Featured, Finnish music, International music, News

Arlo McKinley & The Lonesome Sound, Devil Box – Night Terrors

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arlo

The wonderful Ninebullets blog/radio introduced Arlo McKinley & The Lonesome Sound to me several months ago. I’ve only featured them on one playlist I did back then, so it’s about to write a couple of words about this magnificent record. Arlo McKinley & The Lonesome Sound are from Cincinnati, Ohio and they deliver some extremely convincing americana heartbreakers. These songs will slowly burn a hole in your heart, but somehow you still feel more whole after listening to it than before. Some of this reminds me a bit of Doc Dailey’s album Victims, Enemies, & Old Friends, which I really loved some years ago. This is Just Like the Rest from Arlo McKinley’s new album.

Arlo Mckinley Music at Facebook
Arlo McKinley at Bandcamp

devilbox2

Moving on to Finland where Devil Box are ready to make some beautiful primitive guitar sounds and enter into the deep dark woods of experimental blues and folk music. Their new album Night Terrors came out in early November on Kääntö Records. You can stream/buy the whole thing on their Bandcamp. This is the opener Breathing Technique.

Devil Box Website

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Featured, International music, News

The Burning Hell / My Name Is Mathias

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burn

I’ve had a huge hole in my pop music education. I haven’t really properly listened to The Burning Hell until now. That’s rather criminal especially if you consider the facts that a) I love Canadian music b) they played in my hometown Turku a year or two ago and I managed to miss them. Anyway, for the past two days I’ve been finally listening to The Burning Hell and their 2013 album People (Out on BB Island , Headless Owl Records) and I’ve been smiling like a mad man while doing that. They are probably rather fed up with all the Jonathan Richman comparisons, but he sure does come to mind several times. Travel Writers on the other hand is a bit Lambchop-ish. But enough with the namedropping. This is Mathias Kom’s show and this man is one hell of a songwriter. The Wallflowers has been my favourite song in the world during these past two days.

mathiaskom

The reason why I finally remembered that I need to dive into the The Burning Hell back catalogue is actually this new Mathias Kom / The Burning Hell tribute album called My Name Is Mathias. I saw it on my Bandcamp feed a while back and have also come across with it several times during the last week, because some of my favourite Canadians (John K. Samson, Mike O’Neill, Michael Feuerstack etc) are covering Mathias on this album. The tribute is now out on Headless Owl Records. This is Michael Feuerstack’s wonderful version of Like An Anvil.

The Burning Hell Website

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Featured, International music, News, Uncategorized

Hayward Williams – The Reef, John Statz new single + album kickstarter

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hayward

I teamed up a couple of albums produced by the great Jeffrey Foucault on this little blog entry (and these guys are also all originally from Wisconsin if I’m not mistaken). First we have Hayward Williams from Milwaukee and his new full-length The Reef that just came out. I fell in love with Hayward’s song Cotton Bell many moons ago, but haven’t been the most dedicated follower during the years and probably missed a release or two. However, I’ve been spinning this new one on my way to work and back on the car stereo and I’m liking this a lot. And that Spotify thing I used probably doesn’t do any justice to this beauty. Even though I usually prefer if things stay small, I do love all that gospel influence and how those backing vocals lift the songs to new heights. It’s not a very accurate comparison, but somehow those Stephen Stills solo albums came to mind once or twice, because of that. Anyway, The Reef is a great melting pot of folk, rock, soul and gospel and it’s out and available now. I couldn’t find anything official to share from Youtube, Bandcamp or Soundcloud, so here’s the wonderful title track The Reef from Spotify.

Hayward Williams Website

statztulsa

A long-time favourite John Statz also recorded a new album TULSA with Jeffrey Foucault. This one isn’t out until March 2015 and John currently has a kickstarter crowdfunding going on so that he can deliver this new baby into this world. Hit that link below, if you want to be a part of it. If you want to get an early taste, the first single from the forthcoming album is already out there. The single is called Home at Last and it goes like this.

John Statz Website
John Statz’ Tulsa Kickstarter

Jeffrey Foucault Website

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Featured, Finnish music, News

Heartjet – Friend (single)

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heartjet

Power pop is something very dear to me and therefore I’ve been folllowing the adventures of Finnish power pop band Heartjet from the beginning. I got some rather splendid news a week or two ago when the duo announced that they will be releasing their debut full-length next spring. This excellent first single Friend from the forthcoming album is already out and available on their Bandcamp.

Heartjet at Bandcamp

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