By no means new, 2008’s The National Side by Americana aficionados, Romantica, is steeped in home spun goodness. It has a bit of a Spanish flair, with the use of mariachi band like horn section. If you close your eyes and listen, I think you can imagine 1950’s American street scenes. Based out of Minneapolis, MN, Romantica doesn’t seem to be terribly active these days, which is a shame. Lead singer Ben Kyle is an Irish transplant to the US and he brings with him just…
Read MoreJangling pop finds a formidable voice in Good Old War. Calling Me Names from the bands 2012 release Come Back as Rain highlights the simple and fun melodies, and the great vocal harmonies of the band. If you find your toe tapping, or yourself singing along, it’s not an accident. These songs were made to keep your head in the musical game. Check out the band’s web site for a complete listen to Come Back as Rain. If the web site isn’t…
Read MoreI purchased this CD for one of my sons and a son-in-law for Christmas this year, on the strength of this song. Desert Raven is a beautiful little progressive rock (folk? pop?) number with some great lead guitar work, hypnotic strings, dreamy vocals and just the right amount of bass and percussion. Jonathan Wilson self-released the long player Gentle Spirit and it can be found along with some free B-side downloads on his web site. Jonathan Wilson is a singer, songwriter, musician and producer from Fall City,…
Read MoreDelightfully odd with a quirky chirrup-like delivery, folk singer and songwriter, Julie Baenziger is the creative muse behind Sea of Bees. This 2010 release of Gnomes from the full-length Songs for the Ravens, captures the true essence of Julie. From there, the music speaks for itself, as all great folk music does. Check out Sea of Bees by visiting their web site, and watch for their new release due out sometime this year. (Source: http://www.seaofbees.com/ )
Read MoreSpeed the Band tells stories in a wonderful, lyrical way, and singer Carrie Speed Owsley has the perfect voice for story telling. The band, made up entirely of family and extended family members, is accomplished and the melodies are delightfully infectious. You can check them out by visiting them on Facebook. (Source: https://www.youtube.com/)
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