Wildie are a Swedish quartet who, from the sound of this track ‘Old Man’, excel at writing and performing country flavoured West Coast sounds with a classic pop streak. There’s Wilco, Ron Sexsmith, a dash of early Midlake and above all some lush, melodic 70’s style songwriting that sounds effortless. The song comes from their … Continue reading
Category Archives: Cosmic Country
NEW MUSIC: Big Dog – Cowboy
I love the way this track lazily bounces along, draped in jangly cosmic twang and has this wonderfully swelling, spiralling feel, like it could spin on and out forever. It features the warmly melodic lead vocal of Netta Dor, who says of the song… “I love that final chorus. Where everyone becomes entangled with each … Continue reading
NEW MUSIC: Freya Josephine Hollick – The Real World
In a world turned upside down by the pandemic, Freya Josephine Hollick releases her new single as she moves ever closer to releasing her new album, recorded over in the US with Lucinda Williams’ band Buick 6. ‘The Real World’, soaked in lush and cosmic pedal steel is a touching and emotive paean to the … Continue reading
NEW MUSIC: Dash Hammerstein – Sun Dancer
It’s hard to go past a name like Dash Hammerstein isn’t it?! Luckily his music is equally as compelling. ‘Sun Dancer’ lopes along like Harry Nilsson tripping on a sunny afternoon down a country lane. Pedal steel plays the coy and alluring sidekick to this Brooklyn songwriter’s heavy-lidded jaunty sound. ‘Sun Dancer’ comes from Hammerstein’s … Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Kacy & Clayton and Marlon Williams – Plastic Bouquet
Kacy & Clayton and Marlon Williams Plastic Bouquet New West Records A chance Spotify encounter with the music of Kacy & Clayton led Marlon Williams on an adventure that ended up in sub-zero Saskatoon in Canada and Nashville, TN to record this wonderful collaborative album. There’s a clear simpatico between the three of them, with … Continue reading
INTERVIEW: Marlon Williams
THE SEEDS OF COLLABORATION Marlon Williams talks about Plastic Bouquet his new album with Kacy & Clayton and gives an update on some of his other upcoming projects. by Chris Familton In 2017, New Zealand songwriter Marlon Williams was on tour across Europe when the algorithms of Spotify dropped a Kacy & Clayton song in … Continue reading
ALBUM REVIEW: Caitlin Harnett & The Pony Boys – Late Night Essentials
Caitlin Harnett & The Pony Boys Late Night Essentials Evening Records Caitlin Harnett’s 2014 debut album The River Runs North was an accomplished exercise in confessional, acoustic-based contemporary folk with a strength of songwriting at its core. As part of a an established collective of movers and shakers in the Sydney Americana scene – aiding … Continue reading
NEWS: Hiss Golden Messenger announce new album and release new single/video
Hiss Golden Messenger‘s M.C. Taylor has announced that the new album Quietly Blowing It will be released via Merge Records on June 25th. To mark the announcement, he’s released a video for the song ‘If It Comes In The Morning’, a wandering slow and soulful song, complete with shimmering keys and a lonesome saxophone. The … Continue reading
NEW MUSIC: Derek Dames Ohl – If Love Stinks
Here’s a great new song from Derek Dames Ohl out of Denver Colorado. It’s a lighthearted swing at a love song but one with a really nice country sway and lyrical quality to it – in the vein of John Prine’s playful tunes. Ohl also plays bass in the band Flash Mountain Flood but he’s … Continue reading
INTERVIEW: Caitlin Harnett
LATE NIGHTS IN THE INNER WEST Caitlin Harnett & The Pony Boys dish up a sonic smorgasbord of soulful country-rock on Late Night Essentials. by Chris Familton Sydney songwriter Caitlin Harnett knew from an early age that music was what she wanted to pursue and as an 18 year old she was quickly thrust into … Continue reading
NEW MUSIC: Roberta Faceplant – Everything Is Trash
Straight from the opening guitar licks you know this track is going to hit the spot. It kicks along like a hot-wired boot heel on a wooden honky tonk dancefloor. Sass, humour and hooks to burn, ‘Everything Is Trash’ is the debut single from new solo country / Americana act Roberta Faceplant, who is Philadelphia-based … Continue reading
NEW MUSIC: Fritz Michel – Stardust
French-born New York artist Fritz Michel has released this new single from his upcoming EP Blue Vibes. He plays in electric jazz and rock bands but his solo material mixes a subtle Lou Reed vibe with a David Berman (Silver Jews, Purple Mountains) countrified indie rock feel. It’s a classic sound with an artful twist. … Continue reading
NEWS: Rose City Band announces new LP
Rose City Band, the project of Ripley Johnson when he’s not immersed in the world of Wooden Shjips or Moon Duo, has announced that album number three will be released on May 21st. Based on ‘Lonely Spaces’ (below) expect more of his amazing blend of dreamy, chooglin’, cosmic country. Press release spiel… Rose City Band … Continue reading
NEW MUSIC: Sam Newton – Ground Me
Sam Newton returns with his first single since the release of his 2018 album Stare Into The Dark. Since then he’s built up his own home studio and ‘Ground Me’ is one of the first results of that endeavour. As has become Newton’s signature sound, a widescreen intimacy casts a warm and resonant shadow across … Continue reading
NEW MUSIC: John John Brown – Where The Good Buzz Goes
Last year we posted John John Brown‘s song ‘On Black Friday I Met Jesus‘ which really impressed us both musically and poetically. That song, along with this new one ‘Where The Good Buzz Goes’ both come from his new album Americana Comics, out now on streaming services. John Prine is a clear influence in the … Continue reading