Recommendations: Kyle Swartzwelder, Donovan Woods & the Peapod Recordings Summer Sampler

Sorry for being delayed in posting lately – lots of stuff in the works and then there is the day job thrown in for good measure.  That and the weather here in Calgary has been ass lately, so that always makes me a bit slow, don’t ya just hate that those “Well you need Vitamin D to make you feel awake” people are right?.  Well other than hating other people being right, I am still listening and thought I would pass on some suggestions/recommendations of some tunes.  Hey, if I can’t force my musical preference or at least flaunt it to the internetz, then why even have a music blog?  Am I right?  Okay, fine.

I wanted to let you all know that there is a new EP from Kyle Swartzwelder  entitled “Our Home In Yonder Field”.  It is another beautiful folk EP from one of the under appreciated singer songwriters in the upper east coast of the US.  Why this guy doesn’t get more play is beyond me.  His previous self titled release also is recommended (find a post on it here).  But I digress, Kyle’s new EP (one of 3 being released this summer) is 4 tracks of country tinged open fields and even includes a cover – you can find out about that when you purchase it.  Visit Kyle on MySpace, Reverbnation and pick up this new EP (name your price) over on his Website.

Our Home in Yonder Field

“Our Home In Yonder Field” – Kyle Swartzwelder

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Next we have one of my favourite acts from Canada in Donovan Woods.  I can’t say enough good things about this guy with his (new) collection of almost perfect vignettes of love, loss and life called “The Widowmaker”.  The other thing I truly enjoy about a Donovan Woods song is that he makes some of the serious things in life sound beautiful and he doesn’t come off “gangsta” when he curses in songs, it fits as it is part of real life.  While his previous album (which was freakin great – see a post here) stands by itself, you will find The Widowmaker grows on his sound and I mean grows.  The sound is definitely from the same wheelhouse but he is becoming even more of a performer – the songs are even more earnest, catchy, sombre and grand.  And to not take away from saying it earlier about Kyle above, Donovan Woods is well under appreciated – this guy should be an ever day name here in Canada.  The guy stands alongside fellow Canadian talent like Dan Mangan, Mark Berube, Jenn Grant among them.  Visit him on MySpace or pick up an album on CD Baby.  The new album should  be out soon!

Donovan Woods banner

“Phone” – Donovan Woods

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Next we have a sampler or compilation from one of my favourite record labels, Peapod Recordings!  Hey when you have artists like Dan Blakeslee, Brown Bird, Chriss Sutherland and South China you know you have a good thing.  Peapod actually have a history of putting out these compilations and do so regularly and they routinely are great and the “Summer 2010 Comp” is right in line.  So swing by Peapod Recordings and pick it up completely free!

Peapod Recordings Summer 2010

“Monster (Devil Dancing outtake)” – Brown Bird

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Hope something above hits the spot for ya (because it should).  Enjoy your weekend!

~Smansmith