I occasionally share with you some of the new music I’ve found on YouTube, and as it has been a while since I last did it I think I should go round again. With no particular elements in common, no themes, here are six I like that have been released in the past few months.

Did I say ‘past few months?’ How about a couple of days ago:

I have played Dawes before: I really like them and their music, and as they often do they have given us an enjoyable video with this one. Still Strangers Sometimes is going to be on their new album, Oh Brother, which is due out on 11 October, and if it is anything like their previous records it will be well worth hearing. This song is about how we can still find surprises even after a long relationship, and the video shows the joy that those relationships can bring. I like music when it is fun, and these guys know how to do that: if you haven’t seen it I can heartily recommend the video for their song All Your Favourite Bands – great song and a video to match.

I’ve been a fan of this next guy since I first heard his debut album back in 1967, and it is great that he is still going strong. He has recently released a new live album, and this is my all-time favourite of his songs. It’s an audio-only clip, but who needs pictures anyway? I’ve written about Time Passages before, and here is the latest version:

You may have noticed that the clip identifies that as being by Al Stewart & the Empty Pockets. The band are an American rock, folk, blues outfit who have been going since around 2006. They comprise four members: Josh Solomon, guitar and lead vocals; Nate Bellon, bass and lead vocals; Adam Balasco, drums; and Erika Brett, keyboard and lead vocals. The guys met in school, and Erika joined after they met in a stage production of Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story. They opened shows for Al in 2022, firstly in the UK and then overseas, and then toured as his band. This live album is the result: it came out a couple of weeks ago, and offers a kind of retrospective of Al’s career. For fans like me it is a delight. And if you don’t know Al Stewart’s music, you really should: I rate him as one of the best singer-songwriters this country has ever produced.

I’ve played some songs by Elles Bailey before, and built a Song Lyric Sunday post around her last year. Her new album, Beneath The Neon Glow, was released on 9 August, and stormed into last Friday’s Official UK Albums Chart at #12. This is one of its tracks:

Elles is far too young to have been around in 1972 but she has done a lovely job capturing the vibes of that time. In that year I turned 19 and started at university, so I have many happy memories from then: this video is so vibrant and, above all, fun, which is how I remember those days. As a reminder of her history, Elles (short for Eleanor) is from Bristol in the UK, and has a notable back story. At the age of 2 she was hospitalised with a severe case of viral pneumonia and spent seventeen days – including her third birthday – with a breathing tube down her throat. Happily she survived that ordeal mostly unscathed, but she has credited, if that is the right word, her slightly husky voice to that experience: “I know how fortunate I am to have walked away with that husky voice. And my life.” She has won several awards here for her music, and has now released four studio albums and two live ones. She tours extensively and is, I think, one of the hardest working performers around. I follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and she is one of those artists who really enjoys the interaction with fans that these give her. I’ve not met her, but I know someone who has: apparently she is a lovely person, very welcoming and friendly. She played at both Glastonbury and Fairport Convention’s Cropredy festivals this year, and went down a storm at both. That album success is a great reward for all of her hard work and exceptional music, and I hope she goes on to even bigger things.

I’ve never been able to play any music by a fellow blogger before, so it is great to have the chance to do so now. Paul Ariss’ blog can be found at slicedyogurt.com, and goes under the wonderful title of ‘Songs And Scripts And Dunking Biscuits,’ which kind of sums him up. He is a creative guy, whose blog posts are always a good read, and he writes scripts and songs too. This is his latest, performed with the gorgeous Chloe Pownall (you can only see her in pictorial form on this but take my word for it – she is!):

Paul describes The People That We Were as being “about that awful moment when a break-up has two people who have shared dreams and deep intimacies with one another suddenly looking at each other as strangers. It’s about betrayal, deceit and self-doubt tearing at the seams of a relationship.” As I mentioned, vocals are shared with Chloe Pownall and, like all of his songs, it is produced by John Kettle, who just happens also to be a member of one of my favourite bands, Merry Hell: you may remember me playing them on several occasions. I really like Paul’s music, and hope that he enjoys some success with it: at present he seems to have a following of the type which is usually described as ‘cult’ – he deserves better!

A new album from one of my usual suspects is always a treat. I’ve played Steve Earle often here, and last month he released his seventh live album, Alone Again (Live). This is a favourite of mine from amongst the many great songs that he has given us since his first album came out in 1986:

Steve originally released Galway Girl on his Transcendental Blues album in June 2000, well before that Sheeran guy came along and purloined the title for what, to my ears, is an inferior song. Yes, alright, it was a huge success but I know which one I prefer! I like the way Steve adds an extra bit of mandolin onto this before he gets into the song – it’s an instrument I always enjoy hearing. The album is very good too.

Back in June came an album I had been anticipating for a while: Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty, a tribute album celebrating the life of Tom Petty. It features 20 covers of Tom’s songs from a variety of country artists. The Tom Petty estate put the album together as part of his ongoing legacy and memory, and there are some good tracks on it. Like most of these tribute albums the performances are a bit variable – the song may be good but that isn’t always a guarantee of a good cover version. This is one I like, though:

If you saw my Song Lyric Sunday post Fire, Fire, Burning Higher back in April you’ll know that I’m a fan of Dolly Parton, the Queen of Country, so I was pleased that she was invited to perform one of Tom’s songs for this tribute. I don’t think they could have chosen anyone better: this is remarkably good and the video to accompany it is lovely. A good way to bring this selection to a close, I feel.

I hope you’ve enjoyed these songs. Despite my often repeated complaint that modern music can’t hold a candle to what I grew up with there is still plenty of good stuff out there, if you take time to look. If you’ve found any new ones recently that you have enjoyed please feel free to tell me in the comments, as I always enjoy finding new music. Just don’t bother if it’s (c)rap, though 🤣

See you again for Song Lyric Sunday 🎶