Cottonwood Firing Squad - Caskets

I will wait for you through the ocean
I will wait for you through the sea
I will wait for you by the back door
If you'll wait there for me
Tomorrow's another chance to get high all on my own
Tomorrow's another chance to show you how it feels
How it feels to be alone
No one in this world can hold a candle up to you (x3)

Cottonwood Firing Squad has no current tour dates, no social media presence, no web page, no press (except one blog, similar to ours, that also mentions not being able to find any info on the artist). All I know for sure is that CFS seems to be one guy in Victorville, California. In this modern era of self publishing on Soundcloud, YouTube, and Spotify, he's managing to get heard from the middle of nowhere, without so much as a tweet. The title of his first EP made me laugh out loud (Wyoming and Other Songs to Kill Yourself To). I'd like to think he's cheered up for his first full length album released this summer (SIX) though it does include titles such as "Snuffing Out the Flame" and this one, "Caskets." But don't worry, it didn't bring me down at all! Experimental folk music, he tags it. Hard to pin down beyond "indie" some tracks are more beachy, pop-rock, a few lean hard on the folk/true country vibe. Hope this guy sticks around, he's an enjoyable afternoon of listening for sure. 

Upcoming Shows

Lewis Del Mar - Loud(y)

Can you please
Sit the fuck down
Protesting in your
Paper crown
You love to feel offended
Fighting from computer trenches
You got a semi-automatic mouth
Go easy now
And you're so loud
And you're so loud

In "Loud(y)", which has been in my heavy-ish rotation for a little while now, New York-based Lewis Del Mar sum up how I often feel about social media, especially anonymous, or semi-anonymous, commenting. Hidden behind a computer screen, with almost no personal risk if nobody knows who you are in "real life" you can pretty much say what you want, and when you can do that, you tend to do it loudly.

The electro-funk-rock-acoustic-indie duo released their self-titled LP just yesterday and it's pretty solid. Mixing many styles and influences filtered through a well-produced combination of electric grooves and beats paired with acoustic vocal and string stylings. They're also solid live. We caught a good chunk of their set last weekend at ACL and I thought they were very entertaining.

Upcoming Shows

Okkervil River - Unless It's Kicks

What gives this mess some grace
Unless it's fictions
Unless it's licks, man
Unless it's lies or it's love

What breaks this heart the most
Is the ghost of some rock 'n' roll fan
Exploding up from the stands
With her heart opened up

And I wanna tell her, your love isn't lost
Say, my heart is still crossed
Scream, you're so wonderful
What a dream in the dark

About working so hard
About growing so stoned
Trying not to turn up
Trying not to believe in the light on your own
La, la, la, la, oh, oh, oh, oh

"Unless It's Kicks" is one of my favorite songs. I can still recall clearly seeing Okkervil River at The Gorge years ago, Will Sheff drunkenly belting lyrics into his microphone as if he were at a house party full of friends instead of a vast space full of festival goers. It's a great memory and I'm stoked to make some more tonight when we see them in their hometown and my current.

Good music will be flowing tonight at The Parish and I can't wait. For those who can't be there to bear witness, I give you today's Most Important Song. Turn it up and sing along!

Upcoming Shows