FOLKROCKTALK. Magnus Säfström, Jonas Löfvendahl and Matthew Barzun at the US Embassy, Stockholm.
• The former American ambassador of Sweden, Matthew Barzun is an avid indie music lover and a great fan of Kentuckyseven. Mr Barzun was Obamas money man and chief fundraiser thru the reelection campaign who gave BO four more years.
Matthew Barzun has emerged as the overwhelming favorite to be the next United States ambassador to London. The White House is expected to officially unveil Barzun as Obamas choice for the plum diplomatic job within weeks.
We rout for Matthew Barzun to land The Court of St James, and give ya´ll a gem from his fav Swedish artist, folkhero Kristian Matsson, aka The Tallest Man on Earth. Enjoy ‘Walk the Line’ from TTMOE epic debut-EP.
We deliver a Finnish band from Helsinki who really kicks ass. Them Bird Things just released their third album and creates a new species of alternative folkcountry. Or whatever.
Check out the titlesong Pachyderm Nightmare – and Salla Days insanely-strange and peculiar-beautiful voice.
A strong voice could make all the difference. And when the lyrics and music co-operates with it, it becomes a fairytale. Like in the case of Shevy Smith.
Shevy Smith sounds just like Emmylou Harris did on the albums from the early eighties. Smith grew up in Kansas and ended up in California after a career in Nashville. Her upcoming album ”Ad Astra” contains a wide variety of styles and feelings, but mostly a warm and great sensation of love for the music.
The single ”Shine” off the forthcoming album drips of country and that Californian sun. Take a listen.
Shooter Jennings always got a place in our Kentuckyheart. The man has been lost in the wilderness for a couple of records – but our friend is back on track.
This is countrymusic, easy as a Sunday morning, a barbeque in the garden among the ones you love. It’s a home away from home.
The blazing band that goes by the name of Joe Fletcher & the Wrong Reasons released the brand new video ”Flat Tire” just hours ago. Like the band it self its top notch all the way.
Did you know that the album White Lighter made it to the 20 best of the year. Check it.
The Seattle-favorites ”The Head & The Heart” made an exclusive performance for MTV Hive in Austin TX. Hear the band talk about playing music, for real, for real people.
As a bonus, they played a new song, ”Josh McBride”. Looks like they’ve hit the right notes, once again.
May 24, 1941 was the day when the world started to spin in a phenomenal way. The day when Duluth, Minnesota became the centre of the world. The day when my personal Jesus hit the streets of America.
Bob Dylan means the world to me. He is one of my closest friends, yet the odds are we´ll never meet. He knocked me out, and still does with the strenght of his music, his lyrics, his appearance.
This man is coolness personalized, he is the one that put all other shit together. When your day seems rough and weary, try his tenderness. Check out this and this and this and this and this and this.
We´ll celebrate his 70th birthday with Nikke Ström, Mattias Hellberg, Daniel Gilbert on Stora Teatern in Gothenburg. It will be a feast, an art- and photoexhibition, lectures, filmscreenings and tonnes more.
¤¤¤ It was a great evening in Stockholm. Kentuckyseven were invited to a private gig with folkgiant M Ward, at home at the Ambassador of the United States Matthew Barzun and his wonderful wife Brooke Brown Barzun.
Ambassador Matthew Barzun with Kentucky-Jonas.
The Ambassador Barzun is a devoted musiclover and we are really proud that he reads our stuff. He loves the folky vibe, a Swedish favorite is The Tallest Man on Earth who plays Trägår´n May 16th.
We´ll meet up with The Ambassador again in the end of May, before he starts his new job as the Campaign Finance Chairman for President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign. Sad to see him leave Sweden, glad he is accepting the President´s call. We wish him all the best.
At the beautiful residence we hit the Mint Juleps, met Stellan Skarsgård, and had a great chat with M Ward himself. He did nine songs as intense as the blue grassfields of Kentucky. ’Requiem’ was beautiful, the covers of Daniel Johnstone (The story of an artist) and David Bowie (Let´s Dance) blew us away.
M Ward did a heartwarming gig Sunday May 8th.
M Ward told us he´s planning a new record for 2012 and is writing songs for it right now. He wanted our K7-readers to check out the amazing Harry Nilsson and hoped to get back to Pustervik in Gothenburg soon, where he actually did his first Swedish show ever.
Kentuckyseven sends our love to The Amassador and his family, their great staff, Darcie and all the nice people we met. It was truly a night to remember.
