Nurturing New Music
This afternoon when I arrived home after a weekend trip, I spent some time in my garden. The sun was out, it was warm and there was almost no wind whipping through our little corner of Iowa. I’ve been meaning to add some compost to my raised beds for a few weeks and today was finally the day.
As I worked I listened to some new music. One of the most rewarding things about starting this blog has been connecting with new artists through social media. I see quite a few posts about new EPs, videos and singles. As often as time allows, if something – usually a cool photo, an interesting song title or description — resonates, I click to learn more. If someone else happens to recommend an artist (like Chris Stapleton’s Tweet about Brent Cobb), that’s an even stronger force.
Today I went back through my recent Twitter messages and decided to listen to artists that have reached out to me that way. My wireless earphones needed charging and I didn’t want to dig through pockets or drawers or spare purses to find a pair of earbuds. So I plunked my phone down on the corner of a bed and got busy.
Here are the artists I listened to today as I pulled out remaining stems and mixed and spread compost.I’ve linked each name to the artist’s Twitter account, a great place to start to learn more. Check them out!
Chris Scott is from Barnhart, MO. He’s signed with St. Louis-based indie record label Kevlar Soul Records and is a talented, good-looking young singer, with a bit of a raspy-pop-country sound. His video for single Nights to Remember is polished and full of more good-looking young people having a great time. I think young people who like mainstream country music would like him.
Nick Hickman is another pop-sounding, polished country singer. His single Rain also has a professional video and the lead-in pulled me in. I like his voice and his bio says his influences include Justin Timberlake, Travis Tritt, George Strait, Luke Bryan, Boys Like Girls, and The Fray, so he’s aiming for a wide range.
Olivia West is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter. Stylistically, she reminded me a little of Suzy Bogguss. Kind of a jazzy – loungy feel. Her bio says she’s a super-mommy, diva, bad__ , girl next door. Whew. I liked her song Fall Into Love.
SeanPatrick&the NGR is an Erie, PA, band and I tend to like bluegrass/rootsy rock music so they appealed to me. The song The Bed was an interesting, folksy statement song about living in the bed you’ve made. Quirky. If you love Nathaniel Rateliff you’d probably like these guys.
Elise Davis’s video for I Just Want Your Love was debuted by the Wall Street Journal last week. I started following her awhile ago but took a closer look after our local music mogul Sean Moeller recommended her. I like that song and hope he’ll book her in Davenport soon. Tone-wise, I hear some Sheryl Crow and maybe even Lulu as in 60s classic To Sir with Love. I want to hear more.
Jake Anderson is a singer-songwriter with a new EP called Comeback Kid. I actually met Jake when I was in Nashville a week ago but didn’t get to hear him. I like his voice – it is melodic and clear and in some ways reminds me of David Gray or maybe even James Taylor in a few spots, so there’s a lot of folk to his style. But his lyrics have a definite country feel and are based on values I can relate to – family life, working hard, commitment. I also like the understated, yet supporting instrumentation on the tracks.
That’s all the new music I had time for today. My garden work is just about done for the season. I’ll need to take in the pots and garden ornaments, including the super cute metal VW bus I found a few weeks ago. It reminds me the real VW my parent’s had when I was a child. That’s it in my Twitter profile picture. (I swear Jake Owen found it for promo for his new album.)
Being the Chicago girl I am, the Cubs game took me away from blogging for awhile tonight so it has gotten late! But I’m so glad they won!
karenlovescountry.com 
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