Our Top Six Releases Jan 22
Top Six Releases
January 2022
Our Top Six Releases Jan 22
By Rob Dickens
Charm of Finches
Wonderful Oblivion
Independent
22 October 2021
Folk duo Charm Of Finches are sisters Mabel and Ivy Windred-Wornes, based in Melbourne Australia and their wafting, gentle harmonies are glorious.
The pandemic has not been easy on the pair. Their previous album Your Company was released just before COVID hit so it couldn’t be showcased as they had intended. This impressive follow up Wonderful Oblivion had a delayed launch without the newly-pressed CDs or vinyl copies arriving in time.
But it hasn’t been all bad news for the sisters, having just received a 2021 Australian Folk Music Award for Youth Artist Of The Year, a timely accolade and reminder of the bright future in store for the duo.
READ OUR REVIEW OF THEIR ALBUM LAUNCH
The Delines
The Sea Drift
Jealous Butcher Records
11 February 2022
Portland’s The Delines are the result of the musical collaboration and friendship of Willy Vlautin (novelist and former frontman of the alt-country group Richmond Fontaine) and Amy Boone, with Vlautin penning deep narratives as a perfect fit for Boone’s unique, wistful vocals.
The Sea Drift is the first new material recorded since Boone was in an horrific car accident in 2016 that hospitalized her for multiple years and delayed the completion of their 2019 album The Imperial. In fact, there were serious doubt as to whether she would be able to rejoin the band.
Two of Vlautin’s six novels have been adapted into feature films and the songs here are both cinematic and romantic. The opening track “Little Earl” is stunningly vivid (see clip below). This is country soul at its most sensual.
Via Dave Laing Publicity
Eric Brace & Last Train Home
Everything Will Be
Red Beet Records
14 January 2022
We have in past featured and extolled the virtues of Eric Brace, with a look at his previous album Daytime Highs & Nightime Lows and the terrific collaboration with Peter Cooper and Thomm Jutz Riverland.
The East Nashvillian continues his fine form with Everything Will Be (his second album in three years) which features his distinctive voice (sounding like James Taylor and Gordon Lightfoot at times) with some precisely-crafted songs and melodies. The song selection and arrangements are diverse and interesting with baritone saxophones, racing instrumentals, brass bands, sambas, loops and bodhrans covering seven originals and four well-chosen covers.
Another winner from Eric Brace.
Via Broken Jukebox Media
Firekid
Muscle Shoals Metaphysical
Independent
10 December 2021
Appalachian music with a kick. Firekid started out as a solo project by Dillon Hodges and evolved into a fascinating and creative collaboration with Heidi Feek. Muscle Shoals Metaphysical is a new and exciting chapter for the pair with the title being a pretty apt description of what’s on offer here.
The pair travelled from their home in Florence, Alabama to acclaimed producer Jay Joyce‘s studio in Nashville to write and record this new batch of music, covering material on their individual hobbies (gardening, philosophy, mythologies) inspired by the outdoors.
“For inspiration, we often find ourselves outside. We live on 3.5 acres of Oak, Dogwood and Maple trees in northern Alabama. It only took us 6 years to finish a record, most of the time spent wandering aimlessly around our property.
Heidi Feek
A refreshing mix of folk and old-time music with a very modern overlay.
Via Lucky Bird Media
Fred Wickham Caravan
Town Without Soul
Independent
29 October 2021
The Fred Wickham Caravan hail from Kansas City, Missouri and the band members are some of that city’s finest players.
Wickham has been a fixture in Midwest folk circles for decades, with his solo release Mariosa Delta receiving widespread acclaim. That release featured Wickham’s longtime cohort Richard Burgess (bass).
On Town Without Soul they are joined by Marco Pascolini (electric and pedal steel guitar), Bart Colliver (keys) and Matt Brahl (drums), and it’s a soulful and dynamic presentation of a number of styles. Recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama with Grammy Award winning producer Jimmy Nutt (The SteelDrivers, Jason Isbell), the album is a totally rewarding listen.
Via Working Brilliantly
Seasick Steve
Blues In Mono
Cheersquad Records & Tapes
3 December 2021
Blues In Mono is a tribute to traditional, acoustic country blues recorded with a microphone from the 1940’s, with Seasick Steve performing the songs solo, direct to an old tape machine. This was then cut direct to lacquers with no computer involved at all during the process. The old school way of making a record.
The album cover tells you exactly what to expect from the album – one man, his acoustic guitar and a microphone.
Blues In Mono was originally released as a digital-only gift for fans in lockdown in 2020, but the positive reaction has led to a proper release on LP and CD. A stripped-back bout of authenticity.
Via Dave Laing Publicity
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More Music Adventures Await!
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Our Top Six Releases Jan 22
Our Top Six Releases Jan 22
Our Top Six Releases Jan 22
