We are in May, and it was about time to find what may be Album of the Year, from an artist I previously haven’t been too excited about.

 

 

Joan as Police Woman

Her name is Joan Wasser, but she is performing as Joan as Police Woman. She is from Maine and had a tough start in life. One of the many results of American teen pregnancies, she was adopted as an infant. She coped well and prospered, took up the violin and started on a classical eduction. Perhaps this is why she called her new album The Classic – or maybe because she knows it may just turn out to be just that – a classic album. Time will tell. Her songs grow on me every time I listen to them, and she never gives the listener a chance to be bored, as this is happy, varied and high accomplished set of songs.

Marte Wulff

Marte Wulff has recorded an album, Utlengsel (Longing to get out), together with her local symphony orchestra in Kristiansand, Norway. The ambitions must have been to create a classic album, just like Joan Wasser, but the tracks are not varied enough with a sombre mood permeating too many of them. Still, some of the best tracks are very good and profound, and the full sound of an orchestra adds to the grandness. “Denne vinden” (“This Wind”) is like a regional anthem to Southern Norway.

Morten Harket

 

Fellow Norwegian Morten Harket, formerly of a-ha, has released his fifth solo album, Brother, and it is by far his best. Again an aging artist shows us that aging means maturing. In some of the songs Harket keeps his voice low for once, with an astonishing effect (for a-ha aficionados there are more than enough falsetto tracks in there). The song writing is great, catchy and heartfelt songs that stay with me.

Ayo

German-Nigerian singer Ayo is like Morten Harket singing in English, but her command of the language leaves something to be desired. The lyrics are often juvenile and clichéd , but her voice and the melodies still make Ticket to the World worth listening to. This is classic pop music with a dash of soul. Ayo is a great star in both Germany and France, and was honoured with a documentary about her life a few years ago. She is also an actress.

Peter Mulvey

 

Former street musician Peter Mulvey has been recording for three decades, but most people, including me, will not have heard much about him, despite his 19 album releases. I immediately took a fancy both to his confident, quality pop songs and to his wry lyrics on his 20^th album, Silver Ladder. It pays to keep going, obviously. That may be sound advice to some of the debut artists that I have added to the blog list.

Jeremy Hunter

Australian Jeremy Hunter has only released an EP, simply called Jeremy Hunter, but may have a future both as a singer and songwriter. He is playing all the instruments on the EP, rarely a good a choice, but I think Hunter pulls it off. Perhaps we will hear more from this quiet folk pop artist. I’ll keep an air to the ground.

 

Lucius

Brooklyn quintet Lucius is also out with their debut album, Wildewoman. The band’s front women are Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig and it is these two women that are responsible for much of the spunky, feminine sound of Lucius. This is summer music, full of energy and creativity of song writing. The band has gotten a lot of attention in the music press in the United States, so let’s see if this is the start of a long music career.

The Belle Brigade

 

The Belle Brigade is brother and sister duo Barbara and Ethan Gruska from Los Angeles. I am beginning to lose interest in this kind of Southern California harmony pop music, but Just Because from The Belle Brigade manages to keep me interest for a wee longer, basically because the orchestrations are much richer than on similar albums, making the songs more lasting and surprising. Just Because is their second album.

This week we have to let go of Caro Emerald, Club des Belugas, Eliza Doolittle, Emelie Nicolas, Jonathan Wilson, Kacey Musgreaves, Rhye, Sumie and Tess Henley,

The updated blog list is here, for your enjoyment:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let me start this Easter blog with a confession:  Lyrics are rarely making much of a difference when choosing music. Yes, I accept the value of lyrics and that these are an integral part of the total musical picture, but the sound, the atmosphere, the voices, the instrumentation are more important to me.

So, to repent, today I have added some artists that really prove me wrong. Here are some tracks where the lyrics are equally important as the rest of the building blocks making up great music.

Robert Ellis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert Ellis has a voice that at times turns me off, and his music is too often taking me into traditional CW land. But this man knows how to tell a story, and I have added six stories for you to enjoy. Ellis is from Texas, and went from bar performer to feted artist from one day to another when American Songwriter’s Magazine named him one of the top songwriters of the year in 2011. His latest album is called The Lights From the Chemical Plant and for country aficionados it must be nothing less than brilliant. For the less orthodox of us, it is still very good, primarily for the cleverness of the stories he is spinning. And it doesn’t hurt that he is covering well Paul Simon’s Still Crazy After All These Years….

Mary Coughlan

 

Irish singer Mary Coughlan knows how to tell a good musical yarn, too. I have been a fan of her for many years, and is really pleased with her newly released album After the Fall. Six of the 13 songs are now in the bloglist. Some of the songs are taking on the form of small theatrical plays, but then Coughlan can sometimes turn a bit too theatrical. However, she does draw attention to the words in a way that few other artists do.

The Handsome Family

 

The TV series True Detective put the limelight on a CW band based in Albuquerque, The Handsome Family, basically a duo made up of married couple Brett and Rennie Sparks. The opening title, Far From Any Road, was picked by T-Bone Burnett, who produced all music for the series. It is really an old recording, but The Handsome Family released a new album, Wilderness, last year, and I have added a couple of songs from it, together with the title track every drama aficionado has fallen in love with this year. The lyrics of the ballads are all like short TV scripts, so listen up, perhaps you get why T-Bone picked this band to create the eeriness of True Detective.

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road Tribute

 

On to one of the greatest storytellers in rock music, Bernie Taupin. Together with Elton John he created one of the best albums of all time, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. The collection was re-released this year, re-mastered, and a number of contemporary artists have performed their versions of some of the tracks. The cover versions are de facto not as great as the originals, but Zac Brown Band, Imelda May, Emili Sandé, John Grant, The Band Perry and Ed Sheeran all do decent and creative versions. At least it brings renewed attention to the album, so go back to original whatever you feel about the copies.

Peter Bruntnell

Welch singer-songwriter Peter Bruntnell is new to me, but he has been performing and recording since the mid-90s,. He just released a retrospective album called – of course – Retrospective, and I have picked three of his Americana-sounding tracks from there, and look forward to listening to his back catalogue. I would guess Peter has listened a bit to Eagles, both his singing style and the genre remind me of Hotel California times.

John Newman

John Newman is a young man with no such back catalogue, but his songs are so heavily inspired by the music he grew up listening to from Motown, that he simply called his album Tribute. John performed his smash hit Love Me Again on the weekly show I am channel executive producer for, Skavlan, (picture above) and our audience loved it. Here are a few of his other great soul tracks from his top-selling album. Mark my words: This is the beginning of a great career.

Amy Stroup

Amy Stroup is also into retro pop, albeit of a slightly different nature. She had made music for a lot of TV series like Grey’s Anatomy, but has now released an album without any such connections. Amy is originally from Boston, but is now living in Nashville, and there is a certain new country feel to some of the tracks of Tunnel. This is sweet, uncomplicated music, perfect for Spring nights and as a prelude to Summer.

Goldfrapp

Sticking with lushness, let’s move on to an old favourite, Goldfrapp. The duo has released an album, Tales of Us, in which most songs are names after friends of theirs. Alison Goldfrapp’s soothing, whispering voice is never better than here, and Will Greogry’s orchestrations are mature and rich. The group has been around since 1981, so if you like this, spend some time on all the great stuff they have released before. You won’t be disappointed.

Bohren & Der Club of Gore

 

 

 

 

 

 

From England to Germany and to a jazz group, Bohren & Der Club of Gore. This all-instrumental group is really not everyone’s cup of tea, but if it is soothing you are looking for, you will be hard pressed to find something more blood pressure lowering than their latest album, Piano Nights. I find it wonderfully rich and surprising in its entire stripped down sound picture.

The Family Crest

At the other end of the scale (don’t complain of the lack of variety in my blog list!) is wonderfully pompous Family Crest from San Francisco, fronted by Liam McCormick with a voice from another world. Comparisons with Freddie Mercury are unfair to both, but I think you know what I mean when you listen his complete lack of moderation and to the symphonic sound of this great band.

Simone Felice

 

Simone Felice is only 38 but has fought with death and illness twice in his life already. He is a remarkably talented artist, both a musician and fiction writer, with success in both. He suffered a brain aneurism at the age of twelve, and a few years ago had to go back into hospital with a serious heart disease. He is now well recovered, and has released two solo albums, following albums recorded with his brother as Felice Brothers. His latest, Strangers, is a great album with some momentous songs, full of pathos and great song writing.

 

I Was a King

We close today’s blog list with Norwegian indie band I Was a King, out with a new album, Isle of Yours. (The picture above is actually shot in our meeting room at NRK) . The list of previous band members are considerably longer than present members, but holding the band together throughout has been Frode Strømstad, so the sound hasn’t changed much since their debut album in 2007. Today the band is one of Norway’s best selling groups abroad as well as at home. I like the contribution of vocalist Anne Lise Frøkedal, she is definitely adding distinctness to the sound of I Was a King, no more distinct than on One of Us, their very best track ever in my opinion.

 

I am removing The Avett Brothers, Beranek, Cass McCombs, The Head and the Heart, Howe Gelb, Lucy Wainwright, Mogwai, Mutual Benefit, Paul McCartney, Sabastien Tellier, The Silver Seas and Woman’s Hour. They have served us well since December. Come back soon.

 

Here is the updated list:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’re back to a grand mixture of seasoned and new-born artists in today’s blog for you lovers of mature music.

Carl Espen

Let’s do them in chronological order and start with an artist who a few months back hadn’t performed on any stage.  Ever. Carl Espen will represent Norway in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest with the ballad Silent Storm. He reminds me of blog artists Asgeir and James Vincent McMorrow with a high-pitched voice from a rugged body. If Carl Espen can keep his cool he might just surprise everyone in Copenhagen in May, for the song is good and he performs it well, at least in the studio.

The Temples

The Temples sounds as if it has been around for decades, but the band released its first single in 2012. The boys from Kettering in London are obviously fascinated with the music of The Beatles and The Byrds and Kinks, although they do add elements that reveal the music is more recent. I am intrigued by Sun Structures, love the lack of respect The Temples shows for their elders.

Lisbee Stainton

Lisbee Stainton is from Basingstoke, near London, and released her first proper album when she was only 18 years old, having been discovered by Tom Robinson on YouTube. She was the first unsigned artist ever performing at O2 Arena in London, and is now on her fourth album, Word Games.  She is a classic singer/songwriter, and not all the tracks on the album are equally exciting, but I have picked out five songs that appeal to me.

The War on Drugs

The War on Drugs is on its third album and the critics have dug out the full-length collection of superlatives and sprinkled them over most reviews. Lost in the Dream took forever to make, and the band has gone through a number of personnel changes since the start in 2005. All for the best, I would say, because this album has no real weaknesses, modern and classic, mature and fresh at once. Many albums wear with repeat listening, this album just grows and grows.

Dean Wareham

Moving along to the seasoned artists: Dean Wareham was born in New Zealand, but made it in the U.S. He formed bands like Galaxie 500 and Luna, and for a while had success as a husband-and-wife band together with Britta Phillips.  Dean & Britta still have their own web page in which Dean’s new album is marketed, so perhaps his solo career is temporary. The self-titled album Dean Wareham is charming and fun to listen to, a great pop record.

Kari Rueslåtten

Kari Rueslåtten used to be a metal vocalist back in the 90s, a feisty rock’n’roll girl with lots of spunk. In 1995 she quit her Norwegian band and released four solo albums within the folk genre. Her last album was released on 2005, then she disappeared from the limelight for nearly ten years. This year, however, she decided to make a comeback with the album Time to Tell. It is a really lovely album, etheric and rich both production- and performance-wise. Reviewers from across Europe have given the album thumbs-up.

Elbow

One of my favourite bands, Elbow, has released a new album this month, The Take Off and Landing of Everything. I was so relieved listening to it the first time, because their previous album was a grand disappointment to me, and I half feared Elbow never would return to the musical genius of the 2009 album The Seldom Seen Kid, one of the best albums ever made in my view. Elbow’s lead singer is Guy Garvey is back in form, and their irreverent use of strings and symphonic effects add to the total picture. As with The War on Drugs, Elbow’s new songs just grow and grow with each spin.

Linda Perhacs

A record producer with toothache discovered the dental hygienist Linda Perhacs in the sixties.  She recorded one album, Parallelograms, that became a classic within the folk genre, inspiring a number of artists.  The album pushed the borders of folk, with the addition of sophisticated psychedelic effects, and it is still worth listening to. Perhacs stopped recording after 1970 and it was widely regarded that this was a one-hit wonder if there ever was one. This year, however, Linda Perhacs is returning to the word stage with a beautiful new album, The Soul of All Natural Things. It has a certain 60s peace and love feel to it, but it is soothing and positive and with great songwriting.

Jeff Beal

No blog lists should be without bonus tracks. I have added a few tracks from the soundtrack of House of Cards, composed and performed by Jeff Beal. The music of this TV series really plays a major part in painting the eerie picture of the shrewd and malicious characters. Still, some of the tracks of the soundtrack are surprisingly mellow and lovely, great music to fall asleep to.

This week the following great artists are leaving the list: Asgeir, Billie Van, Dave Stewart, Dawn and Marra, Denai Moore, Josephine Foster, King Midas, Laura Cantrell, Lindi Ortega, Lucy Schwartz, Maria Due, Midlake and Psapp. Don’t forget them.

And here is the updated list:

Family counts. But talent helps as well.

Rosanne Cash

If you have both, like Rosanne Cash, there’s a chance you may stretch a career across four decades – and then reach your peak at the end of those four decades. With The River & The Thread Johnny Cash’ oldest daughter may have done just that. Her new album is almost without faults. Nearly every track lingers in my head long after I have listened to it. What is this? Country, soft rock, pop, folk? Or is Rosanne her own genre? I have picked seven tracks to help us reach an answer.

Suzanne Vega’

Suzanne Vega’s latest album has not caused nearly as much stir as Rosanne Cash’, nor is it as brilliant, to be blunt. However, there are a lot of wonderful tracks on Tales from The Realm of the Queen of Pentacles as well, some of them of the same quality as vintage Vega.  I really enjoyed listening to the album, and if you like the five tracks I have picked, try the rest as well. Or go back to Suzanne Vega’s brilliant back catalogue.

Benmont Tench

If you want to be a pop star, and your name is Benmont Tench, I would have suggested changing your name. You don’t have to have dyslexia to have trouble with a name like that. The funny thing is that his real name is Benjamin Montmorency Tench….  Benmont made his career by playing keyboards in Tom Petty’s band, The Heartbreakers. He has toured and recorded with a great number of artists, including coincidentally Rosanne Cash’ father. This year Benmont released his first solo album at the age of 61, proving that it is never too late. A reviewer called the feel of the album, I Should Be so Lucky,  “casual professionalism”. I couldn’t agree more. The music is relaxed and sophisticated, both the standards and the originals he has chosen to perform.

Henry Priestman

Sticking with artists around 60 who have been making a late debut, Henry Priestman is more famous as part of The Christians than as a solo artist. He has called his album The Last Mad Surge of Youth, perhaps pushing the term “youth” a bit too far. This is in no way a collection with a modern sound. Both the songwriting, the vocals and the themes of the songs bring memories of times past. But since this blog is for mature tastes, this album should fit right in.  Four great tracks are added, my favourite being “We used to be You”, about parenthood.

Switchfoot

On to the genuine youth, let’s start with a boy band (or alternative rock band as I have seen it described), Switchfoot, from my favourite Californian city, San Diego. I have myself been part of the music scene there, hundreds of years ago, and know that the city bustles with musical talent.

Most of Switchfoot’s new album, Fading West, reminds me of British and Irish bands of the 90s and 2000s, but some of the tracks are pushing the boundaries of the genre quite a bit, and these tracks are worth listening to.

Switchfoot started out as a Christian rock band, but happily decided to go mainstream after their first albums.I have left a taster of three songs, if you like them try the rest of the album, you might find more.

San Fermin

On to a genre not often heard about these days, baroque rock. Wikipedia describes the term as a pop rock music subgenre, a fusion of pop rock and classical music, particularly of the baroque period. They list Beatles, The Moody Blues and Procul Harum as exponents, not necessarily their complete catalogue, but more of the Eleanor Rigby equivalent. San Fermin might fall into this category, but this new band is hard to pin down, whatever you call the genre.  The band is the brainchild of Ellis Ludwig-Leone from Brooklyn, and their first album is made up of songs that are either on the pretentious side or really interesting and good.  I have picked a few examples of the latter, but if you would like to be known for your daring personality, test out the rest of the album as well.

Making Marks

Considerably more middle-of-the-road is the Norwegian indieband Making Marks. In a way the band name is slightly ironic, because at home the band hasn’t really made much of themselves yet. It took a British record company, Fika, to release their debut album, and I have read next to nothing about them in the Norwegian press. Uncut Magazine, however, reviewed the album favourably, and so do I.  I am really impressed with the soft, melodic touch of the songs on A Thousand Half-Truths, great harmonies and sombre orchestrations. This album is simply mood improving.

Artists leaving the blog list to make room are Boy George, Chip Taylor, David Rotheray, Dent May, Magic Brothers, Polly Paulusma, Prefab Sprout and Steve Harley. Thanks for the memories.

Here is the updated list, if you don’t subscribe:

Two exciting, but boringly named, albums (5th and 6) and the new brilliant release from Highasakite (no, they’re Norwegian, not Japanese) are among this week’s great sounding additions to my blog list.

 The Autumn Defense

Let’s start with the boring bit, titlewise.   John Stirrat is the bass player in Wilco, and he started The Autumn Defense as a side project more than 10 years ago. On their fifth outing (yes, that’s why the album is called Fifth) the group got fabulous reviews from most of the major international music magazines, particularly because of the song writing. And it IS an excellent album, soft and sophisticated, mellow and soothing. It at times brings memories of Paul McCartney’s best in the White Album period.  I have picked fours great songs for you.

Thom Hell

Moving one notch up, the album Six from Norwegian singer Thom Hell, would never have existed either if it hadn’t been for The Beatles during the later years. It is my guess that Hell likes the symphonic, melancholic songs of Abbey Road, perhaps Supertramp as well (listen to the opening of The Smell of Home) For the sixth time he brings us his inspired art rock songs, hauntingly beautiful tracks, where the listener doesn’t know what’s hiding behind the next musical bend.

Eddi Reader

On to a national treasure (yes, Scotland is a nation whatever happens in September), Glaswegian Eddi Reader was the sound of Fairground Attraction, with a voice sweeter than honey and more moving than that of Karen Carpenter. After Fairground Attraction she started on a solo career, and also acted in movies, TV and radio for a bit. The albums she made alone were great, but after the 90s, the albums didn’t sell quite as well as before. This is not linked to the quality of her recordings, but it is never a great career move to move into standards land (unless you are Rod Stewart). For the many who appreciate that genre of pop music, like me, Reader’s new album is a must. It is called Vagabond, and I had a harder time than usual to limit the number of tracks that I would like to offer, but ended up with seven lovely songs for your enjoyment.  I have said it before, and I’ll say it again: Scotland (together with Australia) is really at the top of the food chain when it comes to sophisticated pop and rock. Go tell it on the mountains.

The Gloaming

Maybe I should add Ireland to this shortlist. The output certainly consists of more than boy bands and Johnny Logan.  The Gloaming is among the most exciting new sounds around. The group, consisting of some of Ireland’s most accomplished musicians, has taken traditional Irish music and done something to it that I don’t understand. The result, however, is mesmerizing, haunting songs played on acoustic instruments, mostly with lyrics in Gaelic . The more I listen, the more I am hooked.  The album The Gloaming is just different from most of what I have listened to before, nothing less.

James Vincent McMorrow

So, what more are they listening to in Ireland at the moment? Well, one of the greatest albums in Irish charts so far this year is made by James Vincent McMorrow. McMorrow reminds me of Thomas Dybdahl, obviously because they both sing in a kind of a falsetto.  The new album, Post Tropical, is much heavier orchestrated than his previous album, which adds to the allure.  The singer’s name is a mouthful, but the music is straightforward and calm.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor

The next artist’s name is also a mouthful, Sophie Ellis-Bextor sounds like a character in a P.G. Wodehouse novel, and not the name of one England’s most accomplished pop chanteuses. Her new album, Wonderlust, has brought Sophie back to the top of the charts again after a few lean years. Although there are quite a few middle-of-the-road tracks on it, the majority of the songs are brilliant pop tunes that stick in your head. She may not be as danceable as she was at the beginning of her career, but that doesn’t bother me one little bit. A dose of seven tracks are added to the blog list.

Sassybeat

The duo Sassybeat from Asker, Norway made waves in 2011 with the single The Mouse and the Bear. I added it to my blog list then, eagerly awaiting more material from the band. This year their debut album, Snakes and Ladders, was finally released, and few were disappointed. The local reviews were great, so this may be Sassybeat’s big year. There is nothing very complicated about the songs, straight melodies painted with broad strokes, and with the ever-beautiful harmonies of Anna Melkild and Ingrid Rennemo. I have added a taster of three tracks.

Highasakite

Finally, a revisit to another Norwegian band, heavy on the female ingredients. Highasakite, with their new album Silent Treatment. It is already number 1 in the band’s home country, but this is an album that deserves world recognition.  Their sound is so unique, with a lot of echoed percussion and harmonies, and the album has a distinct Eastern influence. I can’t get enough of it.  The song writing and the production are outstanding.  I have added six tracks, if you enjoy them – and don’t already count yourself as a Kite fan, listen to their previous releases as well.

38 songs in, 29 songs out, leaving youwith 18 hours of the best the music world has to offer

This time we say goodbye to Camera Obscura, Elisabeth Shepherd, Lily &Madeleine, Oh Land, She & Him and Sylvie Lewis.

Here is the updated playlist:

Old geezers like Dave Edmunds, Bruce Springsteen and Glen Campbell (without Glen Campbell) are added for your listening pleasure this week. But the music is new, at least newly recorded.

Dave Edmunds is a bit like Zelig, portrayed by Woody Allen, a man that was there in the background with all the major stars throughout the sixties and seventies. His one really massive hit was I Hear You Knocking, but he has made great rock’n’roll since the sixties, and he just doesn’t accept that rock music has moved on. He was naturally a part of Ringo Starr’s All Star Band for a while. Again, his surprise album from last year, featured both new and old songs, but it is hard to tell which is which. Well, some are obvious, like Your Song, but you get my drift. Needless to say, I love this album, its irreverence and its passion for rock’n’roll.

Perhaps when an artist gets older he or she can let go of pretences. That goes for Bruce Springsteen as well. His new album is more likeable than many of his previous ones. I have always enjoyed The Boss’ music, but never been an really avid fan. I was thoroughly entertained when the crew of Lilyhammer was invited by Little Steven last year to see the E Street Band in concert., but I felt like an outsider next to true fans. The new single High Hopes is one of his best ever, in my opinion, full of energy, great and surprising orchestration and with an ability to stick in your ear. I have added three other songs from the album with the same name.

Boy & Bear is described as an Australian sensation. The indie band with the soft sound has issued two albums, and I have added four songs from their latest, Harlequin Dreams.  There is something old fashioned about their new songs, reminding me of both bands like Oasis at their softest, but also true Americana. Their sense of melodies is brilliant; this is hummable and still sophisticated.

The remaining new songs are all Norwegian. Torun Eriksen is a jazz singer, who has been compared to Joni Mitchell and other great singers. I don’t think they are doing her any favours by making comparisons like that, because Torun Eriksen can stand on her own two feet. Her new album, Visits, is just that: visits to other people’s material. Some of her covers bother me more than they please me, others bring new and interesting life to established material. Three examples of the latter are added: a Glen Campbell tune, A Pink Floyd tune and Randy Newman’s Feels Like Home.  I hope you like them. I do.

Another great Norwegian singer-songwriter is Susanne Sundfør. She has produced an album with the Norwegian-Canadian duo Bow to Each Other. The album, The Urge Drums,  has a much more modern, electronica sound than any of the other tracks added this week, but the girls still write and perform classic songs. There’s a sadness and an elegance in these songs that grow on you. Try it. And if you haven’t listened to the producer, Susanne Sundfør, you’re in for a pleasant surprise if you do.

I have reluctantly added the last artist, Sigurd Julius, this year’s winner of the Norwegian Urørt (Untouched) Awards, celebrating new talent, reluctantly because I don’t normally fancy this Norwegian folk rock expression and particularly when it is performed by a light tenor male voice. Still I have to admit that Sigurd’s songs are small gems, even for those who cannot understand what he is singing about. The main reason for adding three tracks from the album called Sigurd Julius, is to celebrate that music with distinct roots in previous generations can actually win a new music contest in 2014, proving again that contemporary music, if you look hard enough (and that’s exactly what I am doing on your and my behalf), permeates all trends and decades and times.

To make room, Elton John, Hekla Stålstrenga, Laura Veirs, Smith Westerns, Sting, Surfer Blood and Tedechi Trucks Band will have to go.

Here is the renewed list, with 25 new tracks:

And some who have lived long enough to be wise from life itself – (and a maniacal musical for dessert)

One of my aims with this blog is to distribute music that have a bit of heritage in it, heritage from the music many of us grew up with in the Sixties, Seventies and Eighties.  There is nostalgia in listening to albums released 30-40 years ago, but I argue that many artists keep producing fabulous music, and new artists learn from the previous generations, replicating the musical values from that period.  It is this music I try to bring to you in the revolving list Pewalla Blog, and it pleases me that so many tell me of their listening pleasure after having explored the music referred to in the blog.

An Irish group belonging to younger generation creates the music that I am looking for. All The Luck In The World is based in Brighton, England, where they all go to the same music institute.  The group managed to build a reputation through YouTube, and a German record company gave them a record deal.  I would describe the music as folk-inspired, but the boys have added both string and brass sections to the tracks, creating a style of their own. I have added three songs from their debut album, also titled All The Luck In The World.

One of my favourite artists is Ed Harcourt, and he was prominently placed in my Top 10 last year with his previous album. He has just released a new EP, Time of Dust, another collection of gems that should make you prick up your ears.  Ed Harcourt uses the instruments that a track needs, whether it is guitar- or keyboard based, turning the tacks into small symphonies. I have added four of the six tracks from the album, but could of course have added all of them. But a sample is a sample.

Martin Stephenson has been around for a while, and his new brilliant album is in fact his 40^th. I now see I have to set aside a week to listen to his back catalogue, if I only can get past the great songs of California Star. It was “The Ship” that first got my attention, with reminiscences of Dire Straits’ heydays, but the rest of the album is as dreamy and endearing as the first track.  Martin Stephenson and his group The Daintees originate from Sunderland, England. I have served up fours tracks.

Paul Armfield from Isle of Whight sounds and looks to have been around from awhile, too. He must have spent some of that time listening to artists like Leonard Cohen and watched the movies of David Lynch, because the slightly spooky, yet honeycoated voice, stirs some of the same feelings in me as Cohen and Lynch soundtracks do. Armfield started out as a punk artist, but there is not much of that left. Up-Here was released late last year and I have added half the album to the blog list.

Finally something completely different, three tracks from a musical,The Book of Mormons , written by the guys behind South Park TV Series and smash musical Avenue Q, Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone. I can’t wait to see the musical in London or on Broadway. Many already have and report a hilarious two hours with great music and a beyond belief story of two young Mormons sent to a remote village in Northern Uganda to share the Book of Mormons – which only one of them has read. As a teaser both for myself or for others who haven’t seen it yet, enjoy Baptize Me and two other great tracks.

To make room, some songs need to go. Goodbye to my old friend Bill Cantos, to Eliza Doolittle’s single from 2013 (her new album is still in the list), Frightened Rabbit, Iron &Wine, Julie Feeney, Sharon Jones,  The Polyphonic Spree and Young Galaxy.

Here is the new list: (you can also subscribe, but few seems to choose this option. Hmm. You can also add www.petterwallace.com to your smartphone homescreen, which will always give you the latest blog and bloglist)

Throughout the year I have introduced Norwegian readers to more than 50 great new releases in my blog: PEWALLA BLOG – MUSIKK FOR MODNE (music for mature). As some of you may have noticed, it is now the end of 2013, and as any magazine or newspaper will tell you: it’s time for Lists, and of course I had to make one, too.

I have listened again to all recommended albums, resulting in my own Top 10 Album list of 2013. It was a much harder job than I anticipated, so hard that when I was done with the list, there were still a further 25 albums I couldn’t leave alone. Consequently, I had to make two lists, or rather, one is a countdown list, the other is listed alphabetically.

Friends, colleagues and acquaintances all over the world who are unfamiliar with the Norwegian language have been left in the dark for too long (yes, there has been complaints); so for the first time, here is my blog in English. Who knows, maybe not for the last time… Music is a universal language, so it shouldn’t matter, but somehow it does.

Below you will find what I consider the best albums reviewed this year, followed by a Spotify link to all ten albums.

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10. The Last Ship – Sting

Some of Sting’s new songs are breathtakingly beautiful, classics in their own right. Personally I am not that fond of the shanties on the album, although I do understand why he chosen this genre of songs to create this concept album. The rest of the album is terrific, though.

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9. Old Sock – Eric Clapton

Eric Clapton has done what a lot of his contempories have already done: released an album of songs from his parents’ generation. I find Old Sock probably the best of the lot, honest and without any fuss, still full of musicality and true craftsmanship.

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8. The Diving Board – Elton John

Elton John has released a number of slightly good albums during the last decade – suddenly a truly great album comes along, in the vein of his best albums from the 70s and 80s. Some of the songs on The Diving Board are among his best ever, and the collection grows on me for every time I listen.

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7.  The Stand-In – Caitlin Rose

Caitlin Rose has probably created more converts to country music than any other artist this year. I heard the first song from this album on BBC’s tough rock station Radio 6…. Most of the tracks are truly irresistable.

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6. Life In Easy Steps – Robert Vincent

Robert Vincent is an anti-celebrity artist, proving that quality and sincerity trumph style. This collection is filled to the brim with honest, heartwarming songs of the highest songwriting quality.

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5. Back Into the Woods – Ed Harcourt

Nine gorgeous songs from singer/songwriter Ed Harcourt, piano player and romancer. I have enjoyed listening to Harcourt before, but this album I have played over and over again this year. A lot of my blog followers have commented on tracks from Back Into The Woods, so I am not alone in my admiration.

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4. Sing To The Moon – Laura Mvula

Jazz, soul, pop all mixed together on this amazing debut album from British singer Laura Mvula. The harmonies are in a league of their own, I have never heard anything like it before, truly orignal, just like the quality of the vocals and the songwriting.

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3. Dark Black – Kristina Train

This was one of the few albums I actually bought this year, I just couldn’t get enough of it. Kristina Train is an amazing songwriter and an even better singer, this is so smooth and beautiful that it literally lowers my pulse.  This is the title song:

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2. Quickbeam – Quickbeam

This album will not raise your pulse either. There will always be some artists that dare go where no-one else dare to thread. This year Scottish trio Quickbeam proves the point. They have created an album of stunning beauty, using primarily classical instruments, writing small concertos rather than songs. The harmonies, the craftsmanship, the pure beaty of it all make me listen to the album again and again.  Here is their most famous song to date:

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1. I Awake – Sarah Blasko

Sarah Blasko from Australia went to Sweden to record her «I Awake»- album, she also recorded part of the album in Bulgaria, with a 52-piece symphony orchestra.  The album is masterly done, Blasko’s voice haunts me every time I hear it, every song is a little symphony, carefully carved out. This is truly a BIG album, one that I would expect will build a reputation for the artist even outside her native Australia. This is «Fool», one of the best songs on the album:

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Here are all the tracks for your enjoyment:

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… and here are 25 other albums reviewed in 2013, all of them in my view among the best albums of the year. I have presented them in alphabetical order – no preferential treatment! At the bottom you’ll find a playlist with all 25 albums.

1 2 3 4 Radio Star – Bille Van

Bille, or Merete Pascual as known by her parents, is a Norwegian singer who has lived in the shadows of her, for the time being, more famous musical partners Jonas Alaska and Mikhael Paskalev. Her debut album has energy, humour and great music.

Alaska – The Silver Seas

The Nashville band Silver Seas never promises more than they can deliver: true melodic, catchy pop, written and performed with sophistication.

Alone Aboard the Ark – The Leisure Society

The third album from The Leisure Society offers humour, great melodies, irony and naivitë in rich abounds.

Antiphon – Midlake

A dark, rich album, with debth, recorded amidst instability in the band, as they lead singer left during recording the album.

Crimson/Red – Prefab Sprout

One of the true masters of pop returns, with titles, lyrics and melodies like no other. Possibly a sign of more to come.

Desire Lines – Camera Obscura

Musical sweetness from the rough city of Glasgow.

Dyrandé – Hekla Stålstrenga

Norwegian folk at its very best, modern and traditional at the same time, with Anne Nymo Trulsen’s voice embracing us.

How to Fake it In America – Bendik Brænne

Norwegian sax player goes country – a brilliant low key album with some exceptional songs

It’s All True – Sylvie Lewis

The British singer with the mature and elegant voice delivers an album of songs that grows and grows.

Made Up Mind – Tedeschi Trucks Band

One of the best blues bands around, with an accessible album for all ears.

My Favorite Picture of You – Guy Clark

Guy Clark’s painfully honest collection of folk gems, with some of this year’s very best songs, like the title track.

No Way There From Here – Laura Cantrell

Laura Cantrell exemplifies mature music, strong lyrics, great melodies, a great reason for embracing new country.

Personal Record – Eleanor Friedberger

Friedberger’s second solo album is nearly as good as the first, full of humour, double meanings, strong lyrics and slightly burlesque songs.

Push Pull – While You Slept

A bit of nepotism – vocalist Benedikte is my daughter – but the band deserves to be on the top 25 list, although slightly rougher than most of the albums above and below.

Sensitive Dependence – Beranek

Retro pop from one of Norway’s best composers, his first release in 19 years.

Shadows – Lenka

Australian angelic voice Lenka with an album about motherhood, full of beautiful pop tunes with no pretensions.

The Disappearance of the Girl – Phildel

 

Mysterious and powerful, this album is an astounding debut.

The Magic Line – Magic Brothers

Another retro album, this time from Madness’ drummer, sometimes surpassing his former band.

The Next Day – David Bowie

Another artist that never stops surprising, every album feels like a snap shot of his present state of mind, including this.

The Weight of Your Love – Editors

Power pop from British band Editors, walking a fine line between pretense and honesty, most songs landing securely on the side of the latter

There’s a Last Time for Everything – Lucy Wainwright Roche

Singer with the perfect musical family tree proves shes can stand on her own two feet.

 This is What I Do – Boy George

One of the true comeback surprises of 2013, a mature and simply great and varied studio album from an artist with quite a musical baggage.

 Timekeeper – Lucy Schwartz

Brilliant songwriter in the tradition of some of the best 70s and 80s pop music.

Tin Star – Lindi Ortega

Canadian singer, now a Nashville resident, has realeased a happy, feisty, countryinspired pop album.

Trouble Will Find Me – The National

Dark, hauntingly beautiful songs, crisply produced and performed.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYBODY! I WILL BE BACK IN 2014….

Det er jul, og mange av dagens nyinnlagte på bloggen for modne lyttere har røtter tilbake til tidligere gullaldre, enten fordi artisten har fulgt sine egne røtter eller har fulgt andres.

57 nye låter entrer Spotifylisten, og første mann ut er Beranek, eller Espen Beranek Holm, som mange kjenner ham som. Fordi det er det han heter. Espen har hatt en meget allsidig karriere, men her er han tilbake til nettopp røttene, med sologitaren og den mørke popen, der han startet. Mange av låtene er penere i tøyet enn for noen tiår tilbake, kanskje derfor blir det så åpenbart hvilken melodismed av rang han er. Dette er melodier som er rikere og vakrere enn mye annet som slippes på markedet. Jeg har valgt ut seks låter fra Sensitive Dependence, men det er flere å ta av om du liker dette.

En annen og enda eldre ringrev er Paul McCartney, og med sine 70 år har han sanket litt erfaring på veien. Ingen av låtene på New er uten substans, selv om enkelte er litt kjedelige. Det er likevel nok spennende å ta av her, og lyden er moderne og frisk. Paul McCartney blinker stadig til, og det er noen perler blant de seks låtene jeg legger ut.

Med Lucy Wainwright Roche snakker vi om EKTE røtter. Hun er datter av Loudon Wainwright III og Suzzy Roche, og halvsøsknene hennes er Rufus og Martha. De som følger listen min vet at dette er en familie jeg har høstet rikelig fra tidligere. Lucy står virkelig ikke tilbake for noen av de andre familiemedlemmene, faktisk er hennes nye samling, There’s a Last Time for Everything, noe av det bedre jeg har hørt i år, fra noen familie, rolige og velskrevne og godt fremførte poplåter.

Vi fortsetter med familierelasjoner og går til The Avett Brothers. Brødrene Seth og Scott utgjør kjernen i dette bandet. Musikken er sjeldent variert, faktisk beveger de seg mellom bluegrass, country, punk, pop, folk, rock, honky tonk og ragtime, selv om Americanalyden er gjennomgripende. Deres nye album heter Magpie and the Dandelion, og seks flotte låter er med herfra.

Vi holder oss i USA og flytter oss fra North Carolina til Baltimore, der finner vi en humoristisk singer-songerwriter, Cass McCoombs. Han ga ut sitt syvende album i høst, Big Wheel and Others, et album som mange kritikere har gitt toppanmeldelser til, og det forstår jeg godt, for her er enda en melodismed løs på oss. Melodiene vokser for hver gjennomspilling, og tekstene er til tider morsomme og anekdotiske.

The Head and the Heart oppsto i musikkmiljøet i Seattle. En lokal pub arrangerte open mic night, og flere av bandmedlemmene ble kjent der. De har i år gitt ut sitt andre album med fengende popmusikk, og ryktet om bandet har spredt seg. Årets album heter Let’s Be Still og har fått stort sett gode kritikker, noen synes det blir litt blodfattig, men de fleste er enige med meg at dette har både hode og hjerte. Derfor ligger det hele syv låter fra Seattlebandet i listen fra og med i dag.

Så til en artist som følger røtter tilbake til Leonard Cohen og andre poetiske sangere. Howe Gelb er ingen ny artist, men det er først nå i voksen alder ( han er 57) han har fått fortjent oppmerksomhet. Den siste samlingen hans, The Coincidentalist, henter inspirasjon fra mange store artister, men har likevel en egen umiskjennelig klang. Jeg liker dette mørke og lett narkotiske lydbildet.

Vi gjør en helomvending og lytter til den britiske bandet Woman’s Hour, som bare er på begynnelsen av sin karriere. Også her står et søskenpar i sentrum, Fiona Jane og William. De har gitt ut to singler, og begge er med i listen, for her tror jeg vi kan vente oss mer godt fremover. Dette er pop med bakkekontakt, med et rikt lydbilde og varierte og gode melodier.

Mutual Benefit har valgt en form som ikke er så vanlig nå til dags, men som vi så en del av på 70- og 80-tallet, nemlig Prosjektet, med Alan Parsons Project som kanskje det mest kjente. Mutual Benefit er musikere som ønsker å samarbeide med  Jordan Lee, og dermed skifter besetningen hele tiden. Prosjektet har nettopp kommet med en ny samling, Love’s Crushing Diamond, og her by de på luftige, beroligende melodier som har fått mye positiv oppmerksomhet fra kritikere. For de av dere som likte Quickbeam som forlater listen i dag, er Mutual Benefit noe å glede seg til.

Så et sjeldent besøk til Frankrike og til en artist som først og fremst er en instrumentalist, Sabastién Tellier. Platene hans har også form som prosjekter, og Confection er intet unntak. Dette kan minne om de store instrumentalistene fra 70- og 80-tallet, som Mike Oldfield, men Tellier har sin definitive stil og byr på musikk som ligger tettere opp til film- enn til kunstmusikken.

Og da er vi naturlig over til skotske Mogwai som har skrevet musikken til den superskumle Emmyvinnende serien, Les Revenants. Mogwai blir nok ikke fornærmet om jeg kaller musikken deres for sær, for dette er kunstrock, hvis et slikt begrep eksisterer. Men til denne serien passer musikken som hånd i hanske, og jeg har tatt med hovedlåten og en av de få med vokal som er med. Mogwai er litt krevende, men gi dem sjansen så vil du kanskje finne ut at det er verdt det.

Etter noe så skummelt må vi avsluttet denne samlingen med noe koselig og hyggelig, nemlig Silver Seas’ nye album Alaska. Jeg har tidligere skrytt hemningsløst av dette bandet fra Nashville, først og fremst fordi de ikke utgir seg for å være noe mer enn et meget godt poporkester. På tidligere album har de levert den ene perlen etter den andre. Det er noen færre på Alaska, men jeg har plukket en liten bukett som jeg tror de fleste vil like.  Silver Seas er blant mine favorittgrupper, så jeg håper noen flere blir imponert nok av dem til å gå tilbake til deres tidligere strålende samlinger.

For å gi plass til ny musikk fjernes Céu, The Duckworth Lewis Method, Editors, Half Moon Run, Ole Paus, Paloma Faith og Quickbeam.

Og listen finner du her: