Time Since Western currently holds position as my favorite Wisconsin band. The musical outlet for Andy Brawner, who once held bass duties for another Madison band (Pale Young Gentlemen), embarks out on his own and delivers and album that evokes comparisons to Mark Kozelek with a touch of Neil Young’s guitar solos.

A Sun Goes Down was released last month and is currently available for purchase here. Time Since Western play The Frequency in Madison on Saturday, July 26th.

Myspace: Time Since Western
MP3: Time Since Western – “Feathers”

A couple nights ago I got turned onto The Celebrated Workingman, a Milwaukee brewed outfit fronted by Mark Waldoch and comprising members of MoB favorites Freshwater Collins. I wouldn’t even feel comfortable admitting how many times I played “We’re Numb” on their myspace page yesterday, seriously one of my favorite tunes right now, so go take a listen.

The Celebrated Workingman will release their debut album Herald The Dickens on Tuesday, August 19th, followed by a very special CD release party at Turner Hall Ballroom in Milwaukee with Decibully + The Championship on Friday, August 22nd. Be there.

Photo: Joe Kirschling
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Myspace: The Celebrated Workingman

Cory Chisel & The Wondering Sons are no strangers to their rabid hometown (Appleton) and regional following. My friend Brad has been singing his praises to me for quite some time.

Now, readying a large scale tour behind the release of the Cabin Ghosts EP, I’m thrilled to have him on board with the Monolith Music Festival we’re helping put on at Red Rocks on September 13th.

Don’t miss your chance to download the free and legal MP3 below for “Home In The Woods.”

Tour Dates:

June 27 – Hotel Cafe – Los Angeles, California
July 17 – Club Cafe – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
July 18 – Radio Radio – Indianapolis, Indiana
July 19 – Beat Kitchen – Chicago, Illinois
July 20 – The Ark – Ann Arbor, Michigan
July 22 – Shank Hal – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
July 23 – Varsity Theater – Minneapolis, Minnesota
July 24 – Waiting Room – Omaha, Nebraska
July 25 – The Record Bar – Kansas City, Missouri
July 30 – Toad Tavern – Denver, Colorado
July 31 – Belly Up – Aspen, Colorado
Aug 1 – Club Sound – Salt Lake City, Utah
Aug 3 – The Triple Door – Seattle, Washington
Aug 4 – Doug Fir Lounge – Portland, Oregon
Aug 5 – Boardwalk – Orangevale, California
Aug 6 – Hotel Utah Saloon – San Francisco, California
Aug 8 – Casbah – San Diego, California
Aug 9 – Hotel Cafe – Los Angeles, California
Aug 10 – Rhythm Room – Phoenix, Arizona
Sep 13 – Red Rocks Amphitheater – Morrison, Colorado

Myspace: Cory Chisel & The Wondering Sons
MP3: Cory Chisel & The Wondering Sons – “Home In The Woods”

Find more MP3′s at The Hype Machine or buy stuff from Strictly Discs | eMusic

Welcome to Homegrown our ongoing showcase of Wisconsin bands that we think deserve some attention. We came to know Collections of Colonies of Bees because their name appeared on the same bill as MoB favorite Bon Iver when we announced his upcoming show at Mad Planet in Milwaukee on Saturday, January 19th.

Obviously, our initial intrigue resided with a similar name to our own, but became drawn to their instrumental sound and are preparing for the release of Birds on January 22nd. The album is comprised of four tracks, or in this case “Flocks” as each is named numerically “Flocks I-IV.” Fans of Battles and Explosions in the Sky can probably find a new favorite here. Check out the band’s website, and this link in particular for more information on Birds along with an audio preview of “Flocks III.”

Birds will be released January 22nd on Table of the Elements / Radium records. They join Bon Iver and Conrad Plymouth Mad Planet in Milwaukee on Saturday, January 19th.

Myspace: Collections of Colonies of Bees

I came to know Justin Vernon aka Bon Iver while slightly drunk and in the front row of The Rosebuds blistering Hot Freaks set at SXSW. It was during said performance that Rosebuds front man Ivan Howard introduced Justin (then holding down guitar duties for the band) as a native of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. When you’re a long way from home, had your share of Lonestar beer, and with good friends, that will earn you some easy respect and admiration from my entourage and I.

Since that time I’ve kept in touch with Justin, and was pretty close to getting him and The Rosebuds to play a show in Madison when it looked like their stop in Eau Claire wasn’t going to work out. Through the course of our conversations he mentioned his project, Bon Iver, and how much he thought I’d like it.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago when Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago beautifully packaged compact disc arrived in the mail. Through countless listens it was apparent that the music, not our mutual home state, was the important part of this story. This album is a little bit folk and, at times, hard to pin down to a specific genre or type – but that’s what I love about it. Expect this to be the release that takes everyone by surprise this year.

Admiration has already started to pour in from blog heavyweights Brooklyn Vegan and My Old Kentucky Blog, and I’m sure that’s is just the tip of the iceberg as the record finds its way through the circles of the internet, currently as a full album stream here.

More Bon Iver goodness to come including a 5 Questions w/MoB feature as well as a future Madison date.

Myspace: Bon Iver
MP3: Bon Iver – Skinny Love
MP3: Bon Iver – For Emma
MP3: Bon Iver – Blindsided

Imagine you’re walking home late on a cold night. You pass the neighborhood bar and decide to duck in for one last drink. There are three friends leaning on the piano in the corner, playing a few songs as the bar empties. Their mood alternates between raucous and consoling each other over the past.

You’ll have a good feel for the tone of Pale Young Gentlemen’s self titled release.

The songs range from celebratory (“Saturday Night”) to more delicate (“As A War”). Some tracks (“Clap Your Hands”) have a taste of Eastern Europe (ala Beirut)

The music is warm, familiar, friendly, collegial. A brash, bouncy piano line and dramatic, reaching vocals are the highlights. They are paired with drums, guitar, bass guitar, and cello. The cello adds a layer of warmth, intimacy. The tunes are simple enough to be infectious but unusual enough to keep your attention.

Ultimately, the band is a powerful, and welcome, new entry to the Madison music scene.

Pale Young Gentlemen release their first album, self-titled, at their CD release party March 23, 2007 at Café Montmartre

Myspace: Pale Young Gentlemen

(travis)

Today we’d like to bring you some information on the Madison based band, Flame Shark. I was introduced to singer/guitarist Justin Jahnke while browsing at a local record store. He was unfamiliar with my site and I his band, but we struck up a decent conversation that ended with him placing a copy of his band’s latest, Midnight On Pearl Beach. With vocals that resemble a much younger (and more decipherable) Dylan and breezy acoustics, this band is one of the more promising acts in town.

The band have two upcoming Madison dates, tomorrow night at The Weary Traveler and the following night they’ll be playing Electric Earth. Both shows will be kicking off around 10PM.

Myspace: Flame Shark
MP3: Flame Shark – The Sultan Sea
MP3: Flame Shark – A Fossil

Brand new feature here at MoB, I’m going to periodically feature Wisconsin artists who are interesting, bizarre, and straight up worthy of more exposure. I think our first selection, db pederson is the perfect blend of all three. Here’s the skinny from his myspace bio that perfectly embodies his interesting story and music:

transplant from vallejo, california, a guy who’s dug a lot of graves, cooked at finer restaurants in the sf bay area, napa valley, and madison, recovering oakland paramedic, throat singer at-large. moved to midwest 10 years ago ’cause tom waits said to avoid indiana at all costs. that’s where i started and moved up to madison, wi. cut my rock and roll teeth with a power-cartoon unit called “ngkindheit”. i was 34, farming sheep by day and making very popular tacos when i first stepped up in front of a band. at a loss for words, i sufficed to shriek like a manitou. i nurtured the infantilism as best i could. i taught myself throat singing by hollering up at the sky in a new glarus field.

My first exposure to db pederson’s music came as a result of meeting a friend of his at the MoB two year anniversary party who worked on his album, Carrot Carrot!  It might take you some time with the music, the throat singing was new to me, but I’ve grown comfortable with it.

Buy: Skulls Of Heaven
Myspace: db pederson
MP3: db pederson – Walk On