Michael Feuerstack – Adult Lullabies EP
Canadian songwriter Michael Feuerstack celebrates the 1st anniversary of his previous work of art, The Forgettable Truth, with a release of a wonderful new EP Adult Lullabies. The songs were mostly recorded in the same sessions as The Forgettable Truth, but didn’t make the cut for one reason or another. Kind of goes to show how strong that album was when such treasures as these didn’t fit in. Also nice to see an earlier song Blue Light II make an official appearance. I heard it first on Line Of Best Fit’s Canadian Christmas compilation and recently it’s been one of my favourite winter songs. No matter how cold it gets or how much snow the winter throws at your face, you can still keep your heart warm in the comfort of that song. This on the other hand, is Home Away From Home, another beauty from this lovely EP. Adult Lullabies is now out on Forward Music Group.
Mount Moriah – Baby Blue (video)
There appears to be a mountain-sized hole in my music education. Sure I’m somewhat familiar with the band Mount Moriah, but haven’t really ever properly listened to them. That has to change when the new album How To Dance comes out Feb. 26th on Merge Records. The first outtakes from the forthcoming album have all been magnificent. I can’t wait to hear the whole thing. This is the music video for the song Baby Blue.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K28-7TlMNJw]
Applewood Road – Applewood Road
I’m spinning the new Applewood Road album for the first time at the moment and I’m totally loving it. Emily Barker, Amy Speace and Amber Rubarth singing original songs live around single microphone at all-analogue Welcome to 1979 studio in Nashville. What’s not to love. The 3-part harmonies are so heavenly beautiful that even horrible songs would sound great and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the song material either. It might not be able to take me back to 1979, but somehow it stops time and for a moment that way too rushed everyday life has to settle for a spot on the sidelines.
[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=PxlIYJ6DeFg]
Chris Bathgate – Old Factory EP
Not much is happening here. I’m still trying to figure out what’s wrong with me and spent hundreds and hundreds of euros on various blood tests instead of records. The good thing is that I actually may finally have a reason and a perfectly treatable reason why I’ve had that numbness, muscle weakness and horrible lack of energy for almost two years. It remains to be seen whether that is the whole truth and nothing but the truth, but at least I have something that I can work on to make myself feel better. And actually I already do feel a little bit better, but that of course might just be some sort of placebo effect at this point. I sure hope I can finally get the energy levels back up, because it’s been hard enough to just battle through the work days and there just haven’t been anything left for this hobby.
The biggest music news of the year so far is the return of Chris Bathgate and the release of his new EP Old Factory. It’s been five years since we’ve gotten new music from Chris Bathgate, but I’ve listened to a lot of his songs during those five years. I discovered him way too late when that previous album Salt Year came out in 2011, but I instantly fell in love with that record and I soon bought his back catalogue as well. He has become my all-time most listened artist based on last.fm stats during these past five years. If I ever make another all-time favourite album list, his 2007 album A Cork Tale Wake will definitely be one of my first picks. What a masterpiece and Salt Year and Throatsleep aren’t far behind. Chris Bathgate’s new EP Old Factory came out 5th of February on Quite Scientific and it’s a great addition to his catalogue of masterful and intriguing folk releases. This is Calvary from the new EP.