Silver Saddle maybe isn’t that unknown to many of you. 2004 they released their debut album “Four Miles From Here” (Bubba Music / In The Sticks Records), an album that won quite some recognition. Since then they have also released the album “Northern Skyline”.

The music is a calm, warm and mellow americana, which feels so natural and basic that it’s hard to believe that this band originates from the south of Sweden. Listen for yourself in these tracks:

Radio Song
Gone
Don’t Give a Damn

If you’d like to listen more you can visit Silver Saddle’s site or their Myspace page.

I’m enwrapped in a very nice sound as I listen to Six Figure Transatlantic. Their americana-tasting pop reminds me of  Neil Young and CSN&Y from the early seventies, and in the close acoustic feeling that’s present I can almost sense the presence of Damien Rice. In some songs the early Radiohead knocks on my shoulder. Soft, pleasant, really good songs, well, really worth listening to.

The songs here give a taste of their forthcoming debut album, which will be released this spring. They have earlier released a couple of EP:s, which you can listen to at their site. The EP “Movers & Shakers” you’re also invited to download for free. You’ll also find Six Figure Transatlantic on Myspace.

Pink Heart
A Storm Is Coming
Isabel

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

The Örnsköldsvik citizen and the singer/songwriter Lars Ekengren plays a number of instruments when he creates his beautiful Americana-inspired music. The acoustic guitar is used frequently as well as the piano, but I think his strongest instrument is his voice, that seems to be made for this music. Sligthly rough like from one of the finest sandpapers and a soul-bluesy softness and feeling that makes it sound great. It’s obvious that he’s influenced by American music, and one of the sources of this is of course him living there for more than five years:

“I heard a lot of good music when I lived in the USA (Detroit) and it has probably sculpted me and my music somewhat. A lot of not especially known (in Sweden), but yet really good artists like for example Jeffrey Foucault, Mark Erelli, Richard Buckner, Jeff Black, Peter Mulvey, Patti Griffin, Buddy/Julie Miller, Richard Shindell, John Gorka, Peter Bruntnell, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lori McKenna, Kathleen Edwards and others…”

“Then of course we have Springsteen, Dylan, John Hiatt, Alison Krauss, Gillian Welch, Ryan Adams, Counting Crows, Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo, Emmylou Harris, Mellencamp, Jackson Browne and so on…”

About his songwriting he says:

“I have a love-hate relationship with the songwriting: 10% comes all by itself (a frase, a chord etc), the remaining 90% is pure discipline. If one should write songs only “when inspired”, nothing ever would be done. I think those that tell the contrary are lying. If that is the case, then I really lack inspiration.
The lyrics take time…” (translated from Swedish)

He claims that “I wouldn’t be able to play a barre chord even if my life was at stake”, so besides the ambition to play more concerts in the future and maybe form a band, a goal is to learn barre chords… :-)

Listen to and download three tracks from Lars Ekengren:

Distance
Hope & Faith
Hands

You will find more tracks to enjoy at Lars Ekengrens site, and you can also visit him on Myspace.

There’s no doubt that Golden Hills have their roots in the early sixties music. Roy Orbison and Phil Spector are present in the background in several of the songs. With a few dashes of country and then Christian Björks heartbreaker-vocals, this turns very delicate, with a lot of heart and soul.

Golden Hills started in 2003 and is now working on new material, which will result in a new album next year. Christian writes:

“We have changed the direction somewhat, now it’s more straight pop/rock songs with a lot of influences from the sixties (a little Beach Boys, the early Phil Spector, Roy Orbison). But still there are some mellow country in some songs. We are readily influenced by the old groups and artists, but we think we have our own sound and that there are a modern touch to it all”

Listen to three nice tracks:

Since the Day
You Know
Separate Ways

Visit Golden Hills on Myspace