Elles Bailey - What's The Matter With You

LCM Song Of The Day: ‘What’s The Matter With You’ - Elles Bailey

We are all big fans of our next LCM featured artist, the wonderful and very talented Elles Bailey. The super smooth ‘What’s The Matter With You’ is the great second single from Elles’ upcoming second album ‘The Road I Call Home’ set for release on March 8th 2019. The album is also our LCM album of the month for March. This brand new video was directed by George Montague,

Elles and the band will be on a UK and European tour in Feb/Mar with their London date at The Lexington on the 12th March. Treat yourself and see her live :)

https://www.ellesbailey.com

JS Ondara - American Dream

LCM Song Of The Day: ‘American Dream’ - J.S. Ondara

Originally from Nairobi in Kenya but now based in Minneapolis our next featured artist is fast rising folk rock singer-songwriter JS Ondara. ‘American Dream’ is the opening track of JS’s forthcoming debut album ‘Tales Of America’ which is set for release in the UK on February 15th. We think the song has real touches of Tracey Chapman.

J.S. comments "the video follows a man, as he sets upon a journey to purchase a weapon. While on his way, we get a glimpse of the world around him through his eyes, which gives us some insight into his state of mind. Ultimately, the video explores the turbulent times in the country, socially and politically, thereby throwing a shade of irony to the popular notion of 'The American Dream.'"

When moving to the United States, Ondara chose Minnesota largely due to his adoration of native Bob Dylan. Other songwriters who have had great influence on him are Neil Young, Ray Lamontagne, Noah Gundersen, and Damien Rice. Ondara is currently finishing up his first project and currently on tour with Anderson East.

https://www.jsondara.com

U.M.A.N - Listen To Your Children

LCM Song Of The Day: ‘Listen To Your Children’ - U.M.A.N

Music can change hearts and minds and we hope that our featured song today can do just that. It was inspired by the students following the Florida school shootings. It was evident that they wanted to be heard, yet it felt they were screaming in deaf ears. ‘Listen to Your Children’ was written in the hope that it might amplify the voices of those seeking changes to the current legislation and raise awareness on the topic.

The song is due to be released on the 1st February on all online platforms.

Lucy Rose - Conversation

LCM Song Of The Day: ‘Conversation’ - Lucy Rose

‘Conversation’ is the beautiful new single taken from Lucy’s forthcoming new album ‘No Words Left’ set for release on the 22nd March.

Lucy is on tour in April with her London date at the wonderful Union Chapel on the 9th April.

https://www.lucyrosemusic.com

You can pre-order your copy from the link below. Album and ticket packages are available direct from Lucy’s website.

Alice Wallace - Santa Ana Winds

LCM Song Of The Day: ‘Santa Ana Winds’’ - Alice Wallace

Exciting times ahead as our next LCM featured artist Californian singer-songwriter Alice Wallace has just released her wonderful fourth studio album ‘Into The Blue’ via Rebelle Road

Alice will be touring the UK later in the year, so we will let you know as soon as the dates are announced

2018 saw the most deadly and destructive wildfire on record sweep through parts of California. The ‘Santa Ana Winds’ for which our featured song is named are often a catalyst in worsening fires in the extremely dry Southern California and northern Baja California.

Alice comments about the song and video:

“The Santa Ana winds are a force we are so familiar with in California, and many times they are what cause the indiscriminate wildfires that have plagued our state. This video gives just a tiny glimpse into their terrible wrath. So many people have lost so much in the last few years, and this now includes the owners of the Dragonfly Creek Studio in Malibu where we recorded parts of the new album. All of the stark images were recorded at their property, which completely burned with the exception of the stables and the studio. In the midst of their own recovery, they allowed us to film so other people could see the devastation. We’re planning to make a donation toward Malibu’s recovery as part of this album release.”

Indeed, 100 percent of the proceeds from this song, which can be purchased here with the album below, will be donated to Help California, an organization working to rebuild and restore the areas affected by the wildfires.

Photo credit: Adrienne Cohen Isom

https://www.alicewallacemusic.com

Mike Mayfield - Hard Up

LCM Song Of The Day: ‘Hard Up’ - Mike Mayfield

Renowned in the music industry as an incredible vocalist and guitarist, With his unique soulful vocals and astonishing guitar playing, Mike is in high demand as a session musician. However, now is the time for him to show the world what his own artistry has to offer. Mike is due to release a wonderful new EP ‘Hard Up’ on February 8th and our featured song today is the great title track.

Mike has come a long way from his early days busking on the streets of Brighton and playing with local bands. In the decade since he moved to London, he's collaborated with soul legend Betty Wright, played alongside Jessie J, Joss Stone, Emeli Sande, Jessie J, Leona Lewis, Ellie Goulding and Jamie Cullum, and performed on many major TV shows in the UK and US. A talented modern soul artist, Mike cites John Mayer, Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers and Emily King as his major influences.

If you would like to see Mike live in London, he is playing at the O2 Brixton on April 6th.

https://mikemayfield.co.uk

Pre-order your copy now from Mike’s website >>>

John Moreland - Cherokee

LCM Song Of The Day: ‘Cherokee’ - John Moreland

We love this great room-hushing ballad ‘Cherokee’ by US singer-songwriter John Moreland taken from his 2015 album ‘High On Tulsa Heat’. The song's lesson is the way the singer sits with grief and mortality. "You'd carve those doubts right out of me," Moreland sings to the one who doesn't hear him. "Cherokee" is a story of life as it's really lived, of humanity in it’s rawest and most reflective form.

Also check out John’s latest album ‘Big Bad Luv’

Dom Major - Christmas Cards

LCM Song Of The Day: ‘Christmas Cards’ - Dom Major

Live video premiere

We are delighted to share with you the premiere of the live video for Dom Major’s new single ‘Christmas Cards.

Northern born, but Melbourne based Dom Major has joined the artist led community and label Babywoman Records for his latest single ‘Christmas Cards’. Released on December 12th, Christmas Cards is a melancholy ballad, infused with Americana licks, a warmth to bring you home and slightly tinged with a message of reflection; provoking us to stop and think more about the changes and trends of human nature in the modern world. There’s a delicacy to Christmas Cards, an understated delivery, every instrument and note has its place, leaving air and space for Dom’s innate storytelling to thrive.

Dom’s comments: “Well, the inspiration behind the song was the feeling of how everything (including us) is so disposable all the time. For example, Christmas Cards. People spend stupid amounts of money each year to get a card to send to all of their friends. They look at it once, keep it on the windowsill a week, and then throw it away. I think the main body of the song is exploring how we as people can treat each other like Christmas Cards sometimes. Flavour of the week one week, and gone the next”

For the past few years Dom has been circulating his way around the Manchester music scene, crafting his opening up for Phoebe Bridgers, Chasity Brown, Bryde, She Makes War & Sam Brookes however has recently skipped a few ponds to relocate in Melbourne, Australia for a fresh perspective.

‘Christmas Cards’ premiers with 4ZZZ Radio in Brisbane (the biggest unsigned music station across Australia) on the day of its release. Christmas Cards is produced by Adam Lyons (FAIRCHILD, Lyon Apprentice, Calan May)

‘Christmas Cards’ is release via Babywoman Records and is available on all streaming platforms.

Photo credit: Dan Wiebe

https://dommajor.com

Greg Russell and Ciaran Algar - Lock Keeper

LCM Song Of The Day: ‘Lock Keeper’ - Greg Russell and Ciaran Algar

We really like this great cover of Stan Rogers' 'Lock Keeper' by the multi-award winning folk duo Greg and Ciaran. The song is taken from their latest album 'Utopia and Wasteland', which was released last April. The video is clever as well, but I think they missed a trick here. The real question is ‘Can they cover any Coldplay?

Photo Credit: Rob Bridge (Redwood Photography)

http://www.russellalgar.co.uk

Dermot Kennedy - For Island Fires And Family

LCM Song Of The Day: ‘For Island Fires And Family’ - Dermot Kennedy

Our LCM featured artist today is the very fast rising Irish singer-songwriter Dermot Kennedy. With a self title debut album just released on the 4th January, Dermot is still able to sell out venues across Europe, Australia and America. This has come with a little help from Taylor Swift, who included one of Dermot’s songs ‘Boston’ on her personal hand-picked playlist, Dermot has attracted a large number of plays on Spotify for his songs with currently over four million monthly listeners. The wonderful ‘For Island Fires and Family’ is Dermot’s latest single from the new album . The video was filmed on the island of Inis Mór.

If you would like to see Dermot live, he is currently on tour with his London date at the O2 Brixton on May 8th.

Dermot is one of our LCM ‘Ones To Watch in 2019’

Photo credit: Lucy Foster Photography

http://www.dermotkennedy.com

Jamie Lin Wilson - The Being Gone

LCM Song Of The Day: ‘The Being Gone’ - Jamie Lin Wilson

We are in Southern Texas today is meet our next featured artist singer-songwriter Jamie Lin Wilson. The reflective ‘The Being Gone’ is taken from her wonderful recent album ‘Jumping Over Rocks’ released in late October last year. With its gently rolling melody the song questions the cost and payoff of decisions made.

When describing Jamie Wilson's voice, two aspects come to mind: that honeyed tenor twang that's become known as one of the sweetest instruments in modern folk music, and that poignant, poetic, down-to-earth point of view she brings to her songwriting.

https://jamielinwilson.com

Allen Stone - Brown Eyed Lover

LCM Song Of The Day: ‘Brown Eyed Lover’ - Allen Stone

With a powerhouse soulful R&B vocal which is showcased perfectly in this live session, our featured artist today is Washington State singer-songwriter Allen Stone. The song is themed about love and experiencing a successful, enduring relationship. Excellent songwriting, excellent vocal performance and full of heart and soul.

https://www.allenstone.com

Reuben Bidez ft Molly Parden - What You Really Wanted

LCM Song Of The Day: ‘What You Really Wanted’ - Reuben Bidez ft Molly Parden

We are heading to Nashville today to meet Georgia native folk rock singer-songwriter Reuben Bidez. Reuben is joined on this wonderful live version of ‘What You Really Wanted’ by the very talented Molly Parden, who many might remember joined Sam Outlaw recently on his UK tour. The song is taken from Reuben's latest EP "Something to Say" released in June last year, which is worth checking out. The video was filmed at a great LR Baggs session at Robby Klein’s new studio.

Reuben Bidez grew up in Fayetteville, GA, a small town near Atlanta. He’s been singing and performing for as long as he can remember. “In grammar school, I was always the class clown,” he says. “I’d do anything for a laugh, but I didn’t really hit my stride until I joined the chorus.”

Reuben taught himself to play guitar after landing a job in a small mom and pop music store. “They gave me a job, despite the fact that I didn’t know how to play guitar. I learned on the job and discovered I had a natural musical ability. I started playing for my church youth group’s Wednesday night services. Not everyone would show up each week, so I taught myself bass and drums, to fill in for whoever was missing.”

During his years at Georgia Tech, Bidez started a rock band. They toured the Southeast and put out two EPs and an album before disbanding. Bidez had been writing upbeat pop tunes during his church years, but the songs he wrote for the band had a more personal, introspective tone. After graduation, he stayed in Atlanta, performing at open mics; the songs he put up on ReverbNation won him thousands of followers, but he was struggling to find his place in the Atlanta music scene. After some soul searching, he felt his best career move was to relocate to Nashville. “It was a leap of faith, but I had to do it. The fact that thousands of others are here trying their hardest, makes me want to try harder.”

The move to Nashville gave his career the expected boost. He put out ‘Colors in My Eyes’, a self-produced acoustic EP, released a single called “Learning to Love You,” and landed a video of “Can We Survive” on the American Songwriter website. The magazine praised the music’s “rich, soulful sound.”

http://www.reubenbidez.com

Roseanne Reid - I Love Her So

LCM Song Of The Day: ‘I Love Her So’ - Roseanne Reid

This beautiful new single come from Roseanne Reid, a Scottish troubadour and eldest daughter of The Proclaimers Craig Reid. It’s taken from her crowdfunded and forthcoming debut album ‘Trails’. The video was filmed in Tentsmuir Forest by Kris Kesiak and features illustrations by Iona Lee.

Roseanne will be headlining in London at the historic St. Pancras Old Church on the 20th March and if you would like to see her earlier, she will be supporting Kathy Mattea at Kings Place on the 30th January.

‘Trails’ announces the official arrival of a singular new voice in folk-roots music. It was recorded in Brooklyn with an A-team of players expertly corralled by the album's producer and an artist from fine musical stock of his own, Teddy Thompson. Roseanne’s songs exude a quiet confidence and sparse authenticity that recalls some of the genre's leading lights such as Gillian Welch and Lucinda Williams, but with a tone that belongs to Roseanne and no one else. No wonder, then, that Americana legend Steve Earle has not only adopted Reid as a personal cause, but makes a guest appearance on the album.

Photo Credit: Omar Salam

Claire Hastings - Fair Weather Beggar

LCM Song Of The Day: ‘Fair Weather Beggar’ - Claire Hastings

Our featured track today is the latest single from the the award winning Scottish Folk singer-songwriter Claire Hastings. It’s taken from Claire’s new album ‘Those Who Roam’ which is due to be launched at a special gig at Celtic Connections on the 18th January. We are big fans of Claire’s music here at LCM HQ and are really looking forward to listening to the album in full on its release.

‘Those Who Roam’ is the much-awaited second album from former BBC Young Traditional Musician of the Year Claire Hastings. It is a blend of original and traditional songs under the theme of journeys, and follows the success of Claire's debut album 'Between River and Railway' released in 2016. The album features accomplished musicians Jenn Butterworth (guitar), Laura Wilkie (fiddle), Thomas Gibbs (piano) and Andrew Waite (accordion). It was recorded, mixed and mastered at Castlesound Studios by engineer Stuart Hamilton alongside producer Inge Thomson. The album showcases the versatility of Claire's style and repertoire, with some interesting stories along the way.

https://www.clairehastings.com

Foy Vance - Burden

LCM Song Of The Day: Burden - Foy Vance

We love this acoustic version of ‘Burden’ by the excellent Foy Vance. The song is taken from Foy’s ‘The Wild Swan’ album. Enjoy!

Purchase your copy below >>>

Van William ft First Aid Kit - Revolution

LCM Song Of The Day: ‘Revolution’ - Van William ft First Aid Kit

Californian native Van William Pierszalowski better known by his stage name Van William, is an US singer-songwriter and musician. He formed the band ‘Waters’ serving as a vocalist and guitarist, and was the frontman of the band ‘Port O'Brien’. He is pursuing a solo career. Our featured song today is the title track from Van’s solo debut EP released 2017. Van’s first full-length solo album ‘Countries’ was released in January 2018. Following the release of ‘Countries’ Van opened for First Aid Kit on their 2018 ‘Ruins’ tour.

Van William was born in November 1984 in Cambria, San Luis Obispo, California, USA. Van is a California native but has lived in Norway, Alaska and New York.] While living in Alaska every summer growing up, Van worked on his father's commercial salmon fishing boat, the Shawnee, on Kodiak Island. Van has cited Neil Young, Kurt Cobain, and Lily Allen as his musical heroes.

https://vanwilliammusic.com