The song "Coloring Book" is the first single from the yet untitled forthfcoming album of Bebopalula.
The four members - Chris Price, Emeen Zarookian, Alex Jules and Ben Lecourt -
are all quite busy in music apart from this band:
Chris Price has released three solo albums, produced comeback albums for Emitt Rhodes and Linda Perhacs and worked with Roger Joseph Manning Jr., Jeffrey Gaines and Val McCallum.
Jules, who last year released his solo debut is touring keyboardist for the Monkees and Badfinger.
Over a span of almost two years Dan Wilson released every one or two months a new song.
For other artists this should be enough to put it on a record, but not for Dan. Time will tell what he has planned for these songs. Listen to all of them below (I removed the Christmas songs).
Ron Sexsmith is back with his 16th (!) album "Hermitage", which also marks Ron’s 25th year as a recording artist.
He and his longtime collaborator Don Kerr recorded "Hermitage" in Sexsmith’s living room. Sexsmith played all the instruments except the drums.
He may not always have a knack for his album covers, but his songs are always spot on.
If you are not familiar with his music, you should check his catalogue. Here is a live take of one of his best songs - "Secret Heart":
2002 was a devastating year for Marie Fredriksson (mostly known for her part of the band Roxette). She was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. There was a chance of 5% to survive this horrible desease - and she did survive!
Two years later Marie released her first and only English solo album - The Change.
The disease and the following cure heavily influenced the songs on the record. The Change has become an intense, shattering and hopeful album.
In 2019 - after surviving the tumor for 17 years, three more Roxette and four solo records and touring around the world - Marie Fredriksson lost the fight against cancer. She passed away on December 9.
In 2005 the Swedish singer and composer Per Gessle (from Roxette) released a solo record named Son Of a Plumber. It may be my favorite album of his.
The idea was to go on a trip back to the 1960s and 1970s. Per wanted the record to feel like an LP where you must turn the vinyl after half the record. That is why it consists of 2 CDs with a overall play time of 63 minutes for 25 tracks (!) - including a 5 song spanning junior suite.
Sounds quite different than a standard 12 track album, isn't it?
If you don't want to try out the full record, start with:
- Drowning In
Wonderful Thoughts About Her
- I Have A Party In My Head
- C’mon
... or listen to the whole record here (I strongly recommend headphones):
Some days ago sad news surfaced: Marie Fredriksson, the voice of Roxette died after a 17 years long fight against cancer.
Her bandmate and friend for decades - Per Gessle - wrote at his Facebook page:
"Time goes by so quickly. It’s not that long ago we spent days and nights in my tiny apartment in Halmstad, listening to music we loved, sharing impossible dreams. And what a dream we eventually got to share!
Thank you Marie, thanks for everything. You were an outstanding musician, a master of the voice, an amazing performer. Thanks for painting my black and white songs with the most beautiful colours. You were a wonderful friend for over forty years. I’m proud, honoured and happy to have been able to share so much of your time, talent, warmth, generosity and your sense of humour.
All my love goes out to you and your family. Things will never be the same.
CATT is a 23 years old German singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.
She grew up in a North German three-house-village mainly surrounded by woods and classical music before she moved to Berlin.
First she’d played and composed for several artists. In June 2019 CATT released her debut album "Moon". Musically it is situated somewhere in the area Indie-Pop, but that's far too short to describe her style. CATT has already a musical style other artist have to build up within several albums. There are minimalistic parts alternating with a wall of sound - which is quite compelling!
Listen to two of the songs below. And if you like it, buy it!
