Dizzy Swallows

Little Bits for a Monday

November 12th, 2012

This grey morning I feel in desperate need of a pick-me-up. Enter The Lumineers, an East Coast by way of Colorado trio, playing “an amalgam of heart-swelling stomp-and-clap acoustic rock, classic pop, and front-porch folk.” This track, “Ho Hey” is probably they’re most famous, off their eponymous, self-recorded 2011 EP. I dare you to hold still:

This weekend, Jacob and I hit up our local craft store for the first round of wedding supplies (more on that anon). I am now kicking myself that I didn’t get the supplies to make one of these genius DIY magnets. All you have to do is buy the plastic animal of your choice, saw it in half, spray-paint if desired, and attach a magnet to the back! Next time…


Source.

Speaking of weddings, we have the nuptials of a dear friend fast approaching, and I’ve been searching about for an appropriate … Continue reading

New Mumford & Sons Track

July 7th, 2011 2 Comments

Darlings, have I got a treat for you today. A high quality recording of a new Mumford & Sons track has surfaced! Dubbed “Home” by fans, for reasons that become obvious once you hear it, this officially untitled track was recorded for the Colorado radio station KBCO. The song has reportedly been well received when the boys play it on tour, so chances are it may end up on the track list of their new album. Have a listen below and see what you think!

Via Timber and Steel. Photo via Mumford & Sons.

And here’s one or two Mumford & Sons post you may have missed.… Continue reading

Mumford & Sons Cover The National

June 16th, 2011 2 Comments

It cannot be denied that my dear Mumford & Sons have moved into the mainstream. Long gone are the days of obscurity with over 1 million copies of Sigh No More sold, and numerous awards under their belts, including the ARIA for Most Popular International Artist. Don’t get me wrong, I nearly jumped out of my skin when I first heard “Little Lion Man” on Austin’s KSGR radio back in the Spring of 2010, and I’m not one to turn my back on an artist just because they’ve been adopted by Starbucks (well, most of the time). All of this, it seems, is not lost on the Mumford boys, who have made a concerted effort to retain their indie cred by slipping in covers of contemporary indie bands, like Vampire Weekend’s “Cousins”. Today I give you their cover of the song “England” by one of my absolute favorite groups, … Continue reading

Strand of Oaks

May 20th, 2011 3 Comments

Last week we had the pleasure of seeing Joe Pug play at Ballard’s own Tractor Tavern. Joe has grown notably more confident in his stage presence in the year since we saw him in Austin. His band and sound have both changed, but subtly and for the better. By the end of the night, he had us all eating out of his guitar-picking hand.

While it was an absolute delight to hear Joe Pug again, I was perhaps even more excited to discover his tour-mate, Strand of Oaks. This is the stage moniker of Philly-based Tim Showalter, a bearded, lumberjack type with a slow easy smile. Tim introduced himself as an ex-second grade teacher and bus driver who would educate his students with music by Sigur Rós and Mogwai on the way to school. Respect. He then proceeded to drop several J.R.R. Tolkien references. Needless to say, … Continue reading

Little Bits for a Monday

April 25th, 2011

Happy Monday my darlings! Did everyone have a good Easter weekend? Are we sufficiently sated by endless gobs of chocolate? Do we perhaps never want to see another egg again? Indeed.

This morning I have a wonderful post-holiday present for you: a new song from Mumford and Sons! The song, “Lovers Eyes”, was captured by an enthusiastic fan at the group’s April 13th gig at PC Richard & Sons Theater, NYC. With the band showcasing new work on tour, this will likely happen more often, allowing us deliciously guilty sneak listens of what might grace the tracklist of their next album. Enjoy!

Via Timber and Steel

As you know by now, I am a serious lover of books. Nothing saddens me more than the propensity of today’s kiddies to go straight to the film and ignore the book, robbing themselves of the worlds which bloom from the pages. … Continue reading