I have been a fan of Jesse Malin’s work since he released The Fine Art of Self-Destruction in the U.S. back in 2003. So, I was particularly excited to hear that Lucinda Williams was producing his latest album, Sunset Kids.
The album also features a duet with Malin and Williams. The song is “Room 13.” Malin explained to Rolling Stone that that song is about loneliness: “Music can be a great way to hide the pain and loneliness, but sometimes you’ve gotta deal with it head on. ‘Room 13’ is that place far away from the distractions, the noise and the telephone zombies. It’s a place where you’re forced to reflect on what really matters most.” Check it out.
Malin’s album Sunset Kids will hit the Internet on August 30, 2019 on Wicked Cool Records.
Earlier in 2018, Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus joined together as boygenius to create a self-titled EP. The three, who have had some success separately as singers and songwriters, joined together as a group after booking a tour together. Now, they are receiving rave reviews for their collaboration.
One of the tracks on the EP is “My & My Dog,” written by Bridgers, who sings the verses before being joined by Baker and Dacus on the chorus. The recording illustrates the wonderful blend of voices that the three create. The song itself is not really about a dog, but about love and the loss of a relationship.
I wanna hear one song without thinking of you; I wish I was on a spaceship, Just me and my dog and an impossible view.
Check out boygenius performing “Me & My Dog” live at the WFUV studios from November 2018.
Singer-songwriter Katie Cole takes us to church in her new single, “Graceland.” Cole, who was born in Australia but now lives in Nashville, was inspired to write the song with co-writer Sam Brooker after a visit to Elvis Presley’s home.
“Graceland” is in the voice of someone who has wronged their lover. Cole’s wonderful voice gives an emotional depth to the song, while sometimes a choir backs her up. Check it out.
It’s a long road I’m on to get me here, When all the lights have gone out but the stars; So I’ll follow them, wherever they lead me dear, Far away, far away from your heart.
“Graceland” is from Katie Cole’s EP, Things That Break, Pt. 1. We hope to hear more from her in the near future.
YouTube often can help you find artists you have never heard before. I start with a search for a musician I like, and then I start clicking through other artists’ videos on the side. That is how I recently ran across Arlo McKinley & The Lonesome Sound.
The band released its self-titled debut album in 2014. But there is not a lot about them on the Internet. There is no proper Arlo McKinley & The Lonesome Sound website beyond the Bandcamp site.
There is a Facebook page keeping fans updated about their performances (around 2,300 Likes so far). But the band — whose members are from the Cincinnati area — was recently listed as the most popular band in that Ohio city.
Their Arlo McKinley & The Lonesome Sound album is darn good, featuring a great country lead voice from McKinley with great backing vocals and band. It might remind you a bit of Whiskeytown.
Sure enough, Arlo McKinley & The Lonesome Sound list Whiskeytown among the band’s influences, along with Neil Young, The Band, Otis Reading, Circle Jerks, The Ramones, Larry Sparks, Keith Whitley, Chamberlain, Whiskeytown, Gram Parsons, and Misfits, George Jones. There is maybe a little similarity to Tyler Childers, who is the artist I started with on YouTube.
That is a good mix of influences, and Arlo McKineley & The Lonesome Sound delivers. Do not take my word for it. Check out some of their music. One of my favorites is “Just Like the Rest.” McKinley’s voice perfectly conveys the heartache in the heartbreak song. The following performance is from the 2014 Bellwether Live at Buckle Up Music Festival.
Arlo McKinley & The Lonesome Sound is made up of McKinley, Tyler Lockard, Brian Pumphry, Zac Roe, Sylvia Mitchell, and Sarah Davis. Their live performances often concentrate around the Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia area. But with their talent, look for them in your neck of the woods one day, hopefully with a new album. What is your favorite song by Arlo McKinely & The Lonesome Sound? Leave your two cents in the comments.
Chimesfreedom previously wrote about Tyler Childers’ wonderful voice on his excellent debut album Purgatory(2017). The Kentucky native is not only an outstanding songwriter, he is great at interpreting songs too. And his interpretation skills show in his take on “Rock Salt and Nails,” which was written by Utah Phillips.
As we noted in a previous post, the Phillips classic is a song about heartache and pain. Then, it adds a touch of anger with the reference to filling a shotgun with rock salt and nails.
“Rock Salt and Nails” has been covered by a number of artists, such as Joan Baez, Waylon Jennings, Bob Dylan, Steve Young, and Buddy and Julie Miller. The version by Tyler Childers is a worthy interpretation that stands with the best. And it is one of my new favorite covers. Check it out.
What is your favorite Tyler Childers song? Leave your two cents in the comments.
The band released its 
(2017). The Kentucky native is not only an outstanding songwriter, he is great at interpreting songs too. And his interpretation skills show in his take on “Rock Salt and Nails,” which was written by Utah Phillips.