Wednesday, November 19, 2008

DAYTROTTER MUSIC HEAVEN
















So my neighbour Martin was out in the street painting the front of his house with a small brush and a tin of paint and we started talking about music, as we always do, starting with Bob Dylan and Tom Paine, when he told me about this new site that he'd become addicted to called www.daytrotter.com

This site is a thing of beauty on a number of levels. Basically these guys have a studio in downtown Rock Island, Illinois and as musicians pass through town they get them into their studio to record live sessions, using the instruments and equipment on hand, and then they put them on their site for free listening and download. What you have here is a wonderful cross-section of current American sounds, virtually every set full of interest and surprises. Perhaps this would be enough on its own but there is more. Firstly, every artist is portrayed with an illustration, produced by a whole slew of talented artsist whose work the site features. Then there's the writing. Each artist's work is described in some detail, in a style and in a way that is fresh, original, poetic, uncliched and endearing. Pictured above (for left to right) are Shugo Tokumaru, Wire and The Envy Corps. All beautiful stuff. Enjoy and spread the word. Inspiring.

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