Cha Cha Cha is a 30-song tribute to the great Canadian indie rocker Jim Kilpatrick aka Shotgun Jimmie. I’m not usually that much into tribute albums, but I’m really enjoying this one. I’ve been following Shotgun Jimmie since the Transistor Sister album came out and know the last three albums extremely well, but the tribute shows that I definitely need to go all the way back into the Shotgun Jimmie and Shotgun & Jaybird song vaults and fix some holes in my Jimmie education. There’s a bunch of excellent songs that I haven’t even heard before and I need my heart to be familiar with the originals as well. The line-up of the tribute album is rather impressive. Several of my Canadian music heroes are doing their own gorgeous versions of Shotgun Jimmie’s (should-be) classics. Frederick Squire, Michael Feuerstack, Woodpigeon, Jon McKiel and Ariel Sharratt & Mathias Kom just to name a few.

Cha Cha Cha – The Songs of Shotgun Jimmie is now out on Comin’ Around Records.

Shotgun Jimmie Website

North Carolinian Jeremy Squires is a songwriter that I’ve been following for years and have really liked all of his releases. His new album Collapse came out on the 14th of April and I’ve had it on heavy rotation ever since. The album is quietly mesmerizing and beautifully shattering. I always love this contrast in Jeremy’s music. It can be so devastatingly sad and at the same feel so warm, soft and kindhearted. The songs break me into tiny pieces, but by the time the record finishes he has somehow put the pieces back together in a way that I feel more whole than before. Collapse is another excellent Jeremy Squires album. Here are Night Cars that features Mount Moriah’s Heather McEntire on backing vocals and the music video for the album closer Secrets I Can Keep.

Jeremy Squires Website

Lately I’ve been very much addicted to the songs of Canadian country/folk troubadour Colter Wall. His rather stunning debut full-length album came out a few weeks ago. This self-titled album would be impressive effort for any songwriter let alone 21(?)-year old tunesmith who is just starting out. The producer Dave Cobb is letting Colter Wall’s deep voice and magnificent storytelling take the center stage and don’t use pointless extra gimmicks. I suppose I can understand if the album sounds a bit too bare for some, but I think it’s the right call and I love this just the way it is. It doesn’t work as just background music though, but it’s only a good thing that songs demand the listener’s full attention. Therefore I’m going to cut this worhtless rambling short and I’m gonna just put the headphones on and let Colter’s spectacular voice carry me into the world of traditional folk tales. I fully recommend doing the same. Check these two wonderful album outtakes below and then pick up the full album that came out on Young Mary’s Record Company / Thirty Tigers on 12th of May

Colter Wall Website

The last months flew by without any time or energy for the blog so there’s a huge amount of 2017 releases that haven’t been even mentioned here. Some of them even mean a great deal to me like the new John Statz album The Fire Sermon. I’m a long time fan of this Denver-based (but Wisconsin-raised) folk/americana songwriter and have featured his songs several times over the years. Let’s not make this an exception, because the new album is once again really good and full of gorgeous melodic love songs. This one below is my current favourite Long Time. The Fire Sermon is already out and available in Europe and North American release will happen next Friday 2nd of June.

John Statz Website