Sounds on Sunday featuring new music from Sean McConnell, Steve Hewitt and Cris Jacobs
A selection of new musical offerings to accompany a relaxed Sunday.
Read MoreThe Americana Music Association UK announces UK Americana Music Week 2024, Monday 22 - Thursday 25 January in Hackney, London
London’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 MoreArtist Showcase: Gabriella Hunzinger
In 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 MoreRGM presents The Maple Leaf #29
And 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 MoreRed Guitar Music presents Tara MacLean 'That's Me' Video Exclusive
Tara 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 MoreThe RGM Inbox: May 2023
Welcome 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 MoreThe RGM Inbox: April 2023
Welcome 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 MoreRGM presents The Maple Leaf Roundup #28
My dear, dear, neglected reader. It’s been an entire year since I last brought you news of the finest Canadian sounds around; a lapse for which I can offer no worthy excuse. There will no doubt have been truckloads of tunes that have passed us by as a result, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned about the musicians of Canada, it is that their riches flow ever in abundance. Just for you, I’ve scooped a few prize catches from 2023’s already quickening stream. These are songs I believe deserve to be held awhile in the light; to be marvelled at; to not go unsung into that digital ocean. So, boil the kettle, read on and get ready to make some new Canadian acquaintances.
Read MoreKate Ellis announces Limited Edition 'Spirals' LP with bonus track due March 3rd
Kate Ellis released her second album ‘Spirals’ in early 2022 to universal acclaim. A record blessed with lyrical depth that feels deeply personal but ultimately is universally accessible. You’d think ‘Spirals’ would be all melancholy moodiness, but Kate mixes things up, even finding room for a dalliance with county rock and a dash of country pop amongst the piano balladry and pedal steel textures. On March 3rd, ‘Spirals’ will receive a Limited Edition Numbered vinyl release with a bonus track from the album sessions ‘Hurt’, the Trent Reznor song immortalized by Johnny Cash. More about Kate Ellis, the album and an upcoming vinyl launch show at London’s Green Note follows:
Read MoreDiana Jones announces 'Better Times Will Come' reimagined album due April 7th + UK/IE tour dates
Widely acclaimed US singer-songwriter Diana Jones has announced the re-issue of her critically lauded 2009 album Better Times Will Come – Reimagined & Remastered on April 7th 2023, to mark the 15th anniversary of its recording. Diana and studio engineer Steve Addabbo (Bob Dylan) reimagined the album mixes and the running order while adding a previously unreleased song ‘Call Me Daddy' from the sessions. The new version of the title track, “Better Times Will Come”, featuring harmony vocals by Diana’s friend, the late Nanci Griffith and a newly found additional chorus, is out now. Its abiding message remains so timely, given the hardships of recent years and those still being felt today. You can check out the track below. To coincide with the release on April 7th on CD, Digital and, for the first time, vinyl via Proper Records. Diana will embark on a UK/IE tour to coincide, commencing April 14th, where she will play the entire album plus selected songs from throughout her career. More about Diana Jones, the album and the tour follows:
Read MoreJanuary 2023 @RGM
A belated welcome to 2023 @RGM. After an extended break for the holidays, we’re back with more new music, which we think should be on your listening radar. January found the RGM Inbox inundated with cool new sounds we’d like to share with you. Some artists you might be familiar with, others less so, but as we always say, your favourite new beat combo might be just a click away. So join us as we share new music from both sides of the pond and an unexpected choice of cover tune.
Read MoreCanada House brings the very best Canadian music to UK Americana Music Week 2023
Canada’s official Music Export platform, ‘Canada House’, returns to the UK for two days of music by 12 carefully curated Canadian artists at the UK Americana Music Week 2023, 23-26th January, in London. CIMA (Canadian Independent Music Association) in partnership with Music PEI will be putting down roots at Moth Club in Hackney on the 24/25th of January to showcase the very best in Canadian music. The impressive list of artists includes Tara McLean, William Prince, Andrew Waite and Julian Taylor, to name but four. More about the UK Americana Music Week 2023 and the Canadian contingent follows:
Read MoreSuede reimagined by The Michael Boguski Trio as A Newer Morning (For John)
To quote a well known UK comedy troupe, “And Now For Something Completely Different”. Mike Boguski is probably best known as the keyboardist for Blue Rodeo, a position he’s held since 2008. Blue Rodeo are not that well known in the UK, but in Canada, they’re musical royalty with sixteen studio albums under their belts since their debut in 1987. Mike also has an acoustic jazz trio as a side project to fill the downtime from his day job. During the pandemic, Mike had, like so many of us, plenty of time on his hands and found himself rediscovering UK act Suede initially via Brett Anderson’s memoir. This has resulted in Mike reimagining songs from Suede’s 2020 album in the style of Jazz great Bill Evans. The Michael Boguski Trio’s A Newer Morning (For John) will be released July 8 on Goliard Records and all proceeds will be donated to John Brandham and Stroke Association UK. Please read on to learn more about the charitable nature of this release, and check out the video where Mike explains the reasoning behind the album in more depth.
Read MoreRGM presents The Maple Leaf Roundup #25
Hello again, dear readers. The Canadian musical harvest has been as rich as ever this year and we’re here to share with you the best of a bumper crop. Take a seat with us at the Maple Leaf table and sample some of the lesser-known fare from over there in the Great White North. We do listen to music from all territories but, clearly, Ontario has had the best weather this year....
Read MoreRGM presents The Maple Leaf Roundup #23
Welcome back to The Maple Leaf, RGM’s roundup of the freshest and finest tunage from Canada. By way of atoning for a longer absence than usual, we’re offering you a special double-helping of new music across the genres. Everyone is welcome here at RGM and we like to think we can spot a keeper, however it’s dressed. We hope you enjoy what you hear and that you’re inspired to take a deeper dive into some of this edition’s featured artists.
Read MoreCharity release - Everybody Cares: An Elliott Smith Compilation out today
Fans of the late Elliott Smith will find much to enjoy via a new compilation released today 15th February 2021. It's called Everybody Cares: An Elliott Smith Compilation which has been put together by Francis Lung (ex-WU LYF), La Blogotheque and My Favorite Elliott Smith Song (a fan podcast). The compilation of Smith covers is available via Bandcamp with 100% of the proceeds going towards LGBTQ+ right charities (AKT, The Audre Lorde Project and GIRES). More info about the compilation follows:
Read MoreRGM presents The Maple Leaf Roundup #20
Okay Canada, go easy on me. I somehow find myself in February 2021 trying to pick five chunks of hot new music for this feature, having amassed a ruthlessly edited shortlist of around 35. How did this happen, Canada? I can only account for the disappearance of an entire January by weeping before a hand-drawn graph of an alarming home-learning curve. You’ve made me choose, Canada, and it’s been hard. Nevertheless, here I am again, your most loyal of servants, educating the RGM readership on the subject of your latest and loveliest musical works of wonder.
Read MoreDavid Gray announces 'Skellig' due February 19th 2021
David Gray has been a very busy man of late. The singer released the ‘Gold In A Brass Age’ album in 2019 and a 20th-anniversary reissue of his seminal ‘White Ladder album followed in 2020. Now on February 19th 2021, he’ll release his latest album ‘Skellig’ recorded at Edwyn Collins' Helmsdale Studios in Scotland. The album will be available digitally initially with physical CD/LP to follow in May. ‘Skellig’ was Inspired by a small group of islands off the coast of Ireland. The islands were a place of pilgrimage and home to a group of monks in 600AD who were seeking to be closer to God through exile from the world. Whatever your religious leanings the theme of isolation should be familiar to many of us in these difficult times. Please read on for more about David Gray and the videos for latest single ‘Heart and Soul’ and the title track which highlights the vocal interplay between David and his band.
Read MoreThe RGM inbox January 2021
Welcome to another year at Red Guitar Music. In so many ways 2020 was a year we’d all like to forget while 2021 has, unfortunately, delivered more of the same thus far, but we remain hopeful for better things later this year. Luckily, there’s always good music to take our minds off the day to day drudgery of living with a pandemic and January has already unearthed a few small gems.
Read MoreRGM presents The Maple Leaf Roundup #19
As it’s the season for giving, we’ve put together a special bumper edition of The Maple Leaf Roundup, bringing you not five but ten - yes, ten! - new tracks from our copaines Canadiens. Think of it as an early Christmas gift - a mellifluous mixtape of must-hears you might not have otherwise met.
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