Children: they really do f**k you about don’t they? In a week when our eldest sprat managed to eclipse his younger sister’s great show of academic prowess by making us all as miserable as sin, I think I should resign defeated. I blame the parents; he seems to. Liar, liar, pants on fire.

Most things in life that are worth something demand some sort of effort – sadly my darling son, that sort of self motivation is something that you have to find inside yourself.

Swimming against the tide this Friday.

Mrs Mackerel x

Download Calexico – Deep Down mp3 (from Garden Ruin)

Download The National – Ashamed Of The Story I Told mp3 (from Ciao My Shining Star – The Songs Of Mark Mulcahy)

Matt Cranstoun is a singer-songwriter comfortable and confident enough to imbue his music with genres and styles that should, by rights, probably be more used to staying well away from one another.

So is then that despite a classic troubadour’s husky drawl and some classic folk chops, funk and soul and some classic rock are bedded in too, and the results, whether backing whispered intimacy or a visceral howl, create a blend that is both captivating and provocative .

Tattoo is the first single from his sophomore album The Last Drop Of Color, which was released back in November of last year.

Grab it for nothing here.

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The Ex-Girlfriends Club specialise in the sleazy blues-punk riffs so beloved of the Stooges, the glam rock attitude that so defined late-era T-Rex, and the garage rock rawness that heralded trailblazers The Seeds.

The result is a incendiary mix of distortion, proto-punk and voodoo blues that manifests itself perfectly in the primal stomp of their cover of the Sonics classic The Witch, being the first single and a taster from the band’s forthcoming debut album Boo Hoo Hoo.

The album is out on the 31st January via Amazon, iTunes and cdBaby.

Download The Ex-Girlfriends Club – The Witch mp3 (from Boo Hoo Hoo)

This week we can offer you the Byrdsian jangle of White Fence’s It Will Never Be, more high octane, clattering punk riffage from Terry Malts, Grouper’s unique ethereal ambience comes to the fore on her take on Dead Moon’s Demona, and then there is the elegant piano and guitar washes of Damien Jurado’s latest track from new album Maraqopa, on Museum Of Flight, desperation never sounded so beautiful.

We have some more slowed up, goth tinged indie from The Royal Baths, while from Tiny Victories we have a classic slice of indie-rock that recalls Interpol, and by way of perfect contrast Big Deal’s sweetly strummed, harmonious title track from their new Chair EP. Finally we have the shimmering electro-pop of Bear In Heaven.

Something for everyone there we’ll wager!

Download White Fence – It Will Never Be mp3 (from Family Perfume Vol. 1)

Download Terry Malts – Nauseous mp3 (from Killing Time)

Download Grouper – Demona mp3 (from Yeti 7″)

Download Damien Jurado – Museum Of Flight mp3 (from Maraqopa)

Download The Royal Baths – Faster, Harder mp3 (from Better Luck Next Life)

Download Tiny Victories – Lost Weekend mp3 (from Those Of Us Still Alive)

Download Big Deal – Chair mp3 (from Chair EP)

Download Bear In Heaven – The Reflection of You mp3 (from Bear In Heaven)

Since we last posted about them at the start of the month Last American Buffalo have continued to release new, free tracks via their Bandcamp page. Thankfully, the quality which you might expect to dip a little with such regular releases has confounded expectations and Last American Buffalo are rapidly becoming one of our favourite bands.

The latest are the superb So Cruel with its precise uptempo percussion and plaintive, almost wistful paean to “whiskey smirks” and grass, which is one of our favourite tracks of the month so far. Accompanying it is the perfectly paced, mournfully traditional Americana of (the equally good in its own way) Baby I’m Alive.

Both tracks are on repeat here at MM, and for the price of an e-mail we would most heartily recommend them as an addition to your iTunes library.

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Bunny Ultramod is perhaps unsurprisingly the lead singer of technology obsessed and resolutely lo-fi, perv-punks The Ultramods, but now has a solo album, This Is Hollywood, out on general release.

It is an autobiographical 16-song release detailing three years in Hollywood leading up to the L.A. Riots. The album details life on the margins of early-1990s Los Angeles, including stories of sex workers, failed writers, male prostitutes, and homeless teens, and borrows from the music of the era to tell these stories, including late-80s new wave, pop punk, and, in particular, the Fast Time at Ridgemont High soundtrack.

Grab yourself L.A. Xpress, about the notorious Los Angeles sex publication below, and order your digital copy via Amazon.com here or cdBaby here.

Download Bunny Ultramod – L.A. Xpress mp3 (from This Is Hollywood)

New Jersey indie-punks The Static Jacks will release their debut album If You’re Young in the UK through Fearless Records on March 5th. This release will be preceded by a full UK tour beginning February 15th, including dates with The Wombats.

First listen indicates a hard-edged and riotous album, relentlessly energetic with infectious proving to be perhaps the best consistent adjective for the record as a whole. It has big choruses, anthems, punk riffs, some garage rock, and even a soupcon of soul.

The Static Jacks have already generated quite a buzz in the US having already toured with bands including Tapes ‘n Tapes, Howler and Titus Andronicus. They look set to repeat the feat over here too.

Grab yourself  a little taste.

Download The Static Jacks – My Parents Lied mp3 (from If You’re Young)

Under The Bushes, Under The Stars was considered to be Guided by Voices’ first real stab at leaving behind their trademark lo-fi sound for a higher production level. That more polished feel, combined with Ironmen’s inherently catchy chorus, made the song a perfect choice for a cover by fuzz-rock duo Lightouts.

You can find it on  the reverse of their fourth maxi-single, The Cure For Shyness, which is set for release on February 7th. Also, keep your eyes peeled for the debut full-length, set for release this spring.

Download Lightouts – The Official Ironmen Rally Song mp3 (from The Cure For Shyness Single)

Former mental health therapist turned songwriter William Fitzsimmons is a superb musician and lyricist – his music ranges from the stark and acoustic to the voluminous and electronic, but irrespective of the style or approach his songs are accessible, poignant, thought-provoking and rich in imagery and message.

Last year’s critically acclaimed fourth album, Gold In the Shadow, has now been released as a Deluxe version, which includes 14 bonus tracks featuring 3 previously unavailable recordings, including a new acoustic version of Let You Break.

Similar to Delta Spirit (see last week’s post here) he is using the service of Noisetrade to give away a free sampler of his material which includes some of the rare tracks that formed the exclusive material on the Deluxe edition.

You can get it for nothing by simply heading over here. Get his upcoming tour dates and schedule here.

Download William Fitzsimmons – Blood and Bones (Acoustic Version) mp3 (from Noisetrade Free Sampler)

Following on from our introduction to the restless wanderings of folk troubadour D.B. Rouse back in November, he has released a new album Meal-Ticket and it is available for free download from his Bandcamp page here.

If you need any persuading avail yourself of a couple of tracks below: both are fine examples of his unique view of the world married to a sharp lyrical delivery, “being unemployed is a full time job“. They are tales from folk music’s top drawer.

Download D.B. Rouse – Full Time Job mp3 (from Meal-Ticket)

Download D.B. Rouse – Drinking Song (Effigy Doll Blues) mp3 (from Meal-Ticket)