These Are Your Jams, Volume Five

This is the fifth edition of the The Barn’s These Are Your Jams series -- a compilation of the best music that I've been turned on to via the This Is My Jam social music sharing network.  To see what this is all about, check out Volume One Volume Two,  Volume Three or Volume Four and for more jams check out our entire My Jams series.

1. Here's something cool about TIMJ -- I often find myself listening to stuff I would never, ever stumble upon otherwise.  In this case a band that is pretty metal (not exactly my wheelhouse), but has some psychedelic tendencies (which I do dig).  I don't know, I was pretty intrigued -- turns out they are from Germany and have been around since the 90s.  The band is Colour Haze and the tune is "Aquamaria". H/T MariaElena

2. Hmmm, turns out that Kevin Morby is a bassist for Woods, a band that's been getting quite a few spins around here.  I didn't know that as I clicked LIKE on this Jam -- "Harlem River" -- the lead track from his solo debut.  It's got plenty of that assured marriage of indie, folk and psych music that reveals itself over a long, deliberate song. H/T DogGonePresents

3. Elbow is a band that sounds like very little else in this column, or any other post in this site.  I think its a deliberate attempt to capture the unmistakable vocals of Guy Garvey and each instrument distinctly and artfully.  Another band that's been pretty popular overseas and around for a long tie that just never made any noise with me until TIMJ.  This is "Fly Boy Blue" / "Lunette".  H/T lukestevo26

4. Let's return stateside and younger for The Southern Belles.  Bearded and poised to rock, they don't at all evoke the image that their name might encourage.  Much like their music, it's a jumble.  "All Night" sounds like the result of and erotic encounter between Elton John & Steely Dan, but there's plenty more in their repertoire that might make you think Zappa, George Clinton or even Widespread Panic.  Keep an eye out. H/T weirscrewed

5. Seems like I've heard about Nick Cave since forever.  Could it be possible that I've never actually heard his music? When TIMJ queued up "Sea Above, Sky Below" by Nick and The Dirty Three, I finally got my first taste and it was way more jazz-influenced than I expected (albeit with a weird cowboy vibe), and I was duly impressed.  I may have to do some exploring to fill this hole. H/T mellowpuff

6. Cave is from Australia and so is Courtney Barnett, who I can't stop thinking of as a "troubadour".  Have a listen to "Avant Gardner", a tune where the lyrical content, phrasing, and sense of humor hearken to Todd Snider, though some have been as bold as to throw out names like Bob Dylan.  The track just has an awesome sound, too. I guess that's why it was named Best New Track by Pitchfork Media in 2013. HT lukestevo26

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