It’s been one of those weeks when I wonder why do I even try to keep this blog alive. The weekdays just fly by too fast and there’s not a whole lot I manage to cover during these 2 am blog writing sessions on the Saturday nights. But no, I still won’t quit, because there are always songs and albums that I hold dear and I suppose even featuring a few of them is far better than none at all. If you get fed up with the slow update frequency there’s also a 2018 best of Spotify playlist on the top left corner that I’m continuously updating. My favorite songs will be added there a little bit faster and it will also include a bit more songs than I have time to cover here. But yeah, it’s just a bonus and the most important ones will eventually end up in this blog too. Whether it takes days, weeks or months is another matter.

Today I’ve been mostly listening to the self-titled The Heat Death album. This is a new side project by two Canadian indie legends, José Miguel Contreras from By Divine Right and Shotgun Jimmie. Personally I’m only vaguely familiar with By Divine Right. Sweet Confusion is the only album that I know and that came out a long time ago (feel free to give tips, if there’s something I especially need to hear, yeah I know, “listen to all of it” is probably the correct answer). Shotgun Jimmie on the other hand is a big favorite and I’ve enjoyed his indie rock songs ever since I stumbled upon this One Trick Pony video where he was goofing around with BA Johnston. I’ve only touched the surface of this Heat Death album, but it already feels pretty damn good. For example all these three singles are wonderful on this weird-ish video that you can watch below. I look forward to digging deeper into the album during the coming weeks.

Shotgun Jimmie Website
By Divine Right Website

Jerry David DeCicca released his second solo album Time The Teacher on the 9th of February. The album is out here in Europe on the Impossible Ark Records. The former The Black Swans frontman has written a very lovely album that will bring a lot of light and color to these dark winter nights. Sure there are some dark subjects, but the overall feel of the album is very mellow, light and comfortable. Piano and horns carry the songs towards me and the soulful backup singers lift them into my heart. Even though the album feels like a gentle easy-flowing bright breeze and I thought about reviewing this by just posting the song Just Ah by The Blades of Grass as the review, the album is not in any way lazy or effortless. There’s quite a lot of depth and detail in the subtle arrangements and the contrast between sweet sounds and melancholic thoughts can also get immensely moving. Therefore even a teardrop might grace the smile of the listener, but these are the good kind of tears that will glue you back together.

Jerry David DeCicca Website

During the past weeks, I’ve been sharing a lot of singles from forthcoming albums, but here’s one monumental 2018 album that is already out and available and sets the bar pretty high for the new year. It’s the new H.C. McEntire solo Lionheart that came out on Merge Records on the 26th of January. Previously she has given us a lot of amazing music as the singer and songwriter of the great North Carolinian band Mount Moriah. This astonishing solo debut contains Southern country sounds, folk rock songs and soulful gospel hymns delivered with power, passion and clarity. The album is a personal, influential and eternally beautiful. Especially the hymns of the album A Lamb, A Dove and When You Come For Me leave such a giant mark on my heart. She was raised in a religious family where being gay was not an option and now she sings in a gospel-like hymn that “I have found heaven in a woman’s touch” and does it with such grace, empathy and dignity. It’s not an aggrieved attack, it’s a lesson of deep kindness. Highly needed in this world where lack of empathy often seems to be like a running theme. Lionheart is a powerful album that everyone should hear.

H.C. McEntire at Facebook

Hey there’s a new Caleb Caudle album available in a few weeks and I haven’t said a word. What is wrong with me? Ok, I did take a small head start by dropping the excellent first single Empty Arms on the songs of the year 2017 list, but that has been all. Better up my game, because I’m a long time fan of this North Carolina-based americana songwriter. The new album Crushed Coins is due out 23rd of February on Cornelius Chapel Records and I’m expecting it to be full of endearing songwriting and warm americana sounds. Latest song to surface from the forthcoming album is Lost Without You and there’s also a gorgeous music video for the song. Watch it below and pre-order the record at Bandcamp.

Caleb Caudle Website