Kentuckyseven

Release: 2011-04-25

Label: Bella Union

Alessi Laurente-Marke, is exactly what the world needs. Her music deserves to be heard by every each and one. The 21 year old british musician, is doing just about everything right.

Her sophomore album ”Time Travel” is no exception. The sound is familiar, but it has grown. Oh how it has grown. From her previous releases, it has made a journey, to new higher grounds. The lyrics are greater, still narrowing down just so they fit the exquisite guitars and pianos of what is Alessi’s Ark.

I must have exceeded the number of times you are allowed to listen to an EP, listening to her EP ”The Horse” from 2008. Four songs that completely blew my mind, and still do.

”Time Travel” feels like the right way, to get to know Alessi, if your ways haven’t crossed before. The way the album winds down several beautiful roads, with the delicate voice of Alessi, is like beeing on a great excursion, in forests, fields and the countryroads of which ever great country on earth. And beeing guided by these songs is just close to perfection.

I still haven’t had the luck of seeing this great artist live yet, but from what I have heard, it is just as beautiful, so I keep waiting. Waiting for the Ark to set sail for sweden. I will be at the docks waiting.

6 out of 7, what else is there to do? This is amazing stuff.

Wanna know more about the artist Alessi’s Ark? We had the fortune of getting a word with Alessi, a while ago… read more.

You want something that itches? Something that will hit you hard in the belly? Something that won´t go away?

Try ’Times New Viking’. A great band from Columbus, Ohio with their own style, their own lo-fi-punk take on life.

For the first time the trio (guitarist Jared Phillips, drummer Adam Elliott and Beth Murphy on keyboards) has escaped into a studio, and the result is pure genius.

With the help of Adam Smith and Dustin White, ’Time New Viking’ produced and recorded an album that sounds like a mellow night out. It´s loud, brash and just lovely.

Their fifth album ’Dancer Equired’ is released April 25th via Wichita Recordings / Cooperative Music. Check out the song ’No Room To Live’.

Nerina Pallot, the Brit-nominated singer-songwriter, returns in style with her new album ’Year of the Wolf’ out May 30th on Geffen records.

The album is entirely produced with guitar legend Bernard Butler and contains euphoric pop songs with that big heart-bursting choruses we dig. It´s life in widescreen, big letters and ”all the way into the tiles”

Nerina, born in the Kentucky-year of 1975, wrote and recorded the album during her pregnancy last year. She did have a baby boy (Wolfgang Amadeus) in September 2010 and a great album this May. Please check out the highly addictive first single ’Put Your Hands Up’.

Kentuckyseven got hold of Nerina and asked her five Q´s. And by the way, that Magus-book is a must-read. Enjoy!

¤ What are you listening to right now?

– The self titled album from West Indian Girl from 2002.

¤ Best book read in a while?

– The Magus by John Fowles.

¤ Your hopes for this year?

¤ Three artists who inspire you?

– Elton John, Prince, Steely Dan.

¤ Who deserves a breakthru in 2011?

– Bright Light Bright Light.

Release: 2011-04-18

Label: Geffen / Wrasse Records

The sound of Guillemots is recognized by the way they keep changing the sounds. But the energy and the desperate love is recognized in every song.

Walk The River, is no exception, the music moves from high and wide, to low and dark. The titlesong is somewhat ”too clean” but still a seriously grand rocktune. And would surely fit on any indie-club with self respect. The way it winds up from a low key with great vocals by Fyfe Dangerfield, to a full blown brit-anthem.

This, the third album from the band feels more mature and yet wild and unexpected. Recorded in Bryn Derwen Studios, an old mansion in rural Whales. Produced by David Kosten (Bat for Lashes, Everything Everything).

If anything, this is an album that will grow on you. Probably best listened to in the dark, with plenty of alcohol present. This would probably not be classified as easy-listening, but if you are a fan of british smart indie rock, this is very much for you and your likes. I like it.

There is an eighties-feeling present, and at the same time something timeless, and familiar. When Verve was at their best, something like that. That feeling of carelessness, with affection.

It is sharply put together, with the roughness still close by. The athmospere, harmonies, and effects creates a bold presentation.

Fyfe creates moods, with great songs, and vocals, like always. You know instantly if this is an album for you. I know I took it instantly to my collection of great records.

Five out of seven is great. This is a great album.

One of 2010 best albums,  came from this man. Thomas Jonsson, AKA I’m Kingfisher. The album, ”Arctic” was released by Playground Music, the harbour of great swedish music. I’m Kingfisher is one of the greatest in that crowd.

The man has toured with artists like Ed Harcourt, and has recorded stuff with artists such as Rosie Thomas (one of my all time favorites) Damien Jurado, Ned Oldham and other great acts.

He is currently on tour with Damien Jurado, and will be playing @ Pustervik (Woody West, again with the majestic bookings) and later in Malmö and Stockholm.

Thomas is a man with a plan, Arctic is just a part of a trilogy plan, and one can only imagine the great stuff that is coming our way. We’ll be waiting. Impatiently, but still.

Got a word with the awesome swedish singer-songwriter that is I’m Kingfisher…

What are you listening to right now?

– A lot of instrumental drone stuff. I just fell in love with Earth’s newest album ’Angels of darkness, demons of light I’. This year I think Earth, Mogwai, Tennis, Thomas Hine and James Blake have done really good stuff.

I’ve also recently listened a lot again to last year’s best album ”St Bartlett” of Damien Jurado, since I just got it on vinyl after our show in Copenhagen a couple of days ago. And oh, it has also been a lot of Efterklang’s newest.

Best book read during 2010?

– Der Ganze Weg by Kristin Berget, Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer, Fantasiön by Henrik Brandao Jönsson and Poetry of Birds (anthology)

Your hopes for this year?

That I will tour as much as I want while finishing the recordings of my next album, as well as an album with a new Swede-Swede-French collaboration project I’m a part of. That mink farming will be banned once and forever. That sound engineers on my shows from now on and forever will set my guitar sound as loud as I want without questioning me.

Three artists who inspire you?

Recently: Victoria Legrand, singer of Beach House.
For the Arctic album: Six Organs of Admittance. Forever: M Ward.

Who deserves a breakthru in 2011?

– Dear Euphoria, my favorite Swedish band, whose 2010 EP ”This Night will Flee” contains ”Rescue”, one of last year’s two best pop singles (together with Sleigh Bells’ ”Rill Rill”). It’s on Spotify!

I for one, is going to see I’m Kingfisher on sunday, and I know for a fact that you can still pick up some tix.

Listen to the magic that is ”I’m Kingfisher”…

I’m Kingfisher – Artic by Playground Music

Release: 2011-04-18
Label: Heavenly Recordings / SubPop

Feels Like Hallelujah For The First Time…

Nothing better describes the feeling that crept upon me, when I first heard the sound of this Seattle-band. Something religious. Hallelujah.

The first thing that hits you, listening to this debut-album is that it can’t be a debut. Every song is carved in to your rainy, cold smothered heart, and just brushes everything off. Right there, on the first note. The first chorus.

When I saw the band, at Pustervik, I said to myself, and everyone I could get a hold of -This is something big. I was preaching for the choir. Everyone in that place already knew. I spoke to the band after the gig, and they were not that convinced. Yet. Humble people, that just love what they are doing. And how they do it.

All songs are like riddles, they start out in one way, and end up on another note, still sticking together like small short movies. One of the strongest song on the album, Down in The Valley, is writing references to ancient American songwriters as Dylan and other heroes. The piano, the strings and the ”Lord”. You have to be someone special to get away with. The Head & The Heart is something special. Very special.

I find myself, tapping my knees with my hands, stomping my feet, nodding my head completely open in buses, trains and all over the place. Completely unembarrassed. Like I could never see myself do before. This record is creating some kind of havoc in the controlled ordinary life that is mine.

The way this band present themselves on this album, is in no way ordinary, they have proved that this is something that will stay around for a long long time.

The song Rivers and Roads is a fine example of how to use all the knowledge and skills in the group. Charity is extraordinary in the way she finishes the dramatic end of the song. And experienced live, I know for a fact, that it can only be more exploding when standing close.

Magic is the proper word for describing it.

This is in every way thinkable a Kentucky Seven.

A bluegrass duo from the west coast of Sweden just made me dance round the Kentuckyoffice. Blue Eyed Blondes got it all right. They play their country-folky-gosply stuff and it aches to the bone.

The hillbillies Lina Lönnberg och Kristoffer Emanuelsson got greatness ahead of them, we´re along for the sunset ride.

Their new album ”EP” is out April 8th and do yourself a favour and check out the band on Spotify or Myspace.

If you come across an artist that describes himself as this guy, Dean Fields does, you wanna know what he sounds like:

”It takes a long time for me to wake up. Often Ill get up in the middle of night, change the cat box, and go back to bed with no recollection of it.   Im an over-thinker and an undecider.  I make up words.  I went to grad school to pursue music and left grad school to pursue music.  I moved 7 times in 3 years between 4 states.  I have 300 voices with 300 accents for 301 different moods.  I cannot park a car.   My wife is the coolest person I know.  And she is not a horse.”

It got me intrigued, and I started to explore the songs of Mr Fields latest EP ”Under A Searchlight Moon”, which was released March 15. Stumbled over a bunch of well-written songs, catchy tunes with feel. Dean is from Richmond, Virginia and the Americana is more than present in the EP, to say the least.

This artist know his way around words and phrases. The music sounds like there is a straight line between the idea and the songs. Steel-guitars give the ambiance and authenticity that great American songwriters need.

My advice has got to be, check this one out, and hopefully you will find something that will find a place in you too.

Listen to ”Under a Searchlight Moon” on Bandcamp:

Photo: Louise Storm

You know when you suddenly, while watching a tv-series, hear the tune. The tune you have got to get. It could be that you are looking for these guys.

The Elliots are four extremely talented guys from the Swedish west coast, from the indie-rock-capitol that is know as Gothenburg. They have played together since 1990, and you can tell. Their music is an alternative-indie-rock-pop mashup, with excellence. Somehow it brings up names such as Killers, Band of Horses and with a splash of ”nineties” in it. A real sound, something very credible.

The band has been featured in several American tv-series, which is something not all bands get to experience. When listening to the new album ”Love / Decay”, which is to be released June 10, you know they have created something great. And those of you that pick up that album are in for something really good.

The first single  ”When Evil Happens” features guest vocals by Camela Leierth, a perfect match. The Elliots are, Petur Olafsson, Christian Rosengren, Fredrik Berggren  and Mathias Flodin.

A full review of the album will be posted closer to the release, but I can tell you this, this is something special. The emotional songs and melodies are magical. You just wait and see.

Meanwhile, check out the band @ TheElliots Twitter MySpace

You can hear Smashing Pumpkins, Pixies, Dinosaur Jr, Pavement and other great influences while examining the DNA of Yuck. I love it!

What a perfect sound, what a great band. Noisy and brilliant. A UK-band really taking a swing at the USA-90´s and hitting it out of the stadium.

Their self-titled debutalbum is out on Spotify check it out. Can´t wait to see them on Stay Out West in Gothenburg, Sweden this summer.

Try out ”The Wall”, song number 2 from the album: