The vulnerability found in Emily Keener’s music traces back to a distinctly Midwest upbringing, characterized by the canopied forests that surrounded her home. It’s here Keener pensively grappled with the rigid qualities of rustbelt spiritualism. And where she experienced the literal and figurative isolation as a homeschooled country-dweller.
On her new album – I Do Not Have To Be Good, she subtly sheds her Americana roots and embraces atmospheric moody indie folk, equally tender and powerful as it unfolds. Taking almost complete creative control throughout the recording process, the only fingerprint is Keener’s own. This is her; raw, exposed, very honest in her emotional depth.
Upon his arrival to the states, Victor-Andres Cruz “El Guámbito” found refuge and a profound sense of identity rooted in the rhythms and folklore of his native Colombia . Raised as an amalgamation between the Colombian countryside, Florida, New England and New York City, Victor created a voice and a place where all worlds converge.
Influenced by cumbia, bullerengue, gaita music, Colombian Andean songs, Southern Mali’s wassoulou music, Sahara’s desert blues, as well as 60’s and 70’s delirious psychedelia from Africa and South America, Nemegata is a mystical fierce power trio currently stretching its roots in Austin.
Mestizo Beat is a collective of musicians based out of Los Angeles who compose and perform music influenced by the early 1970’s era of funk, soul, afro-beat, and afro-cuban genre. Formed by lead guitarist Aquiles “Lito” Magaña along with his brother Agustin Magaña on drums. These two would come to share their passion and love for this era of music and become the driving core for the group. Influenced by the greats such as James Brown, Fred Wesley and the J.B.’s, Parliament Funkadelic, the Meters, and WAR.
The word Mestizo means the mix and blend of cultural heritage; you cannot find a better word to describe the blending of music, environment, and roots that takes place in Los Angeles, which is one of the most diverse regions in the world. The band members come from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds that enrich the music created and performed.
Mestizo Beat’s new album – Canoga Madness – will be released soon via Cliff Beach’s California Soul Music label. Stay tuned!
Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit return with their highly anticipated new album, Reunions, via Southeastern Records / Thirty Tigers. Produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Cobb and recorded at Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A. Features a high resolution audio digital download and extensive artwork.
Toucan Sounds is a record label & producer crew curated by French Horn Rebellion in Brooklyn, NY, and operated out of YouTooCanWoo, an artist-owned music and production studio in Williamsburg. The label officially launched in April, 2019, and this compilation features our favorite music released from our debut year. All tracks were remastered especially for vinyl, and include titles by Yuksek, Jean Tonique, JD Samson, Patterns , and more.
Update 04/27/2020: We continue to take new orders, and the turnaround page on our website has been updated to compensate for the approx 6 weeks of downtime the Ohio shelter-at-home order has caused. Full operations will continue as of May 4, 2020; and we have been cutting lacquers, plating, and most print production for the past several weeks.
If you have a project going with us, and want to check on it, please feel free to call us at (800) 295-0171 or email sales@gottagrooverecords.com.
We will continue to monitor the situation, and will be following the guidelines and recommendations of both Ohio government officials, and the CDC.
Finally, THANK YOU for the work you send us. As a small company, as well as on an individual employee level, we appreciate our customers, especially during these uncharted times.
Written and recorded by Adam London. In Adam’s words, “A Thousand Harmonies in Silence is an album that highlights the idea of being “safe”. Since writing this record I wanted to portray personal memory and experience that had me feeling at peace. Each track signifies a special place, thing, person and time. All of which had some sense of security. I challenged myself to really embody these moments and record my guitar in single takes. I can only hope you enjoy listening to this record as much as did writing it.”
On April 24th, three-time Grammy Award winner Lucinda Williams unabashedly takes on some of the human, social and political issues of our day with her boldest and most direct album to date, Good Souls Better Angels. During the course of her celebrated four-decade, pioneering career Williams has never rested on her laurels as she continues to push herself as a songwriter. On Good Souls Better Angels, she has much she needs to get out.
In 2014 and 2015, Williams released two critically acclaimed double albums back to back with Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone and The Ghosts Of Highway 20, respectively. Both releases found her experimenting with arrangements, vocals, song structure and personal subject matter. On Good Souls Better Angels, Williams changes course and chooses to forgo the personal and narrative-based songcraft that has become synonymous with her name and instead speaks to some of the injustices permeating our society. The new songs cut straight to the core with frank and honest commentary on domestic abuse (“Wakin’ Up”), the constant barrage of news (“Bad News Blues”) the dangerous, quick to judge and convict aspects of social media (“Shadows & Doubts”) and the haunting reality of the “Man Without A Soul”.
Williams recorded Good Souls Better Angels backed by her remarkable, long time band, featuring Butch Norton (drums), Stuart Mathis (guitar) and David Sutton (bass). The rock-solid unit propels the music with both fire and finesse, particularly on the raw blues number “You Can’t Rule Me”, which kicks off the album with equal parts attitude and swing.
Good Souls Better Angels also features some of Williams’ most intimate and up front vocals on record. She addresses the pain of depression on the achingly beautiful “Big Black Train” and tenderly delivers a poignant song of hope with “When The Way Gets Dark”. She encourages us to push forward on the path of promise and perseverance on the deeply soulful and moving album closer “Good Souls”.
