I didn’t plan on writing a blog entry tonight, but here I am at 4 am listening to the new Clay Parker album Queen City Blues for the first time and loving it so much that I need to quickly praise it before I go to bed. Clay Parker is a folk/country songwriter from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. My first encounter with him was at CXCW festival where he performed a magnificent duet with Jodi James. I’ve kept an ear on him since then and recently my email alerted me about his new album. It took me a few days to find the the time to hit play, but tonight I did and what I found is a really beautiful and heartfelt folk album. Gentle guitar picking and a soft lovely voice and together they create a shoulder to rest my weary head. It’s perfect music for this really late Saturday night. In fact, I think I’ll go to bed now with the headphones on and I’m going to let Clay sing me to sleep and then continue listening to it when I wake up Sunday morning. Here’s a couple of gorgeous songs from the new album. The title track Queen City Blues and maybe a little bit Townes-y Upon A Winter Cloud. Listen to / buy the whole lovely album on his bandcamp or website.

Clay Parker Website

Lately I’ve been listening to quite a lot of songs by Charlie Whitten. I don’t know how I’ve managed to miss him before this year, but thankfully a couple of months ago I somehow ended up listening to his 2014 album Hey Love. I fell in love with the songs that night and ended up purchasing a download. The music is so warm and beautiful and while it’s not exatcly like it, it still definitely gives me similar feelings as early seventies folk / folk rock artists such as Iain Matthews, Bobby Charles and even Neil Young. There’s a new Playwright EP coming sometime fairly soon and I can’t wait to hear it. Gems On VHS made video for a song called Balance that you probably will find from the new EP. Such a charming song and a complete match with my overly romantic heart.

Here’s also a beauty called All Along from that 2014 album Hey Love. Erin Rae singing harmonies and Gems on VHS again responsible for the lovely video.

Charlie Whitten at Facebook

Canadian songsmith Jerry Leger released a new double-album Nonsense and Heartache on 31st of March. I actually haven’t listened to the whole thing yet. So much great music and hardly any time to listen to new music these days. I definitely plan to check it out, so this little blog post is also kind of like a note to self. I’ve liked everything I’ve heard from the album so far, which are the songs on his Youtube. The latest entry there is this excellent brand new stop-motion animated video for album song Things Are Changing ‘Round Here. Nonsense and Heartache is out on Latent Recordings / Warner Music Canada.

Jerry Leger Website

I was lazy all winter and spring and therefore there’s still lots of gorgeous records that have not been mentioned. This one sat a while on that right column, but I haven’t written anything about it or shared a song. Time to do that, because it’s a damn good album and I keep on returning to it on a regular basis. Hatteras Night, A Good Luck Charm is Will Johnson’s new album that came out in March on Undertow Music Collective. Will Johnson is a musician that probably doesn’t need an introduction, if you have been even a little bit interested in American indie rock and alt.country during the past twenty years. Will has been making wonderful music at least since the mid-nineties. Centro-Matic, South San Gabriel, a collaboration with Jason Molina, gorgeous solo albums and a lot of other things. The new album is a magnificent addition to that impressive discography. I’m blissfully lost in the beautiful surroundings of this last song Hatteras and I have absolutely no intention of finding a way out.

Will Johnson Website