If you share our enthusiasm, get thee to the refurbished Jules Maes Saloon this Thursday, April 28, when KEXP will be broadcasting the first-ever live, remote broadcast of "Swingin' Doors" from the historic Georgetown watering hole, between 6:00 and 9:00 p.m.
After the broadcast, stick around to check out two of Seattle's best homegrown country acts: the Wakefields and West Valley Highway. The former recently released a swell EP, Falling Down Blue, featuring the melancholy, Bakersfield-flavored title track and four other tunes, while the latter--which counts former members of the Souvenirs and Redneck Girlfriend among their ranks--plan on releasing a full disc of their captivating vocal harmonies and polished originals sometime this summer.
That same night, the Mars Bar hosts the farewell show by local trio the Murderers' Accordion, before frontman Steven Takeuchi and his wife make a move to the Big Apple. But don't cry yet: This is also the record release fete for their new album, So Little Left to See. With its mix of smooth and crunchy textures, the disc should appeal to fans of Bobby Bare Jr. and the C&W incarnation of the Supersuckers. Standouts include the ramshackle train song "Eyes," and "Drone," an atmospheric instrumental that bridges the gap between Santo & Johnny and the UK shoegazer scene.
Sunday night, May 1, pop on over to Fremont and check out Girlyman at High Dive. The witty, queer-identified NYC trio have been described as "a modern day Peter, Paul & Mary," but that's only partially accurate. True, the quieter moments on their album Little Star, such as "Soldiers" and "Genevieve," could be classified as folk, with an emphasis on soft, three-way vocals and instrumentation like banjo and accordion. But on rambunctious numbers like "Young James Dean," they kick out high-energy country jams with a panache and polish that calls to mind the Dixie Chicks.
Astute readers may recall our passing mention a couple weeks back of Searching for the Wrong-Eyed Jesus, the recent documentary by Luaka Bop recording artist and trepanning buff Jim White. Now, Northwest Film Forum has added this flick, a musical road trip through the American South, to its summer schedule, for a one-week run starting August 12. Best of all, on opening night, White will be at NWFF in person, for a Q&A session and live performance.
