Another quick set of songs that I love. This time in a more folk surroundings. Abe Partridge is a folk singer-songwriter and visual artist from Mobile, Alabama. I’m a bit late here and only found him a few months ago. But now I’m really digging his stuff both old and new. Here’s a couple of recent ones that are quite different, but equally wonderful. New album Love In The Dark will be released by Baldwin Co. Public Records May 12, 2023
From Love in the Dark to Together Through the Dark. That’s the title of the latest Slaid Cleaves album. He’s an awesome folk storyteller from Wimberley, Texas. A whole lot of great songwriting here. My own favorite is Next Heartbreak. It’s quite a heavy hitter about somehow getting through the hardships of life before getting struck by another curve ball. Such a great record.
I meant to add a couple more, but it’s 1am and I need some sleep. So maybe there’s more to come. Who knows.
A couple things I’ve loved lately. Felt like sharing a few songs. Probably won’t happen again. First a timeless pop treasure in the vein of Emitt Rhodes from Vanity Mirror. Brent Randall is a long time fave in this pop game and together with Johnny Toomey he has released quite a gem. Love the music video too. I can’t wait to hear the full album PUFF that will be released in May by We Are Busy Bodies.
How about a couple of favorites Tony Molina and Sarah Rose Janko working together? Well count me in for sure. This single In the Store has some TFC vibes too and that’s never a bad thing. Full album by The Lost Days is out this Friday March 17th on Speakeasy Studios SF. Mighty good new label by the way. I’ve loved pretty much everything they’ve released so far.
Next up the latest sophisticated pop beauty from Toronto’s Bart. What a treasure once again. If you find me shouting the name Bart from the rooftops, this is what I’m praising. What a song. What a band. New album Some Kind of Way out on Idee Fixe Records in May.
Let’s wrap up this one with one of the latest singles from Portland’s Dakota Theim. He has been one of my favorite pop guys during the recent years and I love these new tunes as well. Not exactly sure is there an album on the way or are these separate singles. Anyway, here’s Angeline.
Tonight’s small round up of releases that I love starts from Arkansas with the new Sad Daddy album Way Up in the Hills. Members Brian Martin, Joe Sundell, Rebecca Patek and Melissa Carper all write songs and sing lead and the end result is a refreshing and truly enjoyable roots album. Here’s a couple of personal favorites from the album. However, it’s impossible to explore all the various rootsy shades of the album with just a few examples so please do listen/buy the whole thing on Bandcamp.
Lost Dog Street Band doesn’t really need an introduction at least in this bubble that I live in and therefore this is mostly preaching to the choir type of post. Nevertheless, The band led by songwriter Benjamin Tod and fiddle player Ashley Mae have made an exceptional album full of hard-hitting dark country songs. This is gold from first note to last and naming a favorite track is almost an impossible task. Therefore I used different ones here than on the earlier new music playlists. Listen / buy the whole great album on Bandcamp. The music video is from Western AF whose youtube channel is probably still the best place on this internet thing-y.
And wrapping this little blog post with a couple of new singles. Freakwater and Mekons recently joined forces and the end result is a band called Freakons and most likely a wonderful album of songs about coal mining. Most likely only because so far I’ve only heard this awesome lead single Blackleg Miner. Not that I have any doubts that the rest of it will sound equally impressive. The self-titled album will be released by one of my favorite record labels Fluff & Gravy Records on the 25th of March.
And last but not least a couple of singles from the forthcoming Sophie & The Broken Things album Delusions of Grandeur that will be released by Petaluma Records on the 25th of February. I’ve really enjoyed all the advance singles from this Nashville-based alt.country band and look forward to hearing the whole thing later this month. Here’s the music video for Trouble that also features another excellent Nashville country artist Logan Ledger and the latest single Heavy Metal.
Continuing with these quick late night round ups of releases that I love. Kicking off this in Portland, Oregon with the brand new album The Sea Drift from country soul masters The Delines. The band led by Amy Boone and Willy Vlautin have again created a truly captivating album. Willy Vlautin is a first class storyteller and Amy Boone’s mesmerizing voice sends his words into my heart. It’s kinda early, but this one has a guaranteed place on my eoty list if the blog/world still exists at the end of 2022. Here are a couple of the singles from the album. Check out that Bandcamp link or your favorite record store to buy/hear the whole beautiful thing.
Moving over to Scotland for the new Josienne Clarke EP I Promised You Light that came out on the 4th of February on Corduroy Punk Records. If I still wrote actual reviews this is one of those that might get full five hearts. The promised light might not be flashy or flamboyant, but it has the power to sparkle through every barrier I’ve foolishly set for myself and I love everything about this. Here’s the music video for the lead single Driving at Night with another fabulous EP cut, but make sure you buy / listen the whole thing on her Bandcamp.
Let’s wrap this small blog entry with a couple of album announcements with a lead single. First a long time blog favorite John Calvin Abney from Oklahoma. Well actually it looks like he is currently living Austin, Texas. However, the place that he calls home right now is somewhat irrelevant. Far more important is that his new song Holy Golden West is ready to find a home in your heart and the full album Tourist will knock the same door in August. Check out the new music video by filmmaker Rahul Chakraborty and pre-order the album from Black Mesa Records.
And last stop on this tour is Toronto, Canada and the lead single from the forthcoming Evan J Cartwright album. The drummer extraordinaire (The Weather Station, U.S. Girls etc) is getting ready to release his debut album and it will come out on the always great Idee Fixe Records. I’m very fond of this first outtake and you’ve got nobuddy and there’s something strangely captivating in this simple music video as well. There may not be a whole lot going on, but somehow I ended up watching it several times in a row. I look forward to hearing the full album when it arrives on the 15th of April.
