//DAMIEN//JURADO//MARAQOPA//

thought it would be criminal not to raise a flag of praise for damien jurado's latest lp. josh & i have had maraqopa spinning on our players & in our heads since its release & it's really ringing our bells. we are both in agreement that this is his best material to date. it has genuinely stimulated great, sprawling discussion between us. you know you have something good when all aspects of the content generate conversations of length & real worth. if you haven't already, grab a copy & listen close! d

...Damien Jurado: Saint Bartlett...

This album came out back in May of 2010 and somehow, I missed it. I guess it's a case of better late than never. This album has so many great songs on it, many of which stay in the vein of Jurado and Richard Swift's collaborative collection of cover songs that they put up for free last year, entitled "Other People's Songs Volume 1". In fact, Swift is on board with this album as well, adding backing vocals and instrumentation. This is Damien at his "sunniest", if you could call it that. Check out the live version of "Cloudy Shoes" below. This record would have definitely been my favorite of last year if I hadn't slept on it. I hope that this is a foreshadow of things to come. Enjoy.

{michael kiwanuka}-{tell me a tale}

Once again, thank you to Aquarium Drunkard for the fresh tips - this time on Michael Kiwanuka (i swear AD's got a deal w/ the devil). AD recently put up the official video for this number, so shoot over there to hear the studio cut w/ some absolutely stunning musicianship across the board. I don't know what else Mr. Kiwanuka has up his sleeve, but this one is dead-on. Can't wait to hear more. The above video comes via Black Cab Sessions. If you haven't already, check them out for certain, cause they're got a treasure trove of goodness (be sure to see Bill Callahan, Fleet Foxes & Damien Jurado). Sorry for the lag & tiny output here at !!crescere!! as of late - the weather is fine, life is busy & the personal creative processes are at work! Wishing everyone the best ~ Dougie F.