The best music-related thing in my world at the moment is the new song Robert Downey Jr.’s Scars by Andrew Bryant. Popmatters premiered it earlier in the week and I’ve been listening to it over and over again. A monster of a song and I can’t wait to hear the full album. I already saw the tracklist and that it ends to the song Pay Your Rent and I can fully picture myself picking the pieces of my heart from the floor when the last notes of the record are floating through the speakers. Thankfully I’m also sure that while the record might momentarily break me, in the end listening to it will make me more whole.

Andrew Bryant is a songwriter from Mississippi who might still be better known as a member of Water Liars, but hopefully that will change sometime soon. Not because Water Liars aren’t any good. They are a wonderful band and I would definitely like to hear a new Water Liars album as well. It’s just that these solo outings of Andrew are out-of-this world great. The previous Andrew Bryant album This is the Life was a #2 on my albums of the year list and it’s still something that I hold very dear and even if I never heard those songs again, I would still carry them with me wherever I go. And yeah, Water Liars front man Justin Peter Kinkel-Schuster also put out a gorgeous solo album last year, so things are going rather brilliantly in the Water Liars world even though it’s been three years since they released an album together.

Anyway, let’s end this pointless ramblings, because you could summarise everything I said with the words “I love Andrew Bryant”. Here’s the new magnificent song Robert Downey Jr’s Scars. I hope it’s already ok to post this. I always struggle to know what’s the proper netiquette when someone has premiere for a song. When is it okay for others to post it? As if my little blog ever took any readers from anybody.

Robert Downey Jr’s Scars is an outtake from the forthcoming Andrew Bryant album Ain’t it Like the Cosmos that is due out 27th of October on Last Chance Records. You can already pre-order it from their website.

And here’s an old amazing live version of another album track Pay Your Rent from the HearYa sessions.

Andrew Bryant Website

I’m so far behind with all the great 2017 releases that I don’t even know where to start again, but here’s a couple of beautiful things from both sides of the pond that have given me shelter from the everyday stress during the last few months.

I’ve been somewhat familiar with East Nashville’s Allen Thompson for a few years, but I didn’t do the proper due diligence until last summer when I bought the new album Brace Yourself. Allen Thompson Band passed the process with flying colours and it turned out my heart and their songs were a rather perfect match. Actually with that gorgeous voice, even a not-that-good song would seem like a treasure.. and no, there’s nothing wrong with the song material either. This is River City Blues from the new album.

Allen Thompson Website

While Allen Thompson is a fairly new acquaintance, I’ve been a fan of UK-based Danny George Wilson since Grand Drive’s See The Morning In, which came out 15 years ago. He’s had a hell of a career and isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. In fact, the new Danny & The Champions of the World album Brilliant Light could well turn out to be the brightest highlight of his career. Sure it takes quite a long while to properly introduce one’s heart to 18 songs and 80 minutes of wonderful soulful folk rock, but it’s well worth the effort. This one below Gotta Get Things Right In My Life is the song I love the most on the new album and it almost became like a theme song for my summer. I was extremely tired all the time and it started to reflect on everything and everyone around me. There was a clear danger that I was turning into someone that I would resent and therefore someone else singing simple words like “gotta get things right in my life” in such a beautiful manner was exactly what I needed at the time. Brilliant Light by Danny & The Champions of the World is now out on Loose Music.

Danny & The Champions of the World

Progress is still rather slow-mo, but I think I’ve relocated the spark and plan to continue at least a little more regularly than during the past 3-4 months. Here’s a couple of recent song addictions that fits nicely under the same post.

Twain aka Mt Davidson will release his new future classic Rare Feeling on the 20th of October. He is a superb songwriter and I’m so eager the hear this one. The first single Solar Pilgrim is out and available and it takes my breath away. Rare Feelings will be released by Keeled Scales. You can already pre-order either on their website or from the bandcamp page by clicking that song link below.

Twain at Facebook

The Deslondes from New Orleans is a pretty obvious post companion for Twain, because they are often touring together. The new Deslondes album came out already in June on New West Records and I bought it back then or thereabouts, but this blog has been standing silent so I still haven’t even mentioned it. Maybe Hurry Home is still not the home run I expect them to hit one day, but it’s a damn good record. (This Ain’t A) Sad Song is such a wonderful song.

The Deslondes Website

And as little bonus selection, I have to post The Deslondes and Twain performing a song called Run Wild together. I suppose this is why someone invented youtube. Incredible stuff.