Ansley Rushing’s “Over It”: Warm, Simple Indie Folk
“Over It” is the debut single of Nashville-based singer-songwriter and violinist Ansley Rushing. Released in 2021, “Over It” immediately makes a clear statement about Rushing’s style, giving us a hint as to what we can expect to hear in future releases. It is a simple country-derived love song with just enough flourishes to make it […]
Jason Sill’s “Hometown”: A Sweet, Sincere Expression of Homesickness
I grew up in a tiny rural town in North Carolina, nestled in the hollows of a blue mountain. Growing up, I fantasized about going away, about finding myself in a bustling city with new people and new ideas. I moved to Boston when I turned eighteen—and even though I was ready to go, when […]
Ava Elay on “Rain,” Creativity, and Writing Hooks with Windshield Wipers
Ava Elay is thirteen years old. I understand that harping on an artist’s young age is something of a cliche, but it bears repeating: Ava Elay is thirteen years old. A middle schooler! The fact that she’s making music at all is noteworthy, but make no mistake: this is not a dancing bear situation, and […]
“Melbourne” by Melanie MacLaren: Strong, Confident Songcraft
With the release of the second single anticipating her upcoming debut EP, set to arrive in early 2022, Melanie MacLaren adds her own sweet and gentle Nashville sound to the indie-folk landscape. With a sound and aesthetic executed with competence and heart, “Melbourne” is the name of the track that will have you dancing and […]
Monica Guardado on “Virginia,” Platonic Friendships, and Crafting Her Sound
By now, autumn has been thoroughly hygge-fied: we’ve come to associate the season with cozy cardigans, pumpkin spice lattes, and blankets of red and orange. It’s easy to forget the lonely, overcast parts of autumn, the parts defined by a steady decline. In autumn, the sun sets earlier and earlier each day; the streets are […]
“Caravan” by Sarah Brunner feat. Tyler McGinnis: Warm Folk Music for Autumn
Kicking off a five year hiatus from releasing music, Sarah Brunner has returned better than ever. Since 2016, Brunner has taken a break from releasing music as she spent her time playing over a thousand shows, finding her crowd, and getting a taste of what the people want. Her recent single, “Caravan,” featuring Tyler McGinnis, […]
Sabine Colleen on “Electric Heart,” Vocal Inspirations, and The Power of the Banjo
The title of Sabine Colleen’s new song, “Electric Heart,” almost sounds ironic from the first listen. This is not electric music; it’s acoustic, for one thing, and for another thing it sounds like it was conceived before Edison invented the lightbulb. Over the earthy pluck of a banjo and a raspy, sawing fiddle, Colleen sings […]
“Running Away” by Cate Le Bon: Enigmatic Art Pop about Modern Malaise
This is one of those reviews that I’d normally start by talking about The State Of The World These Days, but I’m trying to wean myself off of that. For one thing, going on about the zeitgeist has become an obvious, predictable crutch in music criticism these days. It’s the equivalent of a high school […]
“SUNSHiiNE” by Oberhofer: Swooning, Pure-Hearted Psych Pop
The drum machine is the first thing you hear on “SUNSHiiNE,” the new single by the psych-pop artist Oberhofer. It’s a common instrument in dream pop and bedroom pop, but it’s used in an interesting way here. Rather than just keeping time in the background, it serves as a texture in its own right: a […]
Gregory Ackerman’s “Seasonal Living”: Evocative Autumn Music
Here is a list of three things that Gregory Ackerman’s song “Seasonal Living” reminds me of. But don’t worry—I’ll explain myself. 1: Brick walls. Specifically red brick walls, splitting down the middle, and the way it feels to run your hand up the cracks that look like a spiderweb. “Seasonal Living” opens with a fairly […]
