The Lost Days – For Today

The Lost Days are Sarah Rose Janko and Tony Molina and this little stunner is from the album ‘In The Store’ out now on Speakeasy Studios SF. The two friends were working aside from their own music projects and bonding over a shared love of Bill Fox, The Byrds, Dear Nora and Guided by Voices. The album that has emerged out of these late night private jam sessions owes much to the chiming sound of sixties pop and also shimmers with a delightful no frills DIY aesthetic, with the whole ten songs done and dusted in under fifteen minutes. But this hardly seems to matter, they breeze in, cast their spell and are done in a flash and yet they leave a mark that encourages repeat visits, a wonderful little surprise indeed…

M Ward – Supernatural Thing

New music from M Ward is always something to get excited about and here we have the incredible title track from an album due to be released on June 23rd on Anti Records. The cast list on the record alone looks impressive, including names like First Aid Kit, Shovels & Rope, Scott McMicken, Neko Case and Jim James (great artists all) but as always it is the sound of M Ward himself that truly wets the appetite. He somehow manages to sound so authentically vintage, so naturally analogue whilst not sounding for a single moment like a copyist or mere revivalist. His music is so beautifully crafted it always stands proud as a relevant work in a modern context so yes, 2023 just got a little better…

Naima Bock – Lines

This is a superb live version recorded at Rough Trade East of new 2023 material following on from last years well received ‘Giant Palm’ album. Many likened Bock’s sound to that English acid-folk grain sewn by the likes of Fairport Convention and Fotheringay over fifty years ago but I’d argue there’s a closer connection to the famous Canterbury scene of the same era. Certainly there are jazz and prog echoes in Naima’s sound but crucially there is a lightness of touch and fluidity that orbits whatever style the music demands, it feels like the writing is free to land wherever it needs which can only be a good news for the ongoing development of this fine artist…

Thee Marloes – Midnight Hotline

These sweet soul sounds are to be found on a new 7″ 45 released on the Big Crown record label. The band are from Surabaya, Indonesia and consist of Natassya Sianturi on vocals, Sinatrya Dharaka on guitar, and Tommy Satwick on drums. The music is the creative work of guitarist Sinatrya, who would take his inspiration from the classic sounds of Motown, Funk and Reggae to cook up these retro grooves with no grand plan after a long working day. It was when the two other members of Thee Marloes came on board that the music started moulding itself into songs, especially when the voice and style of singer Natassya added a focal point and classy presentation to take this music to the world. With a New York based label part of the picture now too, let’s hope that is exactly the way it unfolds, great music deserves to be heard and we need it today more than ever…

Grace Potter – Mother Earth

This chugging country-rocker is the first single off of Grace Potter’s new album ‘Mother Road’ which will be out on August 18th. In addition to a music career that is now entering its third decade, Grace has also made a notable impression as an actress which presumably helps when making an epic, slightly deranged, bumper fun jamboree of a music video like that presented here. It is a roadside diner stand-off that absolutely revels in its Dukes of Hazard clichés whilst simultaneously taking the piss (literally in one shot, I mean I never saw no good ol’ boys taking a dump by the roadside). On this evidence, 2023’s new Grace Potter music will sure be a thrilling, rootin’-tootin’ ride so look out…

Gitkin – East Middle Dub

This spacey collage of instrumental psych pulls in elements of Peruvian chicha, Saharan tuareg and Cuban son montuno. Gitkin is a multi-instrumentalist artist from Brooklyn, NY and this is the opening track from his latest album ‘Nowhere To Go But Everywhere’. I have to say this gives me a warm glow, I can almost feel the heat of the summer arriving with these dubby laid back vibes, the time feels right to bathe in the joy of the brilliant music that never ceases to rise up around us, enjoy…