photos by Pietro Bondi
“Every year, music connoisseurs hope to find undiscovered hidden gems of true greatness.” – Americana Highways
As Exile On Mainstream Records prepares to release Troubadour, the intimate new LP from nomadic German singer/songwriter CONNY OCHS, Americana Highways today presents an exclusive premiere of the album’s opening song and lead single, “Holy Motors.”
Since 2010, CONNY OCHS has been capturing the hearts and minds of curious music fans around the globe through his expressive and emotive songcraft. Through eight full-length releases – including two collaborative albums with Scott “Wino” Weinrich of Saint Vitus, The Obsessed, and more, and not to mention his work in Trialogos and other projects – OCHS has expanded his sound from stripped-down singer/songwriter anthems based almost entirely on guitar and vocals into more rock-infused creations with a more standard rock backline with drums and more.
Almost to the date one year after his Wahn Und Sinn LP, sung completely in German, CONNY OCHS now unveils his new studio album Troubadour, which marks his return to the English language and the very roots of his music, in a very naked approach to the essence of his craft. Here, the soloist delivers an album that feels more akin to his 2010 debut album, Raw Love Songs, yet with a more refined and polished sound and approach, adopted naturally through the years of hard work since the first album.
With eleven heartfelt new songs, CONNY OCHS delivers some of his most melancholic yet optimistic anthems yet on Troubadour, which sees the artist performing all vocals, guitars, piano, and more, the record’s sole guest appearance made by his Trialogos bandmate Sicker Man with whom OCHS co-wrote the string arrangement for the song “Edge Of Love”, and who also performed the actual recording of the cello tracks. Troubadour was recorded with OCHS’ trusted studio cohort Thommy Krawallo at Kabumm Studio who also handled mixing and mastering. The cover photo was taken by Klaus Nauber, and the inlay art was created by OCHS himself.
With the album’s first single, OCHS reveals, “It´s not always easy to find the right song to introduce an album. In this case, when I wrote and recorded ‘Holy Motors,’ I already felt that was the one. To me it has that classic storytelling touch, but at the same time it develops a much more post-modern imagery that works as a stepping stone for the whole record. I really like the roughness and minimalism of the track, which also works really well live. I hope it can offer some food for thought and get you into the mood for the stories that are supposed to follow.”
Americana Highways writes with the song’s debut, “He has a talent for rustic delivery of the essence of the song – and human longing – that comes across as though it’s channeled by feel. Every year, music connoisseurs hope to find undiscovered hidden gems of true greatness.”
Listen to the first single from CONNY OCHS’ Troubadour, the album-opening “Holy Motors,” through Americana Highways at THIS LOCATION.
Troubadour will be released on Black Vinyl LP with a bundled CD and digitally on October 25th. Physical preorders are live at the Exile On Mainstream webshop HERE, digital preorders are up at Bandcamp HERE, and digital presaves can be found HERE.
An official video from the album and more will be released shortly.
Never one to remain idle, CONNY OCHS is booking new live performances to support Troubadour, having already booked two release shows for the album as part of Haarlem Vinyl Festival September 27th and 28th where the album will be exclusively available before it’s official release. Watch for additional updates to post over the weeks ahead.
CONNY OCHS Troubadour Release Shows at Haarlem Vinyl Festival:
9/27/2024 Sounds Haarlem Record Store – Haarlem, NL [info]
9/28/2024 St. Bavo Church – Haarlem, NL [info]
https://www.connyochs.com
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https://connyochs.bandcamp.com
http://www.mainstreamrecords.de
https://www.youtube.com/@exileonmainstream3639