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Welcome to the latest edition of Sounds on Sunday, an occasional series where we showcase new and upcoming releases perfect for a relaxing Sunday (or any other day, for that matter). For this episode, our musical choices seem to be centred in Canada, with a nod to Norway and the Middle East. So join us as we listen to, and hopefully learn more about, Justine Giles, Drea Lake, Marthe Halvorsen, and Tenise Marie.
Read MoreIn the first of an occasional series, we’re going to talk jazz as we share a quartet of jazz recommendations that we feel will appeal to seasoned veterans of the genre and newer listeners on a voyage of discovery. As a genre, jazz seems impenetrable to many, but not unlike Americana (an obvious RGM favourite), jazz is a many-headed beast that rewards exploration. As I’ve said previously, I don’t claim to be an expert on the subject, but I do find much to enjoy. I’ll admit that, occasionally, I do get scared by oddly cacophonous time signatures, but that’s all part of the fun, or so I’m told. So let’s take a listen to a few examples of upcoming releases that highlight the range of the genre, including a new live release from a jazz legend and a trio that are a bit of a favourite here at Red Guitar Music despite their lack of a guitarist (yes, I have to admit a guitarist isn’t always required when the musicians are this good).
Read MoreAcclaimed songwriter Tift Merriff will return to the UK this month for two shows, including an appearance at the prestigious Glastonbury festival as part of a European tour. The dates coincide with news of a 20th Anniversary vinyl reissue of ‘Tambourine’. This in itself is great news, but the news that seals the deal for long-time fans is the release of ‘Time and Patience’, a new album that charts the evolution of the record via previously unheard material, including a selection of demos recorded in the singer’s kitchen. Both albums will be released on August 29th 2025, on One Riot Records. More about Tift, the records and a demo recording of fan favourite ‘Good Hearted Man’ follow:
Read MoreA classic song is a classic song for a reason. That being said, there is always room for reinterpretation. Sometimes an act will bash out a crowd-pleasing tune note for note, while others will strip down and reconstruct. Both options can be equally valid artistically, depending on the situation. Today, we present four artists who’ve revisited instantly recognisable tunes. The other plus point of a well-conceived cover is that it will, hopefully, inspire you, the listener. to check out their original material if you’re unfamiliar.
Read MoreNetherlands-born but now Nashville-based Judy Blank has signed with the influential Rounder Records label. A new digital multi-track single 'Lil’ Mood' will be released on March 14th to coincide with an appearance at SXSW. In the meantime, check out the environmentally conscious ‘Dinosaurs’ for a taste of Blank’s eclectic sound, which, on this occasion, mixes a dreamy 1960s cool vibe with a 1980s synth soundscape. Blank will also be hitting the road in the USA, her native country, and even has a couple of shows pencilled in for the UK. Full details and the video for ‘Dinosaurs’ follow:
Read MoreWhen it comes to LP Box Sets there can’t be too many acts more suited to the format than Pentangle. The Folk supergroup released six albums in a mere four-year period from 1968-1972 and these are now collected, with a host of bonus material, on a very smart-looking 14 LP deluxe box set via Svart Records on 16th April 2025. A breakdown of the release including a full tracklisting follows:
Read MoreA selection of new musical offerings to accompany a relaxed Sunday.
Read MoreGrowing up, the idea of listening to folk music would have been an almost ludicrous one. As a teen, I was, like many of you, obsessed with rock/pop and, in my case, hard rock. I’d been raised in a house where Elvis and country music ruled the airwaves, so with a typical teenage disregard for my parents, I was always on the lookout for noisier sounds, provided there was still a tune to be heard, extreme metal was out. Folk was almost a four-letter word. Naturally, my tastes evolved over the years. I could not and would not, thankfully, shake Elvis (Mum had done a fine job of ingraining the King into my psyche) while I found my way back to more traditional country music via Americana, or alt-country as it was back then. This brings me to folk music, like Americana, a melting pot of widely differing sounds and styles. You might well be listening to folk music and not know it. So, it seems like a good time to peruse the August 2024 edition of the UK Folk Music Charts in search of some great music.
Read MoreSilver Patron Saints, a star-studded tribute and benefit album for musician and songwriter Jesse Malin, is set for release 20.09.24 on 3xLP | digital via Glassnote Records. As a taster for the set Bleachers aka Jack Antonoff (Taylor Swift, Lana Del Ray, Kendrick Lamar, Lorde etc) recently released a cover of Jesse’s ‘Prisoners of Paradise’. Jesse suffered a rare spinal stroke in May 2023 that left him paralysed from the waist down. All proceeds for Silver Patron Saints will go to Malin’s Sweet Relief Musicians Fund. More about Jesse Malin, Silver Patron Saints and the impressive range of musicians involved in the record follows:
Read MoreLooking for new music? We’re here to help with a quartet of upcoming/recent releases full of melody and thoughtful songwriting. We’ve the welcome return of Ruth Theodore after a long absence, blue-collar tales from Sheffield via Fargo Railroad Co, a Devon songwriter inspired by the Japanese art of Kintsugi in Small Town Jones and melancholic hopefulness courtesy of Alex Coley and Afterlove from Canada.
Read MoreRecord Store Day 2024, or RSD as it is known, is on April 20th. Thousands of record collectors will flock to Indie record stores, hunting for the latest limited releases by their favourite bands. I’m pleased to report that Held By Trees will issue their excellent ‘Solace’ album as an expanded 2-disc set for the event limited to just 500 copies and mastered specifically for vinyl by Denis Blackham. More about the release and Held By Trees follows:
Read MoreStatus Quo broke through commercially in the 1970s, but this was no overnight success story. Long before the denim and the heads down boogie, there was a band formed in 1962 by school friends Francis Rossi and Alan Lancaster, learning their craft for many years before they became the Quo we know. There would be many ups, downs and sartorial as well as musical variations into which ‘The Early Years’ a new 5CD set from BMG, takes a deep dive, including material from pre-Quo acts The Spectres and Traffic Jam as well as the first two albums credited to Status Quo with plentiful bonus tracks including BBC sessions. The full press release and track listing follows:
Read MoreLondon’s Hackney will, once again, be the place to be in January 2024 when UK Americana Music Week returns to the borough. 22 - 25 January are the all-important dates, with events and artist showcases in multiple venues culminating in the UK Americana Awards Show. London fans are well served, with many more shows throughout the capitol during January and February. The full press release follows:
Read MoreIn the first of an occasional series, Red Guitar Music shines a light on an artist at the beginning of their career. Although not a total newcomer, due to her work in The Paper Waits, Gabriella Hunzinger strikes out as a solo artist with debut single ‘Body Away'. The first offering from a slew of recently recorded material, ‘Body Away’ is a striking creation that feels cinematically widescreen yet, with its acoustic guitar and cello roots, has an earthbound intimacy in keeping with the aims of its creator. As an introduction to Gabriella Hunzinger, inspired at an early age by artists such as Tori Amos, Kate Bush and Beth Gibbons, 'Body Away' is a musical calling card sure to impress. Please read on to discover more about Gabriella Hunzinger and ‘Body Away’, released today, July 14th via Ameno Records.
Read MoreI was lucky enough to see Jesse Malin earlier this year on the London date of the tour promoting the 20th anniversary reimagining of his impressive debut album ‘The Fine Art Of Self Destruction’. Jesse and his band delivered a blistering rock n’ roll show. My overriding memory of the show was the love Jesse has for the UK and the fans for him. After the show, Jesse made sure that if you wanted a picture, your album signed, or you just wanted to say hello, he would make that happen. A genuinely nice guy. Needless to say, it was devastating to hear of Jesse’s recent paralysing spinal stroke. More about Jesse and donation links to help with his ongoing medical care follow:
Read MoreAnd we’re back! “From whence?” I hear you cry, in your florid way. Back from Canada, of course. We swam all the way, on our backs, our music-loving arms filled with a freshly picked bunch of hot new songs, gifted to us from our creative compadres ‘cross the waves. Imagine that. And we did it all for you.
Read MoreTara MacLean wrote ‘That’s Me’ in 1994, aged just 21, amidst shadowy times and falling through a succession of harrowing trap doors – all described in her acclaimed memoir ‘Song of the Sparrow’. The memoir is accompanied by ‘Sparrow’ an album of new material and reimagined versions of older songs, including ‘That’s Me’. From a career point of view, ‘That’s Me’ would play an important role, as it was the first song Tara had placed in a film, but from a personal point of view, things are a little more complicated. I’d imagine it’s like looking at your younger self in a mirror and wondering what might have been... Red Guitar Music is very pleased to offer this exclusive presentation of the striking video for ‘That’s Me’ and details of Tara's upcoming UK tour dates:
Read MoreWelcome to our regular deep dive into quality music released by artists operating in a disparate range of genres. The goal of the RGM Inbox is to highlight artists you might not know, sending you, the listener, on a voyage of discovery to find new and exciting talents you might otherwise have missed. In this edition, we’ve a folk duo from NYC, an 80s hitmaker reinventing a classic, a striking Toronto-born singer/songwriter who found her muse in London and a Swiss-Ecuadorian duo who recorded their album in Nashville with The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach.
Read MoreWelcome to the latest edition of the RGM Inbox. For this instalment, we check out four singer/songwriters. Two are still at the start of what will be successful careers; one has an Ivor Novello award on the shelf, while our final artist has sold millions of records and earned multiple Grammy awards but is still probably best known for his skills as a guitarist. They may work in a range of genres, but the one thing they all have in common is impressive new music to share.
Read MoreWith the resurgence of interest in the good old LP showing no signs of slowing down, it’s great to see albums from the 1990s getting the reissue treatment or being released on the format for the very first time. Those of us of a certain age can remember when you might have liked to buy an LP but a CD or even the dreaded cassette tape was your only option. Steve Hackett will see two of his 1990s solo albums make the leap to vinyl for the first time on June 2nd with newly remastered, gatefold sleeve 180g 2LP releases of ‘Darktown’ and ‘Guitar Noir’
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