Who can turn down a happy Nick Cave, a female tribute to Willie Nelson, soundscapes at its loveliest, blues at its purest and world music at its most interesting? Together with pop, rock, jazz, folk, country and everything else from five continents that I have found hidden in the Spotify vaults. Including a true classic and a not-so-classic fifty year old release. So enjoy!
If you want to go straight to the list, follow the Short List below. If you miss tracks from previous blog posts, click on the The Long List. And if you want to listen to a specic reviewed album and suggested single, click on the title.
The Short List: New Tracks
The Long List: Previous Tracks
New Albums
The Lemon Twigs: A Dream Is All We Know
Brian and Michael D’Addario, the brothers behind pop sensations The Lemon Twigs, are back with a new album, filled to the brim with enthusiastic new pop music, sharing the style of Beach Boys and Beatles and other classic bands. A Dream Is All We Know is not as faultless as last year’s Everything Harmony, but most albums recorded this year would fail when compared to that classic.
Jazz virtuoso Nala Sinephro has created an album of soundscapes for you, an album you could easily turn to when you need some space in life and just want to get away from it all. The Guardian calls it «mystical jazz», and you may choose to listen carefully to all the wonderful turns of the music, or just let it flow all over you.
Terje Formoe: Et rop om kjærlighet
Terje Formoe has for decades thrilled children and parents alike with his amazing theatre and film Captain Sabertooth universe. I have had the pleasure of cooperating with him as co-producer for one of his films. But Terje is also a sensitive and creative composer and singer of pop and folk, in Norwegian. His latest album is by far his best, with more intricate melodies and personal lyrics than every before.
Orla Gartland: Everybody Needs A Hero
Irish Orla Gartland is back with another energetic and oh-so-sophisticated album, her second. Gartland has, however, been at it since she was 14, when she started posting songs on YouTube. These days we are definitely listening to a mature, full-fledged artist, a great songwriter with her own cheeky and inimitable style.
Another artist who is totally in control of her own career is Lady Gaga. Her musical versility is well-known, from electropop to jazz. She is the manifestation of what this blog is all about: don’t limit yourself musically (or in any other way, for that matter.) Harlequin is a playful album of standards, accompanying the motion picture Joker: Folie à Deux, with a curious collection of songs, from When The Saints Come Marching In to That’s Life. I enjoyed every second of it.
Sarah Blasko: I Just Need To Conquer This Mountain
Sarah Blasko performs pop music for grown ups, there are no frills around her music. It is serious and performed with broad strokes, often with elaborate orchestra arrangements and with an intensity that is infectious. Australians love their Blasko; it is about time the rest of the world get a proper sense of this unique artist.
Tami Neilson: Neilson sings Nelson
Let’s take a quick trip across the Tasman Sea to New Zealand, there we’ll find Tami Neilson, a truly versatile singer, mastering a number of musical genres equally well. She is a great admirer of Willie Nelson (who isn’t) and decided to record an album with his songs. The result is remarkable and shows off the skill and talent of both artists.
When you enter Ollee Owens’ web site, her pottery and jewellery are offered side by side to her latest album. There’s no hypocrisy about Owens, what you hear is what you get. Nowehere to Hide offers true and uncomplicated blues and spirituals performed in a pure form, like it was supposed to.
This album offers true world music. Mariama Ndure is a Norwegian artist born to Gambian parents, and she brings all her influences from her two cultures into this highly wide-ranging, but oh so personal album. I only knew Mariama from her children’s concerts with my daughter Karoline. Listening to Rituals I was taking into a whole new universe of African folk, modern jazz, and even poetry.
Eliane Elias was considered a wonderkid when she started performing as no more than a child. Now she is 64 and has released more than 20 albums, both as a singer, a pianist and band leader, sometimes all of it at the same time. Her full, laid-back voice is an invitation into Brazilian and Latin jazz, and her latest album shows off all her strengths and why I just never tire of the bossa nova.
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds: Wild God Australian artist Nick Cave hasn’t always been a performer of happy music. And one could be fooled by his claim that Wild God was written and performed during a truly happy period for him and his band. «We’ve all had too much sorrow, now it is time for joy.» he sings on «Joy». And I am converted. In fact, I keep listening to this remarkable album, and it actually makes me, yes, happy, despite its darker tones.
Radka Toneff & Steven Dobrogosz: Fairytales
Like too many other young artists, Radka Toneff died very young. She managed to record a number of albums before she died, Fairytales being the most famous and with the broadest reach. Steve Dobrogosz has continued to record, as listeners of this blog know well. Fairytales was for me the gateway to songs like Moon is a Hard Mistress and My Funny Valentine. Radka Toneff’s vulnerability shines through her renditions, and nobody can emulate her performance in my view.
What has been amazing to discover going back 50 years to no. 1’s at that time, is how many releases really have withstood the ravages of time. Rollin’ by the Bay City Rollers is not one of them ( and the same goes for the cover photo). Still, they were incredibly popular among the youngest listeners with their chewing gum pop. I have left a few songs in the playlist; it is still pop music history.
Music Hunter 