Dirty Impound

We spent most of yesterday afternoon listening to the fab new slab from Band of Skulls, and want to hip y’all to Sweet Sour, which comes out February 14th (with a special iTunes exclusive edition next Tuesday, February 7th). It’s one of those platters that feels good right away but moves with such limber seductiveness that you don’t realize how much you’ve fallen under its sway until much later. This Southhampton, England trio is ballsy and filled with confident attitude, as this Free Bird shot from DI pal Brad Hodge (captured at last year’s Bonnaroo) illustrates, but they know how to charm in subtler ways, as evidenced by the Lebowski-esque new video below. Sweet Sour is a creeper, one of those albums that slips into the cracks of one’s life and stays there.

Band of Skulls by Brad Hodge

The first time I met Jeff Austin of Yonder Mountain String Band, I gave him a couple of mix CDs as a friendly how-do-you-do over drinks at a great SF watering hole called The Connecticut Yankee. He mulled the track listings over for a minute and then said, “I’m going to listen to these in my car and think of you erotically.” Keep in mind that we’d just met a few minutes earlier, but this kind of thing seems par for the course with a natural born jester like Austin. His mischievousness comes through loud and clear in this shot from Chad Smith.

Jeff Austin by Chad Smith

Gypsy Pirate Polka. It’s as intriguing a soundbite for a band as we’ve ever encountered, and Bay Area-based Diego’s Umbrella live up to the descriptor with a cavorting, scoop-em-all-up energy that compares well with kindred spirits Gogol Bordello. The band is currently on tour, hitting Santa Barbara and Solano Beach in their native California this weekend and picking up the trail again in early February. Here’s their live schedule, and do yourself a favor and check these guys out. Anyone who flips us off with this much flair is fully worthy of DI’s support!

Diego's Umbrella by John Margaretten

A fine job of channeling a pissed-off Johnny Cash by The String Cheese Incident’s Billy Nershi in this loving homage to Jim Marshall’s iconic photo of the Man in Black. Thanks to DI super friend Chad Smith for his continued gathering of Birds for us.

Billy Nershi by Chad Smith

This is just goddamn beautiful. Such a range of expressions about the whole strange situation. Our great thanks to progressive rock’s reigning torchbearers Umphrey’s McGee and ace photographer Chad Smith for sharing this moment from the New Year’s Eve revels in St. Louis. Great fuckin’ guys all.

Umphrey's McGee by Chad Smith

This middle finger addition to the FBP featuring Death Angel lead singer Mark Osegueda is positively majestic. We think this is how God would flip people off…or perhaps how folks really angry at God flip him off. Either way, glorious Bird, man. Captured in Philadelphia by DI pal and blooming good photographer Joe Russo on Death Angel’s recent tour with Testament and Anthrax.

Death Angel's Mark Osegueda by Joe Russo

Outside of their mommas, nobody loves Powder Mill more than Dirty Impound. We know what’s up with Southern Rock and these boys are the realest deal we’ve come across in recent years. We appreciate them taking time on one of the prettiest mountaintops we’ve ever laid eyes on to let their birds fly free. Attitude this band does not lack, talent and unforced charm neither.

Powder Mill