Just keep going from here

Shade Tree is a band from the city of Gothenburg in the west of Sweden. The name origins from an article written by legendary songwriter (Do Right Woman, Out Left Field) and producer (The Letter) Daniel Penington a.k.a. Dan Penn and if you are familiar with him, you will probably be familiar with the kind of music shade tree is trying to win your likings with.

Shade Tree has been around for about four years now and with a history of 5 EPs you can really hear that the band has improved with every year that has gone by. The idea is to combine soul, pop, catchy melodies with some choir singing and it sure is hard to go wrong with that combination. I wasn't very fond of them until I heard "Where Do We Go From Here" which is just a GREAT song. You know, not great or Great but GREAT. It isn't great in an obvious way (which only will make you listen to it 10 times per day for a week and then never listen to it again), it is just a nice little tune with lovely lyrics and a neat melody, a song that really grows on you with every listen.

Sorry for posting their christmas single two months late but maybe you can save it until next christmas. But go on, give it one listen right now before you put it away in your christmas folder. And I almost forgot, more songs are available from their website.

Shade Tree - Where Do We Go From Here
Shade Tree - Killing Time
Shade Tree - The Sweetnes Left Behind

And a late christmas bonus
Shade Tree - The Sweetnes Left Behind

And I read Amy's post about The Sweptaways, they toured Sweden a couple of months ago but did not get very good reviews. Maybe because too many people had listened to too much of the Belgian choir Scala and Kolacny Brothers and got tired of the whole choir-sings-pop-songs-thing. But I hope no one missed their version of The Knife's Heartbeats when it hit the blogosphere some while ago. You didn't miss it? Good. Well, if you did, don't worry, here is another chance.

Scala and Kolacny Brothers - Heartbeats

- Eric