For those unaware, Virgin Of The Birds is the brainchild of Seattle musician and Abandoned Love Records label head Jon Rooney. Virgin Of The Birds has a new album on the way late this month called Winter Seeds. I recently sat down with Rooney, with whom I’ve been acquainted since my discovery of The Lovely Sparrows back in 2006, to discuss the new release and what he’s been up to these days.
Read More »Virgin Of The Birds: Interview
I always get excited when there’s something new by The Lovely Sparrows. And while we’ve had “While Sailing” for some… Read More »The Lovely Sparrows: While Sailing (Video)
Like Pioneers return May 22 with a new album on Abandoned Love Records called Oh, Magic. It’s their first new material since 2010’s Piecemeal LP on that label, and it finds the band straying slightly from their previous work in that it’s not as rooted in folk. “Boggs” is the lead single off the LP. Read More »Like Pioneers: Boggs
The Lovely Sparrows have a way of putting together words and music that make the band one of today’s leading folk-rock and folk-pop artists. With Tall Cedars of Lebanon, the Sparrows continue the trend they began as early as their debut EP, Pulling Up Floors, Pouring On (New) Paint.
“The Secret Plume” is the latest video from Seattle artist Virgin Of The Birds and it features early video of some very unique dancers. In fact, we saw a similar dancer in The Robot Ate Me’s video for “On Vacation”, which was eerie and surreal. Here, however, it complements Jon Rooney’s melodies, which are often timeless. Read More »Virgin Of The Birds: The Serpent Plume (Video)
Tied To The Branches is the latest band to release on Abandoned Love Records, headed by Jon Rooney of Virgin Of The Birds and including FensePost favorites Like Pioneers and The Lovely Sparrows. “Walls” features an echoing wall of guitars and reverb-drowned vocals. Its accompanying video is a disjointed psychedelic trip, filled with digital shapes, illustrations and a very colorful palette. Read More »Tied To The Branches: Walls (Video)
There’s something about the music Virgin Of The Birds creates that is seemingly timeless. It’s absolute, in the present, yet it hints of a time long past. Perhaps it’s the simplicity of the songs, with poppy guitar melodies and an ever consistent percussion. The songwriting is where complexity dominates; a lyrical prowess filled with story-like mystery. This mystery has dominated the library Virgin Of The Birds has built. And you can hear it thoughout “They Wake”. Read More »Virgin Of The Birds: They Wake [Video]
Last week saw the quiet return of a great label, one that we here at FensePost have been following for quite some time. It wasn’t so much a return, rather the branching out away from label head Jon Rooney’s solo project Virgin Of The Birds. And he certainly chose the right artist to mark the label’s first release in quite some time. Like Pioneers boast a slew of artists with a hefty background in creating phenomenal music. Let’s see, there’s Bound Stems, Chin Up Chin Up, Vacations, and The Narrator. While I haven’t spent much time with the latter two, the former are totally legit. Read More »Like Pioneers: Piecemeal [Album Review]
Banquet Years is the third EP in a digital-only series of releases by Seattle-by-way-of-Austin’s Jon Rooney, the Virgin Of The Birds mastermind and proprietor of Abandoned Love Records. The album, containing five songs, finds Rooney further expanding his capabilities and musicianship. Opening track “Let Me Be Your Bride” demonstrates his folk-versatility, from the 60s-era bass guitar bop to the borderline experimental tinkering on the keys. Not to mention, the wicked guitar-work radiating in emotive psychedelic hypnosis. Read More »Virgin Of The Birds: Banquet Years [Album Review]
Originally recorded in 1974 by Big Star, Alex Chilton’s “Take Care” wasn’t released until 1978 on their Third/Sister Lovers LP.… Read More »The Lovely Sparrows: Take Care [Video]
