New music: Lonesome Lake - Tributaries EP

New Hampshire's Lonesome Lake make lovingly crafted folk music that reflects chilly and rugged landscapes in which it was created.  The songs that comprise their new Tributaries EP feature fingerpicked acoustic guitar and sparse percussion - with the occasional accordion, fiddle or horn taking turns in the spotlight.  These are songs of struggle and pain, but the end result is simply beautiful - for every whispered, reflective lyric there is a soaring melody or fiddle line to lessen the weight of the words.

The gorgeous Tributaries EP deserves attention - keep an eye on Lonesome Lake.  Get the full EP here.

Lonesome Lake - Between the Lines

Check out another song from Tributaries on our Winter Mixtape.

Visible Voice Winter 2011 Mixtape

So, this is the first of what will be a quarterly thing on Visible Voice...the seasonal mixtape.  I plan to use these mixtapes as an opportunity to share some of my favorite new music.  Great tunes by local or not-so-local bands that you should know and, in many cases, tracks that have not been officially or widely released yet.  For this inaugural winter mix a cold, snowy Boston is my (our) backdrop and, fittingly for this time of year, many of the songs here evoke themes of reflection.  During the cold winter months I find that the music I listen to becomes increasingly spare, unadorned, raw.  These songs fit that mold; gritty and uncompromising, yet intensely beautiful.  I'm sharing this as two "sides" (think cassettes, vinyl), instead of individual mp3s, so that this might be listened to as a cohesive whole.  There will also be a limited number of physical copies available with individual tracks, please email if you'd like one.  

A huge thanks goes out to all of the bands that agreed to take part.  Please support them by buying their music and going to shows.  I hope you enjoy this as much as I have putting it together -- and please share!

Side A
1. You Are Not My Love - Wooden Dinosaur
2. I'll Be Fooled Again - Twain
3. Great Move North - Faces On Film
4. Wither on the Vine, pt. 2 - The Old Ceremony
5. Wolves of Winter - Lonesome Lake

Side B
1. Dancing On Your Tears - Hands and Knees
2. Long Time - Guards
3. Sweeties Babies - Push Pals
4. Say What You Will - Joe Fletcher & The Wrong Reasons
5. Crooked Road Blues - Mount Peru