Continuing the quick round-up kind of posts of albums that I’ve loved during the past months.

The new Damien Jurado album The Horizon Just Laughed is out now on Secretly Canadian and it’s tremendous. I wasn’t that much into the previous trilogy, but I was hooked into this one the minute I heard the first outtake Over Rainbows and Rainier. Here’s the latest music video for another great track Percy Faith.

Damien Jurado Website

One should write a novel about this Jennifer Castle album Angels of Death and not just quickly share a song. She is a magnificent Canadian songwriter and this album was co-released by couple of my favourite labels Paradise of Bachelors and Idee Fixe Records on the 18th of May. Death, grief and our temporality wrapped inside moving country-soul songs. This is Texas from the new Jennifer Castle album.

Jennifer Castle Website

Then awkwardly obvious transition from a song called Texas to the new Goodnight, Texas album Conductor. To be honest, I still have a bit of listening to do here, because I usually get stuck at listening to this wonderful song Laramie over and over again and never get around to fully introduce my heart to the whole album. I’m almost obsessed with this song. Anyway, Goodnight, Texas are an americana band led by Avi Vinocur and Patrick Dyer Wolf and the album Conductor came out on the 6th of April.

Goodnight, Texas Website

I’ve been either really lazy or really busy, because my blogging activity has again been next to none. So it’s time do a few quick round-up posts, because the situation probably isn’t going to get any better in the coming weeks and a lot of stuff that mean a great deal to me has been released during the last month or so. I hope to return to these with more time, but I just thought it’s better to at least mention that these amazing albums are out and available than just neglect them in hope that one day I find the time to feature the albums the way they deserve to be featured.

Daniel Markham is a lovely metalhead, R.E.M. enthusiast and a great songwriter from Denton, TX. Also one of my big personal favorites. His latest album Hyperspeed came out on the 25th of May and it’s an awesome 80s and 90s influenced alternative rock record. I shared the music video for Velvet Elvis earlier so here’s Silver from the new Daniel Markham album.

Daniel Markham Website

Just like Daniel Markham, John Calvin Abney from Tulsa, OK is also a big favourite of mine. The two have also toured together around the states. John Calvin Abney’s latest album Coyote came out on the 18th of May on Black Mesa Records. This one is quite mellow, heartfelt and everlastingly beautiful. I so wish STHLM Americana festival would have also booked a John Calvin Abney concert, because I’m going and he will be there as John Moreland’s sideman. Well I suppose the line-up is already so great, that I would have passed out of happiness, if they would have added him too. Anyway, here’s melancholic Sundowner from the new John Calvin Abney album.

John Calvin Abney Website

And last but definitely not least, something that is actually brand new. It’s the new Erin Rae album Putting On Airs that came out last Friday on the 8th of June on Single Lock Records. This Nashville-based songwriter put out a couple of amazing singles last year and therefore her new album was one of my most anticipated 2018 albums. I’ve reserved a vinyl copy to the local store that has not yet arrived. However, I’ve spinned this a couple of times on the Spotify thing-y and it definitely sounds like this can match my sky high expectations. Here’s the excellent title track of her new album Putting On Airs.

Erin Rae Website

A quick video post, because there’s a new one available from Andrew Bryant. The Price Was Right is an outtake from his magnificent album Ain’t It Like The Cosmos that came out on Last Chance Records on the 9th of March. If I end up doing some sort of mid-year list, this is an album that will definitely be on it.

And here’s another future classic Night Wants The Moon from the new Andrew Bryant album. You can buy/listen to the whole album by hitting that bandcamp link in the player below.

Andrew Bryant Website

I’ve spent the past few days holding Lauren O’Connell’s songs close to my heart and I have absolutely no intention of letting them go. I’m good at hiding from the world, but I’m not sure under what rock I’ve lived, because I had not heard about her music until I got an email earlier in the week. So thanks Dylan for reaching out and bringing the healing powers of Lauren’s songs into my arms. To be honest, I kinda needed it and perhaps even more than I’m willing to admit.

Lauren’s latest album Details came out in February and it’s something to treasure. It’s definitely a heavy album and a lot of the songs revolve around her mental health issues. You can read her moving essay about the album here, if you want to know more about it. I hope to write a longer post about Details when I have found the words that will match the brilliance of it. It’s already one of my biggest favourites of the year and I love it wholeheartedly. And don’t get too scared about the difficult subjects. Yes, the album is pretty sad and fragile at times, but it’s also incredibly powerful and healing. I don’t have any severe mental health issues, but anyone who have read this blog are probably also aware that I have my troubles. I’m extremely shy guy with super low self-esteem and I’m horrified of every kind of social interaction for starters. So some of this hits pretty close home, but somehow in a relatable, humane and healing way. She has a way with words and is able to write folk rock songs that leave a lasting impression. Lauren O’Connell is a wonderful songwriter and Details is a special record.

A live cover of Gillian Welch’s Revelator.

My Terrible Friend is a collaboration between Nataly Dawn and Lauren O’Connell. Their latest EP I Tried To Be Kind came out in October 2017. It’s got a gorgeous otter on the cover and contains equally impressive music. Switch is the last song on the EP and I’ve watched the music video of it more times than I can count. Ok, my math skills are pretty horrible, but still a fair warning. You might fall madly in love with this song. However, it’s a good obsession to have. Next step in my life is to get to know Nataly Dawn’s other music adventures. And not that they need them after all the praising above, but still extra special bonus points for a great taste in selecting songs to cover. Youtube contains all kinds of great Lauren O’Connell and My Terrible Friend videos where they cover artists like The Zombies, Neko Case, Gillian Welch, Wilco, David Bazan just to name a few.

Lauren O’Connell Website
My Terrible Friend at Facebook