Part of my objective in writing this blog was to promote music that doesn't necessarily make the mainstream country scene. Here are five songs that I've enjoyed this year but which, for whatever reason, you probably haven't heard. And you really should have done. Let me know what you think below.
Pernilla Andersson - Desperados
I've featured this song before, but had to include it in here again. It's (from what I can make out with my limited Swedish) the tale of 'two desperados who always wanted more' and features wonderful ambiguity reflected in the music and Andersson's vocal.
Tara Oram - Kiss Me When I Fall
Tara was the obligatory country contestant on the fifth season of Canadian Idol, and has found some minor success in her home country. This song, the second single from her second album released this year, is a powerful, mid-tempo ballad with a driving beat and a heartfelt vocal.
Jill Johnson - In One Piece
Written by Swedish country star Johnson along with Lisa Carver and Taylor Swift's sometime co-writer Liz Rose, 'In One Piece' is a Faith Hill-style big ballad, with Johnson performing the role of the woman whose lover is leaving her, with just the right balance of grace and desperation.
The Lucky Bullets - Fire Below
Eurovision goes country, and properly country while it's at it. This traditional-sounding song from Norway wouldn't sound out of place on a Justin Townes Earle album, and would be far too traditional for contemporary country radio.
Gretchen Peters - The Matador
Peters released this video in December to promote her upcoming album Hello Cruel World. With this as a taster (as well as the wonderful 'Five Minutes, which moved me to tears when Peters premiered on her tour), I can't wait for the album's release at the end of January.
There's my five songs you didn't hear in 2011. What's yours? Comment below and let me know your favourite country song that didn't make the mainstream.
Showing posts with label Pernilla Andersson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pernilla Andersson. Show all posts
Wednesday, 4 January 2012
Tuesday, 13 December 2011
Artist profile - Abalone Dots (Sweden)
The three members of Abalone Dots are Rebecka Hjukström, Sophia Hogman and Louise Holmer. A fourth member, Elin Mörk, left the group in 2010. An abalone dot is, so I learned today, a little spot made of mother of pearl that is placed on guitar or banjo necks. There you go, who said the internet wasn't educational?
They describe their style of music with their own term, 'softgrass', which personally think is doing themselves a disservice, as that makes it sound rather bland and un-edgy. On the contrary, there's something very authentic about their output, with expert picking and folk and bluegrass sounds adding to the Nashville vibe of their country, reminiscent of acts like SHeDAISY or even Alison Krauss, with more than a little taste of the alt-country of Kasey Chambers. The fact that the biography on their website mentions the fact that Hjukström plays the dobro in its first line is telling, and very encouraging.
The group is now reportedly working on a third album and, in a slight change of direction, some of the tracks will be recorded in Swedish, and it is one of these that has been submitted for Melodifestivalen 2012. Abalone Dots will take part in the first semi-final in Växjö on 4th February with the song 'På väg'.
Watch the video for their single 'Solo' below, and if you like that, you can check out their 2008 album Traveler on Spotify.
Monday, 29 August 2011
Eurovision goes country
Those of you who know me will probably know that my two great musical passions are country music and the Eurovision Song Contest. Not two genres that naturally fit well together, I admit, but in this blog entry I'll take a look at nine of the songs that were entered for this year's contest (though didn't get there), which wouldn't necessarily sound out of place on US country radio.
Babel Fish – Depend On Me
Who'd sing it? Rascal Flatts
The first time I heard this song, I was immediately reminded of the group Rascal Flatts. The slightly straining falsetto in the chorus and the sentimental lyrics are very reminiscent of their work, and this song would fit right in on one of their recent albums. I'm not sure they've ever had a stage show that involved looking through the window of a cardboard house though.
Dalma – Song for Him
Who'd sing it? Gretchen Wilson
Dalma puts on the growls a little too much for them to sound authentic, but there's a decent country song at the heart of this – or possibly two or three different country songs. There's a bit of a kiss-off and there's a couple of broken hearts; I'm not so sure about the silliness at the end though – it works well enough as a song without having to be a pastiche.
Evija Sloka – Don't Stop the Dance
Who'd sing it? Pam Tillis
The lyrics are a little questionable, and the accent is all over the place, but there's no mistaking the country influences on this song that never really stood much chance of making it through a Latvian selection. Sloka lists Brad Paisley and Alan Jackson as her dream duet partners.
Hanne Sørvaag – You're Like A Melody
Who'd sing it? Jewel
In 2010, Eurovision fans were comparing Swedish singer Anna Bergendahl and her song 'This Is My Life' to Jewel's earlier work, but nowadays she'd be more likely to record songs like this Norwegian finalist. It's very much at the pop end of pop country, right where Jewel's recent albums have positioned her, and the feelgood similes hold together very well and would fit right in on contemporary country radio.
CH – Gid nid uf
Who'd sing it? Keith Urban (he basically already did!)
Other than being sung in Swiss German, this song sits right in the Keith Urban-school of country music, with pumping beats and a prominent electric guitar line, but it's grounded by the fiddle that runs right through the arrangement. The song's so committed to sounding like Keith Urban that it even steals the entire chorus melody of the Australian's 'I Told You So'.
Yohanna – Nótt
Who'd sing it? Carrie Underwood
It's not really country, but this track would fit right in on a Carrie Underwood album, particularly in its English version, with its considered lyrics and a silky melody that takes off into a crescendo for the last chorus.
Carmel Eckman - Nosa'at el ga'agu'ay
Who'd sing it? Sarah Jarosz
To be honest with you, Israel is more or less the last place where I'd expect to find a song like this. It's a gentle, acoustic ballad, with a lovely strummy guitar and a fiddle break in the middle. Unsurprisingly, it came almost last.
The Lucky Bullets – Fire Below
Who'd sing it? Justin Townes Earle
I was absolutely astounded when I first heard this in the Norwegian preselection, as it sounds so authentically rockabilly – not a hint of the slight 'foreignness' that often blights Eurovision songs that are trying to be very American. I was even more impressed when the Norwegians voted it into third place in the final, and I even got to cheer for it in person!
Pernilla Andersson – Desperados
Who'd sing it? Kathleen Edwards
Perhaps less country and more Americana than some of the songs on this list, 'Desperados' was one step away from making it into the Melodifestivalen final. The gentle chugging beat, the savoured chords and Andersson's velvety voice combine to make this my favourite song of the Eurovision season.
I'm sure many of you will disagree with the singers I've chosen to record these songs, so I invite you to post your suggestions below. And clearly, some of them would need quite a bit of changing and improvement before the singers mentioned would even consider going near them, and they might not take too kindly to being connected to them (sorry Pam Tillis!). But this is Eurovision, I have to take what I can get!
Babel Fish – Depend On Me
Who'd sing it? Rascal Flatts
The first time I heard this song, I was immediately reminded of the group Rascal Flatts. The slightly straining falsetto in the chorus and the sentimental lyrics are very reminiscent of their work, and this song would fit right in on one of their recent albums. I'm not sure they've ever had a stage show that involved looking through the window of a cardboard house though.
Dalma – Song for Him
Who'd sing it? Gretchen Wilson
Dalma puts on the growls a little too much for them to sound authentic, but there's a decent country song at the heart of this – or possibly two or three different country songs. There's a bit of a kiss-off and there's a couple of broken hearts; I'm not so sure about the silliness at the end though – it works well enough as a song without having to be a pastiche.
Evija Sloka – Don't Stop the Dance
Who'd sing it? Pam Tillis
The lyrics are a little questionable, and the accent is all over the place, but there's no mistaking the country influences on this song that never really stood much chance of making it through a Latvian selection. Sloka lists Brad Paisley and Alan Jackson as her dream duet partners.
Hanne Sørvaag – You're Like A Melody
Who'd sing it? Jewel
In 2010, Eurovision fans were comparing Swedish singer Anna Bergendahl and her song 'This Is My Life' to Jewel's earlier work, but nowadays she'd be more likely to record songs like this Norwegian finalist. It's very much at the pop end of pop country, right where Jewel's recent albums have positioned her, and the feelgood similes hold together very well and would fit right in on contemporary country radio.
CH – Gid nid uf
Who'd sing it? Keith Urban (he basically already did!)
Other than being sung in Swiss German, this song sits right in the Keith Urban-school of country music, with pumping beats and a prominent electric guitar line, but it's grounded by the fiddle that runs right through the arrangement. The song's so committed to sounding like Keith Urban that it even steals the entire chorus melody of the Australian's 'I Told You So'.
Yohanna – Nótt
Who'd sing it? Carrie Underwood
It's not really country, but this track would fit right in on a Carrie Underwood album, particularly in its English version, with its considered lyrics and a silky melody that takes off into a crescendo for the last chorus.
Carmel Eckman - Nosa'at el ga'agu'ay
Who'd sing it? Sarah Jarosz
To be honest with you, Israel is more or less the last place where I'd expect to find a song like this. It's a gentle, acoustic ballad, with a lovely strummy guitar and a fiddle break in the middle. Unsurprisingly, it came almost last.
The Lucky Bullets – Fire Below
Who'd sing it? Justin Townes Earle
I was absolutely astounded when I first heard this in the Norwegian preselection, as it sounds so authentically rockabilly – not a hint of the slight 'foreignness' that often blights Eurovision songs that are trying to be very American. I was even more impressed when the Norwegians voted it into third place in the final, and I even got to cheer for it in person!
Pernilla Andersson – Desperados
Who'd sing it? Kathleen Edwards
Perhaps less country and more Americana than some of the songs on this list, 'Desperados' was one step away from making it into the Melodifestivalen final. The gentle chugging beat, the savoured chords and Andersson's velvety voice combine to make this my favourite song of the Eurovision season.
I'm sure many of you will disagree with the singers I've chosen to record these songs, so I invite you to post your suggestions below. And clearly, some of them would need quite a bit of changing and improvement before the singers mentioned would even consider going near them, and they might not take too kindly to being connected to them (sorry Pam Tillis!). But this is Eurovision, I have to take what I can get!
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