“Catches Me Tonight” by Cole Supple: Charming, Timeless Pop
When “Catches Me Tonight” started playing, I didn’t know if I would like it. It begins, you see, with the jaunty strum of a ukulele, an instrument that has become a hoary indie cliche. While the ukulele is obviously an important instrument in Hawaiian music, and even outside of that setting every instrument has its […]
“The Duel” by Three Sides: A New Old West
Place yourself in an old western town – and then bring in a surf rock band to play in the tavern: that’s what you get with Three Sides’ new single, “The Duel”. This is one of those relatively short songs that somehow feels longer in its delivery. With the tumbleweed intro and extended outro reminiscent […]
“Dreamer” by Mermaid: A Search for Peace and Happiness
From the opening two-note guitar motif “Dreamer” takes you on a journey. Candace Quarrels and Brittany Campbell, the two artists making up Mermaid, weave floating, ethereal vocal lines. Whether singing in perfectly balanced unison or stunning harmonies, their voices transport your mind to relaxing places – waves on a beach or the rustling of leaves […]
FAYYE on “She”, Her Favorite Movies, and the Power of the Piano
On her website, English singer-songwriter FAYYE describes herself as someone with a lifelong passion for the piano. She started exploring melodies on the keyboard from a very young age, and she found herself enamored by the possibilities those 88 keys provided. “There was something about the resonant fullness of the piano sound that I loved […]
A.O. Gerber’s “All I’ve Known”: A Beautiful Search for an Impossible Truth
“Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself. I am large, I contain multitudes.” Walt Whitman wrote that, in “Song of Myself”. I quoted that line in part because I am the kind of insufferable music critic who starts an essay by quoting Walt Whitman (one day I’ll quote Emerson, just to see […]
The Burning Nostalgia of Brad Peterson’s “Charcoal Soul”
The honesty comes across so clearly in everything that Brad Peterson creates. Plus, he creates everything in his garden shed, so of course that makes his music even cooler. His new song “Charcoal Soul” is no different. It’s got an interesting vibe to it that I really enjoy, so let’s dig in. Recorded this spring […]
Carey Clayton’s “Everything Passes”: An Open-Armed Hug of a Song
Until recently, I didn’t find much comfort in the phrase “everything passes”. It’s not that I didn’t believe it–it’s pretty difficult to deny–but rather that “everything passing” was what troubled me in the first place. I’m a naturally anxious person, and I’m comforted by consistency, by what you can rely on every day no matter […]
“Easy Graces” by Sean Waters & and the Sunrise Genius: Grounded, Poetic, Striking
Few songs manage the transcendent balance between lyrical quality and expressive soundscape, but Sean Waters’ & the Sunrise Genius pulls it off with wrenching ease in their 2020 release, “Easy Graces.” This is a song to listen to in rain-soaked cityscapes, with a blanket bunched around your knees and your heart propped open. It’s notable […]
“Scapegoat” by Mark Newman: An Outlaw’s Groovy Anthem
Mark Newman’s 2019 release “Scapegoat” is a witty, rebellious track driven by an impressive stylistic commitment to Southern rock and storytelling. It both contributes to the elaborate history of its genre while simultaneously providing a subversive narrative about the nature of law and justice: “I’m an innocent man living outside the law.” Warm, vintage, and […]
“End Times”: Iliad Stone and the Monarchy’s Take on the End of the World
Fittingly, the first time that I heard Iliad Stone and the Monarchy’s “End Times” I was attempting to purchase a set of cloth masks online while watching Black Lives Matter protesters gather in Boston. Faced with the current climate of uncertainty and turmoil, the title alone was enough to pique my interest. Paired with Stone’s […]
