Throughout a lengthy and creative career of collaborations and as an original member of The New Pornographers 'Hell-On' is Neko Case's 6th solo album following 2013's 'The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You'. 'Hell-On' was recorded and mixed in a variety of locations and was co-produced by Neko and Bjorn Yttling of those Swedish 'Young Folks' Peter Bjorn and John.
Nashville, Tn singer/songwriter Parker Millsap releases his third full band album 'Other Arrangements' on the Thirty Tigers label. Maybe not so well known on these shores, Millsap has an appearance on the late night TV show CONAN under his belt, along with featuring on the PBS series Austin City Limits. He can also claim Sir Elton John as a fan as he was asked to perform with him at the Roundhouse in London during the Apple Music Festival.
'Horizons 'is the Danish/Swedish collective known as Black Light White Light’s 3rd album, created as they admit, slowly, deep underground in a studio in Copenhagen. The genesis of the album started back in 2015, since when they were looking for another angle into their music which they achieved with new drummer Viktor Hober, and the liberal use of pulsing keyboards.
With what could just be the best album of her long running career so far, Nashville based, Gretchen Peters releases ‘Dancing with the Beast’ via Proper Records on 18th May, 2018.
Calling your band the Amazing is either foolhardy, leaving yourself open to ridicule or perhaps shows a justified self belief in your own talents. Thankfully, these elegant Swedish psych-rockers more than live up to their name.
I remember a discussion on a Springsteen fan forum alleging that Bruce is more popular in Norway than anywhere else in the world – as evidenced by concert ticket sales and the number of households that own a copy of 'The Seeger Sessions'. The point was made that the smalltown America that Bruce sings about has many similarities with isolated towns in Norway – far away from anywhere. Very pretty, for sure, but also a place that adventurous souls may long to escape from.
Based in Sheffield, The Silver Darlings are a collection of musicians playing the songs of writer and guitarist Andy Whitehouse. With the release of ‘Something of the Sound’ the band have released a warming album for what could possibly be a chilly Easter.
Courtney Marie Andrews may just be one of the hardest working artists around at the moment - nine months of 2017 were spend on the road touring previous long player 'Honest Life', yet here we are in March 2018 with her new release 'May Your Kindness Remain'.
We've all heard of those musicians who always are “taking a deserved break”, or “on an hiatus”. Counter that thought with those musicians who seems to thrive on hard work, always have something interesting to say and appear to spend their lives on the touring and recording cycle.
One of the great things about art (books, films, photographs, albums) is that it can take you to new places. I mean that in the literal sense. With his album 'The Town Where I Live' Rick Shea takes us to small town Americana – places where there is no work, not much to be hopeful about, where people drink and fight and others dream of escaping. With these songs we get a glimpse into the lives of the characters who live there.
If there is another band or artist out there that releases more upbeat, kooky and fun albums than TMBG then I’m yet to hear them.
Yet another beautiful record from Beth Nielson Chapman. ‘ Hearts of Glass’ has just been released on Proper Music - BNC Records. Produced by Sam Ashworth, 'Hearts Of Glass' is Sunday afternoon chilled gem.