Back in 2019 I stumbled across Calicoco thanks to Nova One and was blown away. It's been a little while since we've heard new music from Giana Caliolo, but the New Year has brought a new song, and it's a cover. It's a cover of Heartless Bastards' "New Resolution," which is unexpected style wise. Calicoco's previous releases have been more crooner meets modern indie/folk, and Heartless Bastards are definitely much more rock. Calicoco brings the rock for this one. It may not quite match the level of rock of the original, but it comes pretty close. It still keeps Calicoco's trademark crooner sound, so it's more of an alt garage/country/crooner rocker.
You can listen to Calicoco's take on "New Resolution" below. The song is available as a free download via Bandcamp. For more on Calicoco, check out the artist's website.
Jason Molina is Heather Valley's biggest musical influence, so if she's going to release a covers album, she is almost obligated to include a Jason Molina song. She's chosen "Whip Poor Will" from Songs: Ohia's 2003 album Magnolia Electric Co and Magnolia Electric Co.'s 2009 album Josephine. Valley does a wonderful job with her version of "Whip Poor Will." While hers may be a little more straightforward folk/country than the original, she perfectly melds the two versions into one that is all her own. It also brings a new quality to Valley's voice. While her singing has always been one of the main draws of her music, it's particularly captivating here.
Heather Valley says of the song: "Jason was an Ohio singer songwriter who performed as Songs: Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co during his prolific career. We lost him to depression in 2013, but his music remains as a beacon to help others get through the dark times. I love this song because I have checked in to the Southern Cross Hotel myself and know how it feels."
You can listen to Heather Valley's version of "Whip Poor Will" below. Wildflower Radio, the upcoming album from Heather Valley, will be out in 2021. For more on Heather Valley, check out the artist's website.
Aaron Lee Tasjan is making some of the most interesting and unique country inflected music out there. Tasjan's latest single, "Feminine Walk," isn't going to be for country purists. That's mainly because it isn't straight up country. It's a really diverse blend of alt-country, 80's pop, and 70's classic rock. It sounds completely modern and current while still having some throwback vibes from decades ago. The closest comparison I can come to is if David Bowie followed up his weirdo 70's phase with an 80's country phase.
You can listen to "Feminine Walk" below. Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan!, the upcoming album from Aaron Lee Tasjan, will be out February 5 on New West Records. You can pre-order a copy here. For more on Aaron Lee Tasjan, check out the artist's website.
I discovered Leeann Skoda when Jason Hawk Harris referred to her as his "sideman as of late," and mentioned her newly released single, "Still." I think we all owe Harris a thank you, because "Still" is absolutely lovely. Skoda has crafted a song that isn't quite country, isn't quite folk, and isn't quite pop. Instead it includes elements of all three, but too much of each to truly be called any of them. (Her Facebook page calls it "... dreamy music for strange times.") It's a simple song in its beauty. The majority of the song is just Skoda's voice and guitar, but it sounds completely lush and fleshed out. That's thanks to Skoda's voice, which is stunning.
You can listen to "Still" below. For more on Leeann Skoda, check out the artist's website.
When you first hear "Bedroom Years," the latest single from London's Jessi Mac, it sounds like dream pop, with the emphasis on pop. It's a quiet, lovely little song with gently strummed guitars and piano tinkles. And if it was that, it would still be a great song and immensely captivating. But during this time, the instruments hint at what is to come. After the first minute, the guitars start crashing in. "Bedroom Years" is still a lovely, emotive song propelled by singer Jessi McDonald's vocals, but the heavier guitars help propel the song into an edgier territory.
Jessi McDonald says of the song: “‘Bedroom Years’ is sodden with my existential feelings of insignificance. I think when you are in suspense of becoming an adult, the cold realities of the real world can be pretty overwhelming.”
You can listen to "Bedroom Years" below. Border Lines, the upcoming EP from Jessi Mac, will be out February 4. For more on Jessi Mac, check out the band's Instagram.
Boston garage rock supergroup The Shang Hi Los boast members of Jenny Dee & The Deelinquents, The Downbeat 5, The Neighborhoods, and Eddie Japan. If you're a fan of any of those bands, you're going to love "Skipping Records." It's this impossibly catchy garage rock/pop song that is rarely made this side of the 1960's. This sounds like what could have been the hit song The Oneders would have made in That Thing You Do! 2 after they had gotten a little more edge in the 1970's. "Skipping Records" is the rare perfect song, and you owe it to yourself to check this out.
You can listen to "Skipping Records" below. Kick It Like a Wicked Bad Habit, the upcoming EP from The Shang Hi Los, will be out January 15 on Rum Bar Records. You can pre-order a copy here. For more on The Shang Hi Los, check out the band's Facebook.
We're playing a little bit of catch up here at the end of the year, but this one is worth the wait. Aaron Fraser is a member of Durand Jones & the Indications, but is striking out with a solo album next month. A new-ish single is "If I Got It (Your Love Brought It)." If you've been into Durand Jones & the Indications, or any of the modern neo-soul we've brought you, you're going to love this new song. It's the kind of soul song that could have been made in the 60's instead of 2020. It's an upbeat, horn heavy song focused on Frazer's impossible to hate vocals. Producer Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys) brought in some legendary session musicians such as members of The Memphis Boys, drummer Sam Bacco (who played on Aretha Franklin's "You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman"), and players from the Daptone-Big Crown Records bands. With that kind of pedigree, "If I Got It (Your Love Brought It)" is an instant hit.
Aaron Frazer explains the song: “I was at the DMV in Sacramento and above the commercial vehicles desk I noticed a wall full of toy trucks, and at the top a teamsters slogan from the 1950s: ‘IF YOU GOT IT, A TRUCK BROUGHT IT.’ I thought, damn that’s a hot line. Jotted it down, and when I brought it up with Dan, the song felt like it was writing itself. It’s a song of gratitude for who/whatever it is in your life that brings you happiness, grounding and self improvement.”
You can listen to "If I Got It (Your Love Brought It)" below. Aaron Frazer's debut album, Introducing..., will be out January 8 on Dead Oceans/Easy Eye Sound. You can pre-order the album here. For more on Aaron Frazer, check out the artist's website.
Gwenllian Anthony from Adwaith has been writing music from Matthew Kilgariff (who is a touring member of Adwaith) for a few years. The new project from the two musicians from Wales is Tacsidermi. While their other band has an edgier alt-rock sound, Tacsidermi are more of a laid back, funky, psychedelic band. However, this is hardly a classic 60's psychedelic sound. Their new single, "Gwir," sounds like the early/90's Flaming Lips mixed with The Brian Jonestown Massacre. It starts off incredibly quiet, almost like some sparse quirky folk. And then the groove kicks in, and will make you an instant fan.
You can listen to "Gwir" below. The song is available as a single via Libertino Records. For more on Tacsidermi, check out the band on Facebook and Twitter.
For their Christmas song, New Orleans's Fantasy Non Fiction have traded in their alt-rock/pop sound for a much more contemplative, quiet one. "Over It (and it's Christmas Eve)" sees bandleader Rose Cangelosi stepping out from behind the drum kit and over to the piano. This is a bummer of a Christmas song, with Cangelosi reflecting on a troubled relationship on Christmas Eve. The song is solely Cangelosi and the piano, and sounds much more like a cabaret standard than Fantasy Non Fiction's normal sound.
Rose Cangelosi says of the new song: “This song is my ‘River.’ I wrote it last year around the time I was having some issues with my partner and the holiday spirit was haunting me. I haven’t been super into Christmas for a while, I’m in a place where I really appreciate chosen family potlucks more than sudo-religious capitalistic traditions. My favorite verse is the one about inviting your demons to tea. Its based off of a story my favorite spiritual teacher, Tara Brach, shared. When the meddling demon god Mara shows his face, Buddha invites him for tea instead of being afraid. In my reflection, my demons accept the invitation and then taunt me for not feeding them- sounds about right!”
You can watch the video for "Over It (and it's Christmas Eve)" below. For more on Fantasy Non Fiction, check out the band's website.
David Wax Museum have long been a favorite around here. The band have recorded a new album, and they're slowly debuting new songs from it on their Patreon. The first song is being made available to everyone, and it's one you need to check out! "Every Bit of Love" is part of the evolution of their sound, from the Mexican infused folk music to their newer, more modern sound. "Every Bit of Love" sounds like a more organic, folk version of the chill out room at a rave. There are some programmed drums, but since the instruments listed in the credits include cello, accordion, clarinet, harp, violin, acoustic guitar, and piano, I have no idea how they have this nearly electronic sound. David Wax Museum have crafted an incredibly lush soundscape on this song. It's folk music that doesn't sound or feel like folk music.
To listen to "Every Bit of Love," check out David Wax Museum's Patreon. Euphoric Ouroboric, the upcoming album from David Wax Museum, will be out in 2021. For more on the band, head on over to their website.
