It sounds like an old cassette tape demo recording from the seventies or eighties by an English garage- or punk band. Often I find it hard to hear the lyrics from the somewhat can-sounding vocals. It’s straight, simple rock riffs without detours and extravagance. A combination I probably wouldn’t have chosen for my music menu if it hadn’t jumped into my inbox. But it feels good listening to this, and my foot starts moving with the rough guitar rhytms. And when the bass starts pumping with a wavy sound and is followed by the catchy guitar figure in “Trees Passing”, it’s time to surrender. The band’s name is Georgia Barbershop, the album “It’s Alright, It’s Okay, It Only Took Seven Years” is their debut and they are now on their way working with their second album.

Georgia Barbershop on Facebook – on Spotify – on Wimp –  on Bandcamp

Douglas Unger released his second full length album this Spring, “Old News”, seven years after his debut in 2006. If we’re talking genre we land in country rock and American rock land, with representatives like Ryan Adams and Wilco, but I’m also reminded of other icons like Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits and Bruce Cockburn. I think it’s a fine, fully enjoyable album where Douglas makes his personal mark in these well-trodden grounds. The sound is great: close, earthy and dirty, like if we we’re listening to him in a small club, and his voice, which has both ardour and authority, is like it’s made to live out in this music. Definitely one of the best efforts I’ve heard in the genre in the last years.

Douglas Unger’s site – on Facebook – on Spotify – on Wimp – on Soundcloud

Emerald Park, hailing from Malmö, released the new EP “Black Box” last month. They continue on their path with their own brew of Magnetic Fields, Americana and indiepop, which we last heard on their album “Absolute Zero” last year. Listen here below to the dreamy, beautiful title track “Black Box”.

Emerald Park on Facebook – on Spotify – on Wimp – på Rara – on Bandcamp

The band Alaska is based in Stockholm, have played together for two years and have so far published two EP:s. The latest one, “The Annie EP”, was released during Spring and contains two pieces of smooth pop songs with happy guitars, nice falsetto vocals and some summer retro vibes from the seventies. Well, both songs are just as good, så listen to both of them here below.

Alaska on Facebook – on Spotify – on Soundcloud

In 2009 I presented Dr. Sounds here on the blog and since then he’s been quite productive, to say the least. Counting the albums on Spotify I can find at least 11 of them only since 2010, with songs and albums of varying length; “Kobresia” from 2010, for example, contains 60 tracks with several hours of music. If you like to sink into chillout, different electronic sound atmospheres and ambient music, you have quite a gold mine here to find some inspiration from. The latest album is called “Cobresia III”, and the first song here below is taken from there. Below it you’ll find “Bengali” with some asian influences, which can often be found in his music.

Dr. Sounds on Facebook – on Spotify – on Wimp – on Soundcloud