Matter Of Fact

And we're off to Canada, visiting Colter Wall to enjoy a wistful ditty from his new Songs Of The Plains album. At only 23, he sounds as old as the hills somehow.

Colter Wall - The Trains Are Gone

Place To Go

All hopped up to see Colter Wall on stage in Barcelona's Sala Rocksound tonight. Here's hoping the young Canadian with the mighty voice plays this beauty.

Colter Wall - Thirteen Silver Dollars

What Love?

It's that time of year again, my amigos da musica, so hallelujah, here we go. FTSOTS presents the ten push and pulls of the year, not forgetting the finest reads around. Always a pleasure. Winning artwork - 'his dreams of music', yes sir - comme d'habitude by Tinca. Dig in and crack up.

1. Jake Xerxes Fussell - What In The Natural World
Jake Xerxes Fussell - Pinnacle Mountain Silver Mine
2. Colter Wall - s/t
Colter Wall - You Look To Yours
3. Joan Shelley - s/t
Joan Shelley - The Push And Pull
4. Fleet Foxes - Crack-Up
5. The Feelies - In Between
6. The Weather Station - s/t
7. Hiss Golden Messenger - Hallelujah Anyhow
8. Here Lies Man - s/t
9. Courtney Barnett & Kurt Vile - Lotta Sea Lice
10. John Moreland - Big Bad Love

Flamenco dept:
Luis Moneo - Mi Cante, Mi Palabra

Top books on music:

1. Erin Osmon - Jason Molina: Riding With The Ghost

2. Clinton Heylin - Trouble In Mind: Bob Dylan's Gospel Years

3. Reinhard Kleist - Nick Cave: Mercy On Me

4. Allan Jones - Can't Stand Up For Falling Down: Rock'n'Roll War Stories

Bathing In The Creek

Hell, this is pretty damn good indeed... A Canadian from Saskatchewan, they say brother Colter Wall is only in his early twenties, but does he sound like a spring chicken? No sir, far from it. Got a mighty voice, and a repertoire that harkens back to such greats as Kris Kristofferson and Townes van Zandt. Not afraid to show his influences, he covers the latter twice on his thankfully sparsely produced second album. But it's his remarkably strong self-penned material that proves he's very much his own man already. For those of you interested: Mr. Wall will soon be touring Europe for a bit, though sadly not in my neck of the woods.

Colter Wall - Kate McCannon