Greenland is Melting - Our Hearts Are Gold, Our Grass Is Blue

I'm usually not a bluegrass fan, the closest I get is folk-punk that leans more heavily on the folk part, but Greenland Is Melting really gets me for some reason. Maybe it's because they are on Paper + Plastick, which has some pretty awesome bands, but I think its more the fact that they just sound so... sincere. Their music is just so overpowering without using any drums, or electric guitar (they have an electric bass, but you've got to hear it somehow right?), their voices all harmonize perfectly together... there's really nothing bad that I can say about Greenland Is Melting, except for maybe that they aren't playing anywhere near me in the coming months. Definitely check this out if you like folk, bluegrass, banjos, guitars, or heartfelt music, I promise you'll love it.

As the website says, "Name your price. No minimum."

Greenland is Melting - Our Hearts Are Gold, Our Grass Is Blue

Gangstagrass - Gangstagrass

Gangstagrass is a band that I heard about a while ago from thunderboltjackson(R.I.P the blog). It's a grand blend of gangster rap and bluegrass combining some excellent fingerpicking bajos and deep bass beats. This is probably the most ridiculous mashup album I have ever encountered. Well, at least one of them. Get it direct from their website for free.

"calling on the spirit of Gram Parsons and Otis Redding and KRS-ONE and Dolly Parton and Nina Simone and Willie Nelson and Missy Elliott and Johnny Cash , to write about what we feel and play what our hearts tell us, because to make it happen is reason enough, and to share it with the world is all the reason you need, because we tell the truth with music and the truth is beautiful."

www.gangstagrass.com/Gangstagrass.zip

Gangstagrass - Gangstagrass

The Avett Brothers, Live Vol. II

Sometimes it gets really hard not to become one of "those" fans. The guys who constantly insist that the only good material by a band was their earlier stuff, from "before they got popular". With homestate heroes, The Avett Brothers, it is in fact very easy to be one of "those" fans. The brother's latest offering, I And Love And You could best be described as beautiful, brilliant, creative, and disappointing. Their debut for American Records just reeks of Rick Rubin, glossy overproduction and a disconnected feeling. I guess it's not fair to complain, the years and many albums the Avett Brothers have put out have been a wonderful labor of love and devotion to their fans and their fellow man. They have poured their hearts into every album they have ever recorded, including the newest, and with the exception of the newest every album endears you with it's rough edges, it's sweet saccharine honesty.
The Avett's are some of the finest live musicians to boot, sounding almost better live than on album with even rougher edges and truer honesty. This live recording is a benchmark of their early career containing the best versions of some of their classic songs like "I Killed Sally's Lover", "November Blue", and "Smoke In Our Lights". If you care at all for alt. country, grungegrass, americana folk rock, beautiful voices, deft non-traditional bluegrass instrumentation then this is a live album for your collection
Download

The Avett Brothers, Live Vol. II

Tin Hat Trio - Helium

Whimsical, bluegrassy jazz from three extremely talented musicians, one of whom (Carla) currently plays violin for Sleepytime Gorilla Museum. Oh, and Tom Waits makes an appearance. Kaada-ish.

Helium
http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?id33dn2jmnv

Tin Hat Trio - Helium

The Avett Brothers - Emotionalism

The Avett Brothers are a non-traditional bluegrass band that originated in Concord, North Carolina. The two brothers, Seth and Scott, formed the group after the breakup of the former rock band, Nemo, adding a third member, Bob Crawford. The Avett Brothers combine old-time country, bluegrass, punk, pop melodies, folk, rock and roll, honky tonk and ragtime to produce a sound described by the Washington Post as “post civil-war modern rock”, or by other reviewers as “grungegrass”. The group themselves eschews labels, feeling that “none would do the music the justice.

http://www.mediafire.com/?2wzmiimdn2y

The Avett Brothers - Emotionalism

Honeywagon - Grass Stains: A Bluegrass Tribute to Blink 182

I found this tribute album in FYE while rocking out to the worst albums I could find. Then, I stumbled upon Honeywagon's bluegrass tribute to Blink 182 and I just had to listen to it. I started it up, laughing, but then was thrown back by how amazing it actually way. Blink 182 is one of my favorite bands of all time and I am a fan of bluegrass so the combination was shockingly good. So good.

http://www.mediafire.com/?mfeyoi1mgin

Honeywagon - Grass Stains: A Bluegrass Tribute to Blink 182