International music, Video of the Day

Video of the Day #43: Caitlin Rose & Rowan

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Two videos for today. First we have a country singer-songwriter Caitlin Rose from Nashville, Tennessee. The song is called Own Side and it’s from her debut album. I must admit that I don’t really know Caitlin very well. I heard a couple of songs from her earlier EP sometime last year and since that she’s been on my list of artists/bands that I need to pay attention to. But I never really properly listened to her until a little promoter called Rowan entered the picture…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxQ9HS7Ao1I]

And here’s that little promoter I was talking about. Rowan is a 5-year old girl and she is singing that same song on the video below. Ok, proud parents filming their kids singing their favourite songs. There’s probably thousands of similar kind of videos on youtube. Most of them are probably nice, but it’s very often just the parents, relatives and friends that find these videos really cute and adorable. However, Rowan singing Caitlin Rose’s Own Side Now is pretty much the cutest and most adorable video on the internet. She looks so cute and sings so well. I’ve watched this probably twenty times during the past two days and this just makes me happy every time. Thanks Rowan for introducing Caitlin Rose’s songwriting talent to the world. I will buy her album just because of you.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPA13L65ELw]

Caitlin Rose Website

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International music, Video of the Day

Video of the Day #42: Summer Fiction

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Back to Philly. Summer Fiction is a Philadelphia-based pop group led by Bill Ricchini. Their previous music video Chandeliers also featured in this video of the day section. I loved that song, but never properly checked out the full album. I really need to do that now, because this seem to be totally my kind of stuff. Throw Your Arms Around Me is another wonderful and oh so charming song from their debut album.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7zsN6TUSRk]

Summer Fiction Website

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Finnish music, International music, News

Jarkko Martikainen and Austin Lucas

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Jarkko Martikainen has recently recorded a cover version of Austin Lucas’ Bells with Finnish lyrics. Kellot was recorded last september with the help of Samae Koskinen and it’s a very good version of the song. I do prefer the original, but also Jarkko nails this one pretty damn well and adds his own vision and style to the song. You can listen to the song on Jarkko Martikainen’s new website. He also has a new album called Usko coming out in april.

Jarkko Martikainen Website

The great Austin Lucas has a new digital single Thunder Rail out now on Last Chance Records and the new album will follow in the spring. I think this was the second time I’ve ever bought a digi-single, but I love Austin and had to get it. The single is fantastic even though a little surprising. He seem to be going towards a full band sound, but I don’t mind at all because this sounds equally brilliant as the earlier country & folk troubadour stuff. I’m really looking forward to the album. Here’s a cool live version of the title track of the previous album Somebody Loves You that was one of the best albums of 2009.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9T3OUKXbnw]

Austin Lucas Website
New single at Last Chance Records

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International music, Reviews

Review: Phil Wilson – God Bless Jim Kennedy

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Phil Wilson: God Bless Jim Kennedy (Yesboyicecream / Slumberland, 2010)

Phil Wilson was the frontman of the somewhat legendary mid-eighties indie pop group The June Brides and now, over 20 years later, Phil returns to this ball game  and shows that he can still handle the art of writing really good pop music. That’s also a small relief, because every now and then one has to face the fact that a past hero returns and releases something that you don’t find interesting at all. Thankfully this is not the case with Phil Wilson. God Bless Jim Kennedy is a great pop album and it seems like quite a logical step forward even though there’s over 20 years in between the last The June Brides releases and this album. He hasn’t abandoned his indie pop roots and a lot of that same magic is still around. However, he is not just trying to relive the past glory by totally copying the old sound, because it’s the only thing he knows how. Not at all.  It’s more like he is just gently modernizing the 80’s indie pop sound and it works beautifully. The album is full of sweet & delicate pop songs which are also catchy and danceable and the whole thing sounds fascinating. Well done.

I Own It:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92ejojMSoO0]

Phil Wilson Website

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