A quick post of two albums that I just bought during a small vacation trip to Stockholm. First up is the new I’m Kingfisher album Transit. I actually just saw him play at STHLM Americana festival on another trip Stockholm a month ago (am I spending too much time in Stockholm?) and even though I only caught the end of his concert, I was really impressed and captivated and instantly knew I had to hear his latest album.
I’ve been somewhat familiar with I’m Kingfisher aka Swedish songwriter Thomas Jonsson for a long time and I remember that I bought The Lake Acts Like an Ocean album when it came out a decade or so ago and really liked it. So I knew he was good, but maybe didn’t fully understand he was this good. Of course, Transit is the most fragile and stripped-down record of his career and that might be a part of the reason why I’m so fond of it. Even in the phenomenal Jason Molina discography, I love the early Songs:Ohia albums the most. Sorry if I drifted away from the subject, but it’s fairly clear that I’m Kingfisher has been influenced by Jason Molina. Anyway, Transit is now out on Fading Trail Records and I’m Kingfisher also has a Finland concert coming up on the 7th of August at Elmun Baari, Helsinki. Don’t miss out on that. I might because going to Helsinki mid-week on a workday gets a little difficult. So culture award for the person who books a Turku show for him for the following day. This is the gorgeous album opener What Good Would Loving Do Me Now?
A long time favourite, Athens, Georgia’s T. Hardy Morris has a new album Dude, The Obscure out on Normaltown Records (an imprint label of New West Records). Dude, The Obscure is his third solo album and after a couple of spins it feels like the best one. I really love that slow-paced, haunting dark beauty of his music. It’s kind of the side of T.Hardy Morris I first fell in love with when I heard his solo debut Audition Tapes and I’m thrilled that this is a return to that captivating sound. Nothing wrong with the second album either, but this is closer to my heart. Here’s the music video for the centerpiece When the Record Skips and my own personal favourite, the album closer Purple House Blues.
Oh and here’s a bit of a blast from the past. The first T.Hardy Morris I ever heard and a song that I still hold dear. It’s the title track of his solo debut Audition Tapes that came out on Dangerbird Records in 2013.