Blue Cactus are the North Carolina duo of Steph Stewart and Mario Arnez. We go behind the scenes to talk about this sophomore LP ‘Stranger Again’ which was released May 2021 on Sleepy Cat Records.
‘Stranger Again‘ by Blue Cactus
The new record is a departure from their previous album ‘Blue Cactus‘(2017) and the sound that was mostly influenced by country-western music. Standout tracks from this album are ‘I Never Knew Heartache (Then I Knew You)‘ and ‘Not Alone (Til You Come Home)’ If these aren’t country songs and then I don’t know what is. The new album ‘Stranger Again‘ musical direction is a mix of the lyrics, different energy and creative ideas and the amalgamation of their life experiences before they recorded this sophomore album. Blue Cactus have created their own genre of music with this album and it is ‘Space Country‘.
‘I Never Knew Heartache (Then I Knew You)‘ by Blue Cactus
On the podcast we explore Steph and Mario’s separate journeys into the world of music and how Blue Cactus was started as a new project after playing together on a string band. It started as a way of really focusing in on country music and they had a new batch of the material that they wanted exploring different kinds of song writing. After an artist’s retreat in 2017 the duo then began writing songs separately and then began the collaborative process of bringing these songs to life.
Steph Stewart and Mario Arnez are Blue Cactus
Standout tracks from the new album are ‘Stranger Again‘ and ‘Rebel‘. For the future Blue Cactus are looking forward to playing live gigs again and bringing their unique space country sound to fans not only in the United States but across Europe.
Click below to hear the podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring Blue Cactus. Also streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Addict or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
On a wet Saturday in July 2021, a miracle happened. Live music came back to these Isles of Britannia from the good people at Tennessee Fields Festival. It was very nearly touch and go due to the restrictions imposed by this lacklustre government but the organisers held their nerve and gave everyone who attended a magnificent day full of music. On the bill were Gareth Nugent, Lucy Blu, Jake Morrell, Morganway, Jade Helliwell, Essex County, Kezia Gill and the headline act Ward Thomas. The loss of scheduled American acts that were scheduled for one reason or another didn’t detract from the enjoyment and pure unbridled joy that fans experienced for many their first live music in just under two years.
At 11 AM the gates were opened to a very muddy field in Chelmsford, Essex (Well it wouldn’t be a festival in England if it wasn’t wet right?) Rain did its best to put a dampener on festivities but it takes more than H2O to stop this first live music festival from carrying on.
Opening the festival was Gareth Nugent, a regular on the UK country music scene. Gareth’s velvety voice was sensational and such a pleasure to hear. Gareth wasn’t the only artist who couldn’t quite believe that he was actually on stage in front of an live audience. We as fans were also in disbelief in seeing an actual live act playing country-western music. It’s been a difficult time for artists and live music goers alike during this lockdown and to see music again was very emotional.
Next up was Lucy Blu who wowed the audience with a combination of her charisma, stage performance and foot tapping music. You can see the pure joy that Lucy had for being on that stage, a stage that seemed lost to all performers but now belonged to her and her band.
‘Worse Than Whiskey‘ by Lucy BluMy photo of Jake Morrell performing at Tennessee Fields Festival as used on his Instagram page.
Then we had Jake Morrell ably supported by Poppy Fardell and Tim Prottey-Jones (On drums, what instrument does that musical genius not know how to play?) Having seen Jake support other bands and artists on the London music scene it was great to see him perform as an artist in his own right.
The last band I ever saw live pre-lockdown was Morganway and the first band that I saw post lockdown was Morganway! The universe loves synchronicity and Morganway were without a doubt a highlight of the afternoon. SJ Mortimer brought her A-game with her voice her energy and passion, mix that with Nicole Terry‘s sumptuous fiddle playing, add in a splash of Kieran and Callum Morganway‘s backing vocals and guitar then with Ed Bullinger and Matt Brocklehurst‘s drums and keyboard and you have a killer combination of adrenaline pumping country rock.
Throughout the festival you had the main acts but then also acoustic acts such as machine O’Hagan, Emma and Jolie, The Folly Brothers and the legend that is Tim Prottey-Jones. Jade Halliwell stepped in at the last minute to replace Jessica Lynn who were supposed to play but due to one of the band members having to self isolate she also had to self isolate. This meant that the festival will no longer have any kind of American representation but was an opportunity for English acts to shine in the spotlight.
It was my first time seeing as Essex County, three brothers who moved to Nashville to make a big in the country music scene. The brothers are well known in the States and have a dedicated following and it was Tennessee feels festival that they finally got an opportunity to play before a British audience. The bands legion of female fans made sure that they were heard throughout their performance. Gentle heckling that comes with seeing your favourite music acts on stage.
Then we had Kezia Gill a sensational artist who lifted the spirits and the feet of those in the crowd with her tracks ‘Whiskey Drinkin’ Woman‘, ‘Wings‘, ‘House of Cards‘, ‘The Mess I Made‘ ‘All of Me‘ and ‘Country Song‘.Kezia made special mention of her Friday night club, A online fan club who have been there to support Kezia when she live streamed on Friday nights. Now the fans and cosier could see each other one performing the other listening to the music dies fill their days, nights and headspace. It was also a reminder on how loud live music can be, with the bass thumping, guitars strumming and powerful vocals all making their way through your ears to your heart and your head.
‘Whiskey Drinkin’ Woman‘ by Kezia Gill featuring Sarah Jory. The fabulous Kezia Gill. Photo: Chris Cooper
By the time the Ward Thomas took to the stage you completely forgot the past 16 months or so and all the heartache, disappointment and frustration of not having seen your favourite artists in person and in the flesh singing their hearts out. Lizzie and Catherine brought the house down with a mix of singalong songs, pathos induced reflections of the human condition and crowd pleaser lyrics made sure that this night of music would forever live on in the annals of musical history.
So Tennessee fields festival a surreal, time changing, uplifting experience for mind body and soul. Roll on 2022 when we can get to experience it all over again. If this festival is on on your radar then you are missing out on some of the best musical performers artists and bands that are performing music from these fair Isles of Britannia.
7T2 Names is a unique combination of old and new names and symbols referencing the artist Tareq with the history that’s important to 7T2 Names. The new EP ‘Unlocked’ which came out in 2021 is a kaleidoscope of electronic pop, melodic, hypnotic music to envelop the senses and to let you and your imagination run free.
‘The Power’ (Tareq Remix) by 7T2 Names
‘The Power‘ is the foundation for the EP which was dreamt of on Native American land with the wilderness surrounding 7T2 Names and it was this connection with the wild that is at the beating heart of the track. It’s also about finding your own power and your own voice and it is Tareq’s unique ability of understanding what is it that artists want to bring out into the physical world through the beat that you can now experience on the remix. That’s not the only remix that’s on the EP there’s also phenomenal mixes by artists such as ‘Lorant’s Ocean of Time Mix‘ and ‘Spatial Awareness Remix‘.
The many faces of 7T2 Names
There is no set agenda as to what the EP was going to sound like was rather a more organic process, and it’s a collection of songs and there is a natural order that runs through the more but you need to listen to the album from beginning to end because there is a journey that flows through it and as motifs and links to each song either musically or lyrically. The album is called unlocked because it’s about looking within yourself and unlocking your potential and the greatness of humanity and unravel the constraints of society and free ourselves and unlock our own personal joy and happiness.
The EP is a joyous journey and deserves to be played very big and loud in nightclubs and giant venue spaces. The EP was recorded in part in Wales with more songs growing organically to complement the spiritual journey that the songs take you on. One of the other outstanding tracks on the EP is ‘We Are King‘ a duet with Tareq and is a love song, Which captures this emotion which sometimes can bring pain can bring joy that rollercoaster feeling and this song celebrates the love not only between two souls are between two men which is quite unique in this musical world.
‘We Are King’ (feat. Tareq) by 7T2 Names
For the future there’s a lot of remixes coming out for an expanded version of the EP and will lead on to the next part of the 7T2 project. Then there’s also projects about deconstructing sound and reconstructing sound rather than focusing on the perfect pop song.
Click below to hear the podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring 7T2 Names. Also streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Addict or wherever you listen to your podcasts
Fayen are an acoustic duo from Trondheim in Norway who bring their previous experiences of playing bluegrass music and channelling that into the Nordicana genre of music coming from Norway. Nordicana is Americana music with a Scandinavian twist. They first met playing traditional bluegrass 11 years ago and then became a couple in 2007 and now developed into fully fledged duo who are making stellar signs for your ears. Their new EP ‘From Here On Out‘ was released on 25 June 2021.Luckily all the music was recorded before the pandemic and before their lovely boy was born. The duo where music teachers Namibia and then in 2015 they Wanted to become more involved on the music scene and and eventually they became Fayen.
Fayen the best export from Trondheim.
The sound of the album was deliberately trying to capture an atmosphere that subconsciously you will feel that you are listening to a live experience or as close to one as humanly possible. With songs such as ‘Meander Love‘, ‘Dark Horse‘ and ‘Hummingbird‘. We also get to hear a live acoustic version of ‘Hummingbird‘ which is simply sensational and will make you totally fall in love with this band. Some of the songs on the album have taken over a decade in being crafted and being brought to an audience to be enjoyed with your eyes closed. So that you can fully appreciate a phenomenal audio experience.
With the birth of their second child in the fall of 2021, Fayen are looking at the logistics of taking their ever-growing family with them when they go touring and playing to audiences and fans alike in Norway.
Click below to hear the podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring Fayen. Also streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Addict or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Dustin Brown is living his life finally playing live music with all the enthusiasm and passion he can to excite his audiences again. Finally after quite a few years doing different jobs and living different lives Dustin is once again a fully fledged paid-up member of the musical fraternity. With the release of ‘Dreamer’s Last Drifter‘ his album from 2020 Dustin has shown what an amazing cosmic energy he brings to the world of music.
‘You‘ by Dustin Brown.
Dustin recorded the album as an acoustic album and then change his mind to make it a full band experience. You was recorded as a breakup song and relationships that disintegrate. Most of Dustin’s music is what he feels in his gut and how you can express that in musical form. Dustin’s grandfather and two of his sisters were and are accomplished musicians and a lot of Dustin’s creativity comes from the need to play guitar and express his voice. Townes van Zandt is a musical hero and influences his song writing style.
Dustin Brown in action.
Modern psychedelic rock stuff mixed with folk music is the only label that Dustin likes to put upon himself and his music. During a pandemic Dustin has been working on his sophomore album and has been putting all his energies into his music music that makes him happy and hopefully his followers happy when they hear it when they seem live or when the album comes out.
‘Dreamers Last Drifter‘ by Dustin Brown
For the future Dustin will be releasing new album in the summer of 2021. This was recorded with his band Dustin Brown and The Now. Dustin and the band have taken the time just to make sure that the listener gets chill experience. New singles should be coming out very soon.
Click below to hear the podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring Dustin Brown. Also streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Addict or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
In 2016 Bobby Dove released ‘Thunderchild‘ a collection of country songs that explore being released from oppression or at least self oppression with country music stylings. One of the most phenomenal tracks is ‘Floor Licker‘ which deserves to be a in a car chase in a movie. Truly if they ever do Baby Driver 2 then this is the soundtrack for this movie. ‘Cowgirl Bob‘ is about a lawyer from Texas that Bobby met online and how fantasy fell apart when it met reality.
Get ready to start your engines with ‘Floor Licker‘ from the album ‘Thunderchild‘ by Bobby Dove
In February 2021 Bobby released ‘Hopeless Romantic‘ light years away from Thunderchild as Bobby’s experiences of travelling and touring across the country and playing in front of live audiences enriched her life experiences and her music focuses on unrequited love, being on the road, haunted hotels and hard-rocking pallbearers. The album was co-produced with Bazil Donovan (Blue Rodeo) and Tim Vesely (Rheostatics) at The Woodshed studio in Toronto. On Hopeless Romantic, Bobby collaborates with some of the finest in Canadian Country music including members of Blue Rodeo Jim Cuddy, Bazil Donovan and Jimmy Bowskill (The Sheepdogs, Blue Rodeo), and Burke Carroll (Kathleen Edwards).
‘Haunted Hotel‘ from the album ‘Hopeless Romantic‘ by Bobby Dove
The album itself was recorded with Bobby’s long-term band members from Toronto and was recorded pre-covid timesBut wasn’t ready to be released in the height of the pandemic getaway tracks still to be mastered. Bobby released the album herself without the help of a label as a digital release but other formats will come out in due course. Along with merchandise that supports this music.
“Bobby Dove is a gifted artist, and a brilliant new light on the songwriting scene… A time traveler, Bobby’s songs meld genres with the touch of a master. I am a fan.” Mary Gauthier
Bobby Dove, Canadian Troubadour
Bobby is currently hunkering down in western Manitoba, supporting the launch of Hopeless Romantic as well as developing The Bobby Dove Show, a virtual variety show, featuring Bobby’s new songs, and interviews with renowned roots/Country singer-songwriters from across Canada. Sponsored by the Canada Council for the Arts, the Bobby Dove Show will be shared on Bobby’s social-media as well as on bobbydove.com.
The Bobby Dove Show
Click below to hear the podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring Bobby Dove. Also streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Addict or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Ingvild Flottorp is a fabulously talented 22 year old Nordicana (Norwegian Americana) artist from Åmli, Norway. Ingvild comes from a family of musicians that includes her older brother and sister Johanne and Tobias who play together in Ruby Red and the Moonshine Brothers while Johanne also plays in the legendary The Northern Belle band.
Ingvild is the next generation of singer songwriters to come out of Norway to carry the flame for the Nordicana music scene. Her voice and music are reminiscent of Iris Dement and Kate Bush but with lush country overtones.
Her debut album ‘It All Seems So Clear’ by Vestkyst Records came out in April 2021 and it’s a spellbinding display of virtuoso lyrics, heavenly vocals supported by sublime pedal steel and fiddle.
‘I Don’t Believe You Anymore’ by Ingvild Flottorp
In the podcast host CloudwatcherUno and Ingvild talk openly about the joys and lows of bringing an album to life only to have it nearly snatched away by the pandemic and the lockdown that followed not only in Norway but across the globe. It meant that the young star wouldn’t be able to promote her album by singing live to audiences across Norway.
With the help of Tobias who produced the whole album something magical has been born. Shania Twain was Ingvild’s hero and as a young girl dressed up and performed in videos for her siblings. This early exposure to country music from her father on road trips influenced her love for this genre. There’s also a rich folk tradition of making honest music that connects with audiences. The song writing process can sometimes take up to a year in trying to capture the sound that Ingvild is looking for.
The many faces of Ingvild Flottorp. Photos: CloudwatcherUno
Making and recording music brings joy to Ingvild and to us as fans of her imagination and you just have to listen to these magnificent songs. It took a year before Ingvild found a label that would champion her sound and promote it to a wider audience. Looking forward Ingvild has many more songs for her sophomore album which promises to be in a different direction.
Click below to hear the podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring Ingvild Flottorp. Also streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Addict or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
1 year ago today on the 14th of June 2020 a new podcast was born. This podcast featured Pete Jackson an extraordinary storyteller and musician. Five seasons later and Pete Jackson is again on the CloudwatcherUno podcast celebrating this first anniversary of a podcast that has grown in reputation, scope and delivering insights into the world of song writing.
In this special anniversary edition Pete Jackson along with his musical partner in crime Brad Dear sing two live acoustic songs ‘Sail Away‘ and ‘I Still Believe‘. We have an amazing time catching up on the years away for stories and adventures during an age of pandemic when it seemed the forces of darkness we’re going to engulf us all.
Pete Jackson
“Music should not be a competition it’s a celebration.“
It’s always darkest before the dawn and a light that has been brought by musicians and artists across the world through many different genres has given us hope happiness and joy. Pete and Brad reflect what is been like for musicians during this period of lockdown, live streams and virtual gigs.
Pete Jackson
It’s been a real privilege to have been able to connect with independent artists across the world such as Pete Jackson, Chase Crawford, Sweetheart, J.Tex, Ottoman Turks, South Texas Tweek, Pearl Charles, Lauren Housley and bring their musical journeys to the world through this year of podcasts.
Lock up you daughters! It’s Pete Jackson with Brad Dear from the podcast. Photos: CloudwatcherUno
To commemorate this first anniversary heres a link to the YouTube podcast of the special 1st anniversary podcast.
Click below to hear the audio podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring Pete Jackson with special guest Brad Dear. Also streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Addict or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Jordan Hook and Joey Berglund two uber cool busking musicians who became friends in 2019 and teamed up to be the supergroup Baxter Elkins. Hailing from Los Angeles the duo bring sunshine and extraordinary banjo, fiddle, guitar and saxophone playing with harmonies and vocals that many other musicians would kill for. Just watch their Gems on VHS submission ‘Judas‘ to understand what I’m talking about.
J
“And then the horse says….”
We can stand here looking awesome all day long.
Baxter Elkins on tour from 13th of June 2021.
Handsome devils Jordan and Joey a.k.a. Baxter Elkins.
Baxter Elkins the dynamic duo you need between your ears.
Making music that seems unmarketable to regular country music labels is the way that makes Baxter Elkins truly stand out from all the usual music that comes out of the Nashville music factory. Their album ‘Hard Times and Hootenany’s‘ which was released in November 2020Is an absolute delight they breathe life back into traditional music with a slick sense of humour running through it. One of the absolute classics is ‘15 years of bliss and a quick death what else can a man dream of?‘.
Baxter Elkins also submitted their entry to the NPR Tiny Desk Contest and if it wasn’t for the teeniest tiniest confusion about time zones I’m sure that they would have won the contest.
One of the bands absolute classics is ‘Werewolves‘ a song that he wrote for Halloween for a radio show I chose the collaborative efforts that Joey and Jordan bring to Baxter Elkins. Growing up Jordan was influenced by Townes Van Sant and Willie Nelson and this explains how a surfer became hooked into country music and Joey explains how in a city of 10 million people country music still has a place in Los Angeles. Is this eclectic mix of traditional and new that both artists bring to their philosophy of music.
Jordan and Joey from Baxter Elkins from the podcast. Photo: CloudwatcherUno
The boys begin touring on Sunday 13th June 2021 at Lake Tahoe and continue across Nevada, Wyoming Pagosa Springs and Utah. For full details of venues and dates go check out their website or their Instagram page. Seriously what are you waiting for check out the music and if you can see them live!
Click below to hear the podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring Baxter Elkins. Also streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Addict or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Lauren Housley is a true ‘Girl From The North‘ growing up in Rotherham and then moving to Newcastle and Manchester. Her musical journey began with releasing ‘The Beauty of This Life‘ and the tracks ‘Sweet Surrender‘ and ‘Ghost Town Blues‘. From there Lauren played at Blues Fest at the o2 and Nashville’s American Fest. Lauren then followed this up in quick succession with many gigs to build her reputation as a phenomenal troubadour. Then in April 2021 Lauren released ‘Girl From The North‘ an album that showcases her extraordinary range as country/americana singer, songwriter and lyricist.
‘This Ain’t The Life‘ by Lauren Housley
In this podcast Lauren sits down with host CloudwatcherUno over a glass of wine to talk about how much her life has changed since those dreams of being a musician as a young girl in Rotherham. Two pivotal moments in her life has to be getting married to her friend and fellow musician Thomas Dibb in their one bedroom flat/recording studio and then the birth of their son Noah. Lockdown actually produced some extraordinary changes in Lauren’s life.
Lauren Housley ~ Girl From The North
My favourite tracks from are ‘Whats Troubling You Child?’ which I first heard on Bob Harris’s Country Show on Radio 2, ‘This Ain’t The Life‘ and ‘Stay Awake To Dream‘. The new album was produced with the help of Mark Lewis who previously worked on Lauren’s previous singles. So many female artists have inspired Lauren by proving that you can have a family life but also carry on with the life of a touring musician.
Lauren Housley from the podcast. Photos: CloudwatcherUno
Falling in love with Newcastle when Lauren was auditioning to get into university and a really strong feeling that this was the place she wanted to spend the next three years of her life and then met her best friend and then her future husband Tom also moved there to study music (they had met in college). Then spent the next five years gifting and learning the craft of songwriting. Lauren was inspired by the jazz, blues and roots music and then felt the need to grow and needing a change moved to Manchester.
‘What’s Troubling You Child?‘ by Lauren Housley
The studio has now moved from Rotheram to the Yellow Arch Studios in Sheffield. During the lockdown Lauren and Tom performed ‘Tuesday Night Live‘ from their kitchen a unique live-streaming experience for fans and share their music and songs from the album. One of Lauren’s favourite moments as a musician is to hear the songs in her head and bring them to life and share with the world. For the future Lauren will be playing at festivals across the country and promoting the album when touring the country in November/December 2021.
Lauren Housley ~ Killer songwriter and musician
Click below to hear the podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring Lauren Housley. Also streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Addict or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
CloudwatcherUno PLAY.LISTEN.ENJOY. 