It's their loss, quite frankly...
'A lot of people have been asking us about the new album so here is the deal: Following the recent purchase of DreamWorks Records by Universal, Hem have been released from their contract with DreamWorks. Consequently we are looking for a new label to release Eveningland.'
With the prevailing epidemic of Norah Jones-ness you'd have thought even the loftiest of moguls could've sussed the potential of this group's sepia-tinted coffee-table twang. It's only a matter of time before they find a new deal but the album's now likely to be an autumn baby, unlike...

..Prospect Park, second album from Brit folk-popster James William Hindle which finally gets a UK release this very week. Scoring at no.6 in this blog's Best of '03, constant repeat plays since it's August US release have only served to confirm what a warm little cracker it really is. An engaging modesty pervades this full-band set as do great tunes and feel; don't let it get away this time round...
Track&Field | Come down slowly mp3

...and if you like that you'll also want the album that topped out reallyrather's '03 list, St.Louis five-piece Nadine's deeply pleasing Strange seasons. It's the first release proper by upstart LA label Trampoline Records and they're one of several label affiliates who feature in a specially-recorded live video session just up on the RealMusicGuide. Needless to say, they're casually fantastic...

Hey, it's my list and I'll go on about it if I want to:

-'Whipping out all the big guns, they deliver a mesmerizing, truly astonishing pop masterpiece' - review site InMusicWeTrust catches up with no.4, Wheat's Per second, per second, per second..every second

-And what of the runner-up? Well, imagine this blog's surprise/delight/bemusement on turing to pages 22-23 of this past weekend's Observer Music Monthly and finding a huge photo-portrait and accompanying mini-essay, 'The startling rise of an American visionary'; Sufjan Stevens your time is surely now. Given that the proportion of those readers who will have had any idea who this guy is must be microscopic, in it's own way it's quite a stunning development and reallyrather's hat is duly tipped to the editors behind it. For anyone looking to know more about the man and his music, check out a 2-hour radio special devoted to the guy earlier this month and archived over at WNYC. There's an extended interview, many tracks from last year's masterful Greetings from Michigan and a live banjo session featuring songs from the latest album, Seven swans...

Seems that reallyrather is presently the only soul in the whole of Googledom interested in the news that Andrea Maxand has at last found a home for her second album. Where the words go will appear May 4 via Ghostweed Press and the sample tracks they offer suggest that she's buffed up the chimey, edgy alt-guitar of '01 debut Angel hat most excellently. Death Cab's rhythm section, Jason and Nick, add heft to Andrea's silvery vocal sound thoughout and their prescence gives you a bit of clue about what's in store. Fans of, say, the dense guitar stirrings of Pedro the Lion might also want to step this way...
Andrea Maxand | GhostweedPress | The shape of hands mp3