Featured, International music

John Klemmensen and the Party

1 Comment

johnklem

Lately I’ve spent my nights watching every John Klemmensen & The Party video I’ve been able to find. I ended up checking out his songs a week or two ago because of some old short Arliss Nancy tweet posted sometime last year and kind of instantly fell for this music. John Klemmensen is one incredible vocalist and often there’s a heavenly good female vocalist backing him up. I could listen these two sing all day long. Then add some high quality honest and fragile rock songs and you have a winning formula. Or at least you should have winning formula. They seem to be way too unknown outside of their hometown Omaha and it’s been a bit hard to find a lot of information or songs to listen to. I did order the latest vinyl Party All Night from their Bandcamp, so hopefully that will arrive on my doorstep in the coming weeks.

Here’s a couple of those John Klemmensen & The Party videos that I’ve been watching. Just listen to this man sing his heart out.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WFDxIkxWcE]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd2Qq1A_vxU]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CulxJqGE6k]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-kSTMGyb9s]

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

John Klemmensen and the Party at Bandcamp

John Klemmensen at Facebook

Continue Reading

Featured, Headline, International music, News

Luke Bell – Sometimes (video)

No Comments

image

American country singer-songwriter Luke Bell will release his self-titled album on 17th of June and I’m very eager to hear it, because I really enjoyed his previous one Don’t Mind If I Do that I bought from his Bandcamp a while back. Actually the only unfortunate thing about this new album is that some of these songs already appeared on Don’t Mind If I Do. However, in this case it’s perfectly understandable to use some of that excellent older material, because not that many people heard it and these songs deserve and demand to be heard. This video track Sometimes is one of those (should-be) hits that was on the earlier one, but I still love it and there’s not many places I’d rather be right now then at that bar singing along to Sometimes with Luke and other heroes like Patrick Sweany and Erin Rae.

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=3p2oXxQgvwQ]

Also highly recommend this Luke Bell video

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=TFjRViiH5nY]

Luke Bell Website

Continue Reading

Featured, Headline, International music, News

Kalispell – Printer’s Son (new album June 3rd)

No Comments

kalispell-printersson-front

Here’s another shout out of great things to come this summer. Kalispell’s wonderful album Printer’s Son will finally see the light of the day thanks to Cartouche Records. I backed the Kickstarter project so I got the digital copy sometime last year and absolutely fell in love with the album. It would have been in my top 10 for the year, but I asked Shane Leonard about the release date and he told me it will come out officially in 2016. Therefore I left it out and saved it for my best of 2016 list.

Shane Leonard is a multi-instrumentalist and producer who has worked with Field Report, J.E.Sunde, Stray Birds etc. Hopefully Printer’s Son will turn him from liner note wizard to a front row hero. Kalispell deserves a lot of love. The album is a thing of great beauty where old Appalachian music gently collides with modern folk music. The pre-order is now up on Cartouche Records website. I think I might have to pick up that vinyl myself as well, because that early digital copy is not enough. The excellent first outtake from the album Windfall is now available and you can hear it below.

Kalispell Website

Continue Reading

Featured, International music, News

Frederick Squire – Spooky Action at a Distance (new album May 27)

No Comments

squiree

There’s not enough talk about the greatness of Canadian songwriter Frederick Squire. At least not in this corner of the world where I reside. I think his albums March 12 (2010 release) and Sings Shenandoah and Other Popular Hits (2011) are both amazing. I was late to this party though and only acquired them some years later. Probably haven’t even written about them because of that. Another reason why I should write about older albums, because March 12 has become very dear to me since I picked it from Zunior’s Boxing day sale few years back.

Fred is also the Fred in Daniel, Fred & Julie and a former member of Shotgun & Jaybird. I haven’t listened to the latter one yet, even though that’s probably a criminal offense. Just like in Fred’s case, I’m familiar with Shotgun Jimmie’s future actions though (he also has a new album out on You’ve Changed and I’m planning on writing about that one later). Anyway, this was just an early shout out to tell you that a) Frederick Squire is marvellous and b) He has a new album Spooky Action at a Distance coming out May 27th and I couldn’t be more excited to hear it. The first outtake Bike Thief surfaced a couple of days ago and it sounds mighty good to me. You can judge yourself by hitting that play button below.

And here’s a couple of should-be classics from the older albums mentioned above.

Frederick Squire at Bandcamp

Continue Reading