Los Jardines de Bruselas is an Argentinian one-man-bedroom-band, as he describes it himself. He has recently released this 8-track album and it's a fine evening album. Perfect for reading a book, candles lit, lights out. You might aswell skip the book and enjoy a great view or just stare into nothing with these dreamy songs. They tell amazing stories and are worth exploring within the depts of the music and the lyrics, all to be found on his website. Even "Butterflies", which has only 10 lines of lyrics, can make you sit and wonder throughout the song and those coming after.
Light and Glow is an inspirational, dreamy bedroom pop record that'll warm your heart and put your mind to work. A perfect combination.
Monday Morning Kick-Off with a dreamy six-minute song by Natureboy. Maybe it's because I hardly slept all night, but this is the perfect song for a numb Monday morning. I've been staring into the gray clouds all morning with nothing on my mind than this song. Have a good week!
Last year Jordan Klassen surprised me with the highly addictive Go To Me, and earlier this year he released a 4-track EP with closing track "Call and Answer". Another great song on heavy rotation for months already, so about time you'd hear it too.
The 3rd song from their Told You So-EP, released just last week. After Do You Hear and Evie, both also great songs. Which means there's at least 3 great songs on that 6-track EP. And guess what?! (What!? (I'll say it for you)..) Those other 3 songs are also very enjoyable!
My personal favourite is probably the somewhat slower closing track "Light Me Up", but there are 6 great songs on this EP, so that makes 6 good reasons to get yourself a (digital) copy via their website. Enjoy!
Last year I considered Chamberlin to be 'emo', but just on the safe side. The last song I've heard of them a few weeks ago is called "Jealousy" (free download on their website) and that was a bit too much '90s Bon Jovi' for me, I'll admit I was slowly giving up on the band. But then I received A Pleasant Conversation Over Drinks tonight. From their latest EP "Look What I've Become" & the "Above the Valleys"-video series that describes the making of that EP. Acoustic this band sounds so much better, I can only hope they will never truly plug in again. Great song. Keep it up!
It is raining beautiful music lately. This 5-track EP that was released in 2010 is among the purest things I've heard all year. Swedish singer-songwriter Amanda Bergman aka Idiot Wind is working on her debut album as we speak (or type) according to her website and I'll just pray that's the truth, because I need to get my hands on more of her amazing voice and beautiful intimite songs.
Google taught me that Idiot Wind is a Bob Dylan-song, just like "Mama, You've Been On My Mind". So one might think Amanda is into Bob. However it is, this is a great cover of a great song. And it's not the only one.
"Canary Bird" is the most intense piece on this 20-minute release that has that one flaw of being over too soon. But that is the only 'bad' thing I can really say about this. After hearing it just once, I ordered myself a copy (which I received today, I am now the proud receiver of a Swedish package) and the digital version is on non-stop rotation whenever I'm somewhere near my laptop.
This might just end up being my favourite EP of the year, slightly ignoring it is over 2 years old. I've fallen in love this year, that's what counts (for me)!
Balto is back. Their 2011-release October's Road was a very special album for me. I've listened a lot to it last year and it's still one of my favourite albums to help me gently fall asleep in the dark hours of the night. The new release is called Monuments and is another great addition to the list of releases this collective has been putting out there in 2012.
Balto is a productive and very talented collective: Daniel Sheron is Balto's main writer, Andrew Sheron aka Everyman Of Parts has released his great debut album Travelling Time earlier this year, John Glouchevitch aka Jeannot released a beautiful debut Turner Street EP and Philippe Bronchtein aka Hip Hatchet has made one of the best albums of the year with Joy and Better Days. I should probably find out what the other 2 members of the collective (Charlie Freundlich & Sam Budish) have been up to lately, because I will probably enjoy it a lot. I'll just have to figure out what names they're using..
Back to Balto though and the new little masterpiece they've delivered. Monuments holds 6 beautiful Americana-songs that show progress when compared with the previous release, but is unmistakenly Balto. When you hear that guitar start after 5 seconds and Daniel starts singing you feel right at home. This EP will undoubtfully find her way to my 2012-endlist (which in my mind I've been working on just for a little bit, probably a result of that Fall kicking in these last few rainy days) and that will be well deserved.
Another beauty from this talented collective that'll be played an loved over and over again for the rest of the year and beyond. Oh, and did I mention it'll only cost you 4 Dollars to get it (as if you needed anymore reason to get it..)?
