Winner: Phil Joseph for Best International Artist

We are pleased to announce our first winner in the category of Best International Artist: Mr. Phil Joseph!

An ambition of ours here at Current Music Thoughts was to bring to our readers excellence in music making within the independent world - and I'm sure you know how many artists there are to hear. That being said, there are individuals who are making music that just jumps out and screams to be acknowledged. Such an artist is London-based Phil Joseph and his unique, tasteful, and masterful rendition of the classic Ben King tune "Stand by Me." It has upbeat dance and reggae elements which breathe new life into the track as if giving it a second-wind during the midnight of the original's popularity. 

Featuring the rapper Malik on the verses it is original and yet at the same time such a beautiful homage to classic American music. This reason, more than any other, is merit enough for the award as in a period of waning interest in the USA Mr. Joseph gives us a positive nod. It's a love song - but at the same time we're all wondering if there is a dual meaning saying "stand by me and everything is going to be OK" and from this side of the pond, we appreciate it. Congratulations Mr. Joseph on an outstanding achievement, we will be anxiously awaiting many more tunes!

Artist Interview: TJ Leonard

A few weeks back I posted a review of some songs by Swedish country-artist: TJ Leonard. Now he has graciously agreed to an interview to speak about his music which I find fascinating.

MW: Mr. Leonard, thanks for being here!

TJL: Hi thanks for having me.

MW: I’m curious, as I think most readers are, what brought you to writing, recording, and performing country music?

TJL: I come from a family where music always were in the centre when we got together so it came natural. I studied music for a couple of years and after that I started to write and produce music. We formed the band Chestnut about six years ago and I wrote most of the songs. I got into country music at the time Keith Urban released Somebody like you in 2002 and I haven't listened to or written any other kind of musc since then. So that song really inspired me and I started to listen to all kind of country both old and new.

MW: Sometimes country music (in the USA) is seen as a “national-music” and while there have been a few notable non-Americans performing it, there haven’t been many. What has the reception been like for you among US audiences?

TJL: I get fan emails that says that they think my music is awesome and that they can relate to the lyrics so that's great and the songs are climbing the charts too so I guess I'm doing something right. So far everything is happening in the cyber world so I would love to come over to perform face to face with the US audience :)

MW: Are you ever afraid of being treated like a novelty?

TJL: HAHA that is a new word for me.Well the weels of music business turns very fast these days so it could be that I am a novelty but does it worry me? No not really. It is what it is. I will write music and release it. Some will like it and some will not.

MW: Your songs are beautiful and very engaging, no question about that, could you cue us in on your process for writing?

TJL: Thanks for saying that. Well, I often get an idea while driving my car or taking a shower for example. I record it on my phone so I don't forget it. I have a studio in my basement so when I have the time I can go down there and start working on the song. Most of the time I write the music and the lyrics at the same time and the topic of the song will decide the content. I write about things in my life or about stuff going on around me. I meet a lot of people in my job and a lot of stories comes up when I talk to those people.

MW: Where has been your favorite place to perform so far?

TJL: We used to have a big country festival close to Stockholm called Lida country festival. The stage was huge and it was a great place to perform at. I also did a small gig in Nashville in 2014 and that was also a special one.

MW: There seems to be at least a small folk-element to your songs – am I correct in this observation?

TJL: Yes, I try to include those elements. I love the sound of dobro, fiddle and banjo and to me a country song should contain some of those instruments. Coming from Sweden my songs will have a kind of pop feal to them of course, so without those instruments they would be pop-songs with country lyrics.

MW: Do you have any tours or other projects on the horizon?

TJL: I have a couple of gigs booked for this summer but no tour. I have a day job and a family so it's not that easy to just take off. Country music is getting bigger and bigger over here and my kid is growing so I hope there will be one in the future. I've started on a second album though. I haven't decided if it will be a full album or an EP yet. The plan is to go to Nashville in October to write and meet people and to get inspired. I love that city!

MW: Thanks so much for your time!

TJL: Thank YOU and thanks for the great review.

Blue Moon Harem: Deep into the Blue

Veteran musicians Jon Bix and Demetri Joannou are set to release a new forthcoming album “Deep into the Blue.” This will be their third studio release under their current incarnation of “Blue Moon Harem” – as a generous bit of trivia for CMT readers, lovers of the 90’s will remember the duo from the Boston-based group “Requiem.”

“My Front Door” - a song about not escaping those who hold a grip on us - is reminiscent of rock sounds from two decades ago – some clean/distorted guitar strums over a gruff but at the same time very melodic tenor. The song follows a progression of increasing tension until it hits the chorus with some banging drums. It’s got incredible energy! The inclusion of a very tasteful guitar solo makes the piece very satisfying.

Other songs on the album are equally successful. Tracks such as "Lie" are wonderfully blues-nuevo all the while keeping a grunge-edge (plus some noise elements that really make the track stand out). There is a balance going on here; an almost literary symmetry that can really only occur with the artistic fermenting over time. Mastery in not only one’s instrument and performance, but perhaps more importantly: style. Blue Moon Harem has this in spades. To learn more, please visit their website here: bluemoonharem.com

Chasing Jonah: War Paint

Heartfelt and soulful are words I used to describe the South East American independent music scene. During my college years, I was a strong devotee of Underwater (formed from the Florida band “Rosewater Elizabeth”), Tourmaline, and Alison With One. It’s hard to put my thumb on the sound but there is an almost mystical simplistic and yet passionate quality which seemed like a common thread running through all these artists.

It is nice to see that 13 years later, this tradition still continues in the form of Florida based group: Chasing Jonah (fronted by singer/songwriter Ashley Dudukovich) and their newest release “War Paint.” The chord progression sounds something like a I, vi, iii which creates for an extraordinarily sentimental sound. This is offset; however, through the strength of Dudukovich’s cutting vocals. She perfectly navigates the grey-space between a Broadway belt and sexy whisper. Still, there is also pain – reserved pain, but it comes through beautifully. These is nothing about this song that doesn’t work for me; it’s an absolute gem deserving of significantly more views/listens than the current 585 (although, I imagine that is going to change as people share these works with fellow music fans).

 

Their album “Prelude” (almost on endless repeat at my house) can also be heard on their website here: http://chasingjonah.com

TJ Leonard: "High on Livin'"

One of the greatest things about writing on this blog is the number of new artists I am fortunate enough to hear. Out of the blue, someone will send me a link or YT video of a musician of whom I’ve never heard and it ends up being the best part of my day.  Such is the case with the individual here: Mr. TJ Leonard, a Swedish Country artist who sounds more than “at home” with this uniquely American musical genre.

His new album is titled “High on Livin,” a ten track LP that spans moods from folk to rock all accompanying Leonard’s straightforward and clear tenor voice. At times the recordings are gritty, and I mean gritty – a quick listen to “Redneck Neighborhood” as an example of how well distorted guitar and fiddle fit together will remind you that this no album looking for Hollywood sheen (and thank goodness for it!) Alternatively, “The River” is upbeat and uplifting, and I for one, love how prominently the banjo plays.

All in all, this is a very interesting injection into Country music from across the ocean. I know that many fans of the genre are sometimes skeptical of artists that don’t hail from somewhere in the Southern United States, but I firmly believe that foreign influence just shows us how healthy the genre really is. And TJ Leonard is simply the latest example of that health. To learn more, please visit: tjleonardcountry.com 

Artist Interview: Jake Ward

Hello, readers! We’re lucky that for this week’s interview we have Jake Ward hailing from the great state of Texas. He’s released an album titled.“Love Don’t Live Here.”

MW: Jake Ward, thanks for being here

JW: Hey, thank you for the opportunity to tell people about what we’re doing with summer coming up.

MW: So, I’d like to start by talking about the incredible live performance posted on your website featuring the song “Take My Hand.” Can you give us a little background on that?

JW: That video showed heart, soul and joy coming together perfectly that night, and particularly that song. We were booked at Brewster Street Ice House in Corpus Christi – one of the great venues in Texas and a tough place to get a booking.  We had been trying forever. Our third single, Take My Hand, had been #2 on the Texas Regional chart all that week and everyone was talking about whether it could make that last rung to #1. Corpus Christi radio really got behind it that week and it was blasting all the time. Then on Friday night – boom: #1! Saturday night at Brewsters was packed. So many people from my life showed up. My first grade teacher was there! The minister from the church I went to through high school. College friends; people from out of town. We were introduced by Austin Daniels, who gave us so much support on his station. When we played that song it felt like electricity was flowing through us –and the fans sang the chorus.  So much pride. So much love. We were so grateful and pumped. And you can see it in that great video generously provided to our site by a really good guy who I also want to thank.

MW: You have a very intense stage-persona, has that always been the case or did you have to work on that aspect of your performance?

JW:  Thank you. It’s a good question and the answer is --both. I was in musicals as a kid; I could learn lines quickly and hit the notes—but I was in character. When I first started performing I was intense, but I kept my eyes closed. It was partly because of intensity, but it put a barrier between me and the audience.  But as I became more determined to put on a great show, I realized that I not only needed to connect with the audience, I needed to interact with the band constantly.  We never play a song exactly the same way so we all have to pay attention to each other constantly.  We don’t exactly improvise but the feel and dynamics of the song depend on the energy, the audience, the venue, lots of stuff. That requires a lot of intensity and connection, but not at the expense of joy for the music. That’s foremost always.

MW: How did you meet the guys from the band?

JW:  Paul and me met in elementary school, lost touch, and met again in college. Paul is an amazing guitarist and friend.  He was in a cover band and I was in a band of buddies, some had learned their instruments just to be in the band. It was amazing how quicky they became solid players, but they entered real life early while Paul and me were still college kids in a band.   We scouted the musicians in town and actually targeted and recruited guys we wanted: I met Mitchell (bass) and Daniel (drums) in school.  We saw Owen playing in another band and gradually lured him over.  No one auditioned; we wanted them and they had plenty of options so basically we selected each other.

MW: In listening to the newest album I had a hard time saying “this is straight-up country.” Your rock influence is very prominent but there are also a lot of folk sounds I could hear among a few other genre-defying aspects. Do you feel comfortable billed as a “country” artist or do you have a better word for it?

JW:  You’re right.  I think it’s fair to say we are a Texas country band because that term suggests  the music is less predictable and more diverse simply because there are so many independent acts; when you make music without a record company as most Texas music acts do, it will  create a wider range of styles and choices.  I think of it as the Texas independent spirit—like the guys at the Alamo who went to make a stand for independence. Not being historical here. It’s just that Texas music has so many independent artists and radio stations who came from all over the Southwest with no money or backing. That independent spirit is in their music. Our music is original with incredible guitar from a guy who cut his teeth on rock and roll, with tight harmonies inspired by Brian Wilson of the  Beach Boys, and lyrics that usually talk about feelings more than stories. So to answer your question, do I have a better word for it? One word? I’ll go with TexasCountry with an asterisk for the explanation.

MW: Can you describe how you got started songwriting? Did you have any mentors in your life or are you more self-taught?

JW: My dad taught me how to play guitar and did his best to imprint great music into my brain – which is how I absorbed Elvis and the Beach Boys. He taught me a lot about playing by ear, and I started writing songs on my own. In the past year, members of my family in Oklahoma heard my music and got the wheels turning to put me together with my cousin Kris Bergsnes, who I had never known or heard about, but who is a great guy and a tremendous songwriter.  Our great grandfathers were brothers, and they were both great fiddlers in Oklahoma during the depression. Kris has taught me a lot about songwriting and music, and we both feel like there’s a certain amount of fate involved because of our long family history of country music. 

Photo: Natalie Rhea

MW: What was the process like in writing/recording “Love Don’t Live Here?”

JW:  That song is so special to the band because the arrangement was such a collaboration. I wrote it but everyone’s contribution is so personal and outstanding. Owen’s fiddle, for example, sounds like a string section. On that song in particular we rehearsed a lot and everyone had ideas about how to make it sound so cool and dramatic. Love Don’t Live Here is ouir album title, not because the title reflects our attitude but because it means a lot to everyone in the band.

MW: The arrangements are really quite stellar – how do those come about?

JW: Credit goes to everyone in the band as well as our ace producer Mason Shirley from Corpus Christi, Texas. Look him up Mr. CMA Artist of the Year,  but book him in advance.

MW: Any big plans for the near future?

JW:  We’re going to start our summer tour, starting  April 28 at Brewster Street, where we had such a great night when Take My Hand went #1. Take My Hand was sort of an anthem that said “go for it.” That’s the plan! We’ll be playing our next single, Lonely Street. which is one of my favorite songs. Vocally, it’s a singer-killer – possibly as deadly as the Star Spangled Banner. The range of music and emotions is like nothing I’ve ever done.  But I also love it because  I wrote with my cousin and it is a shout out to so many things I heard in the car growing up. I mean, Ricky Nelson (another one of dad’s favorites) had a song called Lonesome Town. One of Brian Wilson’s favorite singers --Andy Williams had a song called Lonely Street which is nothing like this but I like the connection. And everyone knows what’s down at the end of Lonely Street right?

To learn more about Jake Ward (including hearing samples from his latest album) please visit www.jakewardmusic.com

Madelyn Victoria: Highway of Dreams (Live)

I love live performances. I remember shortly after Mark Sandman died tragically and too soon for all of us Morphine fans, the first album I purchased was the “Detroit Bootleg” CD from my local record shop (yep, we had those back then). It didn’t stop there either – Portishead’s PNYC concert stands as my “holy grail” for sound engineering. So when I was alerted to the fact that Madelyn Victoria (an artist written about here on Contemporary Music Thoughts a few months ago) has a stellar live performance video out I just had to post it here.

The song is “Highway of Dreams” - It’s a foot-tapping song, to be sure. Snappy snares and killer guitar lines. Of course Madelyn’s voice is the same powerful alto we’ve come to love. The song itself has that “power ballad” quality with the lyrics “I’ll just keep on rollin’” signaling a resolute can’t-get-knocked-down attitude which is completely plausible, especially considering Ms. Victoria’s stage presence – it doesn’t look like she could be having more fun. If we’re lucky we’ll be seeing a lot more from this artist, especially more live-videos. 

To learn more about Madelyn Victoria (including a forthcoming EP featuring the song "He Only Loves Me on the Dancefloor") visit her website here: www.madelynvictoria.com