Browsing Tag

Austin Folk

Sylvie’s Songs & Bryon Harris stir the soul with strings and sympathy in their affecting folk symphony, Heart Break Like Mine

‘Heart Break Like Mine’ by Sylvie’s Songs feat. Bryon Harris enmeshes animal activism with affecting artistry. Dedicated to the 1.7 billion animals confined in factory farms each year, the single urges listeners to become more ethical consumers, and to part with their dollars through empathy.

From the first pull of the classical strings and the opening lyric, “I want your heart to break like mine,” the track makes no bones about pulling all the evocative punches. In the same vein as The Smiths’ ‘Meat is Murder’, this classical folk ballad grounds you in the atrocities we often turn a blind eye to; it’s an aching reminder of the suffering we perpetuate.

Sylvie, a highly accomplished musician and songwriter with a deep passion for folk and Americana music, brings her wealth of experience and accolades—including Gold Medals for Best Lyrics and Best Songwriting from the Global Music Awards—to this powerful piece. Her classical guitar training from the prestigious Hartt School of Music and the New England Conservatory shines through her intricate playing. Having performed at esteemed venues and festivals throughout New England, Sylvie’s dedication to her craft is unmistakable.

Bryon Harris complements the track with his emotive depth, exemplifying his commitment to using music as a medium for awareness and change. With a background in classical music, Harris adds a rich authenticity to the song. Now based in Austin, Texas, he is at the forefront of a new wave of protest music addressing issues like factory farming and climate change.

Together, they have crafted a fervent call to action and catapulted a catalyst for change onto the airwaves which demands your conscience.

The official lyric video for Heart Break Like Mine is now available to stream on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Noah Hamlin has unveiled a debut of panoramic Folk romanticism with ‘Bluebonnet Girl’

With a vocal timbre that would make any fans of Cohen, Cave or Dylan quiver at the knees, folk singer-songwriter, Noah Hamlin’s debut single, Bluebonnet Girl revisited old Americana roads while injecting fresh fervour into the folk genre.

The Austin, Texas-hailing troubadour’s artistic maturity belies his 23 years; with oceans of poetic depth in the lyrics which paint a vignette of panoramic landscapes which become the backdrop to a love story for the ages, sinking into the sepia hues of Bluebonnet Girl becomes an all-consuming sensory experience for the soul.

The finger-picked acoustic guitar notes, influenced by the likes of Townes Van Zandt, puts the romanticism into mellifluous motion, exhibiting Noah Hamlin as not just another artist entering the oversaturated folk genre, but a true purveyor of artistic ingenuity. After one hit, you will be stoked for the sophomore.

Bluebonnet Girl was released on August 18th; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Evergreen is astronomical in her latest folk single, Meteors

The Austin-hailing multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and cello teacher, Evergreen, is renowned for her narrative folk soundscapes that can rejuvenate love and lust for life. Her latest single, Meteors, is another vibrant extension of her mission to paint portraits of phenomenological beauty and prove that music is a global element of humanity. If any single could be accurately described as a high vibe folk lullaby, it’s Meteors.

With a twinge of Twain in her vocals atop the classical cellos, folky strings, and artfully baroque elements, Evergreen reached the pinnacle of sonic beguile in Meteors, which is as accessible as oxygen, with no shortage of virtuosic flare.

Evergreen is now available to stream on Spotify; her debut album, Delicious Vignettes of Recent American Kind, which will be a mash of academic and classical music, is due for release on March 31st.

Review by Amelia Vandergast