His name is Will Toledano, and it is a beardless young man torso.
Zachary Cale is a NYC based songwriter/musician originally hailing from the small southern town of Enon, Louisiana. His music ranges from lyrically driven balladry over American Primitive inspired guitar playing to Cosmic Country music and cerebral folk rock to darker torch songs with Western themes.
His first album Outlander Sessions was released by New World Of Sound records in 2005. Recorded with a borrowed acoustic guitar on a 4 track cassette machine.
For the past decade Cale has been releasing records through his own imprint All Hands Electric among other small labels. In 2008 Cale’s second solo album Walking Papers was released, an album that fuses highly poetic imagery across stark balladry. Marking a huge step forward from his debut Walking Papers displays Cale’s progression from lo-fi acoustic busker to a songwriter of visionary scope. It was recorded by Kevin McMahon (Titus Andronicus, Swans) at Jett Studio previously known as the historic Bearsville Sound Studio where albums by The Band, Bobby Charles, NRBQ and Muddy Waters were recorded. Upon it’s release Cale was described by New Jersey’s, WFMU as a “songwriter’s songwriter” with a writing style comparable to the greats like Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, and Leonard Cohen.
Before it’s release Cale started a rock band called Illuminations. All Hands Electric issued their debut album See-Saw the same year that Walking Papers was released. The straight ahead power pop inspired rock n roll band showcased a different side of Cale’s songwriting. Cale began using electric guitars, adopting a style and delivery that aligns itself to roots inspired rock bands such as Big Star, VU and Crazy Horse.
2011 saw the release of Cale’s first critically acclaimed album Noise Of Welcome. Upon it’s release Pop Matters proclaimed Cale as “the best singer songwriter working today. Period.”. The album is a perfect blend of Cale’s penchant for cosmic American rock styles that he used in his work with Illuminations and the dark mystic balladry of his solo albums. That year Cale toured the U.S. with a full band, and in solo performances across Europe.
Blue Rider was released in 2013 to great fan fare. Praised by Pitchfork, Spin, American Songwriter, NY Magazine, and Pop Matters the album features a stripped down acoustic sound implementing country blues tunings adopted from guitar legends Skip James and John Fahey, coupled with Cale’s haunting vocal delivery and enigmatic lyrics. With the addition of ethereal synth lines and electric textures over it’s acoustic foundation the album exudes an atmosphere that is otherworldly yet traditionally grounded. Upon it’s release Cale became a member of the NYC based Crystal Stilts, joining the band as their second guitarist as well as supporting them on a cross country US tour.
On stage Cale performs both solo and with an full electric band. In concert his melodically complex guitar playing has been compared to Neil Young and Bert Jansch with nods to pre-war Piedmont and Ragtime players such as Blind Willie McTell and Mississippi John Hurt. In a full band setting Cale has been known to strap on an electric, adopting a style and delivery that flies closer to country-tinged rock songwriters such as Alex Chilton, Ray Davies and Tom Petty. The intensity of his solo sets hold crowds spellbound, while the electric band sets veer into a mild psychedelia that’s equally captivating.
Cale has played hundreds of shows traversing both the US and EU sharing stages with Sharon Van Etten, Robyn Hitchcock, Neko Case, Six Organs of Admittance, Deer Tick, Ryley Walker, Justin Townes Earle, Jessica Pratt, The Black Swans, War on Drugs, Steve Gunn, Villagers, Hiss Golden Messenger, Foxygen, Wooden Wand, Michael Chapman, William Tyler, Chris Forsyth, Angel Olsen, Dan Melchior, and many others.
Duskland is Cale’s 5th album under his own name, an album that employs full band arrangements and western motifs to further chronicle Cale’s haunted vision of Americana. The album will be released August 7th 2015 via No Quarter.
In the three years since their acclaimed debut Metal Moon, Dirty Ghosts lead singer and guitarist Allyson Baker has stayed busy lending her talents to albums by !!!, Aesop Rock, Kelley Stoltz and others while taking Dirty Ghosts on several North American tours, Treasure Island Festival, Sled Island, Fun Fun Fun Fest and sharing stages with Thee Oh Sees, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Butthole Surfers, Peaches, Redd Kross, and more. Following up a live 7″ released on Third Man Records, Baker and crew hunkered down to record the second Dirty Ghosts album. With nods to the synth punk sounds of Devo, the angular tension of Wire and Gang of Four and the refined melodies of The Pretenders and XTC, the result is a lyrically deep and musically frenetic sound. Joined by bandmates Tony Sevener (Honeycut, Tommy Guererro) on drums and Erin McDermott (Top Ten, Deadly Weapons) on bass, their new EP, which includes a remix from Tobacco and Mikey Young of Total Control is set to be released in July on Burger Records with their sophomore album on Last Gang Records in October.
In the three years since their acclaimed debut Metal Moon, Dirty Ghosts lead singer and guitarist Allyson Baker has stayed busy lending her talents to albums by !!!, Aesop Rock, Kelley Stoltz and others while taking Dirty Ghosts on several North American tours, Treasure Island Festival, Sled Island, Fun Fun Fun Fest and sharing stages with Thee Oh Sees, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Butthole Surfers, Peaches, Redd Kross, and more. Following up a live 7″ released on Third Man Records, Baker and crew hunkered down to record the second Dirty Ghosts album. With nods to the synth punk sounds of Devo, the angular tension of Wire and Gang of Four and the refined melodies of The Pretenders and XTC, the result is a lyrically deep and musically frenetic sound. Joined by bandmates Tony Sevener (Honeycut, Tommy Guererro) on drums and Erin McDermott (Top Ten, Deadly Weapons) on bass, their new EP, which includes a remix from Tobacco and Mikey Young of Total Control is set to be released in July on Burger Records with their sophomore album on Last Gang Records in October.
WOMPS are formed from the ashes of Algernon Doll. Picking up support from the likes of Consequence of Sound, The Guardian, NME Online, The Skinny, Clash Magazine, Impose Magazine, Artrocker, The Herald and BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 6, CMJ as well as building a healthy live audience the band look to release their debut record in 2015.
They entered Steve Albini’s lair in December 2014 to record their debut LP. The album combines raw garage punk elements with clever dynamics and classic songwriting and will be one to look out for this year.
Born out of the backyards and basements of Chicago’s DIY music scene, NE-HI’s nostalgic-rock brings you back to a time that may have never existed. It may be the past. It may be the future. But, it is certainly a place where you feel younger, better looking, and you dance until you are soaked in sweat. A place where you know the best bands before your older brother and all the cool kids at school. The quartet’s guitar-driven songwriting and distinct harmonies produce a sound that is both raw and relaxed, rough and humble. Formed to score a friend’s film in the summer of 2013, the foursome–made up of Alex Otake, James Weir, Jason Balla and Mikey Wells–recognized the electricity between its four members and chose to continue making music. Since then, the foursome has toured the Midwest and East Coast, building a reputation as a promising young American band.
With infectious smiles, big personalities, cowboy boots and crinolines, this feisty female trio could have stepped right out of 1960’s Nashville. Coming together with extraordinary energy and bringing a shine to every space they fill, Dirty Dishes play both covers (From Dolly Parton to Joel Plaskett) and shiny new originals in this tasty blend of country, folk, bluegrass, roots and gospel. Featuring Suzy Wilde, Lisa Olafson and Alison Porter (joined by Henry Heilig and Jay Boemer), you’ll love Dirty Dishes for their down-home music, tight harmonies and irresistible charm.
Hot off the press, Dirty Dishes’ third album, “And Stay Out!” features 11 brand new tracks, beautifully recorded at Canterbury Studios in Toronto and mixed by Danny Greenspoon.