To All My Friends: "Ride With Me" (2012)

To All My Friends (Frida Alkestrand and Tove Möller)  is another Swedish folk duo showing creative talent in writing about ordinary life. Accompanied by instruments such as banjo, autoharp, accordion, melodica and guitar they mold beautiful tunes in the storytelling tradition of american folk music and turn it into something of their own, right here and right now. "Ride With Me" is the title track off of their second album. It features first rate harmonies and I found myself listening to it over and over. Released February 14, 2012.

Armistice:Mission Bells (2011)

Armistice is Beatrice Martin (also known as Coeur de pirate) and Jay Malinowski ( a member of Bedouin Soundclash) hail from Canada. Their indie pop sound has a definate Southwest U.S. feel to it.  The duo released a five cut EP in February 2011. There are two great songs on this EP and "Mission Bells" is certainly one of them. The other is "City Lights Cry". Beatrice Martins voice is compelling on each tune. The EP was probably a one shot deal...

And we can ring out like mission bells
Across the yard we knew so well
Come on, come on give me my turn
To sing once more and let it burn

The Nails: "Things You Left Behind" (1986)

There were a number of bands called The Nails. This one hailed from Colorado and formed in the mid 1970's. They played a lot in New York City and had a following. "Things You Left Behind" was always a tough track to find as the band is cited more often for 1985's "88 Lines about 44 Women". I think that "Things You Left Behind" has great lyrics and a unique ending.Don't know much more about the band other that what I have linked above. "Things You Left Behind" was from their album "Dangerous Dreams".

The Powder Blues Band: Rockchopper (1979)

The Powder Blues Band was formed in Vancouver, Canada in 1978. They had nine founding members, and their first album, "Uncut" went double platinum in their home country. "The Rockchopper" is off "Uncut"and the first instrumental to make the list. "The Rockshopper" gives everyone in the Powder Blues Band a chance to stand out front and lay it all out. The horns are particularilly tight on this track. Thare still playing today although there have been many different people in the band over the years. This is the only song by them I remember hearing on U.S. radio.

Canned Heat: "Sneakin' Around" (1971)

"Well hello, hello pretty baby. I just called to say, to say that we are through. Cause I'm so tired. I'm tired of sneakin' around with you." That is the plot in Canned Heat's cover of  "Sneakin' Around," recorded in 1971 for the album "Historical Figures and Ancient Heads." The song was written by Jessie May Robinson (born in 1919), and she was the first African-american to be a member of ASCAP. Other people have covered the song, but this was my first exposure to it. Canned heat is rather famous and their members had a story worth reading about. This album came out after the death of  Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson, and he is not on this album. I feel that vocally Wilson was the heart and soul of the band but Bob Hite handles the vocals very well on this album. He even does a ballad with Little Richard. The video below shows the album's liner notes...a bit bizarre!