News From Hemifran January 2016

Hemifrån is an independent A&R, promotion and marketing company, based in the heart of Sweden, specializing in, what they call, “gut music” – The kind of music that you can feel in your gut, no matter what. Hemifran is promoting a lot of singer-songwriter, westcoast-pop, country, AOR and more. Here are featured some of their latest news – it is not all west coast, but dig into it!

David Berkeley – Cardboard Boat

On January 29th, 2016, David Berkeley releases his crowning achievement to date in Europe, a set of interwoven stories offered in his second book, “The Free Brontosaurus”, and a batch of accompanying songs on his 6th studio album, “Cardboard Boat”. The songs are sung from the perspective of each story’s main character. The releases are a rare compliment to each other, but with a degree in literature from Harvard, over a decade of touring under his belt and a stage show that melds profound songs and hilarious anecdotes, Berkeley is uniquely positioned to be able to pull off such an ambitious project. Berkeley has amassed a dedicated and widespread following who fully funded the creation of this new album and book. He’s been a guest on This American Life, Mountain Stage, World Café, CNN, XM Radio’s Loft Sessions, WFUV, NPR’s Acoustic Café and many more. He won the 2015 Kerrville New Folk competition and ASCAP’s Johnny Mercer Songwriting Award. Called “a musical poet” by the San Francisco Chronicle, “sensational” by the Philadelphia Inquirer and “spellbinding” by Blurt, critics praise Berkeley’s carefully crafted philosophic lyrics and soulful baritone, which at one moment resonates richly only to swoop into a fragile falsetto in the next. More information at Hemifran.

Buford Pope – The Poem & The Rose

2006 was the year Buford Pope thought he would put out his 2nd full-length album. Everything was ready for release, and he looked forward to meeting his audience with a brand new album. But all at once it became too much. ”Part of it was the fact that I was already working on my 3rd album, part of it was all the other things in life that were demanding my attention”, says Buford Pope. But now, almost 10 years later, it’s finally time. “It just feels right to put it out now. It’s been lying mastered and ready on the shelf for a long while, where it’s not doing any good”, he says. One can only agree. The recording, which bears the title “The Poem & The Rose”, is a richly produced album where Buford Pope’s signatures, the strong melodies and his raspy gravel voice, once again make much of the Swedish countryinfluenced rock pale in comparison. More information at Hemifran.

Kate Campbell – The K.O.A. Tapes (Vol. 1)

Kate Campbell is the kind of artist who steps to the beat of a different drummer. Over the course of 20+ years (since her award-winning debut album” Songs From The Levee”), she has resisted the temptation to follow musical trends, but instead chooses to set the pace for her unique musical journey. This distinction is palpable in her latest release, ”The K.O.A. Tapes (Vol. 1)”, in which many of the basic tracks were recorded in her living room on her iPhone, including the revered Southern rock anthem “Freebird”. More information at Hemifran.

Caroline Aiken – Broken Wings Heal

Atlanta-born and Georgia-raised musician Caroline Aiken began her career in 1968, performing with a rock band called Fathertime in Long Island, NY. She honed her skills as a songwriter and solo artist during the late 70’s, moving from busking the streets of Seattle to opening for well known acts such as Doc Watson, Bonnie Raitt, David Bromberg, Muddy Waters, and later, Little Feat, Randy Newman, John Prine, Arlo Guthrie, Richie Havens, Derek Trucks and many more. After years of touring throughout the US, South America and Europe, she moved back to Atlanta in the mid 80’s where her bluesy voice, masterful finger picking guitar style, and hypnotizing stage presence anchored the city’s acoustic and folk scene and influenced up and coming artists like the Indigo Girls and Shawn Mullins. More information at Hemifran.

Jimmy Ruggiere – A Heartache Couldn´t Happen To A Nicer Guy

The Texas music scene is at it again with the release of veteran harmonica sideman turned singer/songwriter Jimmy Ruggiere’s debut CD “Nicer Guy”. Under the direction of Chris Gage, producer/engineer/musician extraordinaire at his MoonHouse Studio in Austin, Tx., along with a who’s who of Austin players, these ten songs import a fresh yet retro energy to a classic genre. This album grooves like nobody’s business. The self-penned album of original, slice-of-life stories is hewn from reflections only careful honesty delivers. Each track on “Nicer Guy” manages to capture a bit of genuine soul, humor and truth while treating you to surprising twists and insight along the way. Eclectic, Eccentric & Real. More information at Hemifran.

Cary Morin – Tiny Town

Described as one of the best acoustic pickers on the scene today, Cary Morin brings together the great musical traditions of America and beyond, like no other. With deft fingerstyle guitar and vocals that alternately convey melodic elation and gritty world-weariness, Morin crafts an inimitable style often characterized as acoustic native americana with qualities of blues, bluegrass, jazz, jam, reggae and dance.

“A man and a guitar, a lot of soul, and an understanding of the history of soulful men with guitars in American music can sometimes achieve this kind of timelessness in their work”, comments Richard Higgs of Public Radio Tulsa. “Cary Morin has the chops and is one of the best acoustic pickers on the scene today, his performances would stand out, variously, among the old-school delta blues pliers, the Greenwich Village folk crowd at the end of the 50’s, the back-to-nature bards of the late 60’s, or today’s thriving singer-songwriter scene, Morin references all these styles, they’re in his vocabulary, but he’s no dilettante, his engaging sound is his alone”. Morin’s 3rd solo release, “Tiny Town”, follows close on the heels of an international tour that spanned the US and reached as far as Denmark and France. More information at Hemifran.

Texas Martha and the House Of Twang – Long Way From Home

Martha Fields, award-winning singer- songwriter is often described as cross between Lucinda Williams and Joan Baez, with her formidable voice, conviction and lyrics to match. She will be touring with her band across Europe and the US in 2016. Already booked at some of Europe’s premier americana, roots and country festivals and venues in support of her 2015 CD, “Long Way From Home”, which reached #17 on the international FAR Chart. The CD has received numerous positive reviews and extensive world-wide airplay. Martha penned all the songs which are a true americana mix of country, rock, blues, and folk, true to her roots. More information at Hemifran.

Yael Meyer – Warrior Heart

Yael Meyer is an internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter, composer, producer, musician and performer with a career spanning over 10 years that includes several albums, an EP and a remix album. The chilean-american’s music has been heard around the globe, having appeared on tv, films and ads for brands such a Blackberry and Ralph Lauren, prime time TV series such as “Private Practice”, “Drop Dead Diva”, “Awkward” and “Parenthood”, as well as several films. In 2014 Yael broke into the Korean market with her single “All Around Me” which debuted at #2 in the overall digital’s sales ranking. Yael also penned the song ‘When You Hold Me Tight’ for the 2nd season of the Korean drama ‘Healer’. The song appears as the title theme for the main character in the series.

In early 2016 Yael will released her 3rd and latest album ‘Warrior Heart’ in Europe, which was named one of the best albums of 2014 by several online music blogs, and lauded by international music publications such as Relix Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone Argentina and Entertainment Weekly. In December 2014, Yael was named one of the 100 most influential young leaders of 2014 in her native country of Chile. She has performed on stages and festivals around the world including SXSW, Lollapalooza (Chile) and Sziget (Hungary). More information at Hemifran.

John Zipperer – We Walk Together

Our lives are full of twists and turns. Actor and stuntman John Zipperer found himself in hospital, in critical condition after an oil truck hit him while he was changing a wheel on his car. He survived and decided to move to Los Angeles to pursue a musical career. On the evidence of his new CD it was the right decision. Full Circle features 12 original songs and one superior cover version. The very entertaining disc starts with Sailing Away, a bright bouncy, tropical cocktail that sounds like a quality Jimmy Buffett outtake. John Zipperer’s warm, smooth voice indicates he should have started singing many years ago. The title track, Full Circle, should get you smiling and dancing, probably at the same time. More information at Hemifran.