M. Lockwood Porter – Chris Bell

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Singer-songwriter M. Lockwood Porter just released a new single called Chris Bell. The subject of the song is of course Big Star’s Chris Bell and I love that, because Big Star is one of my all-time favourite bands. Big Star, The Posies and Teenage Fanclub pretty much form the foundation of my music taste (and the latter two were obviously influenced by Big Star, so it kind of all leads to Big Star in the end). This is M.Lockwood Porter’s song about Chris Bell. You can download the single from his bandcamp.

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M.Lockwood Porter at Bandcamp
M.Lockwood Porter Website

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Withered Hand – New Gods

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I still have a whole lot of catching up to do, if I’m ever going to get up-to-date with 2014 releases. This however, is something brand new. Withered Hand aka singer-songwriter Dan Willson from Edinburgh (who also toured in Finland back in 2012) has a new album New Gods out now in UK/Europe (Fortuna Pop!). US release on Slumberland will follow on the 25th of March. I just listened to it a few times on Spotify today and I really liked it (I will pick up a physical copy later as well). It’s surprisingly pop at times, but of course I don’t mind at all. The song Heart Heart was clearly not for me and I almost hated it. But the rest of it sounds magnificent to me. There’s a lot to love. Like these great songs, Horseshoe and Black Tambourine.

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Withered Hand Website

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Myriam Gendron – Not So Deep as a Well

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This album is worth all the hearts. Not So Deep as a Well by Myriam Gendron came out just two days ago (March 4th), but it feels like it has already been my companion for a really long time. I started today by listening to it on my way to work, I kept it on the whole 9 hour work day, because I never felt like I wanted or needed a change, I listened to it on my way to home from work and now I’m listening to it at home while writing this little blog entry about this beautiful piece of art. So I kind of like this.

Myriam Gendron is a Montreal-based singer-songwriter and on Not So Deep as a Well she turns Dorothy Parker’s beautiful poetry into magical folk music. This was recorded and mixed in her bedroom, but the end-result still sounds perfect to me. Warm and lovely. And so effortlessly beautiful. It’s kind of a mystery that something so simple and bare can be as captivating, memorable, timeless and striking as this is. The music finds every corner of your body, even the parts that can’t be located from an anatomy chart. Ballade of a Great Weariness and The Last Question especially hurt and heal me simultaneously every time I listen to them. I would easily believe you, if you told me that this is a lost folk masterpiece from the 70s like Sibylle Baier’s Colour Green. It’s that good. Actually Not so Deep as a Well is the most impressive record of the year so far.

Not So Deep as a Well is a co-release by Feeding Tube Records and Mama Bird Recording Company. Limited vinyl edition is available from Feeding Tube and one of my favourite labels, Mama Bird Recording Company takes care of the digital side. This is Solace from Not So Deep as a Well.

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Myriam Gendron at Facebook
Myriam Gendron Website

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Nathan K. – Most Birthdays

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These days we are hardly up-to-date around here, but let’s make an exception and post a new song almost immediately after hearing it. Michigan-based folk singer-songwriter Nathan K. just released the first single from his forthcoming album. I’ve listened to it on repeat for the past half an hour and I think it’s a great song. I Can’t wait to hear the whole thing. You can buy/listen to the new single Most Birthdays on his bandcamp page. And while you are at it, check out his earlier albums Dishes and Newspapers & Prayers. These albums are name-your-price downloads, so you can even get them for free. But that always makes me want to pay a few dollars. So even though I’ve had Dishes on the iPod since the release year, I just paid a couple dollars (well I had a selfish motive and wanted these beautiful records to appear on my Bandcamp collection). Anyway, this is the new Nathan K. single Most Birthdays.

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Nathan K. at Facebook
Nathan K. Website

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