Newness Abounds

It is time for one of our irregular round-ups of some of the freebies I have been sent over the last couple of months by the nice people in Promoland (for which I am eternally grateful). We will go through them in order of release date.

"The Dance of Death" by Frankie Archer, which came out last month on the ludicrously named prrr of the bear label (the lower case is theirs not mine). Electronic infused remakes of old folk standards all the way from Northumbria. Think The Unthanks with more synths.

"A Blooming Body" by Cinder Well which was unleashed into the world earlier in July. Cinder - Amelia Baker to her Mum - has featured here previously as I am a bit of a sucker for her moody singer-songwriter stuff (now there's an insightful write-up for the promo blurb). The new album is well up to the standard set by her previous effort, 2023's "Cadence".

"Interpreting Heart Sounds, Vol. II" by A. Lee Edwards is old school country-folk in the style of Guy Clark etc from a former member of Lou Ford, a name that might perhaps ring bells for Charity Chic but probably nobody else. The album is due to be issued on 4 September. With his clever addition of the 'A.' Mr Edwards has replaced A. Wesley Chung at the top of my iTunes. Well done Sir! 

"Never Learned The Tide" by Twilark follows a week after A. Lee on 11 September. Twilark is the pseudonym of Canon Pence who is part of the vibrant North Carolina music scene that has brought us the likes of Hiss Golden Messenger, Tift Merritt and many more. With guests like Erin Rae and Spencer Cullum on board it is worth checking out. 

"Helpless Love" by Katherine Perkins. The first single "Phoenix" was released last week, the album is out on 25 September. A new name to me, this is her second album after 2024's "Being Younger". The blurb writers who drop names like Lucinda Williams and Aldous Harding but personally she most reminds me of Diane Birch. To compared with any one of those three Ms Perkins must have something going for her.

"Period Piece" by V.V. Lightbody - announced yesterday and out on 9 October. A prolific session and touring musician under her real name Vivian McConnell, including a spell in Harry Styles' live band, this is V.V's third album and the first she has produced herself. She's done a pretty nifty job. I was going to insert a clever Harry Styles reference here but then remembered I couldn't name any of his songs. 

I was also going to include a plug for an upcoming album by a Philly band Song People but even mentioning it exists is embargoed until 11 August. In the meantime if the idea of Jefferson Airplane having it out (very politely) with 10,000 Maniacs you might want to go check out their Bandcamp page.

"Young Edwin Of The Lowlands Low" - Frankie Archer

"Beyond The Pale" - Cinder Well

"South Of Sylva" - A. Lee Edwards

"Oranore" - Twilark

"Molecules" - Katherine Perkins

"Precious Moments" - V.V. Lightbody

As good as all these records are there is another new release that tops them all which I have not included as it was not a freebie. Any regular readers may know that Swamp Dogg is a musical hero of mine and his latest album "Swamp Dogg Contemplates The Afterlife" - understandable at 84 - continues a run of fantastic form from the Great Man in recent years. 

There are several tracks on the new album that are as good as anything that Swamp has ever done, which is saying something. One of the many highlights is this cover of a Jenny Lewis song. Jenny joined him on one of his old tunes on his 2024 bluegrass album "Blackgrass: From West Virginia to 125th St" and they seem to bring the best out of each other.