The songwriter, producer and musician Magnus Bergman has just released his fourth solo album “I Mexico” (Tailor Maid). An album that was a pleasant surprise and real entertaining to listen through.

Magnus has managed to create an album with a lot of variation. The base is in a Swedish singer/songwriter pop with interesting and thoughtful lyrics and with influences from classic rock, americana and country in various songs. Really good melodies that together with Magnus personal and expressive voice create a nice, special atmosphere.

Börja om från början (from the album “Reflektor”):

Here a couple of songs from the album “I Mexico”:

I Mexico
Ett himlens hål

Visit Magnus Bergman on Myspace and checkout the album “I Mexico” on ITunes

Pontus Snibb has just released his second solo album “Admiral Street Recordings II” (Rootsy). And considering that he’s also the front man in Bonafide and has a bunch of other projects going on, it’s fascinating that he’s able to produce such a great album; 14 tracks with a bonus album. The bonus album is a 10-track rock opera with the title “The Musical Journey of Jim and Sam”.

Classic Rock is the base here with influences from southern rock, crunchy AC/DC-riffs and blues rock of a kind that makes me think of the early Whitesnake sometimes. A lot of variation and I can hear parts with americana and country breaking in. Maybe a heritage from Pontus’ engagement in Jason and the Scorchers?
I think the biggest asset, though, is Pontus’ voice, which has this soulful blues feeling, sometimes touching Coverdale’s way of singing, especially during the seventies.

Listen to and download two tracks from “Admiral Street Recordings II”:

Derailing In Full Speed
Signs and Answers

Listen more on Pontus Snibb’s Myspace page and visit his site too.
On Pontus Snibb’s page at Rootsy you can taste a little from all the tracks on the album.

I hope find it as great as I to start the Saturday with nice and well-played country with influences from bluegrass, blues and pop. Well, Americana could be some kind of overall description. Little Green is the name of the band and they have just released their debut album this month “Crossing Lanes” (Rootsy), and below you’ll find a couple of tracks from the album.

They offer a wide spectrum of songs, from pure country-pop tunes to bluegrass to more bluesy tracks. Great melodies and it feels rather soft, where the nice laidback vocals set a comfortable mood in most songs. It’s a quintet of skilled musicians and they mix a range of instruments into the arrangements, which feel really elaborated. I also like the fact that they give som space for these solo instrument parts, small pearls that take the songs up one level, with for example brilliant guitars, mandolins, harmonica, and fiddle.

A Heartbeat Less:

Meet Little Green in two songs from “Crossing Lanes”

Merry Go Round
It’s Alright

Visit Little Green on Myspace to listen more and read about their album

There’s been too little blues on meadowmusic.se, no doubt about it. At least if we’re talking about pure blues in it’s basic form. Of course the blues is present in a lot of the music we have presented, as an inspiration, a base and an origin of many of the different styles of music that have been presented here. But to dig down to the true soil of the blues isn’t easy; to expose this naked, dirty ground of yourself so we can feel it and also to add something new to this is limited to a few people.

How happy I am then, that I bumped into Slidin’ Slim. He digs down into the swamps like he’s done done nothing else and howls with his blues-vibrato so I can feel it. Slidin’ Slim feels for real! But does he add something new?
The answer is definitely yes! There is a weight and a play with new modern beats and sounds that I haven’t heard before in blues. And the way that he does it, without leaving the dirt and the swamp for one second, while his slide guitar cries out it’s moaning.

Enjoy and download Slidin’ Slim:

They Call Me Mr. Misfit
Devil In Disguise
God Knows I Tried

Visit Slidin’ Slims site and his Myspace page

Like a little mountain brook with the clearest water, sometimes floating still and sometimes purl, striding through small waterfalls; that’s how I feel when I listen to Maja Alderin’s voice. Already the first time I heard “Darlin'” it got to me. There’s something catching, touching, magical about Maja’s voice that I won’t even try to explain in words, as I may only make a mess of it for myself. Listen for yourself is probably the best advice.

She is a singer/songwriter with guitar in hand, even if she sits down in front of the piano sometimes as in “Til’ Your Heart Stops” below. Beautiful pop melodies that trips along, dynamic arrangements, and a light melancholy that doesn’t prevent the light and happy feelings in the music. A little inspiration from country sometimes and sometimes more dramatic, but… so beautiful. A voice to fall in love with.

Darlin’
Til’ Your Heart Stops
Let Go Now

Visit Maja Alderin’s site and her page on Myspace