Here are some of the top new releases for the week of 14/03/2020.
All of this week’s new tracks are also on our New Release Round-up playlist on Spotify, along with every other song we’ve included in this feature during the year so far. If you’re a Spotify user, give it a follow so you can keep up to date!
American Aquarium – The Long Haul
One of the great current American songwriters, BJ Barham, and his band return with a new song ahead of a newly announced UK tour in October and their next LP ‘Lamentations’ (out May 1st). ‘Long Haul’ is an ode to leaving the bottle behind and committing to family life.
Margo Price – Twinkle Twinkle
Margo recorded this new song out in LA with Sturgill Simpson on production duties and it shows. The fuzz-soaked guitars and thumping beat, coupled with Price’s unmistakable vocals make this a real toe tapper. It’s got us very much excited for the new album ‘That’s How Rumours Get Started’ on May 8th.
Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real – Couldn’t Break Your Heart
March 27th sees Lukas and his band release ‘Naked Garden’, the companion record to last year’s ‘Turn Off The News (Build a Garden)’. This yearning, swirling, stomper showcases Nelson’s voice at its best. I’m not usually a fan of extended releases and ‘companion albums’ but Nelson rarely releases anything but quality.
Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit – What’ve I Done to Help
Speaking of great songwriters, Jason Isbell returns with the second track from his upcoming album ‘Reunions’ (May 15th). An introspective song, Isbell examines his own life and the feeling of helplessness he has when it comes to our society’s problems… An appropriate song for the current times.
Caleb Caudle – Monte Carlo
This one was dropped a week ago, but Caudle has since had a little light shone on him for his words in Rolling Stone about the effects of Coronavirus on touring musicians. Hopefully a tiny silver lining of this is that more people will be made aware of his music, starting with this gritty rocker. Caleb’s new album ‘Better Hurry Up’ comes out on 3rd April.
Mo Pitney – Ain’t Looking Back
After what seems like an age we’re finally starting to see some very welcome new music from Mo Pitney. Ain’t Looking Back speaks of a determination to press on into the future when others try to remind you of your past, and it’s the second new track from him in 2020. Great to hear that voice of his again.
Jason Isbell – Hello In There
We don’t often feature 2 tracks from the same artist in the same roundup, but we’re prepared to make an exception now and again. Jason Isbell’s cover of this 1971 John Prine classic is indeed exceptional. It’s taken from Musical Moments, a rvarious artists project to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease.