freak folk

You Can't Win, Charlie Brown is a Portuguese band led by Afonso Cabral and Salvador Menezes. The group formed in late 2009 and with the help of Luís Costa and David Santos released their self-titled debut EP through Optimus Discos in February of 2010. The EP features 6 home recorded songs that combine a Portuguese sense of melancholy with the British/American musical aesthetic of such artists as Grizzly Bear, Bon Iver, Nick Drake or Sufjan Stevens.

Owen Tromans grew up in The Black Country and led John Peel favourites San Lorenzo before pursuing a solo career that has seen him release several acclaimed albums and tour extensively, playing with the likes of Brian Jonestown Massacre, Idlewild, Plush and The Autumn Defense. Owen has also appeared on records with Devendra Banhart, Mercury Rev, Bardo Pond and members of REM and Sonic Youth, most notably “Chamber Music” on Fire Records. The Observer singled out Owen’s contribution to the compilation for its “Steely acoustic guitar with lashings of romantic sentiment.”

Charalambides are a musical group originally from Houston, Texas, USA and lately of Austin, Texas. Formed in 1991 by Tom Carter and Christina Carter, adding Jason Bill and Heather Leigh Murray, they have followed in the footsteps of other Texas psychedelic music artists such as The 13th Floor Elevators, The Red Krayola, and Jandek. Their music contains elements typical of psychedelic music such as reverb, extended instrumental jamming and the use of found sounds, as well as elements of noise, avant garde, folk, and drone music.