Monthly Spotlight: Francis

From Dalarna in central Sweden, the band Francis is singer Petra Mases (Vocals, Piano), Jerker Henriksson (Guitars, Backing vocals), Petter Nygårdh (Drums), and Tim Grundtman (Bass, Backing vocals). With only two and a half months past since the release of their first full length record, Lekomberg, We Were Kin, the band is still working at getting noticed outside of Sweden. And I know you'll agree that all it'll take is people hearing this collection of songs. Francis may have the tasty and restrained musicianship of skilled players, but it's the human touch lent by Petra Mases' vocals that lights up the room. Even while toiling in the towering shadow cast by vocal greats such as Patsy Cline, Mases still casts enough throaty light to stand out.

TRACKLIST:
1. Ten Thousand Times
2. Colossus
3. Judgment Day
4. Eternal Souls
5. Here Is The Key
6. Time On Our Side [MP3]
7. Until I Come Back Again
8. I Was Never Bored At All

The Monthly Spotlight: Allo Darlin' "Darren"

OK, this is the first monthly spotlight. The idea just came to me when I was listening to Allo Darlin' for the first time. A band will be highlighted, more or less monthly, in the sidebar by a streaming player and be blogged about in a 'The Monthly Spotlight' post.

This song inspired me and that's what good music does, it inspires the listeners, at least the listeners who enjoy what they're hearing, in a myriad of ways. Rapid-fire hand claps open the song, soon the oddly Nico-shaped and twee vocals rise up with a thumping bass and the magnetic crunchy guitar. "Darren" rushes along like mainlined sugar. Pop that gets you high for three and a half minutes, or so? Yes, please.

Allo Darlin's "Darren" can be streamed in the right sidebar.