Today I’ve been mostly listening to the new Digger Barnes album Near Exit 27 and I’m loving it. Digger Barnes is a Hamburg-based country songwriter. I first heard his name some years ago when he played in Finland with another great troubadour Austin Lucas. I didn’t see the show, but I listened to the music enough to know that Digger Barnes is pretty damn good and someone that I need to keep an ear on. The new album came out on 10th of March on Barnes & Quincy and it’s rather brilliant based on a first couple of spins. Here’s the new music video for a wonderful album outtake called Travelin’ Man. The video was directed by Pencil Quincy.

Digger Barnes “TRAVELING MAN” Music Video from Pencil Quincy on Vimeo.

Digger Barnes Website

It’s only March and I’m already so far behind and have a dozen or so releases that I would like to feature on the blog. Sometimes I’m too lazy, sometimes I’m too busy and sometimes I’m just making art out of excuses. That doesn’t stop me from buying more and more music though and drag myself deeper into the hole. The always great UK-labels Fika Recordings & Wiaiwya Records co-released Bill Botting and The Two Drink Minimums album Better Friends on the 10th of March. I had been waiting for this one for a couple of months, because I really enjoyed the first outtakes from the album. Therefore I downloaded it on the release day and the album turned out to be just as wonderful as I had hoped.

I can’t say that I’m very familiar with Bill’s musical adventures before Better Friends. He was the bass player in an awesome pop group called Allo Darlin’ and he is also one half Moustache Of Insanity that is criminally unknown to me. Actually I probably would have completely missed this gorgeous album, if it hadn’t been released on Fika / Wiaiwya. I fully trust their taste and check out everything they put out. Anyway, this Australian songwriter has put together a really lovely and instantly enjoyable debut album. Somehow it keeps me smiling even during the sadder moments of it. It’s a folk-tinged pop companion that will keep you warm during these last winter days. My early favorite is probably Burning Bridges. A great song and Bill Botting and Hannah Botting sing it together so beautifully. Better Friends is a gorgeous album.

Bill Botting & The Two Drink Minimums at Facebook

Hold the press! This is a huge deal. We have a new J.E. Sunde album Now I Feel Adored out now on Cartouche Records. J.E. Sunde is one of my favorite songwriters these days. I completely fell in love with his solo debut a couple of years ago and those songs won’t leave my side for as long as I live. The new album Now I Feel Adored don’t have that surprise factor anymore, but after a couple of spins it seems to be even stronger than its predecessor. Sounds like a remarkable work of art and I’m looking forward to spending the next few weeks / months in the arms of these unique contemporary folk songs.

There’s a Finnish connection here as well that I learned after I fell in love with his music. J.E. Sunde’s mother’s side of the family is Finnish descent. Would be a dream come to true to see him play here one day. When I win the lottery I’ll book him and the Canadian Jurvanen aka Bahamas for a Finland tour. However, this Finnish connection is just an interesting sidenote. What matters far more is that he is a magnificent songwriter and just released a brilliant new record. This is the music video for a song called The Works of My Hands.

And here’s the making of the album video. I especially enjoy the last part, because I share the sentiment. That’s kind of why my favorite moment of his songs is that “everyone else seems so together, so beautifully together” part on A Blinding Flash of Light. A top 3 song of this current decade from his previous album.

J.E. Sunde Website