For More Info: Visit the label site at http://www.barsuk.com (they're a label you should know and love)
Artist: Luther Russell
Album: Spare Change
The Scoop: After a blues album and a funk album, Luther Russell strips himself bare for Spare Change, unaccompanied and armed with only his voice and his guitar or piano. While the album does have the intimate feel of a small-venue live show (it was recorded on 8-track at Russell's house), Russell and co-producer Mike Coykendall keep the sound quality crisp and clean. Whether singing about the world-at-large or one particular girl, Russell slaps his heart proudly on his sleeve on each track. Fans of like-minded troubadours like Freedy Johnston will be happy they found Spare Change.Highlight Tracks: "Friday Night's Dead" and "Bronwyn"
Also Noteworthy: Past collaborators have included Fernando, who was the subject of a Divine Nine Q & A last November (http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/curr... )
For More Info: Visit http://www.lutherrussell.com or listen to selected tracks & buy the album at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/luther
Artist: Kevin Tihista's Red Terror
Album: Judo
The Scoop: After seeing a big break fall though (Tihista released an album on Atlantic's Division One that was very well-received in the UK right before the label went belly-up), Tihista rebounded on the ever-fine Parasol label. His intended double album, Back to Budapest, was split into two albums (Don't Breathe A Word and Judo). His sultry synth-pop flirts with a bygone era (most overtly on "One More Day"). I personally don't see a strong Elliott Smith parallel, but I'm apparently in the minority there amongst music writers. There is a vague connection in their mastery over diverse arrangements and orchestrations, as well as a similar bleak outlook (a synopsis, literarily speaking, of Judo could be "I'm never falling in love and breaking my heart again - wait, here I go again"). While the album's charm is inextricably linked to smart studio work, it was a wise decision to bring in live musicians to give the songs a fuller dimension (like Tom Fox's trumpter on "I'm In Love With Girls" and the strings on "Back to Budapest").Highlight Tracks: "Back to Budapest" and "You're Making Other Plans"
For More Info: Visit http://www.kevintihista.com
Artist: David Hurn
Album: No Love EP
The Scoop: A nice teaser for this summer's full-length release, He was a woman (on London's Fire Records). The EP title track-which is presented here in its original version and also a slower version-and the second track, "Books Etc." are from the forthcoming release. Also included is a haunting, rainy-day live version of "Ballad for a Lost Cause" and a wonderful, swoon-worthy take on the old Elvis track "Is It So Strange." Don't be fooled by the gentle melodies; Hurn can write some pretty vicious lyrics. He's best when avoiding the overtly morose in tone. The title track (the album version) is a brisk and jaunty number that is underscored by Hurn singing about not having any love in his heart anymore. If the full-length is loaded with this sort of beautiful melancholia, it will have the critics drooling.
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