WONGIE COLLABORATION OF THE WEEK: mumford & sons, baaba maal, the very best, beatenberg - wona

mumford & sons, baaba maal, the very best, beatenberg - wona
recorded over a two day period while on tour in south africa, mumford & sons gathered together the amazingly talented baaba maal, the very best and beatenberg to write the just released EP johannesburg. treating it like a creative summit, the tracks from this session are at once celebratory of everyone's differences and the power of how music really has no language barrier. to be honest, i haven't been excited about mumford & sons in awhile, but this collection gives me much hope of their musical direction and openness.

wanna hear more? check out this live version of there will be time from the wonderful johannesburg EP:

mumford & sons, baaba maal and the very best - there will be time (live in south africa)

FOLK FRIDAYS: dry the river - new ceremony / bible belt (live @ watchlistentell)

buzzed for the past few months as another folk act that'll break into the mainstream in 2011, dry the river is made of norwegian peter liddle (he with the vibrato voice), punk rock drummer jon warren (he was once homeless!) and a tag of other members who create harmonies, string arrangements and all around band to watch skills. the impression is not immediate as mumford and sons were, but there is something interesting to want to hear more in the coming months.


dry the river - new ceremony

wanna hear them sing live, check out this lush performance below:

dry the river - bible belt (live @ watchlistentell)

FOLK FRIDAYS: admiral fallow - squealing pigs

admiral fallow - squealing pigs
[already released last year in scotland, the debut album, 'boots met my face', by the admiral fallow is getting a relaunch for UK audiences and beyond. their power folk sound is already getting them labelled as the new 'mumford and sons', but i'm hearing more of 'deacon blue' instead (and really aging myself in the process). they've intrigued me for sure and i can't wait to hear more of their album soon!]

WONGIE DISCOVERY: sea of bees - marmalade / wizbot / willis / gnomes

julie baenziger aka sea of bees, is just the kind of self taught singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist that guys like me flock to. discovered by accident, julie was tinkering away on a guitar while hanging with friends recording at a studio. the studio owner heard something interesting and asked julie to put some songs down in demo form. the subsequent recordings were so dense and polished that they released the tracks as is under EP format. since then, 'sea of bees' has not only signed with indie major heavenly records, but is spreading her sound with the release of her debut album 'songs for the ravens'. a sound that i am very happy to discover and share with you guys! (thanks ken for the tip!)


sea of bees - marmalade
[first single off her debut album]


sea of bees - wizbot


sea of bees - willis
[i'm a sucker for these layered songs where every few segments a new element gets introduced, then stripped down, then returning again in cacophony form. i know, i'm SUCH a music nerd, but what is happening in this song is just glorious!]


sea of bees - gnomes
[this is actually the first track i ever heard by julie (thanks to my muso buddy ken) and it was the country tinged longing that swims through every note of this song that drew me to find out more. and boy am i glad i did!]