our top picks for Jan 2020
Top New Releases – January 2020
By Rob Dickens
Marcus King
El Dorado
Easy Eye Sound
17 January 2020
After becoming a guitar phenomenon at 23 years of age and two official releases under the Marcus King Band moniker, King is issuing his debut solo album El Dorado, to be released January 17, 2020.
While a cracking guitarist, it is his soaring, soulful vocals that distinguish King’s work and that voice takes centre stage on this new, exciting combine of country-soul, R&B and blues.
The record was produced by Dan Auerbach of The Back Keys at his Easy Eye Studio in Nashville with legends who have worked with Elvis and Bobby Womack (an approach which worked extraordinarily well with Yola).
Here’s one of the new songs: “The Well”:
via Big Feat PR
John Dennis
Mortal Flames
Rainfeather Records
31 January 2020
At just 27 years of age, John Dennis has some dark history to draw on for his muse – the death of a girlfriend and a near-fatal joust with alcohol. Two releases in 2014 and 2017 leads us to Mortal Flames, a commanding collection of both mythical poems and intense, personal stories.
This becomes increasingly captivating moving though the tracks. I was engrossed by the time I got to “Good Good Love”, an outstanding duet with Allanah Zitka which recalls the intensity and comforting tenderness of Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush‘s “Don’t Give Up”. At over seven minutes, I might not hear a better song in 2020.
Here’s a sound clip of “First Light”:
via the artist and IVPR
Michael Doucet
Lâcher Prise
Compass
14 February 2020
This Grammy winning Cajun musician and member of BeauSoleil broadens appeal here with a group of what he calls Southwest Louisiana songs and instrumentals which are given a fresh, electric treatment. Lâcher Prise was produced by Doucet, Chad Viator and Compass co-founder Garry West, recorded at Dockside Studios in Maurice LA and enlists some terrific talent and guests including Sarah Dugas of The Duhks), Reese Wynans and Jim Hoke.
For those that have travelled through Louisiana, Lâcher Prise will bring a smile to your face and make you think when you last wore your best dancing shoes.
via Conqueroo
The SteelDrivers
Bad For You
Rounder
7 February 2020
The SteelDrivers are to release their fifth album…with their third lead singer. Vocalist (and guitarist) Kelvin Damrell joined the band in early 2018 and the outfit doesn’t miss a beat with its new material of edgy bluegrass music.
Bad For You follows their Grammy-winning 2015 release The Muscle Shoals Recordings and features eleven new songs, ten of which were co-written by fiddler Tammy Rogers. That glorious hard-driving sound returns.
Check out the sound clip of the title track:
via Wortman Works
Eric Brace & Last Train Home
Daytime Highs & Overnight Lows
Red Beet
31 January 2020
We reviewed the excellent Riverland at the start of 2019, a collaboration between Eric Brace, Peter Cooper and Thomm Jutz. Brace returns to work with cult band Last Train Home who released six full albums, three EPs and a live concert DVD up to 2008. Brace and two members of the band relocated to Nashville and logistic issues led to the drying up of their output.
Thankfully, Brace rounded up his band cohorts in Washington DC, Philadelphia and Nashville, for studio sessions that would become this, the band’s tenth recording. The chemistry has not been lost – fourteen evocative tracks beautifully conceived and presented with the richest palette.
Here’s the opening track:
via Broken Jukebox Media
Sarah Jane Scouten
Confessions
Light Organ Records
22 November 2019
Multiple Canadian award nominee Sarah Jane Scouten returns with Confessions, recorded in Toronto with veteran producer Andre Wahl and featuring layered songs of admission and acknowledgement.
Raised in a musical family in British Columbia, where harmony singing was commonplace, Scouten is steeped in North American and British folk music and she demonstrates plenty of introspective diversity here.
Here’s “Rattlesnake”:
via Take Aim Media
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our top picks for Jan 2020
