Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer, but Mother Nature isn’t really taking note. The last week or so has been one of the hottest weeks of the season, with the Blue Ridge Mountains fairly baking under high temps. Here’s hoping that September brings some cooler temps so time out on those trails is just a bit more pleasant.
Take a listen to this month’s Trail Mix as you wait and watch for these sweltering summer temps to finally go down. As always, Trail Mix has gathered the best that the indie and Americana world has to offer and has served it up, just for you.
We lead off this month with a brand new track from Trampled By Turtles, the frenetic, Minnesota based acoustic crew whose music defies description or classification. At one point, I would have described them as bluegrass. No longer, though. Thanks to front man Dave Simonett’s songwriting, Trampled By Turtles simultaneously blends the spirits of Neil Young, Bill Monroe, and The Ramones and deliver their folksy, Appalachian sound with a definite punk rock spirit.
If you want to catch Trampled By Turtles live and hear a live rendition of “Western World,” featured on this month’s mix, along with a slew of other tunes off of Wild Animals, the band’s newest record, take a shot at the trivia question down below.
Two of Virginia’s finest up and coming artists are featured this month. Check out “These American Hearts,” the title track of the latest record from one of Central Virginia’s finest young songwriters, Bryan Elijah Smith, and “Every Time” from folk rockers The Last Bison.
Also featured are tracks from Marco Benevento, Brandon Whyde & The Devil’s Keep, The Fauntleroys, Judah & The Lion, Marc Ford (of Black Crowes fame), Cahalen Morrison & Country Hammer, Jesse Winchester, and many more.
Remember to stream and download Trail Mix as often as you like. Play it loud. Tell a friend or neighbor an artist you didn’t know about before you turned this mix on the first time. And, of course, get out and buy records from these great bands or go catch them live when they swing through your town.
