New goodies from the Peachtree State

Athens-based Tin Cup Prophette's Liar and the Thief will be re-released April 24 on Subway Grime Records. TCP is led by Amanda Kapousouz, who has long been affiliated with various Charleson, SC, and Athens, GA, bands including Jump, Little Children and Bain Mattox. A wonderful violinist, you may also have seen Amanda K. and/or Tin Cup Prophette open for Jeff Tweedy on his most recent tour. For those of you who attended the Atlanta show, that was her on stage with Scott McCaughey for the 'Minus 3' set.

Tin Cup Prophette - Going Numb
Tin Cup Prophette - Speak or Spill Down

I don't know if the packaging will differ, but the self-released version of her album is currently available from AthensMusic.Net.


On April 29, Je Suis France will release their Afrikan Majik on Antenna Farm Records. The members of this former Athens powerhouse have dispersed across the map, but they came together to create this new record. Their press release claims that this album does quite a bit of genre-hopping, and these two tracks are a good indication that they're not kidding. "That Don't Work That Well for Us" is a pop tune, but "Whalebone" includes elements of electronic music and/or prog within a pop/rock structure.

Je Suis France - That Don't Work That Well for Us
Je Suis France - Whalebone

For more on the band, see their Myspace.


Former Black Crowes and Blue Floyd guitarist Marc Ford has a new release titled Weary and Wired. It was released Tuesday, in fact. By all indications, Ford's new album heavily features blues and funk influences along with the dirty rock sound you'd expect. Of the tracks below, "The Other Side" is more traditional Southern Rock (yes, capitalized), while "Greazy Chicken" is a blues-funk instrumental.

Marc Ford - The Other Side
Marc Ford - Greazy Chicken

Ford's album is available from Shrapnel Records. For more from Ford, see his Myspace.


Another new release of note is Finest Worksongs: Athens Artists Play the Music of R.E.M. This release is the result of one big night of R.E.M. covers at the 40 Watt last September, the entirety of which was recorded for posterity. Artists involved include Patterson Hood (of Drive-By Truckers), Tin Cup Prophette, Bain Mattox, Modern Skirts, Claire Campbell (of Hope for Agoldensummer), Five Eight, Liz Durrett, and The Observatory (a collection of Elephant 6 and related musicians) along with Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills (of R.E.M.), Scott McCaughey (of Minus 5 and Young Fresh Fellows) and Vanessa Hay (of Pylon).

I'd share a track or two, but my copy hasn't come in the mail just yet. Durrett's contribution was, notably, actually recorded by Sloan Simpson of Southern Shelter at The EARL after the 40 Watt event, which she missed due to illness. The album is available now from AthensMusic.Net and will be available nationally in late May. As now is sooner than May, I suggest ordering from the aforementioned website.