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STAGGER, LEEROY Pilgrimage CD
€ 14,90^*

STAGGER, LEEROY Pilgrimage LP (colored green vinyl)
€ 22,90^*

Canadian singer-songwriter, CanAmericana artist, and heartland rocker Leeroy Stagger has been one of the most interesting artists in his field since the early 2000s. His sometimes unconventional path has garnered him a string of major awards and earned him widespread popularity and acclaim – far beyond Canada’s borders, especially in Europe, where his albums have frequently been released on the Blue Rose label, a label perfectly suited to this kind of music, and where he has cultivated a loyal fan base through numerous tours. His recent tour in our region has just concluded successfully. Together with his band, he performed in many renowned clubs for live music after a 10-year hiatus and once again thrilled audiences at the annual Static Roots Festival. His setlist included a number of classic hits from his long career, along with plenty of new songs! Because Leeroy Stagger has released a brand new album with nine consistently strong tracks, it is called – like his tour – ‚Pilgrimage‚.

Originally from Vancouver, Leeroy Stagger moved back to the West Coast after many years in the Alberta Prairie shortly before the pandemic, finding his new home on Vancouver Island in Victoria. He established his own recording studio (Neighborhood Records) there, where his latest album was created – in close, friendly collaboration with renowned multi-instrumentalist/songwriter/producer/arranger Joel Plaskett from the opposite end of Canada, in Dartmouth on Halifax Bay in Nova Scotia. Plaskett not only co-wrote, instrumented, and produced and recorded all the songs on ‚Pilgrimage‘ with Leeroy Stagger, but it is above all his empathetic approach to creating the atmosphere of each track that stands out, always focused and aligned with the core of the lyrics. And these lyrics are special; indeed, they follow a concept that Leeroy Stagger explains in detail in the liner notes of the booklet. In short, ‚Pilgrimage‘ represents a deliberate exploration of his own past and career, his Scottish ancestors and Celtic tradition, initiated by a weekend in Glasgow in 2018 and inspired by the famous book ‚Soil And Soul‘ by writer and Highland activist Alistair McIntosh.

It’s no surprise, then, that ‚Pilgrimage‘ is a distinctly folk-oriented Leeroy Stagger album. Acoustic guitars, mandolins, violins, and banjos frequently take center stage or are seamlessly woven into the soulful ballads and catchy songwriting of the ingenious Stagger/Plaskett team, often garnished with subtle electric folk-rock undertones reminiscent of the 70s. The „analog,“ handcrafted production perfectly complements this, offering a radical and very appealing counterpoint to the now overly automated, assembly-line Americana sound of the likes of Isbell, Carlile, Old Crow, and Avett. And the protagonist’s voice, or rather his singing style, fits this perfectly: warm, sonorous, yet assertive and slightly edgy, always attractive and full of character – 100% Leeroy Stagger!

The opener, ‚Fiddler’s Daughter‘, immediately sets the tone with its appropriately dominant fiddle; this is island folk at its finest. It’s followed by the country-rock ballad ‚Swimming Back To You‘, with acoustic and electric guitars constantly intertwining, and the beautifully flowing melody of ‚Summer Rain‘, driven by banjo and electric guitar. ‚Last To Know‘ is a thoughtful and poignant storyteller in an acoustic country/Americana style. Pedal steel, fiddle, organ accompaniment, and raw harmony vocals create a Dylan-esque feel somewhere between ‚Blood On The Tracks‘ and ‚Desire‘. Yes, this is truly a key, central song! ‚Dogwood Flower‘ is pure folk. With its clear banjo/fiddle focus, the track is reminiscent of early Loudon Wainwright III material (‚The Swimming Song‘), beautifully complemented by Steve Marriner’s (MonkeyJunk) campfire harmonica.

In ‚Highlands Leaving‘, Scottish folk meets Appalachian mountain music. Kendel Carson’s fiddle and Joel Plaskett’s mandolin define the soundscape before the electric lead guitar (also by Plaskett) elevates the song to another level with a striking solo, leading into a jamming finale. Afterwards, ‚Bangor‘ picks up considerable speed with acoustic uptempo/folk rock, again featuring Kendel Carson in a leading role, with accordion accompaniment provided by John Aaron Cockburn (Bruce’s nephew). After ‚Lost In The Flood‘, a smooth, stately ballad with (almost) anthemic qualities, ‚Pilgrimage‘ ends in the most tranquil, quiet way imaginable with ‚Carry Me‘: Leeroy Stagger all alone, just his voice and guitar picking.

Summer is far from over, but perhaps ‚Pilgrimage‘ is already the CanAmericana album of 2026?!

Kommentare deaktiviert für LEEROY STAGGER is back with the new album Pilgrimage – exclusively available in Europe through the Blue Rose webshop!

WYNN, STEVE I Wouldn't Say It If It Wasn't True - Live in Rome! 2-CD
€ 14,90^*

After publishing his memoir, „I Wouldn’t Say It If It Wasn’t True,“ Steve Wynn embarked on a six-month tour of the US and Europe in September 2024, where he read excerpts from the book and interwoven them with numerous other stories, but above all, with a great deal of music. It was a highly entertaining evening, and even for listeners/viewers with a more or less rudimentary grasp of English, it wasn’t limited to just the music.

Now, Blue Rose Records is releasing a worldwide exclusive document of this tour, recorded at the „Monk“ club in Rome, Italy on April 9, 2025. This double CD is available exclusively through the Blue Rose Records mail order service, at Steve Wynn’s concerts, and via Steve’s Bandcamp page.

Here are Steve Wynn’s own words about the album:

„I took the stage in Oxford, U.K. in September of 2024, just a few weeks after the release of my memoir “I Wouldn’t Say It If It Wasn’t True”. This was to be the kick-off of a six-month tour of the US and Europe where I planned to present a live representation of the book each night with a combination of readings, stories and song selections.

I had selected the excerpts that I knew I’d want to read and my wife Linda had lovingly copied, glued and taped those sections into a notebook to make it easier to reference on stage. Those readings would provide signposts for the 28 years covered in the story while I planned to weave in some songs I had chosen to help tell my tale. The basic outline was there, but I hadn’t plotted out much beyond that.

After sound check, I went for a long walk in that lovely historic city, mulling over how I might tie those pieces together later that night. I walked into the club about 30 minutes before my set, ready to wing it.

Shockingly it all came together quite naturally onstage, with impromptu jokes and an easy but linear flow. Backstage after the show I proceeded to write down as much as I could remember from my spontaneous outburst and 120 shows later, that “let’s-see-what-happens” night in Oxford has been the basis for every show I’ve done since with only minor amendments along the way.

Six months later the Italian translation of my book was released, and I decided to call on my friends and local luminaries Rodrigo D’Erasmo (violin, viola) and Enrico Gabrielli (sax, oboe, flute, keyboards) to join me for ride. We had a blast with our little orchestral, theatrical presentation over the course of 2 weeks and this show in Rome was definitely the highlight.

This is the next best thing to being there. And, hey, I wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t true.“

Kommentare deaktiviert für Mailorder-Only Blue Rose CD release by STEVE WYNN – live document from his memoir tour!

THIBAUD, TODD Alchemy CD
€ 14,90^*

THIBAUD, TODD Alchemy LP
€ 22,90^*

Releases by and projects with the likeable Boston-based singer/songwriter TODD THIBAUD have been a recurring theme throughout the four-decade history of the Swabian Blue Rose label. In 1997, almost 30 years ago, his significant solo debut, Favorite Waste Of Time, was released: an absolute cult album and the beginning of an enduring friendship and unwavering loyalty in their collaboration, as all subsequent productions also appeared under the Blue Rose logo – fantastic studio albums such as Little Mystery, Squash, Northern Skies, Broken, Waterfall, and Hill West, alongside various live recordings, as well as the acclaimed albums by the small supergroup Hardpan, the duo work with his friend and fellow singer/songwriter Joseph Parsons, and the three albums with the intriguing artist Kim Taylor as Water And Sand, a focus of his activities over the last 10 years.

With all these aforementioned projects, Todd Thibaud has toured extensively throughout Europe, particularly in the renowned clubs of Germany, where he has cultivated a large and loyal fanbase, regardless of the specific lineup. And this fanbase is eagerly anticipating seeing him again in April/May 2026 on his extensive tour of nearly 30 shows across the country. Unlike his recent performances with Water And Sand, Parsons/Thibaud, or even his album Hill West from seven years ago, there will be no quiet, reflective, acoustic Americana tones. On the contrary, a loud, full-on electric guitar rock performance with a suitably equipped five-piece band is promised!
Just in time for the tour, the fresh, high-quality album Alchemy, packed with 10 brand-new songs, has been released. Thibaud recorded it this year at the legendary Q Division Studios in Massachusetts with his live band, comprised of longtime friends and collaborators. With its loud, dynamic sound, catchy guitar riffs, and rocking band arrangements, Alchemy perhaps comes close to the extroverted atmosphere of Waterfall (2013). Even more so, the new tracks are reminiscent of earlier masterpieces like Favorite Waste Of Time (1997) and Northern Skies (2004), or even the cult classic Courage Brothers, Thibaud’s first professional band from the early 90s! This is music with a clear pop/rock mission and a first-class mix of West Coast, Heartland, and Prairie rock, based on solid singer-songwriter traditions and that melodious indie roots/guitar pop that was invented in the 90s by long-forgotten bands like Vigilantes of Love, Gathering Field, Floating Men, Swinging Steaks, Cravin‘ Dogs, and, last but not least, the Courage Brothers. Or, to put it a few notches bigger: Alchemy possesses the fundamental virtues of all the Heartbreakers, Wallflowers, Jayhawks, BoDeans, and Gin Blossoms, with a healthy dose of Springsteen, Mellencamp, Hiatt, and the like. But the end result, of course, bears Todd Thibaud’s unmistakable signature!
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Kommentare deaktiviert für TODD THIBAUD is finally back a new album and band tour over Germany!