Featured, International music, News

Martin Courtney, Elvyn & Euros Childs

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courneymartin

I’ve always been sort of a semi-fan of Real Estate, but never extremely excited about them. This new Martin Courtney solo album on the other hand. Oh my, I’m totally into this. A bit strange I guess, because it doesn’t differ that much. Still there’s something extra for me here. Or perhaps there’s actually something less here and that’s why I love this sound so much. It’s pure ear candy for me and an absolute beauty of an album. This is Northern Highway from Martin Courtney’s solo album Many Moons that just came out on Domino.

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=vvN4wroh2Wc]

Martin Courtney Website

elvyn

Canadian pop group Elvyn are finally back and ready to give birth to another pop treasure. In case you’ve been following this blog for years, you might remember that I’m a big fan of the band and absolutely loved their previous album The Decline. I still love that thing. It’s among my favourite harmony-filled pop albums of the past ten years. Albums like The Decline by Elvyn, You Love It Here by I Was A King and Learning Love by Bobby Emmett should be world-famous.

The new one is called Valley Of The Kilowatt Hour and it’s due out 15th of November. I haven’t spent too much time with it yet, but it’s definitely another good one. It’s got a bit less of that “west coast meets TFC in Canada” kind of stuff which they master so perfectly. That’s a bit unfortunate, because I so love that. No harm done though, because there’s a lot of great songs and truckload of gorgeous melodies. For example the first three songs are all killers, the sweetest kind of killers. This is the opener Ellie.

Elvyn Website

eurps

The legendary Euros Childs is also back in this ball game delivering the sweetest kind of music. New album Sweetheart is now out and available. Just visit his website for more information. Here’s a tune called Fruit and Veg from the lovely album. Euros Childs with friends playing a sweet pop song, plus there’s a cat in the video. Who wouldn’t love that. This is all for tonight. Tomorrow something completely different. Take it away Euros Childs.

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=yiyQUOlHfcA]

Euros Childs Website

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Featured, International music

Hayden, Widower & Claire Cronin

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haydenhey

I haven’t talked enough about the greatness of the new Hayden album Hey Love. It has been a real grower for me during the year. I did like it from the get go, but it still felt a little bit dissapointing after masterful Us Alone. Where were my ears and especially heart last spring? What an ignorant twat I really was. This is an amazing piece of music. It is one of the albums that will subtly break your heart into thousand pieces and then puts them back together in such a beautiful way that you still end up feeling more whole than before listening. Hey Love has so much to love. Great songs, carefully crafted instrumentation and Hayden’s voice that will melt an iceberg or two and so much more. My favourites are Orange Curtain Light and especially the opener Hearts Just Beat. It’s dreadfully cliche-ish, but that song makes me want to be a better person. This however is another beauty called Troubled Times. Hey Love came out last spring on the great Arts & Crafts label.

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=q_Hkun6c1TM]

I also recommend this gorgeous live at Massey Hall video.

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=cCgpSLL6TO0]

Hayden Website

widowerdark

I was extremely addicted to Widower’s Fool Moon album a couple of years ago. Thoroughbred ended up taking the song of the year award and I still hold that album very dear. If you need a shoulder to cry on, Fool Moon is there for you. The new EP Dark Blue is another beautiful tearjerker and available from his Bandcamp for the price you decide. This is Your Copy of The Catcher in Rye from the Dark Blue EP.

Widower at Facebook

clairecronin

Staying on the dark, but beautiful side of things. Claire Cronin is a new find for me. I stumbled upon her Over and Through album a couple of weeks ago and instantly fell for it. Label Ba Da Bing Records threw in names like Jason Molina and Karen Dalton. Of course Claire is not that good. Nobody is that good. But this is rather remarkable, captivating and amazing album. It’s certainly not for everyone as things tend to get pretty dark occasionally. Thankfully Claire’s beautiful voice keeps the devil just out of reach.

I look forward to hearing Claire Cronin’s full band debut due out next spring. It could be something very special. Not that there’s anything wrong with the bare lo-fi approach of this one. It actually fits perfectly to this music. This is They Say from Over and Through.

Claire Cronin Website

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Featured, International music

The Burning Hell – Fuck The Government, I Love You (video)

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goverment

I’m still addicted to this song and therefore I have to post this gorgeous video as well. The best song and the best video of the year awards were set when I first saw/heard this one. Ok, I guess you could argue that this is the best song of 2016, because that’s when this video version of the song will appear on the new The Burning Hell album. The duo version of the song that I previously posted will appear on the album that is due out 27th of November (that’s my birthday as well, it’s a perfect present to see this beauty being officially released). Anyway, this is The Burning Hell and Fuck The Government, I Love You. The greatest song in my world during the past few months.

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=FIRph805nJE]

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Featured, Headline, International music, News

Steven Lambke, Austin Craig & Andrew Bryant

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stevenlambke

I think it’s time to get back to this blogging thingy and update frequently during the next two months. There’s a few dozen amazing 2015 releases and songs that I haven’t mentioned or posted and that’s just not right. Let’s kick of with some of my current favourite songs. Ok, the favourite song is still Fuck The Government, I Love You, but these aren’t far behind.

I wrote a bit of a preview about Steven Lambke’s album Days Of Heaven earlier in the week. Now the album is out and available and it’s indeed magnificent. I can understand if it isn’t everyone’s cup of capuccino. Steven isn’t the greatest singer in the world and the songs are really short and fragile. I don’t have any complaints though. I do love this wholeheartedly. Perhaps Barna will keep that #1 spot, but a top 10 should be guaranteed. This is something similar to me as was The Shapes That Kiss The Lips Of God by J.E.Sunde. Not that they sound similar, but they managed to capture something insecure and fragile and turn it into something stronger than the character Jaws. This one below is the key moment of the record for me. A song called Memory Forever. It’s simple, but it touches me deeply. That moment where he sings “strong enough to love / strong enough to be loved / to listen close to love / and hear love” is probably my favourite moment of any song this year.

Steven Lambke at Facebook

austincraig

This one is actually from 2012, but I want to repost this, because I still return to this song on almost on a weekly basis. I’m not sure is Austin Craig still making music, but I sure hope so, because this whole A Country Dark EP is amazing. Sure it’s indeed very dark and almost uncomfortable to listen to. I don’t mind though. In a way sad songs are the foundation my happiness is built on and this whole heart might break if I took them away. This the amazing title track of Austin Craig’s 2012 EP A Country Dark.

Austin Craig Website

andrewbryant

Back to the finest of 2015. Andrew Bryant’s This is The Life came out early in the year and has been on heavy rotation throughout the year. The album is finally available on Bandcamp as well and I have to use this opportunity to share one of my favourite songs of the year. Sure there are plenty of other great ones on the album as well, but this is the one I love the most. Such a perfect song. My Own Saving Grace by Andrew Bryant.

Andrew Bryant Website

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