Aimee Mann - Queens Of The Summer Hotel (11/05/2021)

Aimee Mann is back with her new album: "Queens Of The Summer Hotel" will be out November 05, 2021. 

 

Mike Viola - King Kong Hand (Hootenanny 1 Mic)

David Myhr - And Now This EP

The Swedish songwriter David Myhr announced his new EP And Now This with lead single We Wanted To Shine.

The four track EP record is again a collaboration (like Myhr's 2018 Lucky Day album) made with Nashville-based producer/musician Brad Jones (Josh Rouse, Matthew Sweet, Jill Sobule, Marshall Crenshaw) and fellow Swede Andreas Quincy Dahlbäck.  

With a day-gig as songwriting teacher (Luleå University of Technology, The Royal College of Music in Stockholm,) We Wanted To Shine saw Myhr take some of his own songwriting advice: 

"As a songwriter you're often looking for a starting point, an idea to spark off. One method I recommend to students is to simply start with a title."

"I had a Tom Petty book on the coffee table in front of me so I opened a page at random and my eyes landed on the words ‘we really wanted to shine’. It was a quote about The Heartbreakers performance at the tribute to George Harrison in The Royal Albert Hall, on the anniversary of his death." 

From there, the creative juices flowed.

"All I had to do was to start singing! The chorus came right away. A verse melody followed quickly and Brad Jones then further developed the lyrics”.

"The song could be interpreted as being about a struggling musician that craves attention and recognition, which of course is something that I can relate to! But it is also about wanting to succeed and - perhaps a bit amateur psychology - some kind of deep-seated need for validation from your parents."

There’s been talk for years now about the album format being dead. It may or may not be true but David said: "Brad Jones encouraged me to start working in the EP format. I must say I like it. This may be the first in a trilogy. If this is the powerpop EP, maybe the next one will be the acoustic EP. And the third… the Drum&Bass EP!!? We'll see!"

 And Now This is out at Lojinx (HERE) and all common digital platforms on 21st May 2021.

A Girl, a Boy, and a Graveyard - Jeremy Messersmith

The Major Labels - Hummingbird

dodie - When (Official Lyric Video)

JEREMY FISHER - Song In My Heart

Bleu - Update 2021 - Rare Song Collection

I thought it would be a good idea to give you a quick update for one of my all-time favourite songwriters and musicians: the one and only William Bleu McAuley. 

 In the recent months there were talks of a:

• L.E.O. - Alpacas Orgling re-release (with an extended tracklist)
  
• Bleu Best Of Collection
• new record (which was almost finished)
  

Sadly, none of these three records have surfaced yet.

In 2020 and 2021 there were a few new songs:

• Love You So
• I Wanna Write You a Symphony
• Baby By Your Side 
• Fever Dream
• Wooo!!
  
• Golden Child
  

Because we still have to wait for new music, I put together a Rare Song Collection, a collection of my favourite songs which had either no official or just a limited official release. Most of the songs you'll find on Youtube, Spotify or Google (I can't give you a download option, sorry).

01 Funny Feelings (with Bill DeMain) (Demo)
02 Somebody Else (RRC version)
03 Glass Houses (Demo)
04 Afternoon Delight ("Besides" Bonus)
05 Take Cover (from "Besides")
06 Sayonara (RRC Version)
07 Save It For A Rainy Day (from "Besides")
08 Something To Cry About ("Aquavia" Bonus)
09 Ordinary Breakdown (Demo)
10 When it Rains it Pours (Demo)
11 How Blue (Acoustic Mix)
12 Oh No The Radio (RRC Song, Owsley Cover)
13 You Might Think (Cars Cover)
14 Don't Forget About Me (Simply Minds Cover)
15 Baby Come Back
16 Where Do We Go When The Party Is Over (Demo)
17 Terrible Secret (
18 & KT Tunstall - 1000 Years (from "Tinker Bell and the Legend of the Neverbeast" OST)
19 We Will Find Out (for "Life is Strange")
20 A Watched Pot (from "Besides")
21 & Jim Boggia - Human Nature (Live at The Borderline 2010)

Coconut Records (Jason Schwartzman)

Jason Schwartzman is mostly known for his acting in movies like The Grand Budapest Hotel, Darjeeling Limited or Scott Pilgrim vs the World, but also as the drummer from The Phantom Planet ("California") from 1994 to 2003.

Not so known is his project Coconut Records. And that's a shame. Between 2007 and 2009 Schwartzman released two records: Nighttiming and Davy.

Both are filled with unique and extraordinary catchy songs that may remind you of Jon Brion and Elliot Smith - listen to some of them below.

Sadly Schwartzman stopped his music career for acting, which is a loss (though he is an extraordinary actor, too).  

Monster | Pomplamoose & dodie

Steven Wilson - The Future Bites

Steven Wilson, musical mastermind, singer-songwriter, producer guitar and keyboard player, audio engineer, music nerd and artist permanently reinventing himself has a new record (The Future Bites) out NOW.

This may be my favourite record for the last 6 or 12 months. Give it a try - also watch the music videos!