & the Zydeco Twisters - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Andrew Duhon - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Ellis Marsalis - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Flow Tribe - - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Little Freddie King - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Funky Meters - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Galactic - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Glen David Andrews - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

George Porter Jr. & Runnin' Pardners - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Honey Island Swamp Band - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Hot 8 Brass Band - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

The Iguanas - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

James Andrews - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

The Jim McCormick Band - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Jumpin' Johnny Sansone - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Joe Krown Trio - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Luther Kent & Trickbag - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Kirk Joseph Backyard Groove - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Kirk Joseph's Tuba Tuba - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Rosie Ledet & the Zydeco Playboys - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Eric Lindell - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

The Malone Brothers - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Mia Borders - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Monk Boudreaux & the Golden Eagles Mardi Gras Indians - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

John Mooney & Bluesiana - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

The Neville Brothers - Live at JazzFest 2012 (2 CDs)

Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

!Otra! - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Nicholas Payton - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Preservation Hall 50th Anniversary Live at Jazz Fest 2012 (2 CDs) - Historic 50th anniversary performance May 6, 2012. Special guests include: George Wein, Trombone Shorty, Rebirth Brass Band, Ani DiFranco, Fleur De Tease, Allen Toussaint, Bonnie Raitt, Jim James, Steve Earle, Wendell Eugene, Lionel Ferbos and the Preservation Hall Jr. Jazz Band!

Pine Leaf Boys - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Paul Sanchez & the Rolling Road Show - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Amanda Shaw & the Cute Guys - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Johnny Sketch & the Dirty Notes - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Guitar Slim Jr - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Marc Stone - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

The Stooges Brass Band - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Supagroup - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Walter "Wolfman" Washington - - Live at JazzFest 2012 CD

Last Week:

Blue James Band - Give Me the Love or Give Me the Fight CD - Blue James Band’s third album, Give Me the love or Give Me the Fight, is a testament to the band's passion for imaginative, fun-filled, soul-soothing songs. The album sees the band as vibrant as ever, with their sunny roots/rock n' roll/reggae style fused throughout the album's ten tracks. Inventive musicality and lyrical style underlie Give Me the love or Give Me the Fight, allowing each track to take listeners on their own journey, while providing singularity that impresses like a fingerprint. The album is transcendent, yet accessible. Highlights include the reggae-infused "Not Ready For You" and the worldly "They Come and They Go."
 

The Disco Biscuits - Bisco Inferno 09/10 DVD - Recorded live at Red Rocks Ampitheatre, Morrison CO on May 30th, 2009 and May 29th, 2010.
 

The Avett Brothers - Carolina Jubilee CD - Reissue of the adored Folk/Roots band's 2003 album. A Carolina Jubilee has been extremely hard to find since the North Carolina trio's ascension to global success. The band is made up of two brothers, Scott Avett and Seth Avett, who play the banjo and guitar respectively, and Bob Crawford who plays the stand-up bass.

Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit - Live from Alabama CD - In August of 2012, Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit assembled in their home state of Alabama in front of a couple of sold-out concert halls to record their first live album, Live From Alabama. After years of hard touring, the critically-lauded band has gelled into a versatile rock and roll squad that is equally at ease performing Muscle Shoals soul to hardcore country to balls-out rock. Live From Alabama s tracklist mines some of Isbell s most popular songs and includes a pair of inspired covers in Neil Young s Like a Hurricane and Candi Staton s Heart on a String.

Upcoming Events:

Jan 31-Feb 4 - The Funky Leap Jam - Lakeland, FL

Feb 15-17 - Aura Music Festival - Live Oak, FL

Video of the Week:

The Brew - When Darkness Comes (official video)

Thanks for reading! Treat yourself to some good music this week.
- Lee Crumpton

New Releases:

Galactic - Carnivale Electricos CD - It's incredible that GALACTIC has never made a carnival album yet, but now it's here.

To make CARNIVALE ELECTRICOS, the members of GALACTIC (Ben Ellman, harps and horns; Robert Mercurio, bass; Stanton Moore, drums and percussion; Jeff Raines, guitar; Rich Vogel, keyboards) draw on the skills, stamina, and funk they deploy in the all-night party of their annual Lundi Gras show that goes till sunrise and leads sleeplessly into Mardi Gras day.

GALACTIC was formed eighteen years ago in New Orleans, and they cut their teeth playing the biggest party in America: Mardi Gras, when the town shuts down entirely to celebrate. CARNIVALE ELECTRICOS is beyond a party record. It's a carnival record that evokes the electric atmosphere of a whole city - make that, whole cities - vibrating together all on the same day, from New Orleans all down the hemisphere to the mighty megacarnivals of Brazil. Armed with a slew of carnival-ready guests--including Cyril and Ivan Neville, Mystikal, Mannie Fresh, Moyseis Marques, Casa Samba, the KIPP Renaissance High School Marching Band, and Al "Carnival Time" Johnson (who remakes his all-time hit)--GALACTIC whisks the listener around the neighborhoods to feel the Mardi Gras moment in all its variety of flavors.

Coming Soon:

Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds - Pound of Dirt CD - Brooklyn's own Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds deliver an eclectic and timeless mix of gritty blues, soul, funk and garage rock. Led by the dynamic, soulful and sexy Arleigh Kincheloe and her brother Jackson on harmonica, SSDB are one of the must see live acts of 2012.

The tight-knight collective's nine endlessly talented musicians have performed alongside artists ranging from Dr. John and Wynton Marsalis to Beyonce and Hercules and Love Affair, creating an undeniably original and raucous sound that is at the core of the group s new album 'Pound Of Dirt,' out February 28th 2012 on Modern Vintage Recordings.

Carolina Chocolate Drops - Leaving Eden CD - North Carolina-based Carolina Chocolate Drops follow up their critically lauded label debut--2010's Grammy Award-winning Genuine Negro Jig, which reached #1 on the Billboard Bluegrass Chart and #2 on the Billboard Heatseekers and Folk Charts--with Leaving Eden.

The Drops have toured year-round internationally since the band's inception, playing festivals such as Bonnaroo, SXSW, and Telluride and selling out concert halls and clubs. The band regularly receives critical accolades from publications such as the Seattle Times, which said "What a treat to bask in this Grammy-winning group's top-notch musicality, easy good humor and understated but sparkling showmanship with just the right dollop of historical background." And the Capital Times (Madison, WI) said, "The string band performed a joyful, high-energy show that had the packed, sweaty theater moving and cheering for the entire time. The band's sound is rooted in, and very reverent to, the traditional African-American string band sound of generations ago. But the attitude is anything but old-timey, as the band brought in hip-hop and soul elements, a no-holds-barred energy, and just a sense of playfulness to the songs."

Caravan of Thieves - Funhouse CD - Channeling pop bliss through their trademark lock-tight, turn-of-the-century, bang out a beat on anything that can take it approach, The Funhouse, (operative word: fun) which is soon-to-be-released on United For Opportunity, is exemplary of a band on the high road to musical perfection. The listener closes their eyes and can taste the bacchanalia and join the fete. Tunes like "Raise The Dead," the record's single, drive the point home with impressive lift, powered by soaring crescendos and inspired gang vocals, not to mention a lyric that invites the deceased to join in the fun. "Mexico" is a dark road ramble that will, at the very least, make you wanna dance around the room, if not run off yourself. "Candy" betrays the writer's addiction to the sweet confections that sounds like Vaudeville, but feels like The Beatles' "Savoy Truffle." And on it goes, the perfect soundtrack for your trip through the tunnel and into the light. If this album can't raise the dead, nothing will. (Features Fuzz from Deep Banana Blackout and Big Fuzz!)

Last Week:

SOJA - Strength To Survive CD - Highly-anticipated 2012 release produced by John Alagia (Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, O.A.R). SOJA is an international touring machine having rocked theaters in more than 15 countries around the world. In the past year and a half alone, they've played more than 360 dates, on large headline dates in addition to tours opening for acts like O.A.R,, Dave Matthews Band and Matisyahu.

Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad- Country CD - With this release, the quintet has charted new territory and put together a lyrically-driven roots Americana album. Combining acoustic instrumentation including slide guitar, banjo, harmonica, upright piano, percussion, and bass, the album showcases songs as they were first created: on the road, riding in the van, and jamming backstage. The production of Country taps into that spontaneous rhythm, allowing the music to wash over listeners like a conversation between old friends.

Upcoming Events:

*March 22-25 - Suwannee Springfest - Live Oak, FL

*April 19-21 - Wanee Festival - Live Oak, FL

* Look for the HGMN Booth at this event!

Video of the Week:

Life Improvised: An Honest Tune Interview with Col. Bruce Hampton, Ret. (VIDEO)