Small Sur’s last record We Live in Houses Made of Wood was in heavy rotation in my household last year. So when Bob Keal came by the studio to have his next record Bare Black mastered, I was honored.

Small Sur is a collective run by songwriter Bob Keal. Bob writes beautifully haunting songs that remind me of being outside and traveling, of the feeling of moving from one place to another. Or simply leaning back against a tree staring at the stars. This newest record takes you to a place with insanely crafted melodies, occasionally droney textures, and haunting minimalist arrangements. Multi-instrumentalists Austin Stahl and Andy Abelow join Bob on this record.

Bare Black was released last week for Aural Slates Records. The sample song below is a complete reworking of a track recorded for the 2008 Friends and Friends of Friends Compilation on their former label Tender Loving Empire.

Other guests include Geoff Graham (bass; member of Lower Dens/Jana Hunter), Susan Alcorn (pedal steel) and Natasha Tylea-Cooke (vocals). Engineered by Chris Freeland and mixed by Adam Cooke, whose collective credits include Beach House (Sub Pop), Double Dagger (Thrill Jockey), Lower Dens/Jana Hunter (Gnomonsong), Oxes (Monitor), and Wye Oak (Merge).

Please enjoy my favorite track below.

Weeds

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

I recently mastered a Baltimore compilation for SpliceToday.com. When Zach came to me asking if this is something I’d be in to, I didn’t even hesitate. We love Baltimore bands and the community they enrich, but Baltimore bands covering Baltimore bands! That’s just too good to be true.

Crossing genre lines, this mix tape reflects the beautiful diversity and vitality of the Baltimore scene. Caleb Stine covers Small Sur. Small Sur covers Wheatie Mattiasich. Mickey Free covers Wye Oak. And Wye oak covers Rod Lee. It’s like one big musical do-si-do. We love it! And you can download it for free. Look out for a Volume 2 coming soon!

Here are a few of my favorites:

Little Dreamer f/ Victoria Legrand by Jones (Future Islands)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Dance My Pain Away by Wye Oak (Rod Lee)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Two Mantras by Caleb Stine (Small Sur)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Love those pretty Beach Boys harmonies at the end of Two Mantras! You can just drink it.

Last week, we hosted Austin Stahl for our monthly microshow. He brought new and moving interpretations from his latest solo record, The Things You Carry, and pulled some songs from the vault, including covers of Private Eleanor, Hank Williams, Small Sur and Bruce Springsteen. It was a warm and intimate night and so still as we held our breath listening to each heart-rending verse.

(more…)

I just finished mastering Austin Stahl’s (Private Eleanor, Small Sur) first solo record, The Things You Carry. It’s a great record. Wonderful lyrics and beautiful melodies. He recorded it on his cassette 8-track at his house. You can download the record for free here.

Prelude/The Things You Carry

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

The Ballad Of Buena Vista

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

(more…)