Hey another week, another new weekly playlist. I’m really enjoying making this every week, which is nice. Especially because sometimes or even most of the times during the last few years the blog has been closer to a burden than something that I wholeheartedly enjoy. Don’t get me wrong, it’s dear to me and I’m somewhat proud of doing it for 17 years, but it’s also hard to keep it going and it can get emotionally draining. Especially because I always feel like that I want to feature everything that matters to me and I feel super bad because I’m not able to do that. Which is sort of a silly thought, because even the actual music journalists who write for a living don’t have to cover everything. Their publications have other writers too and I’m just one guy who does this as a hobby on his spare time. I hope this takes away a bit of that feeling, because this way I can at least share everything in some way and hopefully a large chunk of them later on a proper post too. Plus it’s just fun to listen to new music and compile this every week. I’m not even too worried about whether I can get listeners to this, because it’s fun to do and I enjoy listening to the mix myself on my way to work and back.

Another really strong release week. Robbie Fulks & Linda Gail Lewis put out their duo album and it is a great rock’n’roll meets country extravaganza. Bird Streets debut is a new exciting pop record from John Brodeur and it was produced by Jason Falkner. Dublin-born, NY-based folk singer-songwriter John Cathal O’Brien released a great new album, Riley Pinkerton finally released her debut full-length after a couple of marvellous EPs (one solo and one with Henry Black). The War and Treaty’s soul, gospel, americana melting pot is really good. Cordovas delivers some of the finest harmony-filled American folk rock these days. The Mountain Lions album that has been featured on the playlist a couple of times is also now out and available. Then there was also new ones from Kathryn Joseph, Jason Eady, Liz Cooper & The Stampede and Dawn Landes, but haven’t really had enough of time to listen to these more than little bit. Oh and on the EP front there was at least Taylor Janzen’s debut that might be your new favorite if you like artists like Phoebe Bridgers.

Then there are new singles from Adrianne Lenker, John Hiatt, Anna St. Louis, Marissa Nadler and some older singles that I missed when they came out. And of course another song from last week’s brilliant albums from Michael Nau, Amanda Shires and Juan Solorzano. The big completely new finds for me this week were Joel Henry Little and Hadley McCall Thackston. Joel Henry Little’s song somehow reminds me of Emitt Rhodes and other 70s pop/folk artists. album out on Life Is A Minestrone 24th of August. Yesterday I was blinded by the greatness of folk songwriter Hadley McCall Thackston’s Slow Burn (thanks to Adam Wilson’s Quiet Revolution for this find). My reaction was completely oppositive to slow burn, because I instantly fell in love with the song. That song is not on Spotify, but I will share it later. No worries though, because there are equally great songs on her self-titled album that came out in June on Wolfe Island. These two songs might be the ones that I was most passionate about during the week, because there’s just nothing like finding an artist/band for the first time. There’s some Finnish americana too, because the Tuomo & Markus album that came out here year or two ago will get an US release on Schoolkids Records in September. Good reason to drop the finest song of that lovely album on this list. Oh did I already mention pretty much every song. Sorry about that. I’ll stop now. Oh but not until I’ve said that there’s obviously a song from Clay Parker and Jodi James for the fourth time in a row. Ok, now it’s time to let Bird Streets kick this one off with a song from their new pop album.

Dear 23 – OCTA Weekly Playlist Episode #4

1. Bird Streets – Betting On The Sun (Bird Streets, Omnivore Recordings, 2018)
2. Amanda Shires – White Feather (To The Sunset, Silver Knife Records, 2018)
3. John Cathal O’Brien – Cures (These Borders, 2018)
4. Michael Nau – Funny In Real Life (Michael Nau & The Mighty Thread, Full Time Hobby, 2018)
5. Hadley McCall Thackston – Devil or Angel (Hadley McCall Thackston, Wolfe Island, 2018)
6. Joel Henry Little – Arms Akimbo (single, Life is a Minestrone, 2018)
7. Riley Pinkerton – Like The Lady Waiting By Her Phone (Nothing Ever Is, 2018)
8. Jason Eady – Always a Woman (I Travel On, Old Guitar Records, 2018)
9. Clay Parker and Jodi James – I Remember It All (The Lonesomest Sound That Can Sound, 2018)
10. Juan Solorzano – Time Machine (Time Machine, Tone Tree Music, 2018)
11. Dawn Landes – Traveling (Meet Me At The River, Yep Roc, 2018)
12. William Elliot Whitmore – Fear of Trains (single, Bloodshot Records, 2018)
13. Tuomo & Markus – Vanity Blinds (single, Schoolkids Records, 2018)
14. Anna St.Louis – Understand (single, Woodsist/Mare, 2018)
15. Adrianne Lenker – cradle (single, Saddle Creek, 2018)
16. Jason Bemis Lawrence – How Fast Can You Pack? (single, 2018)
17. Taylor Janzen – The Waiting Room (Interpersonal EP, 2mm, 2018)
18. Young Readers – Dancing (single, 2018)
19. John Hiatt – Cry To Me (single, New West Records, 2018)
20. Cordovas – Selfish Loner (That Santa Fe Chanel, ATO Records, 2018)
21. Marissa Nadler – Blue Vapor (single, Bella Union, 2018)
22. The War and Treaty – It’s Not Over Yet (Healing Tide, Strong World Entertainment/Thirty Tigers, 2018)
23. Robbie Fulks & Linda Gail Lewis – Hardluck, Louisiana (Wild! Wild! Wild!, Bloodshot Records, 2018)

Oh and do buy the vinyl/cd/download. Spotify and other streaming services are perfect for introductory purposes, but try to buy at least the ones that matter the most to you.

Another week, another weekly playlist. Next week I plan to get back on other kind of blog posts as well, because I’m fully aware that this weekly feature isn’t a whole lot. It’s starting to feel possible again, because the heatwave is losing its grip on my brain and hopefully next week I can form other kind of sentences than “damn it’s hot in here” and “is there enough room for me to sleep in the fridge, if I remove the shelves and all the groceries”.

It was again a great week for new music. Actually every week is and there’s way more good music than there is time to listen to it. And I’m perfectly aware that I only know a tiny fraction of it. There’s so much more that I don’t know anything about (feel free to drop hints, I’m always keen to find out new stuff), but here are the ones that sparked my interest this week.

Michael Nau, Juan Solorzano, Amanda Shires, Lucero, Elephant Micah and Adriel Denae all released excellent new albums. On the singles front, I really loved the new Adeline Hotel song Habits and Colter Wall’s Plain to See Plainsman. Oh and The Pollies are also back and that’s sweet. Clay Parker and Jodi James will stay probably stay on the these weekly lists until I’ve gone through the whole album, because it’s possibly my favorite album of the year. Hawks and Doves also remains, because Kasey is back making noise the right way. Izaak Opatz also has a third appearance in a row, because there’s so many wonderful songs on his record.

Anyway, I could namecheck all, because I really like all the songs. At first I thought I might struggle to come up with 23 new-ish songs every week, but damn it’s actually pretty easy and the struggle is more that I come up with more than 23. I’m a music addict and I love that. Anyway, enough with the pointless rambling and it’s time to let Adeline Hotel kickoff this week’s selection of new music.

Dear 23 – OCTA Weekly Playlist Episode #3

1. Adeline Hotel – Habits (single, Ruination Record Co, 2018)
2. Juan Solorzano – Should’ve Been You (Time Machine, Tone Tree Music, 2018)
3. Michael Nau – On Ice (Michael Nau & The Mighty Thread, Full Time Hobby, 2018)
4. Amanda Shires – Charms (To The Sunset, Silver Knife Records, 2018)
5. Adriel Denae – Avalanche (Adriel Denae, Refuge Foundation for the Arts, 2018)
6. The Pollies – Hold My Heart (single, This Is American Music, 2018)
7. Hawks and Doves – Dangerous Ones (From A White Motel, Jullian Records, 2018)
8. Lucero – Cover Me (Among the Ghosts, Liberty & Lament, 2018)
9. Clay Parker and Jodi James – Gallows Tree (The Lonesomest Sound That Can Sound, 2018)
10. Jamie Lin Wilson – The Being Gone (single, 2018)
11. Advance Base – Dolores & Kimberly (single, Run For Cover Records, 2018)
12. Rosita Luu – SOS (single, Helmi-levyt, 2018)
13. Nick Eng – Too Good For Everyone (single, 2018)
14. Izaak Opatz – Read Between The Lines (Mariachi Static, Mama Bird Recording Co, 2018)
15. John Cathal O’Brien – The Wood (single, 2018)
16. Shannen Moser – Arizona (I Wanna Be Your Man) (single, Lame-O Records, 2018)
17. Baeilou – Eleanora (single, 2018)
18. Kevin Gordon – Fire At The End Of The World (Tilt and Shine, Crowville, 2018)
19. Malcolm Holcombe (feat Iris Dement) – I Don’t Wanna Disappear (single, Gypsy Eyes, 2018)
20. Colter Wall – Plain to See Plainsman (single, Young Mary’s Record Co, 2018)
21. VanWyck – As Yours Turns Into Mine (single, Maiden Name Records, 2018)
22. I’m Kingfisher – What Good Would Loving Me Do Now? (single, Fading Trail Records, 2018)
23. Elephant Micah – Life B (Genericana, Western Vinyl, 2018)

Oh and do buy the vinyl/cd/download. Spotify and other streaming services are perfect for introductory purposes, but try to buy at least the ones that matter the most to you.

Last week I started this new weekly playlist feature. Kind of just trying to share a bit more music and keep the blog alive. Even when I don’t have time to write proper blog posts, I’m going to update this every Sunday from now on. At least doing this keeps myself on the loop with all the great new music that is being released. Maybe someone else too.

The big album releases for me this week were from Hawks and Doves (Kasey Anderson’s new band), Static Diary (solo album from Centro-Matic’s keyboardist Scott Danbom), Izaak Opatz (reissue on vinyl by Mama Bird Recording Co), Cody Jinks (one of the most anticipated country albums of 2018), Jason McNiff (UK americana singer-songwriter) and Tony Molina (really short and really great pop songs from Slumberland).

The list also revisits some of my earlier 2018 favourites like the awesome Clay Parker and Jodi James album and then there’s a bunch of new great singles from forthcoming albums. Some new finds too that have been out for a while, but I didn’t find them when they came out. I was so madly obsessed with that The Finks song this week.

Oh and credit when credit is due. Finding new music is a thing that we do together. Daniel Markham introduced me to Static Diary, Michael Feuerstack to Chris Velan and The Grey Estates / No Earbuds combo to the Gladie.

But enough with the pointless ramblings and it’s time to let Kristina Murray kick off this week’s playlist. Lovers & Liars is an outtake from her forthcoming album Southern Ambrosia that is one of my most anticipated releases of the coming months.

Dear 23 – OCTA Weekly Playlist Episode #2

1. Kristina Murray – Lovers & Liars (single, 2018)
2. Clay Parker and Jodi James – Every New Sky (The Lonesomest Sound That Can Sound, 2018)
3. Hawks and Doves – Bulletproof Hearts (For Laura Jane) (From A White House, Jullian Records, 2018)
4. Izaak Opatz – Everything (But One Thing) (Mariachi Static, Mama Bird Recording Co, 2018)
5. Static Diary – Phrase From Business (Static Diary, Goliad Media, 2018)
6. The Finks – Body Language (Rolly Nice, Milk! Records, 2018)
7. Jessica’s Brother – Humdinger (Jessica’s Brothers, 2018)
8. Valley Maker – Light On The Ground (single, Frenchkiss Records, 2018)
9. Chris Velan – All Time Record (single, 2018)
10. Tony Molina – Jasper’s Theme (Kill The Lights, Slumberland, 2018)
11. Pastis – Amazon (single, Stupido, 2018)
12. Gladie – 20/20 (single, 2018)
13. Claire Morales – All That Wanting (All That Wanting, 2018)
14. Babehoven – Out of This Country (single, Good Cheer Records, 2018)
15. Wax Mannequin – Someone Fixed The Game (Have A New Name, Coax Records, 2018)
16. Cody Jinks – Lifers (Lifers, Rounder Records, 2018)
17. Becky Warren – We’re All We Got (single, 2018)
18. Jason McNiff – Thoughts (Joy And Independence, At The Helm Records, 2018)
19. Holly Arrowsmith – Gardener (A Dawn I Remember, 2018)
20. Erin Rae – Putting On Airs (Putting On Airs, Single Lock Records, 2018)
21. The Great Park– We Swam A Little Song (When I Was Single EP, Woodland Recordings, 2018)
22. Mountain Lions – In The Valley (single, 2018)
23. The Wave Pictures – The Little Window (Brushes With Happiness, Moshi Moshi, 2018)