Two very quick items today. I’ve always liked what The Wiyos were up to but have never written about them before. They are a band out of NYC that should really be out of Virginia. This song is a bit of a throw away but you’ll get the general idea. It’s taken from a new tour only EP.

Airline Baggage Handlers Suck

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I noticed there was a great lineup of female singer-songwriters playing Club Passim in Cambridge on October 13. I was well aware of three of the four. But the fourth was a mystery. Her name is Datri Bean and her music has been described as “Southern-fried vintage jazz – original tunes which draw from pre-war jazz and folksy Americana, for a lazy afternoon on the porch feeling.” This song, “Foolish”, will be on her upcoming record Ruby. With its unusual combination of ukelele and tuba and Datri’s stunning voice this is a great preview of what’s to come.

Foolish

I hope I’m not jumping the gun but I just stumbled upon the new record by Austin based Yer Bird artist Caleb Coy. Caleb’s been around and been in a number of semi-experimental projects. This new record is a more traditional Texas lofi americana thing (think Townes et al). It was recorded in Caleb’s airstream out in desert outside of Marfa. It’s called Wild Desert Rose. Lots more info on this Sept 7 release here on Yer Bird’s site.

I’ll Be Damned

I don’t feel like I can take credit for this post. I was only notified about the new Charlie Parr record 4 hrs ago by Nine Bullets (in a tweet no less). So all accolades about what a great song this is, and how you can’t believe you’ve never heard of him, had your head under a rock, etc. etc. please direct to Nine Bullets.

Obv. I’m a big Charlie Parr fan and for the last few years I thought it was just me and the rest of upper Minnesota who were his fans. But starting in Sept/Oct Charlie is touring the UK and Australia with Frank Fairfield so I think word is going to get out about him. The new album was just released, it’s called When The Devil Goes Blind. Get it from Charlie here. I’m not going to go into great detail about Charlie’s sound – it is what is – great acoustic blues. “I Dreamed I Saw Jesse James Last Night” is recession-escaping-blues if I’ve heard it. The song is about a guy trying to flee his life, wife, and kids. Any and all Charlie Parr records are highly recommended, this one is no different.

I Dreamed I Saw Jesse James Last Night

I live near Chicago. I follow the local scene pretty closely. In the last six years of blogging I have only found a handful of Chicago artists to get excited about. I think I’m about to get excited about Andrew Francis. Andrew is a member of a local jugband (The Barehand Jugband) so that’s automatically a plus in my book. His delivery is a nasal concoction equal parts Bob Dylan and Pokey LaFarge. Musically the songs are simple guitar and voice (with occasional amateurish harmonica – and I mean that in a good way). On the song “I’m Only Trying To Say What Comes To Me” he admits his songwriting naivite but then goes on to speak from the heart and string together an unusual but affecting chorus. Andrew has just released two records. The first is his solo self titled debut and the second is a collection of songs inspired by and about Chicago called It’s Chicago!.

Buy them here and here.

I’m Only Trying To Say What Comes To Me

From the It’s Chicago! EP

Out In Te Cold, Cold Wind

I’m on vacation (at the beach) so I thought what better song to share with you than some new surf rock from the Denmark based band El Ray. The band’s new record Chasing Ray is out now.

Stuck in an Elevator

El Ray: “Better Surf than sorry…” from Alexandre Archimbaud on Vimeo.

Alright. Good news. The recently fairly prolific ex-leader of Hefner, Darren Hayman, has a new record coming out. It’s the second in a three lp cycle about his home county of Essex. This record is called Essex Arms. The first single is “Nothing You Can Do About It”. The album comes out Oct 4 on Acuarela Records in Spain and FortunaPOP! in England.

Nothing You Can Do About It

Two Tree Island (b-side) video

I generally like to have lots of kettles in the fire. I like to have new and exclusive songs arriving in my inbox at least on a weekly, if not daily, basis. But the summer doldrums have set in, as well as the fact that there are now so many music bloggers plying their trade. So I was happy to finally have the new song from the Ditty Bops arrive this morning. You may have heard of the Ditty Bops because of their numerous times on Grey’s Anatomy, or for the press their bike tours received, or for their support of same sex unions (they were married in 2008). But all that is a distraction from their music. Playful, old timey, swinging, circus cabaret would be an apt description.

The new song “Lemon Tree” is from an 8 track cd called The Color Album (previously on Warner the girls now are self released). You can buy the new album here. Here
s what Abby and Amanda have to say about the new record:

“Songs inspired by the colors of the rainbow, plus bonus color PINK. With everything from soothing lullabies to upbeat zesty tunes, this new colorful folk album is great for kids and grown ups. Each recycled paper CD jacket is hand-painted by The Ditty Bops,
so every cover is unique!”

Lemon Tree

Wishful Thinking video (Warner Records days)

I’m a big fan of Tim O’Brien and the way he is able to straddle the worlds of traditional bluegrass and modern folk. The new record, his 13th solo record, is called Chicken & Egg. This song is from it and is a bit old timey in both it’s music and its timeless themes of lost love, bad behavior, and remorse.

Preorder here now.

Gonna Try To Make Her Stay

I have made it a rule at Songs:Illinois to write about everything Tom Brosseau does. Whether it’s his solo stuff with an indie folk bent, the more full band sound he’s developed over the years or now his duo project with Angela Correa called Les Shelleys.

On “The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise” these two accomplished singer songwriters weave their voices in and around this classic song. You should be able to order the new record soon via Fat Cat Records.

The World Is Waiting For The Sunrise

Bonus:

Les Paul and Mary Ford – “The World Is Waiting For the Sunrise”

It’s been two years since I wrote about Gwil Owens’ debut record Gravy here. I was lucky to stumble upon Gwil’s music two years ago and my luck continues as I just happened to hear about the new record Ahab’s Birthday. Where Gravy was a little funky, Ahab’s Birthday has turned a little twangy. It helps to have first class guests like Will Kimbrough, Jeff Black, and David Olney. Besides the music it’s the songs that Gwil Owen gets right. Here are two from the new record that is for sale now here at Village Records.

Worth Your While
Trainwreck