Another quick round up of early 2021 favorites. Kicking this off in Montreal, Canada with classic country gold from singer-songwriter Bobby Dove. Hopeless Romantic has been my favorite album during the past week and I also purchased a digital copy on Bandcamp day. Such a special record and I love it to bits. Here’s a couple of great examples from the album.

Bobby Dove Website
Bobby Dove at Facebook

Next some California country from Lowstar Rodeo. This is a solo project by Kevin Carducci from The Easy Leaves. I’m not actually familiar with the band and I think just stumbled upon this when I did my weekly bandcamp new releases search routine. I instantly liked it and the feeling has only grown stronger during the last few weeks and therefore I also picked this one on Bandcamp day. My own favorite song is Toward the Light, which is one of the best pandemic songs I’ve heard.

Lowstar Rodeo at Facebook
Lowstar Rodeo Website

This one by singer-songwriter and upright bassist Melissa Carper isn’t out before next week, but after hearing the three advance singles, I’m fully convinced that Daddy’s Country Gold will be one of my favorite albums of the year. Just perfect timeless country gold. Here’s a couple of these gorgeous singles (Bandcamp didn’t have playable songs, but you can pre-order it there)

Melissa Carper Website
Melissa Carper at Facebook

Last station on this roundabout is Louisiana. Singer-songwriter Quinn Pilgrim’s great new album Jericho Dream came out on the 22nd of January on Partially Sealed Records. It’s neither on the Partially Sealed Records Bandcamp or Quinn’s personal Bandcamp, but you’ll find it from the streaming services. My own favorite is Helpless One that gives some Townes vibes. Excellent record as a whole too and definitely a name to keep an eye on.

Quinn Pilgrim at Bandcamp

A blog post that is not a playlist. Who would have thought. Well it might be just a one-off and there are hardly any words, but anyway, I wanted to highlight a few releases that might not be that high profile in the grand scheme of things, but mean the world to me. Kicking things off in Montreal, Quebec with Isaac Vallentin’s gorgeous third album “…” that came out on the 3rd of February. Here’s the music video for Winter Song along with my own favourite, almost ten minutes long The Ballad of Nunangat that honour the lives and voices of Indigenous Canadians.

Isaac Vallentin Website

Moving on to Bristol, UK for the brand new Clara Mann EP Consolations that came out last week on Sad Club Records. I pretty much came a fan of singer-songwriter Clara Mann during my first spin of her debut single I Didn’t Know You Were Leaving Today last November. I instantly loved it and I’ve felt the same way about every Clara Mann I’ve heard to date.

Clara Mann at Facebook

Back in Canada for another treasure from the February 26 release vault. Former Harlan Pepper Dan Edmonds released a new charming solo album Good Fortune Assembly. The song The Morning is just pure gold. Dan Edmonds, Luka Kuplowsky and Caitlin Woelfle-O’Brien create some magic together there and the music video is also excellent.

Dan Edmonds at Facebook

Let’s wrap this small blog entry in Los Angeles, California with the sweetest music video I know. It’s the ending song Love Me When I Go To Sleep from the new Steady Holiday album Take The Corners Gently. Such a lovely and heartfelt video. I love it wholeheartedly. Goes without saying that the album is also excellent.

Steady Holiday Website
Steady Holiday at Facebook

Continuing with these quick round ups of my favorite releases. This time various shades of country music. First station Brooklyn, New York and some classic country gold from one of my big favourites Zephaniah OHora. His great new album Listening to the Music was produced by Neal Casal and came out officially on the 28th of August (a few weeks earlier for the folks who pre-ordered a copy). I shared the lead track All American Singer a while back, so let’s go with another advance single We Planned to Have it All on this little blog entry. This one hits me harder than I might be willing to admit. Such a perfect country ballad. Listen to / buy the whole album buy hitting those links on the Bandcamp player.

Zephaniah OHora Website
Zephaniah OHora at Facebook

Next off to Sydney for the new Arna Georgia album Yes Girl that came out on the 17th of July. I can’t say I’m a big expert on the Australian country scene. That’s probably something I should work on, because sometimes I do stumble upon great albums like this one. Here’s the first single 1998 (Catching Up To Do) as a music video and one of my own favorites Blues on a City Street.

Arna Georgia Website
Arna Georgia at Facebook

Back stateside and more precisely Lexington, Kentucky to add a bit more energy into the mix. Long time favorite Justin Wells released his wonderful record The United State on the 28th of August. Here’s an enjoyable music video for one of the advance singles No Time For a Broken Heart and another excellent album cut Temporary Blue. The latter features Abby Hamilton who released a marvellous EP earlier during this godforsaken year. Don’t sleep on that either.

Justin Wells Website
Justin Wells at Facebook

And last stop this time around is Austin, Texas and one of my favorite new country singer-songwriters Juliet McConkey. She just released her beautiful and moving debut album Disappearing Girl on the 21st of August. I’ve shared Hung the Moon, River Run and Disappearing Girl on the playlist, so let’s wrap this little blog entry with the captivating album closer Like a Rose.

Juliet McConkey Website
Juliet McConkey at Facebook