Playlist

OCTA Weekly Playlist Episode #21

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Another week, another weekly playlist.

My main focus right now is writing the year-end lists, so I didn’t spend as much time to this as usual. Therefore I might have missed even more stuff than usually. I wanted to do it anyway, because some gorgeous albums and singles did come out this week too.

The big album releases for me were the new ones from Scott Hirsch, Willard Grant Conspiracy and Herman Dune. There were lots of magnificent singles too. Steve Gunn, Sloan, Sarah Shook & The Disarmers, Blank Range, Christopher Gold & The New Old Things, Susto and The Wild Reeds for the international charts and Hullu Ruusu, Message Field and Klasu for the Finnish one. Willy Tea Taylor also dropped a new EP with The River Arkansas.

There’s also a couple of great things I’ve managed to miss before. The new singles from Jenah Barry and Mo Troper. I’m especially ashamed that I forgot to put the Mo Troper song on last week’s list. I had been following the whole funny Bond theme song build up for weeks and then I forgot to put the song on the list when it came out. Shame on me.

Some releases/artists from previous weeks also appear with a different song. Next week maybe some sort of Christmas special, if there isn’t much new releases.

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

If you are looking this after a week has gone, the embedded Spotify will show the latest playlist. I’ll just update the same playlist because a) if someone wants to follow it, they can just follow that one list and will get a new set of songs each Sunday b) so that I don’t have a trillion of different playlists on my Spotify account.

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International music, News

Colter Wall, William Alexander, John Prine and Kashena Sampson

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Still a few more quick round up posts before the end of the year lists. Mostly just music, not a whole lot of words.

Starting with a song from the new Colter Wall record Songs of the Plains that is available on Young Mary’s Record Company. This singer-songwriter from Saskatoon maybe don’t need an introduction anymore, because I’m pretty sure that everyone that has any interest towards traditional country music have already spent hours listening to that deep baritone voice singing stories of the past. Here’s the opening song of his great new record.

Colter Wall Website

Travelling across the ocean to Melbourne, Australia to find The Kid From Bourke, the new album from Australian folk singer-songwriter William Alexander. This came out on the 27th of October on Green South Records and I found it just little over a week ago. I haven’t yet really investigated the man and his story, but I’ve done the most important part and I’ve listened to his music. I’ve had this on heavy rotation lately and it’s such a great record. Here’s a video of William Alexander singing the gorgeous album closer Sorrow, Your Only Friend.

William Alexander Website

Well if Colter Wall maybe don’t need an introduction, John Prine definitely doesn’t need one. The legendary songwriter is still writing wonderful music and his latest full-length The Tree of Forgiveness is a magnificent addition to his record vault. This is Summer’s End from the album that came out in April on Oh Boy Records.

John Prine Website

Let’s wrap up this small blog entry with a song by Kashena Sampson. I think I first shared this song something like a year and a half ago, but I don’t think I’ve shared this music video. Plus the album was also released in Europe in 2018, so it’s still relevant too. And of course something as beautiful as this is timeless and therefore always relevant. This is the title track of Kashena Sampson’s album Wild Heart.

Kashena Sampson Website

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International music, News

Julie Arsenault, Daniel Romano, Foxwarren, Bob Sumner and Ian Daniel Kehoe

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It looks like I’m running out of time and will fail to feature all the music that matters to me before this 2018 chapter will become part of the history. I’m already in the midst of writing the year end lists, but before them a couple of quick roundup posts in the next few days. Starting with a Canada special tonight. Mostly just great music/videos, not a whole lot of words.

Kicking off this Canada special with some Mom Rock from Toronto-based songwriter Julie Arsenault. I loved her Softness EP a year ago and actually I think it’s the only 2017 release that has survived a year on my iPod. I’ve had to remove everything else to make room for 2018 stuff, but I haven’t been able to let go of Chain or Monsters. This new transparently feminist EP is equally impressive and very powerful. Extremely highly recommended.

What’s a year without one or four Daniel Romano albums. Latest work of art Finally Free came out on the 30th of November or New West Records / You’ve Changed Records. One of the best things about Daniel Romano is that you can never know what to expect. Except that it’s going to be unparalleled in its quality. This is my favorite from the new album. All The Reaching Trims by the mystical genius Daniel Romano.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FGDcCyVJIM

Daniel Romano Website

Next up is Foxwarren from Regina, SK and their self-titled debut album that is out and available on Anti- and Arts & Crafts. Foxwarren is a project of Andy Shauf, Darryl Kissick, Avery Kissick and Dallas Bryson. It feels great to hear that voice again, because I’m big fan of Andy Shauf (The Party was the album of the year on this blog back in 2016). This is To Be from the brand new Foxwarren album.

Foxwarren Website

Let’s wrap up this blog entry with a couple of gorgeous singles. Bob Sumner (The Sumner Brothers) is getting ready to release his debut solo album Wasted Love Songs. The album is due out on the 25th of January, but the gorgeous first single Riverbed is already out and available. Check it out below and start counting days to the album release.

Bob Sumner Website

And last but definitely not the least, the new Ian Daniel Kehoe single Secret Republic that is out on Tin Angel Records. I don’t normally listen to synth pop with 80s vibes, but hey, how could one not love this. This is inconceivable! (sorry went a bit 80s in that word choice). If the name doesn’t ring a bell, Ian used to operate under the moniker Marine Dreams and have released several great records on You’ve Changed Records. And lots of other cool things too. Attack in Black in the day, playing drums for The Weather Station, Andy Shauf and so on. Anyway here’s the gorgeous Secret Republic to end tonight’s Canada feature.

Ian Daniel Kehoe Website

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Playlist

OCTA Weekly Playlist #20

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Another week, Another weekly playlist.

This one was a slightly busier release week. Especially Canada provided a lot of great music this week. I was thrilled about the new albums from Daniel Romano, Foxwarren (Andy Shauf’s new project), the new single from Ian Daniel Kehoe (who formerly operated under the Marine Dreams moniker) and Julie Arsenault’s new EP (this one is not available on Spotify, but listen/it on her bandcamp, it’s wonderful).

Other big album releases were from Jeff Tweedy and Monteagle. I don’t really know anything about Michelle Petrie, but I liked her new album when I quickly listened to it last night and therefore that’s on the list too. I need to listen to it more properly when I have the time.

Lots of magnificent singles too. Tiny Ruins, Durand Jones & The Indications, Roseanne Reid, Molly Parden, Ally Kerr, Janne Tapion Sisäinen Avaruus, Michael Chapman, Harlem, Taylor Janzen, Phoebe Bridgers, Hayes Carll etc. 2019 is already looking rather great, but I suppose I need to wrap up this 2018 next. I think I’ll start focusing on that next weekend.

Some songs have again been out a while, because either I just found them or just haven’t shared them before. A couple of Christmas tunes too, but I didn’t want to add them too much so early in December.

OCTA Weekly Playlist #20

1. Daniel Romano – Between the Blades of Grass (Finally Free, New West Records / You’ve Changed Records, 2018)
2. Ian Daniel Kehoe – Secret Republic (single, Tin Angel Records, 2018)
3. Foxwarren – In Another Life (Foxwarren, ANTI-, 2018)
4. Tiny Ruins – School Of Design (single, Marathon, 2018)
5. Durand Jones & The Indications (feat. Aaron Frazer) – Don’t You Know (single, Dead Oceans / Colemine, 2018)
6. Roseanne Reid – I Love Her So (single, Last Man Music, 2018)
7. Phoebe Bridgers – Christmas Song (single, Dead Oceans, 2018)
8. Ally Kerr – All We Cannot Say (single, Much Obliged, 2018)
9. Molly Parden – Bolting Volts (single, 2018)
10. Janne Tapion Sisäinen Avaruus – Harmaa Kivi (single, Lumpeela julkaisut, 2018)
11. Hayes Carll – Jesus and Elvis (single, Dualtone, 2018)
12. Monteagle – Hollow Ground (Midnight Noon, Fire Talk, 2018)
13. Jeff Tweedy – Warm (When The Sun Has Died) (WARM, dBpm Records, 2018)
14. Michael Chapman – It’s Too Late (single, Paradise of Bachelors, 2018)
15. Harlem – Queen Of Mosquitos (single, Female Fantasy, 2018)
16. Taylor Janzen – New Mercies (single, 2mm, 2018)
17. Michelle Petrie – The Narcissist (Michelle Petrie, 2018)
18. Timid The Brave – Comfort (single, Other Songs, 2018)
19. William Alexander – Darlin I’m So Cold (The Kid From Bourke, 2018)
20. Kevin Devine – I Wrote It Down For You (Devinyl Splits no. 10, Bad Timing Records, 2018)
21. D.T. Buffkin – Play Another Song (Saturday Night, Sunday Morning, Shotgun House Records, 2018)
22. Baby Josy – Magic In Your Love (Demos EP, Gold Robot Records, 2018)
23. Trevor Dickson – How To Say (single, 2018)
24. Wes Allen – Ask Me Now (Funny Thing EP, 2018)
25. Heated Land – Hey Hey (single, K&F Records, 2018)

If you are looking this after a week has gone, the embedded Spotify will show the latest playlist. I’ll just update the same playlist because a) if someone wants to follow it, they can just follow that one list and will get a new set of songs each Sunday b) so that I don’t have a trillion of different playlists on my Spotify account.

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

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