Kentuckyseven

Introducing Delta Maid, wonderful Liverpudlian who takes the blues back to their breathtakin roots. Delta Maid was raised on Bonnie Raitt, Taj Mahal, Stevie Ray Vaughan and BB King. You can tell by the way she smiles.

This 25-year old is really making a name for herself. Hometown paper Liverpool Daily Post says ”Every now and again, a musician comes along that gets the industry talking. Delta Maid is that musician.”

Well Kentuckyseven aint no industry. But we sure loved Delta Maid from the first chord, and yepp we´re talking about her. Here´s why:

Delta Maid by the awesome Mahogany Sessions. Debut album Outside Looking In is released by Geffen on May 8th.

There are musicians that hit that note deep down in you, the very first time you hear them. James Vincent McMorrow is one of them.

The man keeps on touching throughout all his music. In the true spirit of real Bon Iver-ish he takes the great genre of singer/songwriting to the next level.

The debut ”Early in The Morning” was released jan 25 by Vagrant Records in the US and will be available in europe march 7 via iTunes. I suggest you pick that album up. If you don’t want to miss out on a great album filled with that sweet sound that is James Vincent McMorrow.

Check out more on James Vincent McMorrow:

@ Jamesmvcmorrow.com I @ Facebook I @ Spotify @ Vagrant Records

We got an absolute gem for ya´ll = an exclusive interview with singer Nathan Willett of the awesome punksoulband Cold War Kids.

The Kids release their new album Mine Is Yours Jan 25 and you´ll find the review come Monday morning right here on Kentuckyseven.

Until then, enjoy!

Photo: Lucy Hamblin

Congrats on a great new album! Your hopes for 2011?

”We want people to dig deep in this album. It’s not an easy one, but it has a lot to offer. I think we’ll be touring it all year.”

Any books or records that have influenced you in the making of Mine Is Yours?

”Woody Allen – Husbands and Wives. Cassavettes – A Woman Under the Influence. Jonathan Franzen – The Discomfort Zone.”

Track #8 ”Bulldozer” have been on repeat @ Kentuckyseven for quite a  while. What can you tell us about the song?

”It probably embodies the content of this record more than any other song. The struggle of relationships. It’s the band’s favorite song.”

No band opens a song as brilliantly as you guys (readers: check out track #10 Cold Toes On The Cold Floor). It´s like you´re not ready and then it rolls on like a circus in a thunder storm. How does that work in the studio?

”We like to do things live. We like to hear things in the background, or tape rolling or something natural.”

I sense a diffrence in the sound, the lyrics and the approach of the new album. It´s more Cold War Men than Kids, it´s a more mature album if you will. Agree?

”Yes. Lyrically, it’s less fictional character driven, more journalism/autobiographical. Coming from a group of friends who are crossing in to age 30, dealing with relationships and commitment.”

The album is produced by Jacquire King (Tom Waits, Kings of Leon). What´s his input to Mine Is Yours.

”Jacquire put us at our best. He watched how we work, let us exhaust and idea and suggested new ways to think about arrangements. Simple, mystical stuff.”

Any swedish memories you could share with our readers?

”The first time we went to Europe was for the Oya festival five years ago or so. Beautiful girls with great educations.”

In my book your previous full length albums Robbers & Cowards (2006) and Loyalty to Loyalty (2008) are just epic stuff. This is your third one, could you see CWK doing three more albums?

”Absolutely, I think we are in it for the long haul. We try to think of every record as the first.”

I played track #3 Royal Blue to my wife the other day. She couldn´t stop dancing. Is this dance music?

”The guitar line on that song has a certain swing to it that’ll get ya moving.”

Thanks for a great album, take care and hope to see ya´ll soon!

”Cheers!”

¤¤¤Want more of Cold War Kids? Check out this and this.

Photo: Søren Rye

Treefight for Sunlight is the band to pay close attention to in 2011. With their selftitled debut coming out february 14 they will take off into the treetops.

The band was named New Band of the Day by The Guardian.co.uk and my guess is they will be a lot of magazines band of the year, come december of 2011.

Born in Denmark are the four extraordinary musicians Mathias Sørensen (drums,vocals), Morten Winther Nielsen (guitar, vocals), Christian Rohde Lindinger (bass, vocals), Niels Kirk (piano, vocals) and the music they are creating  smells and feels new but has a delicate taste of the 60’s and 70’s. Harmonies and vocals that reminds you of golden days. Beautiful stuff.

One of my favorite tunes from the upcoming album is up for listening by the courtesy of Bella Union, listen and enjoy:

Treefight For Sunlight – What Became of You and I by Bella Union

For more of Treefight For Sunlight visit them @ Myspace

Tu Fawning – Hearts On Hold

City Slang Records
Releasedate 2010-01-10

Out of the awsome City Slang comes, like a fearful bat out of its cave, Tu Fawning’s first full length album.

To put in words what the sound of Tu Fawning sounds like, is like trying to throw out the christmas tree without having the floor filled with needles.

Hearts On Hold is an album that will keep you guessing. You will have nightmares,  feel bliss or just disappear into the world that is theirs. The instruments, samples and vocals together blends up to something never  experienced before. I got completely lost in the trumpet. There is some sense of Arcade Fireish notions hidden somewhere.

I have listened to the album a numerous times, and still it gets me. Confusing, beautiful and simple at times. It is like nothing you??’ve heard before, and still it feels somewhat like home at times.

The first track on the album will take you somewhere, thats guaranteed, just try to find out where. It’s amazing. If I ever die in New Orleans, give me a funeralband, marching and put Tu Fawning in the first line. Singing ”Multiply A House”

Hearts On Hold makes up for a strong 5/7 – Try it on, see if it fits you.

Let´s face it. We are all dead horses. 4th of January Deadhorse released their new album. The post-rock-gang from Erie, Pennsylvania got something great going here. Love the tunes, love the ambient freakish sound, love the attitude.

The band is Brian Morgante, Seth Young, Rachel Shesman, Michael Messenger, Garrett Janos, and other talented people. Deadhorse often change their starting XI. It´s a rotating circus of deephearted and beautiful stuff.

Next gig, Feb 19, St. Marys, PA

Deadhorse – Myspace

Goin down that road again. This is blues 2010. Joanne Shaw Taylor has got it all. The voice and (lordy lord) the fingers on that Telecaster. I´m back to the first Jonny Lang record – and diggin away.

When Joanne was a little schoolgirl, she was caught by the rough side of the blues: SRV, Albert Collins, the Paladins, Jimi Hendrix. At Christmas she got her first electric guitar. Good call.

Her new album Diamonds in the Dirt, released on Ruf Records, was recorded in the States. It´s more riff and roll, a bit tougher than her debut White Sugar. She´s playing in Wolverhampton tomorrow, get it while it´s hot.

Check out Joanne Shaw Taylor on spotify, myspace or da homepage.

Kentuckyreaders, meet Bobby Bare Jr. This autumn he released his album A storm, A tree, My mothers head on Thirty Tigers/Albino Recordings.

The southern rocker – born raised and living in Nashville, TN – grew up with George Jones as his next door neighbour. Lucky bastard.

This is sweet altcountry with twisted lyrics. The record was made after a tragic accident (albumtitle) but came out a great piece of music.

BB Jr – Spotify

BB Jr – Myspace

Album Shore to Shore – Releasedate 2011-02-28

I recently got aquainted with a very interesting artist. Norman Palm.

Trying to find out more about the man I stumbled in to his corner at normanpalm.com, and started reading.

The man is not only a great musician, he is also a designer and an artist.

After graduating from both an artschool in Berlin and one in Paris he made his first album ”Songs” which he describes not only as an album but a recordbook. 200 pages of Palm’s artwork included.

Mr Palm, has released another album, but only in Germany, where he resides, when he isn’t down in Mexico City.
The album will hit the rest of Europe in February 2011. A review will be here on Kentuckyseven shortly. Album name? Shore To Shore.

I’ve started to listen to the album, and I can say so far, I am very intrigued. This is something else. Something new.

Wanna take a look, listen? Feel free…

Norman Palm – Easy (Vid)
Norman Palm – Easy (mp3)

Listen @ Soundcloud Norman Palm – Easy

Dolorean – The Unfazed
Releasedate 18/1 2011

After I got to know the great band Dolorean, from Portland Oregon, I knew. That there’s hope for the great American music-scene. Bands like Dolorean rarely get the spotlight in commercial radio or press, but are greatly appreciated among the likes of Kentuckyseven-readers.

I listened to Dolorean’s first album and said to myself, this is real. Real music from real musicians. The lyrics are storys, the sound is pure and fresh, yet carry a heritage from great American music-history. Al James, the songwriter and vocalist is like a storyteller with warmth, depth and compassion and from the short contact I’ve had with the man, he is a great person too.

The Unfazed is no exception, it’s even larger. The opening song Thinskinned is extraordinary, with the piano, and lyrics like it was a love-story-gone-bad anthem.

Al James and Lara Miller get together in Country Clutter, second track of the album, their voices are melting together and create a comfortzone, where I gladly remain for days and days.

Titletrack sets the mood and emphasize the American singersongwriter culture in a way I think that many artist would sacrifice plenty to create.

The Unfazed is bound for something great. My hope is that Dolorean will meet a larger audience during 2011, the band surely deserves a great audience. My only wish for Christmas is that the rest of the world sees their splendor…
The album will surely end up in many Best Of 2011 lists… I know I have a place for it.

Six out of seven K7’s – just like that.