Browsing Tag

Americana Folk

Through the Wire: The Poetic Resonance of Mike Maurice’s ‘Telephone’

Posted on 11 October 2024

Mike Maurice’s latest single, ‘Telephone‘ intercepted the static of formulaic melodies by belying the minimalist instrumentalism with the profound euphony in the production. Nestled within the contours of indie folk and brushed with Americana hues, telephone orchestrates an ambient symphony where the instrumentals speak as profoundly as the lyrics.

Maurice’s skill in merging soul-stirring acoustic layers with his poignant narrative stitches together a sonic space where the deeply, almost shamefully, personal transmutes into the universally relatable.

telephone intertwines the melancholy of isolation with a lyrical richness that peaks with the confession, “I want the truth so bad I’d even lie.” This line alone encapsulates the dual nature of truth and deception, weaving them into the fabric of the affecting release, which was born through a collaboration between Mike Maurice and Danny Black of Good Old War and a pedal steel player from Gregory Alan Isakov’s ensemble.

From the rustic town of Biddeford, Maine, Mike Maurice has made a name for himself, coming out of the shadows of the John Mayer and Bon Iver comparisons. Maurice, alongside his seven-piece ensemble, continues to foster a sense of community at each performance, their collective sound reverberating through venues renowned and intimate alike.

Telephone will be available to stream on all major platforms, including YouTube, from October 11th.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Chris Bannister unleashed the black dog of depression in his latest Americana folk vignette, William, You Lied

Posted on 27 July 2024

The roots-reverent folk singer-songwriter, Chris Bannister, broke the radio silence which followed the successful release of his 2020 album, Truth, with his latest lyrically panoramic single, William, You Lied.

Taken from the UK-residing professional musician’s upcoming sophomore album, The Calling Course, which is due for release in August, William, You Lied is a sonically stripped, tonally paralysing, emotionally charged vignette of how heavy depression weighs on the soul and how it clouds vision with confusion and loss of direction.

The single, which follows the release of seven critically acclaimed LPs, aches with authenticity as Chris Bannister takes influence from folk greats in the vein of Cohen, Nick Drake, and Steve Earl while using his distinctive Americana-tinged acoustic folk signature to scribe a striking account of the all-consuming afflictions imposed by a melancholy mind.

William, You Lied was officially released on July 26th; stream the single on Spotify and discover more about Chris Bannister via his official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lounna orchestrated the sound of spring into her indie-folk Americana release, Peak Season

Posted on 16 February 2024
Lounna

Lounna orchestrated the sound of spring into her latest indie-folk reverie, Peak Season; a single that resonates with the soul’s longing for renewal and connection.

The Pittsburgh-based multi-instrumentalist, drawing inspiration from the likes of Bear’s Den and First Aid Kit, infused her latest single, taken from her Garden for Winter LP, with a unique blend of indie, folk, Americana and naturalism, and signalled her departure from her more whimsical approach to songwriting from her debut. By delving into more profound themes of mental health, resilience, and hope. The single is a harmonious amalgamation of lyrical depth and orchestral richness, with crystalline vocal harmonies commanding the ensemble with an effortless grace.

The track opens with a melodic embrace that gently uplifts the listener, symbolising the shedding of winter’s weariness. Lounna’s voice, soothing yet potent, weaves through the instrumentation with a narrative that echoes candour and resounds through universal relatability.

The orchestral backdrop, carefully crafted with Slate’s collaborator Daniel Blake, adds a panoramic dimension to the song, allowing each instrument to converse and complement the vocals, rather than overpower them. Peak Season allows you to stand at the shores of your own introspection while washing over you as a cathartic release from the clutches of life’s darker moments. It’s a sublime feat of originality and expression, that has left us with bated breath to see what’s to come from Lounna.

Stream Peak Season from February 16th on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Luanne Hunt strummed soul strings in her poignant echo of Americana, The Vice

Posted on 30 January 2024

In Luanne Hunt’s 2024 album, Miles & Memories, the single, The Vice, is a standout feature in the series of vignettes, soul-stirringly portrayed through the lens of Americana folk nostalgia.

The lyrical journey is a testament to Hunt’s magnetism as a storyteller and musician. The song’s stripped-back arrangement, accentuated by the haunting resonance of folk strings, creates an intimate soundscape that allows Hunt’s narrative to take centre stage.

The Vice is a serenade that delves into the life of a man ensnared by hedonistic desires, a theme that resonates with the album’s overarching exploration of human experiences and memories. Hunt’s portrayal of this lone wolf ‘king of bluff’, with his penchant for Jim Bean, is both evocative and empathetic. Even those who live by the live and let live ethos will come to pity the protagonist. Hunt’s ability to paint vivid portraits and bring you emotionally in tune with them is unparalleled.

Each note and chord was meticulously chosen to complement the storytelling. The quiver of the strings not only reverberates through the heart but also underscores the emotional depth of the lyrics. Luanne Hunt, with her 24th album, has created a piece of profound resonance, which transcends the boundaries of genre and style. We can’t wait to hear the 25th.

The Miles & Memories was officially released on January 15. It is now available to stream in full on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Never look at apocalyptic fiction the same again after losing yourself in McKay’s indie-folk earworm,  Last Man Alive

Posted on 28 January 2024

Staying true to folk roots while not getting entrenched in its antiquities, the Nashville indie folk quartet McKay made the genre relevant for this generation with their larger-than-life rendition of their latest single, Last Man Alive.

If you have ever immersed yourself in apocalyptic sci-fi media and wondered if you would have the determination to endeavour or simply submit to the same fate that removed the majority of the planet, you’ll hear familiar thoughts and questions echoed back at you. But McKay goes even further by touching on all of the ways that we make sense of space and time as society keeps on buzzing away. It’s impossible not to become caught up in a state of contemplation as you listen to the harmonica blow over the raw folk chords and Hudson Haining’s pontificating vocals, which bring you right into the introspective world the promising outfit constructed.

With the evocative pull of Deathcab for Cutie fused with the sonics of Neutral Milk Hotel, McKay’s sound is original as it is intimately affecting.

Last Man Alive will be available to stream on all major platforms from January 28; stream it on SoundCloud first.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Alison Wahl & Brian Berggoetz reinvented the festive soundscape with “Christmas is the Right Time for Us”

Posted on 28 December 2023

Despite Christmas music often treading the well-worn path of jingle bells and festive clichés, Alison Wahl and Brian Berggoetz brought a refreshing gust of Americana folk rock into the Yuletide soundscape with their latest single, Christmas is the Right Time for Us.

Brian Berggoetz, a self-taught guitarist and a songwriter with a flair for reinventing classics, infuses his unique style into this holiday offering. His experience, ranging from performing at SXSW Festival to sharing stages with notable artists, shines through in the song’s intricate guitar work. The absence of traditional motifs and melancholy of aural nostalgia in favour of Americana folk elements is a bold choice, which infuses the song with an uplifting and authentic feel.

Alison Wahl’s vocal harmonies intertwine perfectly with Brian’s, creating a tapestry of sound that is both warm and inviting. The standout lyric, “When love is just enough, Christmas is the right time for us”, encapsulates the essence of the song – a celebration of love and togetherness that transcends materialism. This lyric, in its simplicity, captures the heart of the holiday spirit, reminding listeners that affection and emotional connection are priceless gifts.

The production of the song is a delicate balance of subtlety and strength, allowing the dual harmonies to take centre stage in a track that doesn’t just aim to be another Christmas hit but strives to leave a lasting impression on its listeners.

Christmas is the Right Time for Us was officially released on December 11; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Outpost Drive sang a bitter-sweet folk lullaby with their debut single, Go Back to Sleep

Posted on 13 December 2023

If you can relate to the melancholy of your dreams being more serene than your waking reality, prepare to be bruised by the emotional weight that will bear down on you when you hit play on the bitter-sweet folky acoustic pop lullaby, Go Back to Sleep, by the harmonically synergetic duo, Outpost Drive.

Between the aching of yearning and the gratitude of revisiting memories, Go Back to Sleep immediately cuts to the core of emotional juxtapositions when you are brought to tears recollecting the person who always knew how to make you turn a smile but only exists in dream. The lyric, “I’m lonely as I am free”, alluding to how life is just a dichotomy of Pepsi and Coke suffering, is especially potent as it cuts through the euphonically timeless orchestration, which proves how arcane instrumental minimalism can be when it is executed with superlative melodic command.

Willow Robinson and Mary Bragg Robinson, hailing from the English countryside and the American South, respectively marry the styles of British folk with Americana to deliver a sound that is as inventive as it is authentically all-consuming. The debut is a testament to the ability of love to transcend borders after the couple endured a year-long hiatus due to immigration hurdles. We can’t wait to hear what the ultimate folk power couple have in store for their sophomore release.

Go Back to Sleep was officially released on November 10th; stream it on Spotify or purchase the track on Apple Music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Beggars Canyon serenaded the reaper with their Americana Folk musing on the human condition, Silver Lining

Posted on 7 December 2023

With the macabre murder folk proclivities of Amigo the Devil and the soul-affirming warmth of Tejon Street Corner Thieves, the Portland, Oregon-hailing band of Americana raconteurs, Beggars Canyon, breathed life into the existential reality of the human condition with their latest single, Silver Lining.

By staring mortality in the face and serenading the reaper with their arcanely uplifting vocal harmonies and authentic Americana Folk arrangement of folky strings, banjos, and guitars that insinuate that the devil made a pitstop in Portland before he went down to Georgia, Beggars Canyon extracted the pensive sting from the human experience with their endearing approach to song crafting which has allowed them to build a cult-like following and amass 13,000 monthly Spotify listeners.

Silver Lining was an all-too promising precursor to Beggars Canyon’s sophomore LP, Vol. II, which was released via Flail Records and is now available to stream and purchase.

Stream Silver Lining on Spotify and become part of the Beggars Canyon community via Facebook or Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Settle in for a ‘Long Hard Winter’ with Ben Brooks’ Americana Folk single, ft EG Vines

Posted on 9 November 2023

If you can already feel Seasonal Affective Disorder kicking in, sink into the latest single, Long Hard Winter, by the Americana folk raconteur Ben Brooks.

Created in collaboration with EG Vines, the meta single cleverly runs in the parallels between the winter phases of our lifetimes and the bitterly cold season which leaves serotonin in short supply; both of which leave us yearning for the spring and summer of youth and the warmth that allows the trees to blossom.

With a sonic style as arrestingly affecting as Bob Dylan and Neil Young, Ben Brooks, who has recently found his voice and inspiration again post-Covid, is perceptibly back in his stride. This bitter-sweet earworm will undoubtedly become a great source of comfort for many as the leaf litter thickens and days darken. Even though it was written during the hardest winter during the pandemic, it’s a smorgasbord of sun-toned soul.

Stream Long Hard Winter on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Bluegrass Bards, The Way Back Yard, are Back in Action in Their Eponymous EP

Posted on 14 August 2023

To kick off their eponymous EP, the Minneapolis band The Way Back Yard put their own baroque spin on the folk classic Wayfaring Stranger. The vignette of a world-weary soul traversing dirt roads in a bid for self-discovery may have been around since long before the Civil War, but it still lyrically rings just as true today in an era that is blighted by a collective loss of meaning.

The folky Americana retelling of the melancholic tale will embed itself deep within your soul; with every cello and violin sting pull, you will feel more of the gravity projected by the three-part harmonies that The Way Back Yard has become revered for.

They’ve come a long way since playing in backyards in the Twin Cities; their Crosby, Stills and Nash-inspired melodies have received extensive radio and podcast plays, and they’ve become part of the furniture in the Minneapolis bluegrass scene. On the basis of the gravitas in their cover of Wayfaring Stranger, it is about time for them to become a global folk phenomenon.

The self-titled EP from The Way Back Yard is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

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