The Driftwood Singers

...Got the Sunday blues? Woes about the work week starting up again tomorrow? Driftwood Singers might do the trick to pacify that inner sulk you're carryin'. Twangy and down-home-like, they're a low-key but stylish pair with an ultra folk almost bluegrass sound (considerably more mellow live than in the recordings on their bandcamp, the whole set felt the most like Sweet & Softly.) They were actually the first opening band at the Youth Lagoon show - gracing the stage in a floor-length prairie dress and leather boots sitting next to a tan polka dot shirt under a brown tweed blazer also accompanied by leather boots. A significantly laid-back way to start the show, but they were so good live. This song in the video below was actually my favorite that they played, and I'd gladly be lulled to sleep by that melodic goodness and poetic lyricism every night. If you're into the crooning of Willie Nelson or the mellow side of Allison Krauss, you might just want to get yourself tickets to Driftwood Singers' next show. I highly doubt you'd be disappointed... - Bite of Chic

Every once in a while a band comes along that doesn’t sound of this era, and The Driftwood Singers are one of those kind of bands. They’re based out of California and their 2010 record Look! sounds like dusty nuggets of gospel influenced folk that was lost in a time capsule until being released last year.

Their songs are hauntingly melodic, and although the production is decidedly lo-fi, it only adds to their charm in my opinion. They have garnered some comparisons to the Carter Family, which definitely makes sense upon listening to their stuff. If you like the album — streaming now on Bandcamp — then you’ll want to check them out at The Central on June 17th, 9pm. Their two-piece harmonies totally sound like something that you’d want to experience in a live venue to me! - Two Way Monologues

...And LA's young The Driftwood Singers' folk tinged harmonies are channeling another time and place. Rockabilly swinging favs Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys, of course. And David Serby & the Dirt Poor Folklore -- who has turned to the Civil War as a touchstone for the emotions of present day hardships. Former cowpunker (X) now guitar-legend Tony Gilkyson is a favorite too... - The Huffington Post

I am very thrilled to share another interview with you folks! Here is a Q&A with The driftwood Singers!!!






Kanae (K) :What can we expect from the NXNE performance?


The Driftwood Singers (D) :We're going to be playing a bunch of brand new songs that only a select crowd in Los Angeles has heard that we're really excited to bring out at the Central. Also, Pearl's been fiddling around with the guitar and putting down the Autoharp recently so she'll be playing guitar at our NXNE show.


K :What excites you the most about performing at this year's NXNE?


D: We love Canada! We had an awesome time here last year in Ottawa playing a small festival called the O-Town Hoedown and we're really happy to be back in the country.


K:According to the media, the driftwood Singers tunes will bring the listener back to the good old days (Something I strongly agree with.) If you would go back anytime in the past, when, and why?
D:People might think that the most obvious time travel destination for us would be the 20's or 30's and while we do love and are strongly influenced by those times, we think the time is now. Because we live in this era, we have had the luxury of being able to choose this music and we don't have to live in the Dust Bowl.

K: Since February of this year, with the release of the latest album "Look!", you guys have been touring North America.Do you guys have any stories or experiences to share from the road?

D:We tour a lot but I think one of our favorite experiences from the last couple months happened at home in Los Angeles. We got to be a part of this amazing tribute to the Louvin Brothers (one of our biggest influences) that included John C. Reilly and Sean Watkins from Nickelcreek. We were really thrilled and flattered to be included in such a great event with those amazing performers.

K: Lastly, any particular message for your Toronto Fans?


D:We love you all! We can't wait to see you June 17th at the Central at 9pm, and hopefully we can come back to Toronto and play for you guys again soon!


Thank you, the Driftwood Singers, for taking the time to answer my questions! They will be performing on June 17th, Saturday at the Central (9p.m) Don't forget to pencil it in your calender. - Music Psychos

Wednesday, August 3
Arctic Monkeys, Young Buffalo @ House of Blues - I remember when these guys were the new thing a few years back.

Driftwood Singers, REDvsBLACK, Dipper @ Super Happy Fun Land - If you know what is meant by “No Depression” then you know exactly what Driftwood Singers sound like. - Free Press Houston

DECISION
...
- Youth Lagoon, Young Magic, The Driftwood Singers @ The Echo

- Lydia Loveless, Olentangy John, Last American Buffalo @ Bootleg Bar

- Mr. Gnome, Ertel, Imaginary Thieves, Simon Says No! @ Silver Lake Lounge

- Neon Line, Viva La Vox @ Redwood Bar

- So-Cal Tennis Club, Italian Japanese @ 3 of Clubs

DECISION:

Eclectic mix of shows tonight with big time acts like Architecture in Helsinki (at right) at El Rey, and Olentangy John and Last American Buffalo opening for Lydia Loveless over at Bootleg Bar. The Driftwood Singers are doing a couple of shows in town tonight at The Echo playing for Youth Lagoon and tomorrow night at The Standard for "Desert Nights".

Thursday, November 3

- Jamie Drake, Fay Wolf record release, Daniela Brooker, Jes Hudak, The Family Bones @ Hotel Cafe

- Tennis System @ Origami Vinyl

- "Desert Nights" w/ The Driftwood Singers, Michael Runion, Alex Rhodes @ The Standard
...
- Radio Free Silverlake

There will be beer, BBQ and bingo at Roots Roadhouse II this Sunday, August 14th but for aficionados of Americana, country, bluegrass, and blues, the “American Roots Music Festival served with a twist!” is all about the music.

Headlining Visitors, Local Faves

Presented by the Echo, Grand Ole Echo, and New L.A. Folk Fest, the Roadhouse line-up is a must-see mix of out-of-town talent like alt-country headliners the Sadies, SoCal fave and dark-edged Americana revisionist David Serby and the Dirt Poor Folklore, and L.A. ex-pat/honkytonker Mike Stinson who’s moseying in from Houston, where he recently relocated.

The local scene will be well represented with close harmony duo The Driftwood Singers, banjo pickin’ Olentangy John, and Eastside Hayride: the fifteen-strong group of musician friends organized by “shepherd” RT Valine to “play the standards every American should know,” according to Olentangy John. Solo folk artist/Hayride guitarist Ruth Friedman Carlisle calls Hayride “a collective memory”.

Olentangy John and Friedman Carlisle have played the Grand Ole Echo as have Driftwood Singers’ Kris Hutson and Pearl Charles who describes the Sunday summertime staple as an “awesome mini-roots festival.” “Roots Roadhouse…embodies the spirit of the Grand Ole Echo,” continues Charles, “but magnifies it to a much larger scale…with so many varieties of roots music.”

The Echo Park Effect

All agree Roots Roadhouse feels local despite the national headliners; Olentangy John thinks “out-of-towners are visiting our country music scene in a way.” And according to Hayride guitarist Matt Taylor “the Eastside folk scene… more or less means Echo Park. Everybody knows somebody in some other scene and they get stitched together in a way.” Hayride bassist Brendan Willard says he “got to know these folks…through the music and shows.”

Charles, Hutson, Olentangy John, Willard and Hayride vocalist Liz Eggert live in Echo Park; Taylor is “headed back in a month.” “I certainly never felt like part of a community in this city before,” Taylor elaborates. “It’s not easily quantifiable. The borders sort of stretch immeasurably.” The pull of Echo Park is strong; when asked what he misses about L.A., Stinson answered “bar-hopping with friends in Echo Park.” Adds Hutson, “There is such a sense of community in the neighborhood, among the musicians and the venues, and just among friends.”

“I rarely leave,” says Olentangy John. “Honestly.”

Roots Roadhouse II is Sunday, August 14th at 3:00 p.m.at Echo and Echoplex. Enter through alley at 1154 Glendale Boulevard. $18 - Echo Park Patch

...The Echo is hosting its own Valentine's Day Song Massacre aka The Sad Hour with a stacked lineup of music including Grant Langston and The Driftwood Singers in an event that promises to celebrate the always inspiring moments of love and heartbreak... - LAist

...As Heinle notes, there was also a practical -- and social -- side to hosting a multi-day festival. "We had all these [old-time musician] friends who wanted to come to L.A., but not for just a one-day event in Topanga," he says. Now in its seventh year, the festival draws both traditional musicians such as Walter Spencer and newer bands like the Driftwood Singers, an L.A.-based duo (Kris Hutson on strings, vocalist Pearl Charles on autoharp) whose original songs are based on old-time and folk music traditions... - Los Angeles Times

I'll be leaving in approximately three hours from Cleveland, weaving my way through the northern scenic regions of Pennsylvania until I finally hit the brakes in Buffalo. After a bout with a basket of chicken wings, the lady and I are headed into the land of Ice Hockey and Rush. We're having a layover in Niagara. I hear them falls are romantic. In any event, by my calculations, this is at least a good 7-8 hours worth of road-trippin' over the next 24 hours. I can't be the only one hitting the open road today/tomorrow with NXNE on the brain. For those of us making the long drive in, I've put together a hefty mix to ease the decision-making with the stereo. All in all, there are 25 songs in the zip file. It's not all-inclusive, but it spans the genres well. Let this be the soundtrack of your commute.
As I've mentioned all week, pick up tickets to the bigger shows by clicking HERE, and (I believe) there are still some full week tickets available by clicking HERE (standard pricing ends today at 5:00 PM, so hustle). If you're in Toronto, look us up on twitter @citizendickorg and the first beer is on me. Happy traveling.
Download Dick Picks: 2011 NXNE Road Trip Mixtape (157MB)
Tracklisting (Link Below):
1. The Driftwood Singers – Coco Ellis
2. Little Foot Long Foot – King Hipster
3. The Vandelles – Lovely Weather
4. Gauntlet Hair – Out, Don't..
5. Superhumanoids – Persona
6. Guards – Resolution of One
7. Ruby Coast – Whatever This Is
8. MAGNOLIUS – King for Hire
9. Passwords – Life After Summer
10. Pick A Piper – Dene Sled
11. Snowblink – The Tired Bees
12. Cults – You Know What I Mean
13. Secret Cities – Love Crime
14. Prince Rama – Lightening Fossil
15. Library Voices – Love in the Age of Absurdity
16. No Joy – Hawaii
17. Diamond Rings – Something Else
18. Suuns – Up Past the Nursery
19. Dinosaur Bones – Royalty
20. Wild Nothing – Chinatown
21. The Bouncing Souls – We All Sing Along
22. Cowboy and Indian – Ledbellies
23. Brothertiger – Like Water
24. Red Mass – Saturn
25. Memoryhouse – Sleep Paterns - Citizen Dick

The New L.A. Folk Festival put together a cozy Louvin Brothers tribute show at HM157 featuring covers of Louvin classics by an array of L.A. folk-inspired bands. Fort King started the night off a little rocky by cutting a song in the middle when singer Ryan Fuller could not hear his guitar, but the crowd would have preferred he just play through to keep the vibe magical and not stall. When you’re only playing two songs, it seems like you gotta be a trooper and keep the people smiling. Then a helicopter arrived, hovering right over HM157 as they arrested some bad guys in the lot next door. Fort King refused to play until the chopper took off after a while and then the duo finally performed. Then the chopper returned! But Emily Lacy stepped up to the mic anyway because it was the right thing to do and played with the helicopter adding harmony to her yodels. It was beautiful and the crowd was really touched. Olentangy John followed in true grit form and the night continued with sweet renderings of Louvin Brothers genius by Wimberley Bluegrass Band—one of the most amazing family bands you’ll ever get to see, so catch them while they’re still underage. Robert Waller of I See Hawks In L.A. brought Tony Gilkyson out on stage with him and they repped the old timers in style. Jenny O was joined by Sean Watkins and Leslie Stevens on stage, which provided a treat of pretty voices. RT N’ The 44's wowed the crowd with their homemade instruments and good looks. The Driftwood Singers took a request for “Knoxville Girl” and ya know a song about murder never sounded so sweet. Stone Darling filled the stage with lady glamor and more female power was stirred up by The Chapin Sisters, who let their voices rise to the heavens where sinners turn out to be good people. Finally Tom Brosseau and John C. Reilly capped an amazing night off with great harmonizing and humor. Brosseau’s voice reached uncanny heights! Everyone agreed that this night was special. It was more than just a concert. It felt like an experience. We were transported by the visuals and the music and the environment and the funny delivery of a story by the hostess about Charlie Louvin, Johnny Cash, and crackers. All this makes me look forward to anything The New L.A. Folk Fest does. I hear that’s their specialty. And the free O.N.E. coconut water cocktails and Metl Tequila were an bonus! I only wish there were a CD of the night’s music so we could repeat this over again.

—Tiff Reldon - LA Record

The Driftwood Singers, “Coco Ellis” — If you need something more chill than pop or indie rock, husband-and-wife duo the Driftwood Singers will be holding it down over at the Pop Champagne & Dessert Bar with their gritty folk along with the Soul of John Black. Christian and Pearl Driftwood will be offering their close-knit Americana harmonies in their lo-fi arrangements of banjo, mandolin and autoharp. - Buzz Bands LA

Brace yourselves, Go Go’ers. Winter is here…the SoCal version anyway. It may not be blizzards and bluster outside but Ms. Go Go knows you’ll feel a pang as you swap cut-offs for cardigans.

Update to your 2012 “To Do” list? Invent sexy fleece.

Below, three suggestions to help you turn winter woe-is-me into weekend wow-wow-wow.

You don’t have to tell anyone what you’re wearing under that trench coat.

She Says Ho, You Say Down?

Go Go’ers, here’s your second best plan for exercising indoors and looking good doing it: tonight’s Roots Jubilee and Square Dance at the Echo. Square dance “calling” (a.k.a. avoiding chaos on the dance floor by indicating upcoming moves) is both an art and a science.

Kind of like that Kickapoo Juice you have brewing on the back porch.

Susan Michaels is one of SoCal’s best “callers” and she and Triple Chicken Foot — think Old Time string band/fiddle and banjo, not mutant fowl — will keep you looking good while moving smoothly through Box the Gnat, Slip the Clutch, and Four Ladies Chain.

That last move — not to be confused with a Girls Behind Bars B-movie.

The Dustbowl Revival will rev you up with lose-yourself confabulations — kazoo and washboard may make appearances– while the Driftwood Singers deliver songs of love, loss, liquor and lust.

And if you Partner Trade off the square dance floor, you just might experience all four of the above.

(ROOTS JUBILEE AND SQUARE DANCE — Sat, Jan 21, 5-9 pm; ALL AGES/$7 atd — The Echo, 1822 W Sunset Blvd, LA 90026; 213.413.8200; http://www.attheecho.com/2011/11/23/01-21-11-triple-chicken-foot-dustbowl-revival-echo/) - U Want 2 GoGo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBy3YeXAF60&feature=player_embedded - Americana Daily

"Pearl Charles and I met two years ago through a mutual friend who knew that we both loved country music and how rare that was in Los Angeles," says Kris Hutson, one half of The Driftwood Singers, a Los Angeles based duo who will bring their unique brand of traditional Americana to The Boobie Trap on Tuesday night.

"The day we met we both went back to my place and tried to sing some songs together and realized that our voices blended together well so we got to work immediately," Hutson continues.
What they got to work on was crafting a sound so traditional that it might sound foreign to modern ears. Made up of nothing more than two voices, a clumsily strummed acoustic guitar and an autoharp, their music has been described as "old timey", reminiscent of the dustbowl era, and, by the band itself as, the "stripped down kind of folk that one might have heard on front porches in the south in the 1930s", all of which work as fine descriptions for their sound. But the funny thing is that though the band is well schooled in the music of the past (they do a stirring version of the classic "Knoxville Girl"), they play original music. And their music is both basic and complicated, ancient and hyper modern. It seems to say "OK, so we've gone this far with rock and roll and everything, but what if we went the wrong way. Let's look back and see if maybe we missed something."

But that's what I say about every band I like, right? My babbling aside, Hutson has a more coherant description:

"Though we might occasionally throw some cover songs in the mix, we primarily play original songs which often comes as a surprise to people because we like to write songs that draw from all genres of American music. You can come to see the Driftwood Singers play and hear songs that might draw from Stax era soul songs and others that might draw from 40's honky tonk music."

Their debut EP "LOOK!" was recorded at home on a hand held cassette recorder. An unconventional choice, of course, but one that seems perfect for the duo. As Hutson explains:

"Most 'legitimate' recording studios are dark rooms with no windows. When we tried to do our EP in one of these studios, it seemed like everything just fell flat. There was no urgency or life in our performances because we were in an enclosed space that seemed so far away from any of the places and circumstances that the songs dealt with. We ultimately ended up simplifying our recording process so much that we started using a handheld cassette recorder with just a built in microphone. The fact that we were in our own living room, where the songs were written, without a bunch of microphones in our faces, freed us up to focus more on the performance of each song."



I wanted to ask Mr Hutson several more questions, but The Driftwood Singers are currently on tour, heading south from the appearance at the North by Northeast Music and Film Festival in Toronto to Topeka on Tuesday, June 29th. Hopefully they're not travelling by horse and buggy because it should be a great show. - The Point

The Driftwood Singers were roped into their first Playdate.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCNgncoZyjU&feature=player_embedded - LA Record

Humbled to be in Toronto, the folk duo known as the Driftwood Singers enjoy a nice, cold beer at the Central before their NXNE show. Pearl Charles (autoharp, vocals) and Kris Hutson (guitar, mandolin, banjo, vocals) sit on the patio, reflecting on their band's journey thus far.

The sound of the Driftwood Singers is a simplified, nostalgic one. While they come from the west coast of California, it's the good ol' Southern music that they've successfully emulated on their 5 song EP titled Look! They pen originals, but upon listening, one might think it's music that originated in Nashville in the '30s.

"We live in a time where any music can be anyone's. Nothing is native to a specific area anymore," Kris says of the folk genre.

In their beautiful harmonies lies a sense of unpretentiousness. The duo was once a 10-piece ensemble a la Edward Sharp and the Magnetic Zeros, Pearl and Kris decided touring on their own offered them more mobility. They don't rely on any gimmicks when playing on stage.

While there's boy bands galore resting deep in the hills of Hollywood, the Driftwood Singers became part of a big folk movement in the area, proving to all that there is beauty within the gutters of fluff music.

Pearl explains that a friend of hers opened a venue called Echo Country Outpost a year and a half ago to showcase folk bands. It grew to be the place that gave folk musicians refuge.

"It's not about your draw or your following, they just want to have good music and now it's a big community," says Pearl of the venue. Recently, Sean Watkins of Nickel Creek and even Oscar nominated actor John C. Reilly have attended and played shows at the Outpost.

"That’s kind of the home base for most of L.A.'s independent, Americana kind of music now," says Kris.

Another friend of the band happens to be the creator of the newly inaugurated Los Angeles Folk Festival, which debuted last August. The Driftwood Singers are scheduled to play this year.

"The point is that more and more people are getting involved and it's becoming this big scene," says Pearl. "We all like to support each other. If more musicians were like that, playing music would be more fun."

Since they teamed up in 2009, Pearl and Kris have seen almost if not all of North America. A city's lack of music and culture isn't all that intimidating or surprising to them anymore.

"We randomly set up a show at a metal warehouse underground. It was the only venue that was in the city of Midland on our route. You can imagine what it could be like, but believe it or not, it was one of our best shows ever," says Pearl.

While touring different red and blue states and meeting other hard-working musicians, they say other bands have failed to touch upon American history within the content of their music. Pearl, at the risk of getting political, says it could have been due to the public's shame regarding former president Bush.

"I remember when I was in high school, a lot of bands were trying to do the Brit-pop kind of thing and trying to get away from a lot of the American music that we do now," says Kris.

"We appreciate that history. We want to make people aware of it. What I really want to emphasize is that we write our own songs, we inject our own feelings into it," says Pearl.

When the band writes a song that's extremely relevant in this day and time (i.e. war overseas), they write in a way that can be put into any context. They leave you with a message that listeners from all walks of life can appreciate.

"We're intentionally ambiguous in our songs so that it can sound like an old song yet everyone can get something out of it," says Pearl.

"We don't want to alienate people by being overly political," says Kris.

The band agrees that there is a time and a place to be political when making music. Artists like Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie have walked that fine line.

The Driftwood Singers are passionate about retelling great moments throughout American history to their audience. They're en route to record more folk magic in Nashville after their summer tour wraps up. To them, all that matters is that their lyrics emit some kind of reaction whether you're a folk fan or not. - Sticky Magazine

A couple of weeks ago I got an email from Pearl Charles of The Driftwood Singers, asking if I'd be willing to help them promote their upcoming appearance at Pappy & Harriet's. As an appreciator of old-timey, folk-Americana style music, I'm happy to oblige. Here's the scoop:

Los Angeles-based country/folk duo The Driftwood Singers return to Joshua Tree for a free concert at Pappy & Harriet's Pioneertown Palace on Thursday, February 24 at 7 pm. The Driftwood Singers are comprised of Kris Hutson and Pearl Charles. Kris rotates between guitar, mandolin, and banjo while Pearl plays the autoharp and the guitar, but the duo is best known for their breathtaking harmonies. Often compared to Joshua Tree icons Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris, the two perform a unique blend of original and traditional music.

Also performing that evening with The Driftwood Singers and solo is Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter and clawhammer banjo player Olentangy John. This show is a must-see for any fan of Americana music, so if you find yourself looking for something to do on this particular Thursday night, roll on down to Pappy & Harriet's for some southern harmony and good old fashioned fun.

Visting The Driftwood Singers' website by clicking here, or their Bandcamp page by clicking here - Cynthia's Hi-Desert Blog

Direct download: Toadcast #144 – The Fishcast

01. The Generationals – Trust (00.17)
02. The Divine Comedy – The Seafood Song (09.51)
03. The Driftwood Singers – Coco Ellis (17.33)
04. The Tragically Hip – Chagrin Falls (25.59)
05. Toby Richardson – King of All the Moves (30.06)
06. Utidur – Grasping for Thoughts (39.35)
07. Slow Talk – Fashion Sense (42.43)
08. King Post Kitsch – I’d Sooner Laugh (Demo) (53.34)
09. Bear Driver – Golden Touch (Demo) (55.31)
10. Saharan Gazelle Boy -Halfhair Girl (61.24) - Song, by Toad

Welcome to the start of this year’s Song, by Toad Festive Fifty, where I list, in order, my favourite fifty songs of the year. As with the albums of the year, I have had to exclude Song, by Toad Records bands from this list. Partly this is to stop me inevitably wounding the pride of whichever bands fared less well than their label mates, and partly to stop the label collectively dominating this list too much.

I don’t think the concept of objectivity is possible, or even all that relevant, when it comes to discussing what music you like, but I am so closely involved with the music on our label that there would inevitably end up being so many of our songs on here that I think it might well run the risk of just boring people, honestly. You all know about the label by now, you all know where to find the music we release, and it pretty much goes without saying that I would only release it if I thought it was bloody brilliant to begin with, so no need to labour the point in my end of year lists.

...

41. The Driftwood Singers – Coco Ellis The production and arrangements are copied and pasted so directly from some old, romanticised version of the past that this borders just a little on parody, but that really doesn’t matter to me, I must confess, because the results are fucking great.

...

43. Hurray for the Riff Raff – Slow Walk This is the flipside of a similar fascination with lovely old-time music as seems to motivate The Driftwood Singers, but in this case it’s clean and clear, with a lovely twang to the lead vocal, and a simple hook running all the way through the song. Anyone who loved Samantha Crain’s early stuff is almost certain to love this song.

... - Song, by Toad

We are very pleased to present When You Awake’s first collaborative covers mixtape, We All Go Twang. We put a call out to the When You Awake community and asked musicians to submit covers of some of our favorite songs. 12 musicians responded and we have the fruit of their glorious labors below. A big thank you to everyone who participated and to Patrick Gerrity for the cover artwork. From all of us here at When You Awake, Happy Holidays!

We All Go Twang: (click here to download the full mix)

1. Shakey Graves- Passionate Kisses (Lucinda Williams) Austin, Texas
2. All Spots To Black- I Can See The Pines Are Dancing (AA Bondy) Los Angeles, California
3. Grant Maxwell and The Morning Pages- Soldier of Love (Arthur Alexander) Nashville, Tennessee
4. The Blank Tapes- Fool in the Rain (Led Zeppelin) Oakland, California
5. The Driftwood Singers- Fallin’ Rain (Link Wray) Los Angeles, California
6. The Far West- More Than This (Roxy Music) Los Angeles, California
7. Pony Boy- Damaged by Love (Tom Petty) Los Angeles, California/ London, UK
8. The Bye and Bye Band- I’m Sorry That I Love You (Magnetic Fields cover) Austin, Texas
9. Barling- Wicked Games (Chris Issak) Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
10. The Fallen Stars- Another Girl, Another Planet (The Only Ones) Orange County, California
11. James Apollo- This Will Be Our Year (The Zombies) New York City, New York
12. Barnaby Bennett- Never My Love (The Association) Calgary, Canada - When You Awake

I remember the Wave Pictures saying to me that one of the first things bands tend to do is go into a studio, and that it isn’t actually always the right decision for them. The Wave Pictures recorded their first demos in a studio, found it just wasn’t working, and promptly borrowed a four-track from a friend and just got on with recording themselves on that instead. In the case of the Driftwood Singers, much the same thing appears to have happened, with the initial studio recordings abandoned in favour of a tape player.

The results initially had me thinking this was all a bit contrived. That may seem a little silly, given how many bands are embracing lo-fi recording methods these days, not least *cough cough* bands on my own label, but when the actual source material is also so closely linked to the old fashioned sound which is being recreated, it can feel a bit more like an historical exercise than an actual band. The fact that they mix a lot of old folk staples in with their own material also adds to that impression.

Nevertheless, that is a pretty bloody harsh evaluation of this EP, and for all I might understanding people having no more reaction than that, I also think it’s wrong. If Jack White can buy only valve amps because he loves the warmth of the sound, then these fuckers can record on a tape player, dammit. Besides, Springsteen’s Born in the USA has some toe-curlingly nasty eighties production on it, but I still love it, because I love the songs. And in this case, even though the recording method has me raising an eyebrow just a little, the songs are fantastic and the way they are recorded suits them perfectly.

I confess I don’t know enough about old American folk songs to know the originals from the covers on this particular record, but that doesn’t really matter, as the blend is seamless. There are pretty much no biographical details of the band on either their MySpace or Bandcamp pages, so I am left to say that the male and female vocals mesh perfectly, with the male voice a more consistent, reliable presence, while the female vocals dance around with a little more flair and flourish. The flat strum of the autoharp gives a sort of atonal quality to the songs, which only serves to highlight the vocal interplay.

Apparently the EP should be out today, but whilst you can listen to the whole thing from their Bandcamp page, there doesn’t seem to be a purchase link as yet. Wait though, because it is definitely worth it. - Song, by Toad

"A confluence of sublime talent”. – David Wiegand, San Francisco Chronicle
- San Francisco Chronicle/KQED

"The LA duo known as The Driftwood Singers have a sound that harks back to
the halcyon days of the American folk revival. Heck, their name even sounds
like the moniker of an obscure folk band. Their sound is generated by
Autoharp, banjo, mandolin and fiddle and two unadorned voices - Pearl
Charles sings with the honeyed tones of a front porch diva, while Kris
Hutson has a raw, cracked quality that sounds like it¹s coming off of a
Edison cylinder. Their timeless songs sound as much like old time music as
modern folk, not a bad place for a young band to be." - J. Poet, East Bay Express - East Bay Express

There’s something magical about the Driftwood Singers. On this fuzzy recording, they sound as if Alan Lomax just happened upon them playing to each other in a dilapidated barn. They always look like they’ve escaped church to make-out somewhere in Sunday clothes from 1933, and sing sinful songs about sinful deeds, sinful music, sinful love and occasional murder. Pearl Charles’ voice is warm and innocent as milk, and Kris Hutson’s is high and strange, and stirred with a sharp knife. This five-song EP is anchored by the rhythmic back-and-forth between Charles on autoharp and Hutson’s guitar, providing Carter-style filling between doomy romantic lyrics and sweet/tart voices. It begins with sucking from the teat of “Coco Ellis.” Voices entwined like ivy on a branch, they harmonize: “I hope the air between your lips attacks your teeth every time you breathe/And when the sizzle numbs your jaw please think of me.” “Come Across The Tracks” concerns the devil’s music luring victims by the hips. “Rosalee Little” is an upbeat murder ballad and I’m not sure who dies in “On My Merry Way,” but it’s a story about a scorned lover that’s heading off to find his “true sweetheart and live in Kansas City”—savoring the syllable, they pronounce “and” as “und.” “Sweet And Softly” is the “happiest” song really, with lovers joined together, but even that one reminds us that all love ends in death, so make the best of it y’all!

—Daiana Feuer - LA Record

MUSIC: Tonight's edition of the monthly Communion club will feature The Driftwood Singers, who are in their early 20s and sing folk songs "that could have been written ages ago but were more likely written in the last few weeks," along with Birdhouse, Lauren Shera, and Infantree. (8:30 p.m., Cafe du Nord, 2170 Market Street) - SFist

The Driftwood Singers
Listening to the Driftwood Singers makes you feel like you're ambling down a dusty country road toward something that might not exist anymore. This lo-fi folk duo of Pearl Charles and Kris Hutson writes foreboding, bluesy love ballads laden with longing nostalgia. Charles' warm, milky vocals blend seamlessly with Hutson's slightly twangy voice as Charles picks her autoharp and Hutson strums his guitar (or mandolin/banjo, depending on the number). This pair hails from LA (no, really) and recorded their debut EP, Look!, with a Sony Walkman. Their upcoming seven-inch, out March 27, was recorded a bit more expertly, but channels the same raw honesty. (Sullivan)

With Birdhouse, Lauren Shera, and Infantree

8:30 p.m., $12

Café Du Nord

2170 Market, SF

(415) 861-5016

www.cafedunord.com - San Francisco Bay Guardian

The labor of love of Mumford & Sons' Ben Lovett, Communion was formed in London in 2006 and quickly became a renowned showcase for some of the U.K.'s finest bands. The highly-acclaimed West Coast spinoff of Communion has now taken root right here in San Francisco at Café du Nord. Look out for a glittering new lineup on a Monday night of every month. March's headliner: The Driftwood Singers, an arresting duo of old-timey folk singers who hail from L.A., sound like they're from the Appalachians, and are all of 21 years old. - Bonnie Chan, Flavorpill - Flavorpill

Like the Driftwood Singers? Well here you go:

Wednesday, March 17, 2011
Trailer Fire Records and The New Los Angeles Folk Festival Present:
SXSW Day Party @ Shakespeare’s Pub
Damien Jurado: 4:15pm
Leslie Stevens: 3:30
Hi Ho Silver Oh: 2:45pm
Olentangy John: 2:00pm
Herman Dune: 1:15
Driftwood Singers: 12:30am

Ssaturday, March 19, 2011
“Carolina Chickadee presents Americana Roadshow Revival” at the Waterloo Icehouse
11:00am – 1:00pm Lunch time Melody In the Round (singer-songwriter song sway with David Halley and friends including Tim Easton)
1:30pm – 2:30pm: The Lucitania

3:00 – 3:40pm: Mike Stinson
4:00 – 4:40pm: Driftwood Singers
5:00 – 5:30pm – Jeremiah & The Red Eyes
6:00 – 6:40pm Roses Pawn Shop
7:00 – 7:40pm: Malin Pettersen
8:00 – 8:40pm: Brennen Leigh
9:00 – 9:40pm: Leslie Stevens
10:00 – 10:40pm: Gram Rabbit
11:00 – 11:40pm: Billy Eli - Austin Music Entertainment

The Driftwood Singers, Amanda Jo Williams and Tommy Santee Klaws live at the Ace
February 25, 2011
Credit:Becky Bartkowski, Metromix
The Driftwood Singers, Amanda Jo Williams and Tommy Santee Klaws played the Amigo Room at the Ace Hotel on Friday, February 25, 2011. The three acts were in town for the New L.A. Folk Festival the following two days in the hi-desert.

Before Williams' set began, a fight broke out when a man made a lewd comment at Williams. If you have any information on the man or his accomplices, please contact the authorities.
- Metromix Palm Springs

"The high desert is the closest thing we’ve got to a land of enchantment, just about 130 miles away from Los Angeles, where Joshua Tree National Park meditates in awesome glory. We’ve partnered up with The Deli L.A. + L.A. RECORD for a Desert Weekend. February 26, see He’s My Brother She’s My Sister, Amanda Jo Williams, and Tommy Santee Klaws play at infamous desert honky tonk Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace. Then wake up for desert soccer before doing brunch at Joshua Tree Saloon, with Mia Doi Todd, The Driftwood Singers, and Emily Lacy."—Description by festival - FestivalPreview.com

(As one of the organizers of the New LA Folk Fest Desert Weekend, Daiana Feuer gives us a virtual taste of what's in store once you go east of the 10 freeway.--Ed.)

The New LA Folk Fest Desert Weekend has been designed to mimic the effects of leave-in conditioner on your life, unraveling the knots with great strange music surrounded by even-stranger desert beauty.

The bands selected represent the folky best of what's happening in LA. There are many among us drawn to voices reminiscent of ghosts and cartoons, toys and tap dancing and beards and congas.

We've even arranged a meditation session for a deep spa-worthy mind massage (visit http://lafolkfest.com for info). Follow us from Pappy & Harriet's Pioneertown Palace on Saturday night straight through brunch at Joshua Tree Saloon on Sunday morning. - OC Weekly

Sometimes you just need to get away from all your stress and buildup that the workweek lays on you. And sometimes you find that peace, serenity, color, love and light out in the middle of nowhere. Out in the desert. Out by the Salton Sea. And more times then not, there is no real explanation for it other than it was meant to be there for that very reason.
The simplest things in life always seem to outshine the big ones, right?
Well, it’s true for me at least.
This weekend make sure to balance your time: party on Saturday with me for my birthday at the Amigo Room (you knew I was going to throw it in there, didn’t you?) and on Sunday find a place of peace and harmony to escape to. Me? My special place will be Salvation Mountain this Sunday. Really looking forward it.
Also looking forward to…
THURSDAY NIGHT:
Driftwood Singers at Pappy’s tonight, and if you can’t catch them there, make sure to catch them at the Ace tomorrow night.
FRIDAY NIGHT


Tommy Santee Klaws, Amanda Jo Williams andThe Driftwood Singers play a live show in the Amigo Room. 9:00pm // Free // 21+. Add this to your calendar onFacebook. - The Coachella Valley Art Scene

This weekend you have the opportunity to party with LA’s freakiest folks…. The New LA Folk Fest :: Desert Weekend.
The two day festival takes place right in our neighbor’s back yard, at Pappy & Harriet’s in Pioneertown! Sweet. The festival features some of the best folk musicians from the Los Angeles area.
Make sure to wear your winter gear because word just got out that it’s going to snow this weekend in the High Desert. And when it snows in Pioneertown… it’s snows. Coming from a snow expert (jk, I was born and raised in the Coachella Valley), you gotta put your faith in me.
So, anyways, this is going to be a really lovely event and I encourage all to go….

We’ve partnered up with The Deli L.A. + L.A. RECORD + O.N.E. Natural Experience for a Desert Weekend.February 26, see He’s My Brother She’s My Sister, Amanda Jo Williams, and Tommy Santee Klaws play at infamous desert honky tonk Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace. Then wake up for desert soccer before doing brunch at Joshua Tree Saloon, with Mia Doi Todd, The Driftwood Singers, and Emily Lacy.
Feb 26 | $10 | 8pm | 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown, CA
Feb 27 | Free with Desert Weekend ticket | 11am | 61835 29 Palms Hwy, Joshua Tree, CA
We’ll have O.N.E. Coconut Water on hand to keep you deliciously hydrated all weekend long!
RESERVE TICKETS to see the music and to be listed for desert discounts RSVP
ACCOMMODATIONS camp right in Pioneertown for $10! Or get a motel room. We’ve got hookups for $50-$60 rooms as well as more pricey, amazing places to stay. To reserve a tent spot or to get motel/hotel discounts CONTACT US
HANDY DESERT ADVICE There are plenty of unusual sights and activities in Joshua Tree and the surrounding area. Like the Integratron, a round building with no metal where you can get a sound bath ($2 off with Desert Weekend ticket). The Institute Of Mental Physics, a whole compound dedicated to meditation and breathing, is hosting a special session for us on Saturday. There’s poppy fields and haunted bowling alleys, and some of the best thrift store shopping (visit Gypsyland in Desert Hot Springs, owned by very tall goth bro & sis that listen to Disney soundtracks all day). There’s no better place like Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace. It’s the mecca of strangeness set against an old fake cowboy ghost town still inhabited by animals with different color eyes and people with accents, limps, and whiskey-worn skin. We’ll do a Bonfire just down the street from Pappy’s near the Pioneertown corrals. Then wake up the next morning with mimosas at Joshua Tree Saloon and more music.
Feb 26 Soundbath at the Integratron, 12pm noon ($2 discount for Fest attendees)
Feb 26 Breathing & Meditation class at the Institute Of Mental Physics, 4-5:30pm
SEPARATE RESERVATIONS required for the meditation/breathing class… (click “separate reservations” to be listed!)
- The Coachella Valley Art Scene

This weekend you have the opportunity to party with LA’s freakiest folks…. The New LA Folk Fest :: Desert Weekend.
The two day festival takes place right in our neighbor’s back yard, at Pappy & Harriet’s in Pioneertown! Sweet. The festival features some of the best folk musicians from the Los Angeles area.
Make sure to wear your winter gear because word just got out that it’s going to snow this weekend in the High Desert. And when it snows in Pioneertown… it’s snows. Coming from a snow expert (jk, I was born and raised in the Coachella Valley), you gotta put your faith in me.
So, anyways, this is going to be a really lovely event and I encourage all to go….

We’ve partnered up with The Deli L.A. + L.A. RECORD + O.N.E. Natural Experience for a Desert Weekend.February 26, see He’s My Brother She’s My Sister, Amanda Jo Williams, and Tommy Santee Klaws play at infamous desert honky tonk Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace. Then wake up for desert soccer before doing brunch at Joshua Tree Saloon, with Mia Doi Todd, The Driftwood Singers, and Emily Lacy.
Feb 26 | $10 | 8pm | 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown, CA
Feb 27 | Free with Desert Weekend ticket | 11am | 61835 29 Palms Hwy, Joshua Tree, CA
We’ll have O.N.E. Coconut Water on hand to keep you deliciously hydrated all weekend long!
RESERVE TICKETS to see the music and to be listed for desert discounts RSVP
ACCOMMODATIONS camp right in Pioneertown for $10! Or get a motel room. We’ve got hookups for $50-$60 rooms as well as more pricey, amazing places to stay. To reserve a tent spot or to get motel/hotel discounts CONTACT US
HANDY DESERT ADVICE There are plenty of unusual sights and activities in Joshua Tree and the surrounding area. Like the Integratron, a round building with no metal where you can get a sound bath ($2 off with Desert Weekend ticket). The Institute Of Mental Physics, a whole compound dedicated to meditation and breathing, is hosting a special session for us on Saturday. There’s poppy fields and haunted bowling alleys, and some of the best thrift store shopping (visit Gypsyland in Desert Hot Springs, owned by very tall goth bro & sis that listen to Disney soundtracks all day). There’s no better place like Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace. It’s the mecca of strangeness set against an old fake cowboy ghost town still inhabited by animals with different color eyes and people with accents, limps, and whiskey-worn skin. We’ll do a Bonfire just down the street from Pappy’s near the Pioneertown corrals. Then wake up the next morning with mimosas at Joshua Tree Saloon and more music.
Feb 26 Soundbath at the Integratron, 12pm noon ($2 discount for Fest attendees)
Feb 26 Breathing & Meditation class at the Institute Of Mental Physics, 4-5:30pm
SEPARATE RESERVATIONS required for the meditation/breathing class… (click “separate reservations” to be listed!)
- The Coachella Valley Art Scene

THE NEW L.A. FOLK FEST DESERT WEEKEND
Multiple venues – Joshua Tree, CA and its vicinity
2/26 thru 2/27/11
Febrary 26 is the lovely start of a folk-inspired getaway in the High Desert by the good folks at Los Angeles Folk Festival. The 2-day weekend is co-presented by The Deli L.A. + L.A. RECORD + O.N.E. Natural Experience. You can see He’s My Brother She’s My Sister, Amanda Jo Williams, and Tommy Santee Klaws play at infamous desert honky tonk Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace. Then wake up for desert soccer before doing brunch at Joshua Tree Saloon, with Mia Doi Todd, The Driftwood Singers, and Emily Lacy.
The high desert is the closest thing we’ve got to a land of enchantment, just about 130 miles away from Los Angeles, where Joshua Tree National Park meditates in awesome glory. Strange flora and fauna populate the arid landscape like dessicated undersea creatures—their hardened contorted shapes pepper the dry landscape, surrounding big rock piles abandoned by celestial giants. The horizon is visible in any direction, stretching everything in sight. You can’t help but feel good and enlightened in this place.
Feb 26 | $10 | 8pm | 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown, CA
Feb 27 | Free with Desert Weekend ticket | 11am-2pm | 61835 29 Palms Hwy, Joshua Tree, CA
RESERVE TICKETS to reserve tickets and to be listed for desert discounts CONTACT US
CARPOOL Need a ride or want to Give a ride? Save gas and $? CONTACT US
ACCOMMODATIONS camp right in Pioneertown for $10! Or get a motel room. We’ve got hookups for $50-$60 rooms as well as more pricey, amazing places to stay. To reserve a tent spot or to get motel/hotel discounts CONTACT US

HANDY DESERT GUIDE
We encourage you to make a weekend of it, so we’ll be cooking up a handy guide to attractions. In addition to coupons and advice you can use on your own, we’re arranging some activities throughout the weekend to maximize the desert experience. Appropriately enough, there are plenty of unusual sights and activities in Joshua Tree and the surrounding area. Like the Integratron, a round building with no metal where you can get a sound bath. Or the Institute Of Mental Physics, a whole compound dedicated to meditation and breathing. There’s poppy fields and haunted bowling alleys, and some of the best thrift store shopping (visit Gypsy Land in Desert Hot Springs, owned by very tall goth bro & sis that listen to Disney soundtracks all day…they’ve got clothes, records, random paintings and rusty objects, great hats and sunglasses, and incredible mid-century furniture). There’s no better place to have a good time than Pappy & Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace. It’s the mecca of strangeness set against an old fake cowboy ghost town still inhabited by animals with different color eyes and people with accents, limps, and whiskey-worn skin. And now take all this and cap it off with mimosas at Joshua Tree Saloon after a sweaty game of desert soccer…and what you’ve got is just a taste of THE NEW L.A. FOLK FEST DESERT WEEKEND.
LA FOLK FEST DESERT SCHEDULE:
Saturday
12pm
Soundbath
Integratron
$2 off with code word LAFOLKFEST
2477 Belfield Boulevard, Landers, CA, 760-364-3126
4pm-5:30pm
Breathing & Meditation session
RESERVE a spot
Institute Of Mental Physics
59700 29 Palms Highway, Joshua Tree, CA, (760) 365-8371
8pm
He’s My Brother She’s My Sister, Amanda Jo Williams, Tommy Santee Klaws, Turn On The Sunlight
plus DJs Carlos Nino & Andres Renteria
$10 RSVP
Pappy and Harriet’s Pioneertown Palace
53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown, CA
Sunday
11am-2pm
Mia Doi Todd, The Driftwood Singers, and Emily Lacy
Free with fest ticket
Joshua Tree Saloon
61835 29 Palms Hwy, Joshua Tree, CA
***
http://lafolkfest.com/ - Evil Monito

Where The Folks Are: Start with a Soundbath at Integratron at noon, hit the Institute of Mental Physics at 4 p.m. for a guided breathing and meditation session and then head over to Pappy & Harriet's Pioneertown Palace for Day 1 of the New L.A. Folk Fest Desert Weekend. Saturday's lineup includes musical stylings of He’s My Brother She’s My Sister, Amanda Jo Williams, Tommy Santee Klaws, Turn On The Sunlight plus DJs Carlos Niño & Andres Renteria. Music starts at 8 p.m. Pappy & Harriet's Pioneertown Palace, 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown, CA 92268, $10, RSVP here for full disclosure on all the details (like: bonfire, desert soccer, vintage store discounts, coconut water, free tequila, et al...)
- LAist.com

“Joshua Tree is a magical landscape where energy takes hold and inspiration flows, making it an ideal environment for the New Los Angeles Folk Festival. Indie music acts He's My Brother She's My Sister, Amanda Jo Williams, and Tommy Santee Klaws perform Saturday at Pappy and Harriet's Pioneertown Palace, while Sunday begins with brunch at Joshua Tree Saloon, with performances by Mia Doi Todd, the Driftwood Singers, and Emily Lacy. A meditation class at the Institute of Mental Physics, desert soccer, bonfires, afterparties, and some of the best thrift shopping in California add to the perfection.”

Erica Marie Liscano, Flavorpill

New LA Folk Festival says…
The high desert is the closest thing we've got to a land of enchantment, just about 130 miles away from Los Angeles, where Joshua Tree National Park meditates in awesome glory. Here are strange plants—that seem like undersea creatures with the water sucked out of them—their hardened contorted shapes pepper the dry landscape, surrounding big rock piles left over from Jenga games abandoned by celestial giants. The horizon is visible in any direction, stretching everything in sight. You can't help but feel good and enlightened in this place. So we're going. - Flavorpill

“Joshua Tree is a magical landscape where energy takes hold and inspiration flows, making it an ideal environment for the New Los Angeles Folk Festival. Indie music acts He's My Brother She's My Sister, Amanda Jo Williams, and Tommy Santee Klaws perform Saturday at Pappy and Harriet's Pioneertown Palace, while Sunday begins with brunch at Joshua Tree Saloon, with performances by Mia Doi Todd, the Driftwood Singers, and Emily Lacy. A meditation class at the Institute of Mental Physics, desert soccer, bonfires, afterparties, and some of the best thrift shopping in California add to the perfection.”

Erica Marie Liscano, Flavorpill

New LA Folk Festival says…
The high desert is the closest thing we've got to a land of enchantment, just about 130 miles away from Los Angeles, where Joshua Tree National Park meditates in awesome glory. Here are strange plants—that seem like undersea creatures with the water sucked out of them—their hardened contorted shapes pepper the dry landscape, surrounding big rock piles left over from Jenga games abandoned by celestial giants. The horizon is visible in any direction, stretching everything in sight. You can't help but feel good and enlightened in this place. So we're going. - Flavorpill

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 27: NEW L.A. FOLK FEST PRESENTS MIA DOI TODD+THE DRIFTWOOD SINGERS + EMILY LACY


What better way to spend a brisk winter morning than listening to the enchanting tendrils of Mia Doi Todd's voice unfurl itself across the desert? Sunday is the last day of the New LA FolkFest Desert Weekend wherein hippies, hipsters, music lovers, and desert-dwellers venture out to Pappy and Harriets for a week of wine, women, and song. One of those women is Mia Doi Todd. Yes, it's far. But you only live once.

Where: The Joshua Tree Saloon
When: 11 am - 2 pm
Info: see the New Los Angeles Folk Fest page. - LA Weekly

If you want to escape L.A.'s Oscar fever, you might want to head to the desert this weekend as the New LA Folk Fest Desert Weekend will be happening at Pappy and Harriet's Pioneertown Palace - Musical Shapes

Give yourself a good reason to escape town this weekend by winning tickets to The New L.A. Folk Fest Desert Weekend. See He’s My Brother She’s My Sister, Amanda Jo Williams, Tommy Santee Klaws, and Turn On The Sunlight this Saturday night at Pappy & Harriet’s, and on Sunday morning wake up for Mia Doi Todd, The Driftwood Singers, and Emily Lacy at Joshua Tree Saloon. In between fill your time with a bunch of enlightening experiences the Fest has laid out.

To win tickets, email LAFolkFest with your most memorable escape from L.A. story. So if you’ve ever driven to Idyllwyid in the middle of the night, drank tea with a desert rat on route 10, or met aliens on your way to Vegas, this is your time to shine. Pretty sunsets make a good story, too. - L.A. Record

Anyone living in Los Angeles knows they’re pretty lucky. You’ve got several show options any night of the week for you self-proclaimed music fiends, a city that never sleeps for those artistically nocturnal types, and an endless array of musical genres to fit any one of your moods. Sometimes, however, when the going gets tough, the tough get going- to about 3 hours outside the city to Joshua Tree, like they will be doing next weekend to head to the New L.A. Folk Fests Desert Weekend!

Now I’m all for an awesome lineup, most of the bands listed have been around the L.A. block- but the whole get a great bunch of performers and displace them to the desert and I’m so there. (Who doesn’t love a little impromptu road trip straight to the middle of nowhere?)

Aside from Silverlake staples “He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister,” the lineup also includes Tommy Santee Klaws, Amanda Jo Williams, Mia Doi Todd, The Driftwood Singers- and a few others to softly rock your boots off. Aside from an entrée of great musical acts, the weekend comes complete with the L.A. Folk Fest’s desert guide that will be GPS-ing you to several little desert hotspots, one of which comes in the form of pseudo ghost town.

Since the weekend is promised to be packed (I made sure to get my tickets in advance to avoid the hassle!) we here at bestnewbands.com decided everyone is deserving of a little impromptu R&R- so give us the best reason of why you need a break from the city (leave it in a comment below) and we’ll hook you up with two tickets for next weekend’s sweet insanity! For folk’s sake- separating from the city never sounded so good! We’ll be announcing the winners Thursday morning, so check back then (or cyberstalk before and scope out your competition!) - Best New Bands

A couple of weeks ago I got an email from Pearl Charles of The Driftwood Singers, asking if I'd be willing to help them promote their upcoming appearance at Pappy & Harriet's. As an appreciator of old-timey, folk-Americana style music, I'm happy to oblige. Here's the scoop: Los Angeles-based country/folk duo The Driftwood Singers return to Joshua Tree for a free concert at Pappy & Harriet's Pioneertown Palace on Thursday, February 24 at 7 pm. The Driftwood Singers are comprised of Kris Hutson and Pearl Charles. Kris rotates between guitar, mandolin, and banjo while Pearl plays the autoharp and the guitar, but the duo is best known for their breathtaking harmonies. Often compared to Joshua Tree icons Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris, the two perform a unique blend of original and traditional music.

Also performing that evening with The Driftwood Singers and solo is Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter and clawhammer banjo player Olentangy John. This show is a must-see for any fan of Americana music, so if you find yourself looking for something to do on this particular Thursday night, roll on down to Pappy & Harriet's for some southern harmony and good old fashioned fun.

Visting The Driftwood Singers' website by clicking here, or their Bandcamp page by clicking here - CYNTHIA'S HI-DESERT BLOG

“Joshua Tree is a magical landscape where energy takes hold and inspiration flows, making it an ideal environment for the New Los Angeles Folk Festival. Indie music acts He's My Brother She's My Sister, Amanda Jo Williams, and Tommy Santee Klaws perform Saturday at Pappy and Harriet's Pioneertown Palace, while Sunday begins with brunch at Joshua Tree Saloon, with performances by Mia Doi Todd, the Driftwood Singers, and Emily Lacy. A meditation class at the Institute of Mental Physics, desert soccer, bonfires, after parties, and some of the best thrift shopping in California add to the perfection.”

Erica Liscano, Flavorpill

New LA Folk Festival says…
The high desert is the closest thing we've got to a land of enchantment, just about 130 miles away from Los Angeles, where Joshua Tree National Park meditates in awesome glory. Here are strange plants—that seem like undersea creatures with the water sucked out of them—their hardened contorted shapes pepper the dry landscape, surrounding big rock piles left over from Jenga games abandoned by celestial giants. The horizon is visible in any direction, stretching everything in sight. You can't help but feel good and enlightened in this place. So we're going. - Flavorpill

The hypnotizing, ambient duet Turn On The Sunlight has just been added to the bill for L.A. Folk Fest! They will be playing at Pappy and Harriets on the 26th along with He's My Brother, She's My Sister, Amanda Jo Williams, and Tommy Santee Klaws. Tickets are $10 and can be reserved online here. Right next to Joshua Tree, 130 miles away from the chaos of Los Angeles, we will be celebrating some amazing psychedelic and enchanting music along with the folk tunes that make you feel at home. Most people are making a weekend out of it and either staying at a cheap motel or camping. The Sunday morning show will be held at Joshua Tree Saloon and will feature Mia Doi Todd, The Driftwood Singers, and Emily Lacy.

As a special Valentines Day gift sure to warm your heart, Turn On The Sunlight has offered a FREE DOWNLOAD of their song "I Love You". This is a much better treat than some stale chocolates or a wilting rose.

Stay tuned for more info on L.A. Folk Fest...hopefully you are as excited as we are! - The Deli

PART 2 TRACKLIST

Dr Ruth Intro 2
Ying Yang Twins – Wait (The Whisper Song)
Paul and Paula – Hey Paula
Tandemono – Callin
The Shocking Blue – Send Me A Postcard
Midnight Star – Freak-A-Zoid
Lee Hazelwood – In A Young Girl’s Mind
Johnny Cash and June Carter – Jackson
Otis Redding – Love Man
Mike Slott – Gardening
John Prine and Iris Dement – In Spite Of Ourselves
The Raincoats – Don’t Be Mean
Teenage Fan Club and Jad Fair – Love’s Taken Over
Dezurik Sisters – I Left Her Standing There
Oliwa – I’ve Never Been So Heard
Stereo Total – Anti Love Song
Phaxanation – Strange Love
The Driftwood Singers – Sweet And Softly
Wreckless Eric – Whole Wide World
The Affair Children – It’s Up To You Babe
- L.A. Record

FACT: Listening to strummy, folky tunes in a vista-filled, way-out setting is probably -- and we're going out on a limb there with that "probably" -- the way that folk music should be enjoyed, ideally. We realize that isn't always possible. The New Los Angeles Folk Festival has been doing a fine job of bringing that wide-open spirit to the city, in fact, but now that the Fest is headed for the desert, we're extra doubly glad.
FEB. 26-27: It's a folky-fab weekend full of top-notch performances from acts like He's My Brother She's My Sister and the always amazing Mia Doi Todd. The setting is the Joshua Tree-close Pioneertown, and we think that, paired with the sounds going down, will make for a fine musicale extravaganza. - NBC Los Angeles

Doesn’t this look fun? I’m always down for a weekend in Joshua Tree, and treating yourself to this nice little lineup is waaaaaay cheaper than most mini-festivals that go down in the area. Hell, half of it’s free. You can go HERE for more info and some videos of the bands. To reserve tickets, hook up with carpoolers (isn’t that so communal?), or get deals on campsites and motels, send an email to lafolkfest@gmail.com.

Or don’t. I don’t give a folk. - Blood Is The New Black

We had originally hoped to shoot outside somewhere, but it had been raining for a few days, and would continue to rain for what seemed like the longest stretch I can remember since being in LA. So we met up in Hollywood at what I think was Pearl's sister's place before they had to be out in Echo Park for LA Record's Christmas Party at Bedrock. It was just Kris and his acoustic and Pearl and her autoharp (thought they were playing with a full band that night).

When I first heard The Driftwood Singers, it was an ultra lo-fi recording they'd done to an old tape deck; tinny and raw, yet somehow it completely worked. To call their sound "old-time-y" would be a hilarious understatement, and while the tape approach is relatively effective at achieving that nostalgic timbre, the real timelessness of their music lies in the songwriting. It's surprisingly keen traditional folk, precisely picked guitar lines and warm two part harmonies, even lyrical jaunts that seem to call back to generation-old metaphors. It's refreshing actually, not just as a juxtaposition to the electronic wall of sound that's so prevalent today, but also because the musicianship is so skillfully executed. Hearing the songs now, you might even think they were covers of old standards.

They played three songs that day, and something started going awry with the autoharp tuning (damn vintage instruments), so unfortunately they had to stop there. We also forgot to grab a picture that day, hence the random parking lot shot outside of Stories. - Little Videos

The Driftwood Singers – “On My Merry Way” December 18, 2010 little-videos.com We had originally hoped to shoot outside somewhere, but it had been raining for a few days, and would continue to rain for what seemed like the longest stretch I can remember since being in LA. So we met up in Hollywood at what I think was Pearl’s sister’s place before they had to be out in Echo Park for LA Record’s Christmas Party at Bedrock. It was just Kris and his acoustic and Pearl and her autoharp (thought they were playing with a full band that night). When I first heard The Driftwood Singers, it was an ultra lo-fi recording they’d done to an old tape deck; tinny and raw, yet somehow it completely worked. To call their sound “old-time-y” would be a hilarious understatement, and while the tape approach is relatively effective at achieving that nostalgic timbre, the real timelessness of their music lies in the songwriting. It’s surprisingly keen traditional folk, precisely picked guitar lines and warm two part harmonies, even lyrical jaunts that seem to call back to generation-old metaphors. It’s refreshing actually, not just as a juxtaposition to the electronic wall of sound that’s so prevalent today, but also because the musicianship is so skillfully executed. Hearing the songs now, you might even think they were covers of old standards. They played three songs that day, and something started going awry with the autoharp tuning (damn vintage instruments), so unfortunately they had to stop … - Love Christmas

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone! Every year, we release a special Valentine’s mixtape called Music For The Morning After that is inspired by our favorite part of the holiday. No, it’s not the flowers, boxes of chocolate or candlelight dinners that gets us. It’s waking up with your loved one the morning after — without any of the pressure of V-DAY looming overhead. This year, we decided to shake things up a bit and ask some of our favorite bands to record a brand new track or cover exclusively for the mixtape (and with just a handful of days to do it!). Of course, they came through and we are very happy to present their brilliant bedroom recordings that were made exclusively for you, our wonderful readers. From all of us here at When You Awake, we hope you have a wonderful day (and morning after) filled with love. If you missed the previous year’s mixes, be sure to check out Music For The Morning After: Volumes One, Two and Three. Mixtape cover by Patrick Gerrity.

Music For The Morning After: 2011

1. Shakey Graves- Chinatown
2. Leslie Stevens and the Badgers- Someday Soon
3. The Morning Pages- Here By The River
4. The Smart Brothers- My Girl
5. William Tyler and Alexis Powell- Wish It Had Been A Dream (Louvin Brothers cover)
6. Hi Ho Silver Oh- It’s You I Like (Mister Rogers cover)
7. Strand of Oaks- This Must Be The Place (Talking Heads cover)
8. Roadside Graves- This Morning
9. Hor$eplay (feat. Amanda Jo Williams)- Baby Baby Love Love
10. The Driftwood Singers- When The Roses Bloom in Dixieland - When You Awake

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_8K2fyqQZI&feature=player_embedded#at=144 - Troy's Tunes

Sun., February 27, 11:00am-2:00pm
Joshua Tree Saloon
Day two of the weekend fest continues here, with early sets from Mia Doi Todd, The Driftwood Singers, Emily Lacy, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. See also Pappy & Harriet's listing - LA Weekly

The high desert is the closest thing we've got to a land of enchantment, just about 130 miles away from Los Angeles, where Joshua Tree National Park meditates in awesome glory. Here are strange plants—that seem like undersea creatures with the water sucked out of them—their hardened contorted shapes pepper the dry landscape, surrounding big rock piles left over from Jenga games abandoned by celestial giants. The horizon is visible in any direction, stretching everything in sight. You can't help but feel good and enlightened in this place. So we're going. Join The Deli L.A. + L.A. RECORD for a Desert Weekend. See He's My Brother She's My Sister, Amanda Jo Williams, and Tommy Santee Klaws play at infamous desert honky tonk Pappy and Harriet's Pioneertown Palace. Then wake up for desert soccer before doing brunch at Joshua Tree Saloon, with Mia Doi Todd, The Driftwood Singers, and Emily Lacy. The New L.A. Folk Festival began in August 2010, to begin unifying the new folk scene emerging in Los Angeles. Feb 26 | $10 | 8pm | 53688 Pioneertown Road, Pioneertown, CA. Feb 27 | Free with Desert Weekend ticket | 11am-2pm | 61835 29 Palms Hwy, Joshua Tree, CA. To RESERVE TICKETS and to be listed for desert discounts, to CARPOOL- if you need a ride or want to Give a ride? Save gas and $, and to find ACCOMMODATIONS contact lafolkfest@gmail.com. - Los Angeles Guest of a Guest

Add another music festival to the desert calendar.

L.A. Folkfest.com, in partnership with The Deli and L.A. Record, will present six folk artists in The New LA Folk Fest: Desert Weekend Feb. 26-27 at two venues in the high desert.

He’s My Brother She’s My Sister, Amanda Jo Williams and Tommy Santee Klaws will perform from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Feb. 26 at Pappy and Harriet’s Palace in Pioneertown. Mia Doi Todd, the Driftwood Singers and Emily Lacy will perform from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 27 during a brunch at the Joshua Tree Saloon in Joshua Tree.

A breathing and meditation class also will be offered at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center, formerly the Institute of Mentalphysics.

Tickets are $10 for the Pioneertown lineup. The music is free at the Joshua Tree Saloon.
- MyDesert.com

Add another music festival to the desert calendar.

L.A. Folkfest.com, in partnership with The Deli and L.A. Record, will present six folk artists in The New LA Folk Fest: Desert Weekend Feb. 26-27 at two venues in the high desert.

He’s My Brother She’s My Sister, Amanda Jo Williams and Tommy Santee Klaws will perform from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Feb. 26 at Pappy and Harriet’s Palace in Pioneertown. Mia Doi Todd, the Driftwood Singers and Emily Lacy will perform from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 27 during a brunch at the Joshua Tree Saloon in Joshua Tree.

A breathing and meditation class also will be offered at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center, formerly the Institute of Mentalphysics.

Tickets are $10 for the Pioneertown lineup. The music is free at the Joshua Tree Saloon.

Camping in Pioneertown is available for $10. - Citizen Times

FEB. 27: NEW LA FOLK FEST PRESENTS MIA DOI TODD + THE DRIFTWOOD SINGERS + EMILY LACY - L.A. Record

Desert Nights is the Standard Hollywood's acoustic night where you can grab a drink, eat some food and listed to some great acoustic music for free. Tonight at 7:30, The Chances, The Driftwood Singers and Jack Diamond are playing. - CurveWire.com

The New Los Angeles Folk Festival celebrates Halloween tonight at 8 with a series of Murder Ballads at the Echoplex.
For an $8 entrance fee, Frank Fairfield, Simon Stokes, Boy Scout Jamboree (Spindrift acoustic), Vaud & The Villains, Amanda Jo Williams with Olentangy John and Horse Thieves, Triple Chicken Foot, Driftwood Singers, RT N’ The 44‘s, Julia Holter, Emily Lacy and Henry Wolfe perform songs of the macabre.

Get in the mood for Halloween by listening to the "dark side of folk music."

Presented by The New Los Angeles Folk Festival + The Echo. - Neon Tommy

MURDEROUS MUSIC*
The New Los Angeles Folk Festival celebrates Halloween early tonight with a Murder Ballads event, featuring Frank Fairfield, Simon Stokes, Boy Scout Jamboree (Spindrift acoustic), Vaud & The Villains, Amanda Jo Williams with Olentangy John and Horse Thieves, Triple Chicken Foot, Driftwood Singers, RT N’ The 44‘s, Julia Holter, Emily Lacy and Henry Wolfe. They’ll be performing killing songs. 8 pm at the Echoplex. Tickets are 8 pm. - LAist.com

Not only will I be there to read a bit of PULP WRITER and talk about pulp Westerns, but there will be music too! Bobbi Jean Bell, who is an amazing supporter of all things Western but also of local artists, musicians and writers, has arranged to have the Driftwood Singers perform also after my reading. The Driftwood Singers are Pearl Charles and Kris Huston, who, according to Bobbie, "are an old-time, close-harmony duo in the style of groups like the Carter Family and the Louvin Brothers. Alternating instruments like guitar, autoharp, mandolin, banjo and fiddle, the two do a mix of their own original songs as well as classic folk standards." Sound like the perfect compliment for PULP WRITER.

- Laurie's Wild West

Nov 9, 2010, 4:16am MAGNET

To celebrate today's crop of releases, here are new mp3s from Bad Books, Botany, the Concretes, the Driftwood Singers, the Good Ones, Tom Howie, Masonic, Motorifik, Nightlands, the Parting Gifts, Jesse Payne, Shigeto, the Tallest Man On Earth, Thunderball, Gary Wilson and Wyatt, Atzmon, Stephen. Also, vote for your favorite of today's new releases.

Motorifik » SecretThings.mp3
Bad Books - You Wouldn't Have To Ask
Botany - Agave
Gary Wilson - In The Night
Jesse Payne - Manhattan Project
Masonic - Lifetime Of Deception
Shigeto - Relentless Drag
The Driftwood Singers - Coco Ellis
The Good Ones - Sara
Thunderball - Enter the Brahmin
Tom Howie - 01 Diamond - MAGNET Magazine Blog

PINK ROOM (LIVE BANDS + UPSTAIRS BAR)
<< DJ THE LONESOME COWBOY >>
12:30 HANNI EL KHATIB
<< DJ THE LONESOME COWBOY >>
11:30 THE ALLAH LAHS
<< DJ DAN COLLINS (L.A. RECORD >>
10:30 HE’S MY BROTHER SHE’S MY SISTER
<< DJ DAN COLLINS (L.A. RECORD) >>
9:30 THE DRIFTWOOD SINGERS (+FULL BAND)
<< DJ DAN COLLINS (L.A. RECORD) >>
8:30 TOMMY SANTEE KLAWS
<< DJ DAN COLLINS (L.A. RECORD) >>
- L.A. Record

Sept. 19: Walter Spencer + Freaky Mountain + Matt Van Winkle + Cave Country + The Driftwood Singers + RT N’ The 44$ - L.A. Record

Pearl Charles - The Driftwood Singers

While most of their contemporaries are surfing the blogosphere daily to figure out what new hip direction they should take their band in to get some notice, LA's Driftwood Singers have taken a very un-contemporary route. The duo of Kris Hutson and Pearl Charles play a simpler kind of folk that one might've heard on the southern front porches of 1930's America.

Kris, in suspenders and all, rotates between guitar, banjo and mandolin while harmonizing along with Pearl, who in garb fit more for the compound on Big Love, strums her autoharp. The pair of 19 year olds has already logged more than 100 shows since they began playing last fall, with tours up and down the west coast and trips to Nashville and New York City. Not ones to turn down many shows, they recently played 3 shows in one day across the greater Los Angeles area, a morning stop in Oxnard, afternoon gig in Glendale and an evening show in Silver Lake. [Read Less]

It's that kind of determination to play whenever and wherever possible that has started gathering them attention from music fans and critics alike including No Depression who posted some of their earliest home demos. They were recently (and fittingly) featured on a Carter Family tribute album alongside Calvin Johnson and Kimya Dawson.

Their debut EP, Look! carries on where their demo's left off. After attempting to record the songs in a studio, they decided to record them at home on a hand held cassette recorder that was then cleaned up in mastering. The resulting 5 songs are showcased in a way that lets you feel the warm crackle of the phonograph they appear to be coming from. Inspired by beat poetry and murder ballads, songs like "Coco Ellis", "Come Across the Tracks" and "Rosalee Little" are irresistible gems for anyone with an old soul and an ear for the yester year. -- WEBSITE - Oscar Schmidt

California-based musicians, the Driftwood Singers, will perform at The Well Red Coyote on Friday, Jan. 14, at 6:30 p.m. The Driftwood Singers is an old-time, close-harmony duo in the style of groups like the Carter Family and the Louvin Brothers. - Kudos AZ

PHOTOS can be seen at link. - BeatCrave

While the rest of the country de-ices, you can enjoy pool views and sunsets while taking in the sounds of The Standard’s weekly Desert Nights music series. The Wednesday, Jan. 26 lineup mixes it up with acoustic performances from The Chances, “old-timey harmony duo” The Driftwood Singers and ’60s-inspired crooner Jack Diamond. The performances begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Cactus Lounge. Those who arrive early can take advantage of the “fallback” menu, which includes an appetizer and drink for $10, served from 5-7 p.m. www.standardhotels.com/hollywood - The Sunset Strip Blog

The Driftwood Singers & Ben Schwab, 9pm, Cozmic Pizza. $5. - Eugene Weekly

Saturday, August 28

- Pete Molinari, Eleni Mandell, The Driftwood Singers @ Redwood Bar - Radio Free Silverlake

Bedrock Studios presents the L.A. Record Christmas Party with a full line up on multiple stages on Saturday, and Sunday is the Echo Country Outpost One Year Anniversary Party with an all day schedule of some of my favorite local bands. Details inside.

Sunday, December 19

- A Very Outpost Holiday and One-Year Anniversary Folk/Psych/Rock Review & BBQ w/ Tommy Santee Klaws, Fort King, Evan apRoberts, The Driftwood Singers and many others @ Echo Country Outpost - Radio Free Silverlake

Tuesday
An Bell, Will Scott, The Driftwood Singers, Judson and Mary @ Echo Curio
Smog Sessions with Chefal, Cringer, Austin Speed, Kemst @ Echo
KROQ Locals Only presents: The Funeral Party, Deluka, Dahga Bloom @ Bootleg Theater - Echo Park Now

Tuesday

The Tallest Man On Earth, S. Carey @ The Music Box at the Henry Fonda Theater
Omar Rodriguez Lopez Group, Le Butcherettes @ Troubadour
Shonen Knife, Puro Instinct, Neverever @ Spaceland
Tremellow, SheSaw, The Diet Thrills Foreman @ Silver Lake Lounge
Chefal, Cringer, Austin Speed, Kemst @ The Echo
Funeral Party, Deluka, Dahga Bloom @ Bootleg Theater
Jan Bell, Will Scott, The Driftwood Singers, Judson and Mary @ Echo Curio
Tracy Bonham w/ Kaiser Cartel, Flipron, Terra Naomi, Palmdale @ The Hotel Café
Infantree's record release, The Sundelles, The Ghost Songs @ The Mint
Mason Jennings @ Largo at the Coronet - LAist.com

November 9
Arabrot: Revenge (Fysisk Format)
Bad Books: Bad Books (Favorite Gentlemen)
David Banner & 9th Wonder: Death of a Pop Star (Big Face Entertainment)
Syd Barrett: An Introduction to Syd Barrett (Capitol/EMI)
The Big Pink: Tapes (!K7)
Botany: Feeling Today EP (Western Vinyl)
California Guitar Trio: Andromeda (Karate Body)
Cee-Lo Green: Lady Killer (Atlantic)
Julie Christmas: The Bad Wife (Rising Pulse)
The Concretes: WYWH (Friendly Fire)
The Driftwood Singers: Look!
El Ten Eleven: It’s Still Like A Secret (Fake Record Label)
Electric Owls: Cullowhee Songs EP (Vagrant)
Expo ’70: Sonic Messenger (Beta-Lactam Ring)
Fern Knight: Castings (VHF)
First Blood: Silence is Betrayal (Bullet Tooth)
The Good Ones: Kigali Y’Izahabu (Dead Oceans)
The Greenhornes: **** (Third Man)
Gregory and the Hawk: Leche (FatCat)
GWAR: GWAR’s Bloody Pit of Horror (Metal Blade)
Jonah: The Wonder & The Thrill
Justine & The Victorian Punks: Beautiful Dreamer/Still You 12? (DFA)
Le Sins: Lina 12? (Carpark)
Maserati: Pyramid of the Sun (Temporary Residence)
Mecca Normal: “Malachi” 7? (K)
Minks: TBD (Captured Tracks)
Modeselektor: Modeselektor Vol. 1 (Monkeytown Records)
Modest Mouse: The Fruit That Ate Itself EP; Sad Sappy Sucker (reissues) (Glacial Pace)
Motorifik: Secret Things (Modern Language Recordings)
Nadja: Bodycage (Broken Spine)
Nightlands: Forget the Mantra (Secretly Canadian)
Fenn O’Berg: Live In Japan Part One and Two (Editions Mego)
The Orb and Youth: Impossible Oddities (Year Zero)
Parting Gifts: Strychnine Dandelions (In The Red)
Jesse Payne: Nesting (Capture Music, Inc)
Powerworld: Human Parasite (SPV Records)
The Radio Dept.: Never Follow Suit EP (Labrador/Caroline)
Royksopp: Senior (MB3 Records)
Saroos: See Me Not (Anticon)
Shigeto: Full Circle (Ghostly International)
Soft Circle: Shore Obsessed (PPM)
Soft Moon: TBD (Captured Tracks)
Ronnie Spector: Ronnie Spector’s Best Christmas Ever (Bad Girl Sounds/The Orchard)
Sub Swara: Triggers (Low Motion Records)
Supersilent: 10; 11 (Rune Grammofon)
The Tallest Man on Earth: Sometimes the Blues Is Just A Passing Bird (Dead Oceans)
Thunderball: 12 Mile High (ESL Music)
Times of Grace: The Hymn of a Broken Man (Roadrunner)
Tobacco: LA UTI EP (Anticon)
Bjorn Torske: Koking (Smalltown Supersound)
Tyvek: Nothing Fits (In The Red)
Various Artists: Tradi-Mods Vs. Rockers: Alternative Takes on Congotronics (Crammed Discs)
Various Artists: Worth The Weight: Britol Dubstep Classics (Punch Drunk)
Kurt Vile: In My Time
Virgina Steele: The Black Light Bacchanalia (SPV Records)
We Are Trees: Boyfriend (Collective Crowd Records)
Weekend: Sports (Slumberland)
Phil Wilson: God Bless Jim Kennedy (Slumberland)
Woolfy: The Looking Glass 12? (DFA)
Wyatt/Atzmon/Stephen: For the Ghosts (Domino)
Zion I: Atomic Clock (Gold Dust Media) - Adequacy.net Indie Music Reviews

While the rest of the country de-ices, you can enjoy pool views and sunsets while taking in the sounds of The Standard’s weekly Desert Nights music series. The Wednesday, Jan. 26 lineup mixes it up with acoustic performances from The Chances, “old-timey harmony duo” The Driftwood Singers and ’60s-inspired crooner Jack Diamond. The performances begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Cactus Lounge. Those who arrive early can take advantage of the “fallback” menu, which includes an appetizer and drink for $10, served from 5-7 p.m. www.standardhotels.com/hollywood - WEHO Daily

The Standard, Hollywood says…
Tune in for another installment of Desert Nights, The Standard, Hollywood's acoustic night. This Wednesday's line-up includes: The Chances, The Driftwood Singers, and Jack Diamond. The Chances are LA based singer/songwriter, Michael Runion's new side project, The Driftwood Singers are an old-timey close-harmony duo, and Chicago-based Jack Diamond is a classic 60's era crooner born too late. Desert Nights: where drink, food, conversation, intrigue, and music mingle together perfectly under the starry night sky. - Flavorpill

The Driftwood Singers are perhaps the youngest old-time music band around.

The two-person act, Kris Hutson and Pearl Charles, have barely been alive two decades, but they have an affinity and talent for the traditional country folk sound.

The twosome will perform in Amarillo next week. The concert is planned for 9 p.m. Monday at The 806, 2812 S.W. Sixth Ave.

The Driftwood Singers began as an eight-piece honky-tonk outfit comprised of fellow students at the California Institute of Arts in Valencia, Calif.

"Eventually, we decided to simplify," Hutson said.

Hutson, 20, and Charles, 19, cover standards of their genre and pen several original songs.

Between the two, they play guitar, autoharp, banjo, mandolin and a smattering of fiddle.

Both also sing and vocal harmony is a signature of their sound.

"It's all harmonies all the time," Hutson said. "We rarely sing separate from one another. Our voices become like one voice."

In November the pair released its first recording project, a five-song EP titled "Look!"

The songs are all original and their lyrics reflect the somber tone of many old-time music ballads. "We're big fans of the really, really old songs, with tragic stories, love lost and disasters," Hutson said.

The first track on the EP, "Coco Ellis," is available as a free download online.

At Monday's concert, the act will perform several of its own songs, of course, but it also will play covers, including a possible set of gospel music.

Hutson said concert-goers can expect a "mellow" show, but with plenty of music for the soul.

"We're influenced by music that moves you, gives you the chills," he said. "We try to give that sort of experience in our performances." - Amarillo Globe-News

If you like live music and live beats (and who doesn't?) you can't beat L.A. Record's annual Christmas party, which is scheduled for this Saturday at Bedrock Rehearsal in Echo Park.

With the donation of a toy for the Toys for Tots program, music lovers can get into the shows free of charge. Just RSVP at rsvp@larecord.com. Each room of the rehearsal studio is filled with bands, DJs mixing, classic vinyl, screen printing, and a Santa's Village.

For me, the highlight would probably be the Driftwood Singers live. I went to this last year and loved how you could walk into any of the rehearsal rooms and hear something totally different from what was being played in other rooms. Definitely a great experience.

Bedrock Rehearsal is located at 1623 Allesandro St. The L.A. Record show is scheduled for this Saturday, starting at 8 p.m.

-- Lauren Williams - The Beat of Young Los Angeles

Alter Bridge "AB III"
Årabrot "Revenge"
Bad Books "Bad Books"
Botany "Feeling Today"
Julie Christmas "The Bad Wife"
The Concretes "WYWH"
Kid Cudi "Man On The Moon II: The Legend Of Mr. Rager"
The Driftwood Singers "Look!"
Electric Owls "Cullowhee Songs"
The Floacist "Floetic Soul"
The Good Ones "Kigali Y Izahabu"
Cee-Lo Green "The Lady Killer"
Tom Howie "The Right And Wrong Of Everything"
Koji "Some Small Way"
Kylesa "Spiral Shadow"
Maserati "Pyramid Of The Sun"
Masonic "Live Like A Millionaire"
Motorifik "Secret Things"
Nightlands "Forget The Mantra"
The Parting Gifts "Strychnine Dandelion"
Jesse Payne "Nesting"
Place Of Skulls "As A Dog Returns"
Shigeto "Full Circle"
The Tallest Man On Earth "Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird"
Thunderball "12 Mile High"
Underoath "Ø Disambiguation"
Valleys "Stoner"
We Are Trees "Boyfriend"
Weekend "Sports"
Gary Wilson "Electric Endicott"
Wyatt, Atzmon, Stephen "For The Ghosts Within"
Zion I "Atomic Clock" - Magnet Magazine

You can feel the wheels grinding down each week as the number of new releases continues to dwindle. While we may be past the prime weeks of the year, you’re still likely to find some new discoveries. In fact, with fewer releases, you’ve got more time to put into your game — there’s still time enough to hit your double eagle if you keep getting out there!

Among the notable new releases this week is the EP by The Tallest Man on Earth, which, as a followup to his excellent album, The Wild Hunt, from earlier this year, collects five songs written on the road, including his one and only song performed on electric guitar. Another highlight comes from the Bay Area band Weekend, whose debut, Sports, sounds a bit like Guided By Voices filtered through My Bloody Valentine. And Athens band Maserati have released their first album since the death of their beloved drummer, Jerry Fuchs, paying tribute to him the best way they can… by rocking out!

Stratospheria Cubensis, the latest from Seattle band Lesbian is a “prog-doom journey” of the heaviest kind, and while you’re still on a head trip, check out An Introduction to Syd Barrett, newly remastered. Like a son of Syd, Philadelphia’s Kurt Vile writes everything from lo-fi psych-folk to lush guitar ballads, and his new single is a sweet dose of jangly psychy pop. And on Jack White’s Third Man Records, Cincinnati garage rockers The Greenhornes have reunited for their first studio album in eight years.

These and more can be found on Largehearted Boy’s list and at your local record store, so go out swinging!

Animal Prufrock ? 0+0+0 (MP3)
from Congratulations; Thank You + I’m Sorry on Righteous Babe

Botany ? Feeling Today (MP3)
from Feeling Today EP on Western Vinyl

The Concretes ? Good Evening (MP3)
from WYWH on Friendly Fire Recordings

Depeche Mode ? EPK
from Tour Of The Universe ? Live In Barcelona DVD on EMI


Digitalism ? Blitz
from Blitz on Kitsune


The Driftwood Singers ? Coco Ellis (MP3)
from Look! (self-released)

Family Fodder ? The Onliest Thing (MP3)
from Classical Music on the state51 conspiracy

Cee Lo Green ? Fuck You
from Lady Killer on Elektra/Asylum


Gregory & The Hawk ? Landscapes (MP3)
from Leche Fat Cat Records

Gross Relations ? You Don’t Know Me (MP3)
from Fuzzy Timelines on InSound

Invisible Hand ? There’s Room In My Will (MP3)
from Invisible Hand on Funny/Not Funny

Jonah ? Bees (MP3)
from The Wonder & The Thrill (self-released)

Kaya Project ? Calico Stomp (Gaudi Remix) (MP3)
from Desert Phase Remixes on Interchill Records

Kid Cudi ? Erase Me (feat. Kanye West)
from Man On The Moon 2: The Legend of Mr. Rager on Universal Motown


Last Year’s Men ? Paralyzed (MP3)
from Sunny Down Snuff on Churchkey Records

Maserati ? We Got the System to Fight the System (MP3)
from Pyramid of the Sun on Temporary Residence Inc.

Masonic ? Lifetime of Deception (MP3)
from Live Like A Millionaire (self-released)

Nightlands ? Suzerain (A Letter to the Judge) (MP3)
from Forget the Mantra on Secretly Canadian

Nitzer Ebb ? Promises (MP3)
from Industrial Complex on Artists Addiction

The Parting Gifts ? Keep Walkin’ (MP3)
from Strychnine Dandelion on In The Red

Jesse Payne ? Manhattan Project (MP3)
from Nesting on Capture Music Inc.

The Radio Dept. ? Never Follow Suit (MP3)
from Never Follow Suit EP on Labrador/Caroline

Shigeto ? Relentless Drag (MP3)
from Full Circle on Ghostly International

Sub Swara ? Steam (MP3)
from Triggers on Low Motion Records

Tobacco ? TV All Greasy (feat. Anti-Pop Consortium) (MP3)
from LA UTI EP on Anticon

The Tallest Man on Earth ? Like the Wheel (MP3)
from Sometimes The Blues Is Just A Passing Bird EP on Dead Oceans

Tyvek ? 4312 (MP3)
from Nothing Fits on In The Red

Kurt Vile ? In My Time (MP3)
from In My Time on Matador Records

Violens ? Violent Sensation Descends (MP3)
from Amoral on Friendly Fire Recordings

Gary War ? On It’s Head (MP3)
from Police Water on Sacred Bones Records

Weekend ? Coma Summer (MP3)
from Sports on Slumberland Records

White Mountains ? Bells (MP3)
from Wilderness on Waaga Records

Gary Wilson ? Electric Endicott (MP3)
from Electric Endicott on Western Vinyl

Phil Wilson ? I Own It (MP3)
from God Bless Jim Kennedy on Slumberland Records

Wyatt/Atzmon/Stephen ? Laura (MP3)
from For The Ghosts Within on Domino Records

Zion I ? Many Stylez (feat. Rebelution) (download)
from Atomic Clock on Gold Dust
- The KEXP Blog

COWGIRL Old-time country with The Driftwood Singers, noon-3 pm; Gary Gorence, bluesy, country-rock, 8:30 pm, no cover - Santa Fe Reporter

As anyone who has seen this blog has no doubt heard me drag on about, the live music offerings in Midland/Odessa at times leave a bit to be desired, especially after one moves here after living within walking distance of multiple venues bringing in national touring acts. That said, we still get good shows here every so often.

Friday, January 7th, will feature a great lineup of local and national bands at the Pine Box in Midland, TX (510 S. Big Spring St., Midland, TX 79702). Normally a hardcore/metal venue, the Pine Box also occasionally brings in acts outside of those genres, with this show being a perfect example.

Headlining the show will be Los Angeles, CA, americana/folk touring act The Driftwood Singers. This band brings a sound from a different time, reminiscent of the type of band you might have expected to tour across West Texas during the Dust Bowl. I honestly can't find a ton of information about them, but they have gotten some attention from the well-regarded Captain's Dead blog. They also have a digital EP for sale on Bandcamp, where you can also stream most of their songs. As little rain as we've had, you could almost say they are coming back through during another dust bowl, with the primary difference being that in the first Dust Bowl people weren't still leaving their sprinklers on all night. - Windfarm

7 p.m. Country, Americana, Old Timey: Featuring The Driftwood Singers. Sliding scale cover. High Street Station, 1303 High St. (Info: 995-8049) - Alameda Sun

The Driftwood Singers Record Release Party!
Featuring: The Driftwood Singers, RT N' The 44's, Tree of Three, Ben Schwab and More!
Hosted by: the Echo Country Outpost
Admission is $5
4 PM
Beer, BBQ & Pickin' - L.A. Record

While most of their contemporaries are surfing the blogosphere daily to figure out what new hip direction they should take their band in to get some notice, LA’s Driftwood Singers have taken a very un-contemporary route. The duo of Kris Hutson and Pearl Charles play a simpler kind of folk that one might’ve heard on the southern front porches of 1930’s America. The Driftwood Singers debut EP, Look! carries on where their demo’s left off. After attempting to record the songs in a studio, they decided to record them at home on a hand held cassette recorder that was then cleaned up in mastering. The resulting 5 songs are showcased in a way that lets you feel the warm crackle of the phonograph they appear to be coming from. Inspired by beat poetry and murder ballads, songs like “Coco Ellis”, “Come Across the Tracks” and “Rosalee Little” are irresistible gems for anyone with an old soul and an ear for the yester year. - Indie Surfer Blog

i usually dont do this, and hopefully it doesnt backfire. im judging this post by the person who sent it to me, who has typically great taste, and by the picture alone. for i cannot download or stream the song from work. the band is the driftwood singers and they are releasing an ep entitled look! on 11.9. just judging by the photo alone, it looks like something i may be totally into. so fingers are crossed. you can listen to the entire ep on their bandcamp page. if anyone gives this a listen, let me know how it goes. check out the tour dates below…

coco ellis

october 17 @ sundree music festival (blue café) – long beach, ca
october 18 @ the garter – venice, ca
october 21 @ out west mercantile – newhall, ca
october 26 @ the echoplex (muder ballads: the dark side of folk) – los angeles, ca
november 03 @ three clubs – hollywood, ca
november 06 @ sheraton delfina hotel – santa monica, ca
december 31 @ fiddlers dream – phoenix, az
january 04 @ the candyman – santa fe, nm
january 05 @ winning coffee co. – albuquerque, nm
january 06 @ the blackbird buvette – albuquerque, nm
january 07 @ the pine box collective – midland, tx
january 11 @ blue light – lubbock, tx
january 14 @ the well red coyote – sedona, az - Captains Dead

"Coco Ellis" and "Sweet & Softly" were just featured on Americana and roots music - No Depression. - No Depression

Today’s recommendations for Pick Your Poison include tracks from The Black, Callers, Idlewild, and a Seabear remix.

The Driftwood Singers – Coco Ellis - Faronheit

Every day, Daily Downloads offers 10 free and legal mp3 downloads, plus free and legal live sets from around the internet.

Today's free and legal mp3 downloads: The Driftwood Singers: "Coco Ellis" [mp3] from Look! (out November 9th) - Largehearted Boy

So we’ve spent the past couple of days making a concerted effort to spin some, if not all, of the submissions we have received and pick out a few bands and tracks that we think might appeal to the MM reader. So pour a large whiskey, put on a ten gallon hat, download and pick out the ones you want to keep from dusty tex-mex to bluegrass to old-timey folk to gypsy jazz to classic Americana.

The Driftwood Singers are an old-time, close-harmony duo in the style of groups like the Carter Family and the Louvin Brothers. Alternating instruments like guitar, autoharp, mandolin, banjo and fiddle, they play a mix of their own original songs as well as classic folk standards.

Download The Driftwood Singers - I Have No One to Love Me (But the Sailor on the Deep Blue Sea) mp3 (from Look!) - The Mad Mackerel

Excerpt:
Musical partners in crime, Pearl and Kris bring folk music to a whole 'nother level as the Driftwood Singers...Currently, they are finishing up their record and planning a Winter tour...
(read more in review at the link) - MF Magazine

This is my first ever experience attending the O-Town Hoedown. So I headed down to the Rainbow Bistro eager to catch the opening night of a week long string of shows with some of Ottawa’s finest bands. I was covering the event for Ottawa Tonite and was looking forward to a night of some down home music.

On the docket for the night was Ottawa’s own Ken Voita, from L.A., The Driftwood Singers and one Ottawa’s favorite county and western outfits, Lefty McRighty and The Shameless Bastards.

I was familiar with Ken Voita from previous shows and was looking forward to hearing him again, this was his first appearance at the Hoedown and like in previous shows I’ve seen it’s always a phenomenal show each time!!

While I was watching Ken’s performance, I started chatting to a lady I didn’t know previously who seemed very familiar with Ken’s music. We chatted about music and how we were enjoying Ken’s set. Turns out this lady was another musician, Missy Burgess and she was telling me that she had played with Ken recently as a duo and she and I exchanged stories about our own musical experiences about playing in bands.

Next up was the Driftwood Singers from Los Angeles. Now although the crowd was not huge, it made up for it by being super attentive and appreciative after each and every song the bluegrass duo did. I was quite captured by their stunning harmonies, and the genuine honesty emulating from each and every song. This was my first opportunity to see a harpsichord being played and I now have a curious fascination with it after seeing Pearl play it. During this time I had struck up a conversation with a couple out on their first date, I asked them how it is going so far. They both agreed things were
indeed going well. They bought me a drink and we chatted about how we were all from The Maritimes originally and how much we were all enjoying the show.

I love a good sense of humor and no one has a better sense of humor than Lefty McRighty. Tonight’s performance with filled with heartbreak, cheating and poutine. After the show I was really hungry with all that talk of poutine and cheese curds, I tried to scour the market looking for a chip truck but alas, none were around at 1:00 a.m.

Can’t wait to do it all over again at Irene’s with one of my favorite bands Evil Farm Children…till tonight - Ottawa Tonite

Featured Song of the Week on NoDepression.com - NoDepression.com

"Sweet & Softly" is featured on the Americana and Roots Music - No Depression homepage (http://www.nodepression.com/) and will be there for the next couple of weeks! - No Depression