Three new guitar artists to check out this week (30 August 2019)
Including an accomplished multi-instrumentalist and a fiery punk rock quartet.
Image: Libby Danforth
On the hunt for new guitar music? We’ve compiled a list of fresh artists you should be keeping an eye and an ear on. From promising singer-songwriters to bands that are exploding on the scene, here’s a little bit of everything for everyone.
Jedd Hughes
Jedd Hughes is one of the most in-demand pickers at the minute, having played with the likes of Emmylou Harris, Keith Urban, Miranda Lambert as well as Vince Gill.
But it wasn’t always this plain sailing for the Australian guitarist. After moving to Nashville in 2002, he released his debut album, Transcontinental via MCA records. Although the record brought him into the music spotlight, MCA’s merger with another label left Hughes unsigned. After a move to Los Angeles – where he battled alcohol addiction and depression – the guitarist returned to Nashville and translated his experiences into a moving 10-track record, West.
Read our interview with Jedd Hughes here.
Sheer Mag
With an ensemble of piercing riffs, powerhouse vocals and no-nonsense storytelling, Sheer Mag are kicking up a storm in the punk rock circuit. The quartet have just released their sophomore album, A Distant Call, a deeply personal record that charts the journey of a character loosely based on singer Tina Halladay a few years back. At that time, Halladay had to deal with a death in the family, unemployment and heartbreak.
Read our interview with Sheer Mag here.
Vagabon
Laetitia Tamko, better known as Vagabon, is a musical multi-hyphenate who’s comfortable on drums, keyboard, synths and of course, the guitar.
The Cameroon-born, New York-raised musician picked up her first six-string – a Fender acoustic – aged 17, but spent time away from the instrument when she enrolled in engineering school. Having later returned to the guitar in college, she recorded the 2014 demo, Vermont and, 10 months later, released an EP titled Persian Garden.
Tamko’s big break came with 2017’s Infinite Worlds, a collection of riveting guitar-driven songs that caught the eye of the indie-rock community. Not one to rest on her laurels, the musician dove into experimentation, counting on her multi-instrument background as the bedrock for Vagabon, a full-length arriving 18 October.
Read our interview with Vagabon here.
Check out the previous list of new artists here.