The Lagniappe Sessions :: En Attendant Ana

Principia, the third album from Parisian quintet En Attendant Ana, was one of 2023’s most enduring pleasures. Throughout its 10 extremely catchy / sneakily sophisticated tunes, the LP contained elements of vintage 1990s indie, dashes of Stereolab-esque motorik pop and a hint of the classic French yé-yé style, all centered on the winning vocals of Margaux Bouchaudon. Those ingredients are all on display in the band’s debut Lagniappe Session, as they tackle tunes by Tim Gane’s pre-‘Lab band McCarthy and Britpop synth-sters Dubstar, in addition to a delightful French language rendition of the old Frank ‘n’ Nancy Sinatra chestnut “Somethin’ Stupid.” C’est magnifique!

The Lagniappe Sessions :: Reverend Baron

The Lagniappe Sessions return in 2024, this time stepping into the world of Reverend Baron, the nom de tune of LA based singer-songwriter Daniel Garcia. For this installment of the series, the multi-instrumentalist, engineer, and producer reflects on early ’70s Randy Newman, the title track from British singer-songwriter Labi SIffre’s 1972 LP, Paul Simon’s “Nobody”, via the 1980 film One-Trick Pony, and the enigmatic Lewis Baloue’s “Let’s Fall In Love”.

The Lagniappe Sessions :: Cactus Lee (Second Session)

On the heels of his superb new album, Caravan, Cactus Lee’s Kevin Dehan returns for his second Lagniappe Session fresh in the air of a newer, bigger, more boogieing climate. On this outing, Dehan and some sacred personnel lay their slick, soulful style down on renditions of the glossy, top ten pop of mid-80’s Christine McVie, Butthole Surfers’ absurdist punk, and a rootsy glam-jam from the Dead.

The Lagniappe Sessions :: Graves

Earlier this year, Graves (moniker of veteran singer-songwriter Greg Olin) released his best record yet in Gary Owens: I Have Some Thoughts, a country gem influenced by “a lineage of West Coast dreamers, surfers and skaters”. The California-based musician treats his inaugural Lagniappe Session with a similar country touch, the five eclectic tracks accompanied accompanied by pedal steel guitar, Wurlitzer piano and more.

The Lagniappe Sessions :: Jeffrey Alexander

You can’t Jeffrey Alexander down. Whether with The Heavy Lidders or Dire Wolves, he’s been traveling the highways and byways the New Weird frontier for decades. Hot off the heels of this latest album Easy Portals, he drops by AD to share a grab bag of covers from various projects, featuring tunes by The Fall, Top Drawer, and Swedish psych legends International Harvester.

The Lagniappe Sessions :: H. Hawkline

This week’s installment of the Lagniappe Sessions catches up with Welsh singer-songwriter Huw Evans who, under the guise of H. Hawkline, has released five records over the past thirteen years. Evans most recent effort, the excellent Cate Le Bon produced LP, Milk For Flowers, dropped earlier this year and the following session acts as a sort of companion set. Expect: unexpected covers of covers, hi-fi nods to Cleaners From Venus, and the majesty of Yoko Ono.

The Lagniappe Sessions :: Prairiewolf

Listen and you’ll hear it…the howl of the Prairiewolf. On their self-titled debut, guitarist Stefan Beck (Golden Brown), keyboardist and synthesist Jeremy Erwin (The Heat Warps), and bassist Tyler Wilcox (who Aquarium Drunkard and Doom and Gloom from the Tomb readers know well) explore kosmische drifts, nocturnal guitar tangles, and expressively jazzy passages. For their first-ever Lagniappe Session, they dive into selections by Yo La Tengo, Melvin Jackson and Eddie Harris.

The Lagniappe Sessions :: Hollow Hand + Aoife Nessa Frances

Returning with another Lagniappe Session, Irish singer-songwriter Aoife Nessa Frances and Hollow Hand’s Max Kinghorn-Mills collaborate today on the following pair of inspired covers, recorded with Aoife’s long time collaborator Brendan Jenkinson. First up, the majesty that is the Elvis Costello penned “Shipbuilding”, via Robert Wyatt’s 1982 single, followed by a spirited rendering of the 1992 Yo La Tengo gem, “Always Something”.

The Lagniappe Sessions :: Spencer Cullum’s Coin Collection | Second Session

Backed by a murderer’s row of local Nashville talent (Erin Rae, Rich Ruth, Sean Thompson, Adam Bednarik and Dominic Billett), Spencer Cullum returns to AD fold with the following encore Lagniappe Session. Not unlike his 2021 entry, the set of covers riffs on various portions of Cullum’s musical diet, from the ’70s avant pop of Slapp Happy to the ineffable magic that was Soft Machine’s second full-length.

The Lagniappe Sessions :: Emergency Group

Brooklyn’s Emergency Group emerged earlier in 2023 with Inspection of Cruelty, a radical cassette on Island House Recordings. Blending electric Miles adventurism with kraut-y psychedelia, it was an auspicious debut — and its two extended tracks left you hungry for more. Fortunately, the quintet is already in the planning stages for a second LP, this one in collaboration with Psychic Temple / Big Ego mastermind Chris Schlarb. While we wait for the fruits of those sessions, dig Emergency Group’s first Lagniappe Session — it’s a doozy.

The Lagniappe Sessions :: Sean Thompson’s Weird Ears

Embrace the choogle. As far as summer jammers go, Sean Thompson’s ‘Weird Ears’ LP from last August continues to pay dividends as it slides from country to cosmic in the blink of an eye. Presently woodshedding material for his next full-length, we caught up with Thompson and co. from his Nashville home, cutting four tracks for his inaugural Lagniappe Session. Come for the Funkadelic cover, stay for the Kernal.

The Lagniappe Sessions :: Sam Blasucci

If you’ve followed AD for a minute you’re likely aware of Sam Blasucci’s role as one half of the Los Angeles based Mapache. Whereas that project hones in on the sunny sonic alchemy of LA’s coast and canyons, Blasucci’s recent solo material works a slightly different thread, influenced both by his move from guitar to piano, and time spent in New Orleans over the pandemic. On heels of his debut long-player, Off My Stars, Blasucci’s Lagniappe Session digs into the work of Mexico’s Marco Antonio Solís Sosa, an old standard made popular by Jimmy Durante, and a nod to his own Italian roots.

The Lagniappe Sessions :: John Andrews & The Yawns

On the heels of their superb, hypnotically smooth fourth record, we bring you the inaugural Lagniappe Session from John Andrews & The Yawns. While Love for the Underdog examines the cinematic charms of the classic theater experience, this batch of covers expands upon the far reach of Andrews and his talented collective. From lo-fi takes on familiar influences like Arthur Russell and Vashti Bunyan, to the elusive single “Seabird” (also check the Peruvian yacht-rock version) by singer-songwriter duo The Alessi Brothers, there is a plethora of inspired takes to get lost in.

The Lagniappe Sessions :: Glyders

Consummate purveyors of ‘American weirdness’, Chicago’s Glyders returned to the fold earlier this year with the release of their latest LP, Maria’s Hunt, via hometown heroes Drag City. Buttressing the album, the band’s Lagniappe Session takes on southern fried Skynyrd, The Damned as chooglers, acoustic Scott Walker and Johnny Mathis by way of the Hoss.