The Best Americana, Country and Folk Music Publicity
On this week’s Tower, two Titans of outsider indie twang unite! Hear what happens when Bill Callahan and Bonnie “Prince” Billy collaborate on a new project.
Plus, we chat to Norweigian Americana singer Malin Pettersen about Scandinavian country music! Also, Luluc ditch the acoustic guitars on their atmospheric new single.
It feels like Annie Dressner has been working toward her latest album for her entire career. As great as her previous albums have been, there’s something about the lush presentation, under the direction of the singer/songwriter’s husband and producer Paul Goodwin, and its pitch perfect use of jangly guitars and gently played drums that is the perfect backdrop for the charmingly reedy quality of her voice and her humbly metaphoric lyrics. It’s a sound informed by early 20th century American music, roots rock and garage pop, but twisted into shapes that are familiar yet strikingly fresh. With an appearance by Nada Surf’s Matthew Caws, who co-wrote and lends his vocals to the autumnal “Midnight Bus,” and a glistening version of the Magnetic Fields’ “The Book of Love,” this album is low key one of the best pop releases of 2020.
Norwegian songwriter Malin Pettersen sings of following her craziest ambitions in “Wildhorse Dream,” the latest release from her upcoming album Wildhorse (out October 16th). “Don’t know how long it takes to get there, how long I want to stay or if I’m ever even going back,” Pettersen sings, supported by cascading backing vocals and a spacious arrangement that recalls indie-rock tinkerers the Walkmen.