The quintet Rambling Nicholas Heron, hailing from Göteborg, started out in 2006 and have since then released ten album DIY-wise, that is, on CDR:s, cassettes and the like. But they waited until last year, though, before they released their first official full length album “Cannot Feel At Home In This World Anymore”.

It’s an album that breathes of the seventies in what they call indie-folk-rock-boogie-blues. You can find numerous references to artists from that decade on this varied album, as they pass from country songs, playful american folk, boogie grooves, blues rock and other stuff. I like their simple sound, which keeps it all in line together with the singer’s special tone, which I would describe as a mix of how Dylan could sound in the seventies, Canned Heat and Steve Miller. There’s a lot to enjoy on this album: Strong compositions and hooks with quite a few great melodies, a delicious guitar sound, a dynamic production sweet for the ears and from time to time a groove that makes my feet involuntarily move to the beat.

Rambling Nicholas Heron’s site - on Facebook – on Spotify – on Wimp – on Soundcloud

The quartet The Dead Pollys released their first EP “Waiting For Tomorrow” a few weeks ago. Here are four songs with a lot of Pogues vibes, country and folk rock. Glittering slide guitars and nice melodies come together with the harder lyrics and Niclas “Nizze” Nilssons rougher punk troubadour expression. Try them out here in the starting track “Summer of the Madmen”.

The Dead Pollys’ site - on Facebook – on Spotify

Summer of the Madmen

The Swedish-Irish band Sir Reg are on their way to release their third album with Irish folk rock. “21st Century Loser” is the name of the album and it’s scheduled to be launched  on February 15th next year. As a warm-up before the new new album, they released the single “Dublin City” last month, taken from the last year’s album “A Sign of the Times”.

Sir Reg’s site - on Facebook -on Twitter – on Spotify – on Wimp

The band The Glade released the EP “Dance For Love” this summer. I’m greeted by a warm, wonderful americana; folk rock which in the title track reminds me of Leonard Cohen. Jonas Carping’s voice feels very special, injects calmness and heart to the sound, and with his vibrato he makes the lyrics matter.

Further listening is recommended on their site, Facebook page or on Spotify.

Dance For Love
Arise

Simeon Hillert has been a part of several indiepop bands during the last years (Shoot Charlie, TH & TNK, Hector and The Frankie Lee’s). When he saw that some of his lyrics didn’t fit the indiepop genre he started the band Simeon Hillert & His Electrified Band.

Here he explored music that suited the tales better; folk rock in the domains of Dylan and Tom Waits, a lot of vibes from the sixties but I also hear some of the sound from Dylan’s seventies.

And Dylan is the first that comes to my mind when I listen, but it’s presented with a lot more drama, theatrical, like if each song was a short play, where Simeon’s expression is nicely backed up by Anna Pappinen’s clear voice. The debut EP “A Fairytale Point of View” was released a month ago and is available on Spotify and on Deezer if you don’t have Spotify. You can also find the band on their site. Here’s “Copenhagen Lonely Night”:

Copenhagen Lonely Night

Here’s a band from Gothenburg that I think many people might like. Their music sounds heavy and groovy, sounds of the seventies. Until the vocals enter, in Swedish and all of a sudden it feels like Swedish progg. The songs have catchy melodies and you will happily listen more than once. A band that I would like to see at a local pub while I’m drinking a beer or two. A pretty high grade in other words.

As all of you know the climate is really harsh among bands that want to be heard, unfortunaetly Ett Rop På Hjälp just has a myspace-page, which you can find here. Myspace has totally bailed out and they don’t have as many users anymore. I really hope that this band will get a proper site plus other services where they can show their music. Ett Rop På Hjälp is an awesome band that I’m afraid will drown if they don’t promote themself in more ways soon.

Josef K

/Stuff

EP’s Trailerpark was formed already in 1999 by Eric Palmqvist. With former members like Magnus Tingsek, Björn Yttling et. al, they have a history of some releases, but nothing during the last five years. Up until now, as they released the five-track EP “Black Heart” in the end of October.

And it is a comeback that definitely makes me wish for more. It’s music with country vibes, maybe in the direction of folk rock, which every now and then takes me to the domains of Neil Young and CSN&Y. Especially in the mellow, fateful-sounding title track “Black Heart”. In “Black Heart” they are also joined by Frida Öhrn and Christian Kjellvander on backing vocals.

You can find EP’s Trailerpark on their Myspace page and on their blog. If you have Spotify you can listen to the EP there. Here below you can listen to and download the song “Black Heart”.

The videon to “Black Heart” is directed by Mats Udd, who, I think, has a nice, special way of telling a story around a song. If you like the video I recommend you to take a look at Mats Udd’s Vimeo page.

Black Heart:

Black Heart

Jon Strider is a very experienced musician and has worked with artists like Van Morrison, Boz Skaggs, Mink DeVille, Chuck Berry, John Lee Hooker to mention a few. As a solo artist he has released 5 albums, and recently I have been listening to the album “White Wings” which was released two years ago.

Jon Strider calls his music Rhythm N’ Folk, which feels rather appropriate. It’s quite pleasant to listen to the album, bringing a positive soft rock with influences from americana, blues and country. I can hear a little of Jackson Browne, some Eagles, Cat Stevens and a lot of vibes from the american early seventies. It’s a really good album with a lot of variation.

If you want to read and listen more you should visit Jon Strider’s site.

Here’s a couple of songs from “White Wings”:

At the Way Station
Coming Alive

Excuse the little break this week, but now I’m back again, and I and others will continue to present great music on this page. And I think it’s perfect to start with Moose Trail. We have written about Ulf Ljusberg before, and this time we see him in the company of Tobias Thun in Moose Trail, a band they have continuously developed beside their other projects.

In 2005 they released an EP, and now they are following this with the release of the song “Oh Lord”, which you can listen to here below. And I wouldn’t mind if this country and americana inspired music, with a nice touch of Nick Cave’s darkness, would lead to a full length album. According to plans, they will have Moose Trail have it’s live debut in the near future. To keep yourself informed of this, you can visit Moose Trail’s Myspace page, where you also can listen to more tracks.

Oh Lord
Return of the King
Hard to

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.