OCTA New Music Weekly – Episode #230

A whole lot to love once again. Made it an hour shorter this time around. Still way too long I suppose.

Bella White and Esther Rose can share the album of the week honors. Plenty of other great ones too. There’s new albums from Vilma Flood, Cinder Well, Joey Frendo, Rose City Band, Nydia Gonzalez (well this EP was early March release, but first time on this new music roundabout. Better late than never, because it’s awesome. Thanks to RSTB for this one), Superviolet, Domestic Bliss, Billy Tibbals (EP), Paint Fumes (from last week), Lily Dabbs, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Black Guy Fawkes (EP), Lucy Farrell, The Infamous Stringdusters (EP), Laura Mae Socks (EP), Trapper Schoepp and Smaller Hearts.

A short but really strong Finnish section led by the wonderful new Liila Jokelin album. Great new albums also from Ilja Karsikas and Captain Cougar. I highly recommend all of them. There’s also single beauties from Metsäheikki, Jere Ijäs & Monacon työväen palloilijat and STINAKO.

International song of the week is the new Lauren O’Connell song. Loved that Details album some years ago and great to finally hear a new original from them. Such a great song. Also would like to give a standing ovation to the new Evangeline Gentle song. Love it so much. Oh and a new amazing song from Anna Tivel too. It’s an outtake from the Outsiders sessions, but definitely not just a throwaway b-side. Easily could have been on the album too. Other early faves came from Kyle Cox, Mo Troper, RF Shannon, Joanna Sternberg, Michael Cormier-O’Leary, Durand Jones, Brennen Leigh, Logan Ledger, Withered Hand and so forth. Just to name a few. Too early to tell which will become long time friends and which just lovely new acquintances.

That’s all for now. I made it to 230 Episodes. 20 more? Seems like a lot, but I guess. Like, share, follow and all the usual promotional nonsense. It all helps. Both me and the artists that I feature on this. This made it past the 750 mark on Spotify a while back and that was nice. I’d love to hit 1000 before this has run its course. Not that the arbitrary metrics are that important. I know some real people who read, listen and appreciate this and that matters a whole lot more than any kind of faceless number on the follower count. Anyway, that’s all for now. Back to NHL playoffs. Love from a distance.

1. Bella White – Marilyn (Among Other Things, Rounder, 2023)
2. Esther Rose – New Magic II (Safe To Run, New West Records, 2023)
3. Vilma Flood – Crowded Garden (Flood, Startracks, 2023)
4. Cinder Well – Returning (Cadence, Free Dirt Records, 2023)
5. Joey Frendo – Nebraska Rain (Bound for Heartache, Horton Records, 2023)
6. Rose City Band – Garden Song (Garden Party, Thrill Jockey, 2023)
7. Nydia Gonzalez – I Like Myself Again (Nydia Gonzalez EP, 2023)
8. Superviolet – Dream Dating (Infinite Spring, Lame-O Records, 2023)
9. Domestic Bliss – Mercury (Domestic Bliss, 2023)
10. Billy Tibbals – Foreverland (Stay Teenage EP, Silver Arrow Records, 2023)
11. Mo Troper – For You to Sing (single, Lame-O Records, 2023)
12. Paint Fumes – Holding My Heart (Real Romancer, DIG! 2023)
13. Lauren O’Connell – Joangeline (single, Sugar Glider, 2023)
14. Evangeline Gentle – Sarah (single, 2023)
15. Anna Tivel – American Novella (single, Mama Bird Recording Co, 2023)
16. Lucy Farrell – Paperthin (We Are Only Sound, Hudson Records, 2023)
17. Lily Dabbs – Turn Out the Light (Back Around, 2023)
18. Kyle Cox – Late Night (single, 2023)
19. St. Paul & The Broken Bones – Magnolia Trees (Angels in Science Fiction, ATO Records, 2023)
20. Durand Jones – Sadie (single, Dead Oceans, 2023)
21. The Teskey Brothers – London Bridge (single, A Decca Records, 2023)
22. Black Guy Fawkes – Gods & Monsters (Intrusive Lullabies EP, 2023)
23. Liila Jokelin – Rikollinen (Saapuu sankarina kevät, Helmi Levyt, 2023)
24. Ilja Karsikas – Luumunkiviä (Uraanisiipi, Panama-levyt, 2023)
25. Metsäheikki – Tohtori (single, Helmi Levyt, 2023)
26. Jere Ijäs & Monacon työväen palloilijat – Mussa on kestämistä (single, Texicalli, 2023)
27. STINAKO – Ikkunat näkevät (single, Soliti, 2023)
28. Captain Cougar – Spaces (Bonnie, Pinetree Records, 2023)
29. RF Shannon – Heathen Nights (single, Keeled Scales, 2023)
30. Joanna Sternberg – Mountains High (single, Fat Possum Records, 2023)
31. Michael Cormier-O’Leary – Obtain (single, Dear Life Records, 2023)
32. Greg Mendez – Best Behavior (single, Don Giovanni Records, 2023)
33. Tough Age – Give it a Day (single, 2023)
34. Withered Hand – Feelings (single, Reveal Records, 2023)
35. John Andrews & The Yawns – Fourth Wall (single, Woodsist, 2023)
36. Dream Sitch – Panicking Gong (single, Airloom 2023)
37. Reb Fountain – Faithless Lover (single, Flying Nun Records, 2023)
38. Mega Bog – Cactus People (single, Mexican Summer, 2023)
39. Lucinda Williams – Stolen Moments (single, Highway 20 Records / Thirty Tigers, 2023)
40. Laura Mae Socks – A Few Old Memories (Good Woman EP, Let’s Be Real Records, 2023)
41. Logan Ledger – Ripple (single, Rounder Records, 2023)
42. Ags Connolly – Overwhelmed (single, Finstock / At the Helm, 2023)
43. Laura Cantrell – Push the Swing (single, Propeller Sound Recordings, 2023)
44. Rodney Crowell – Lucky (single, New West Records, 2023)
45. Brennen Leigh – Running Out of Hope, Arkansas (single, Signature Sounds Recording, 2023)
46. Victoria Bailey – A Cowgirl Rides On (single, 2023)
47. Joshua Quimby & Liam St. John – Noose (single, 2023)
48. The Infamous Stringdusters – Will You Be Lonesome Too (A Tribute to Flatts & Scruggs EP, Americana Vibes, 2023)
49. Trapper Schoepp – Devil’s Kettle (Siren Songs, Rootsy, 2023)
50. Malcolm Holcombe – Bits and Pieces (single, Gypsy Eyes / Singular Recordings, 2023)
51. Ruby Oland – Granted (single, Wild Cats in the Grass, 2023)
52. Caroline Spence feat Lori McKenna – The Next Good Time (single, Rounder Records, 2023)
53. Jeffrey Silverstein – Theme from Western Sky Music (single, Arrowhawk Records, 2023)
54. Cory Hanson – Horsebait Sabotage (single, Drag City, 2023)
55. Bohannons – Ride the Night (single, Cornelius Chapel Records, 2023)
56. EP’s Trailer Park – Lover’s Maze (single, Ella Ruth Institutet, 2023)
57. Smaller Hearts – Aubergine Axe (Rock and Roll Was Here to Stay, Noyes Records, 2023)
58. Dakota Theim – Sueno con un Mundo (single, 2023)
59. Malena Cadiz – My Kind of Thief (single, 2023)
60. Josienne Clarke – I Never Learned French (Onliness, Corduroy Punk, 2023)

Spotify Playlist

Tidal Playlist

Playlist Archive on Spotify

Playlist Archive on Tidal

Apple Music Playlist

Oh and do buy the vinyl/cd/download. Spotify and other streaming services are perfect for these introductory purposes, but try to buy at least the music that matter the most to you

I’ll make the playlist on Spotify and then transfer it to Tidal. This means a few tracks might be missing from the Tidal version, if they are not available on that platform. Usually it’s 1-3 tracks that are not on Tidal. There’s a bunch of older episodes on my Spotify profile, if you miss an episode or want to revisit.

If you are looking this after a week has gone, the embedded Spotify will show the latest playlist. I’ll just update the same playlist because if someone wants to follow it, they can just follow that one list and will get a new set of songs each weekend.

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Courtney Marie Andrews in Finland on the 26th of March

I’m not gonna start posting concert news regularly, but I’m gonna do an exception this time around due to the magnitude of this. One of my favorite songwriters Courtney Marie Andrews will be playing in Helsinki on the 26th of March. Leuven Letters was an EP of the year here years back and since then she has been one of my most listened artists. Big thanks to Silmien Takana for bringing such a great songwriter to Finland. I hope I see you all in Helsinki next week. The concert will probably focus on the material of the wonderful 2022 album Loose Future, but here’s also some personal favorites from the older releases. Listen them below, grap a ticket from Tiketti and let’s meet in Helsinki on the 26th.

Loose Future (Loose Future 2022)

Burlap String (Old Flowers 2020)

May Your Kindness Remain (May Your Kindness Remain, 2018)

How Quickly Your Heart Mends & Honest Life (2017)

Near You (Leuven Letters EP, 2014)

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The Delines, Josienne Clarke, John Calvin Abney and Evan J Cartwright

Continuing with these quick late night round ups of releases that I love. Kicking off this in Portland, Oregon with the brand new album The Sea Drift from country soul masters The Delines. The band led by Amy Boone and Willy Vlautin have again created a truly captivating album. Willy Vlautin is a first class storyteller and Amy Boone’s mesmerizing voice sends his words into my heart. It’s kinda early, but this one has a guaranteed place on my eoty list if the blog/world still exists at the end of 2022. Here are a couple of the singles from the album. Check out that Bandcamp link or your favorite record store to buy/hear the whole beautiful thing.

The Delines Website

Moving over to Scotland for the new Josienne Clarke EP I Promised You Light that came out on the 4th of February on Corduroy Punk Records. If I still wrote actual reviews this is one of those that might get full five hearts. The promised light might not be flashy or flamboyant, but it has the power to sparkle through every barrier I’ve foolishly set for myself and I love everything about this. Here’s the music video for the lead single Driving at Night with another fabulous EP cut, but make sure you buy / listen the whole thing on her Bandcamp.

Josienne Clarke Website

Let’s wrap this small blog entry with a couple of album announcements with a lead single. First a long time blog favorite John Calvin Abney from Oklahoma. Well actually it looks like he is currently living Austin, Texas. However, the place that he calls home right now is somewhat irrelevant. Far more important is that his new song Holy Golden West is ready to find a home in your heart and the full album Tourist will knock the same door in August. Check out the new music video by filmmaker Rahul Chakraborty and pre-order the album from Black Mesa Records.

John Calvin Abney Website

And last stop on this tour is Toronto, Canada and the lead single from the forthcoming Evan J Cartwright album. The drummer extraordinaire (The Weather Station, U.S. Girls etc) is getting ready to release his debut album and it will come out on the always great Idee Fixe Records. I’m very fond of this first outtake and you’ve got nobuddy and there’s something strangely captivating in this simple music video as well. There may not be a whole lot going on, but somehow I ended up watching it several times in a row. I look forward to hearing the full album when it arrives on the 15th of April.

Evan J Cartwright at Bandcamp

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