Anna Gutmanis • 2 New Singles!

Anna Gutmanis (photo by Joshua Meles)

Singer/songwriter Anna Gutmanis has released two new singles, both hitting the store shelves this week, much to my delight. You know what is even better? I love them both! The Canadian artist lists musical greats like Laura Nyro, Billy Joel, and Joan Armatrading among her influences, and it is easy to hear them all in her most recent release, "Glimmer in the Dark'. Her music is stylish Pop, often piano-driven, with lyrics that make stand alone with both grace and strength. And when she started working on the new singles, she brought all that and more. With the guitar and harmonica opening for "Lately It's Cold", bringing the blues to a winter's day. I was getting some Bonnie Raitt realness, with a bit of Armatrading's edge, and when blended together, I sit up and pay strong attention. This is Anna Gutmanis with her new single, "Lately It's Cold".

To purchase "Lately It's Cold", you can find it on iTunes, Bandcamp, and CD Baby.

From the opening bars of "Diamonds and Stiletto Shoes", we know we are getting a different type of song with the second single. The song is piano Pop, more Billy Joel than Raitt. But there is more, with a tropical underpinning that adds depth to the chorus, and a richness to the song. While the lyrics was co-written by Gutmanis and Georgia Wilder, the song maintains the feel of a classic Gutmanis song, with a lyric bite wed perfectly to the Ska beat and feel. I started getting a feel of one of my favorite 80s bands, with one of my favorite songwriters (Terry Hall), The Specials. Enough of me, I think you should give a listen to Anna Gutmanis singing "Diamonds and Stiletto Shoes".

To purchase "Lately It's Cold", you can find it on iTunes, BandCamp, and CD Baby. To learn more about Anna Gutmanis, visit her official website. To find her on the social medias, you can also 'like' her on Facebook, and 'follow' her on Twitter. I am sure she'd appreciate a chance to say "hi".

Out In The Rain • Out Artists Singing About Weather

It was all over the television, there was a big storm coming to the area. According to both local newcasts and 'The Weather Channel', this was going to be a quick by hard storm. There were reports of the dark clouds coming in, and making it seem more like night than day. High winds and heavy rains would make it seem more like a monsoon than a spring shower, so they said. Soon the thunder and lightening could be heard in the distance, and some dark clouds came rolling in. It turned the day gray, not quite the darkness we expected. The wind blew a bit, but not enough to send the sheets of rain that followed too far. And just as quickly as it come in, it moved on through. The sky to the East showed the effects of lightning, flashing more dimly as the sound of moved further and further away.

With the storm gone, it left a glistening sheen on the plants, and puddles on the driveway with the occasional ripples from the drops off the trees. The birds came out, looking to eat, flying from one spot to another to check for worms and insects. Life was quickly back to normal. But it lasted long enough to make me think of songs about rain, some you might be familiar with, others refreshingly new. The first is a song by Darren Ockert, from his album 'Anything Is Possible'. There is a wonderful feel to the song, the sound of rain made in musical form. Enjoy "Out of the Rain" by Darren Ockert.

You can purchase 'Anything Is Possible', the album which features "Out of the Rain" on iTunes and Amazon. The next song has a beauty that is stunning in conjunction with the description of Manhattan's 8th Avenue. This is a very different rain than what I just experienced on the farm, but one I do remember from the decade I spent living in New York City. Dudley Saunder's evocative and intoxicating "The Rain on 8th Avenue" just fills me up like few songs could.

You can purchase the album 'Emergency Lane', which features "The Rain on 8th Avenue" on iTunes, Amazon, and Bandcamp. There is a wonderful tone to "The Rain", the beautiful song by Anna Gutmanis, off the album 'Glimmer in the Dark'. While listening, I begin to feel bewitched, transported into the story.

You can purchase 'Glimmer in the Dark', which features the song 'The Rain', on iTunes, Amazon, and Bandcamp. And finally, after bringing those three original songs to the post, I thought I would bring a classic in to complete the post. Matt Gold sings the classic "Come Rain or Come Shine", written by Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer, but puts his own stamp on it, giving it new life. I found the song on his SoundCloud page, and am very glad I did. Here is Matt Gold singing "Come Rain or Come Shine".

You can find the song on Matt's SoundCloud page. If you'd like to check out more of Matt's music, he recently released the excellent album 'Drown Before You Swim'. You can purchase Drown Before You Swim' on iTunes and Amazon. And I hope this 'rain' music has helped brighten your rainy day at least a little bit.