Browsing Tag

Townes Van Zandt

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

Posted on 5 September 2024

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

Calboa’s latest release ‘Same S**t’: a newly found motivation in music

Posted on 2 May 2020

With a tumultuous past behind him and a newly found motivation in music, English artist Calboa has released his new single ‘Same S**h’, an ode to living through the same everyday problems and being able to atone for the mistakes we make, changing our way of life.

Indie to the bone and melancholic in his lyrics, Calboa inherits precious knowledge from acts such as The Doors, Nick Cave and The Libertines, demonstrated through a creative and straightforward approach to his music. He covers both personal and universal themes such as the loss of friends and loved ones and the dangerously easy descent into the world of drugs.

In this light, ‘Same S**h’ represents a relatable anthem for us all. Starting with a syncopated organ to set the tone for the first verse, crunch guitar lines quickly kick in to expand the rocky sound of this ballad, while his vocals reverb passion and honesty.

Calboa can classify as a poet – a multi-instrumentalist who finds in music his greatest expression and a way out of the “s**t” he’s had to deal with by using his experience as a means to inspire listeners.

Though the song is titled ‘Same S**h’, it’s definitely not the “same shit” you’re used to hearing, so go check it out on Spotify.

Review by Jim Esposito.

Anglo-American Indie Rock Blind Atlas Release “Space Americans”

Posted on 26 October 2017
Space Americans/Titch by Blind Atlas

Some songs make you wait for the payoff and are all the more effective for it. A David Gilmour solo just isn’t the same without the bitter anticipation that drags us there. The art of letting a song build without putting half the audience to sleep is a worthy endeavor. People forget how dynamic the greats were when we fixate too much on how loud they eventually got. Blind Atlas knows how to use silence and let their instrument layers breathe during verses. Their song Space Americans is a performance that’s intimate and welcoming for anyone passing by, all the while hiding the true nature of their potential energy.

When you’ve finally become enthralled in the shallow, minimalist mix of the song, you feel as if you’ve been slowly pulled out to sea by an ever-pulling tide. This is when the party finally starts and you’re abruptly hit by wave after wave of fast-paced rock instrumentation that does feel like a callback to those awesome louds and highs of some of rock’s greatest. This masterful use of dynamics energizes the song in an infectious way. Even when you know the push is coming, you still find yourself settling into the softer side of the song every time.

-Paul Weyer