Browsing Tag

US Singer Songwriter

Ellie Irwin explored the agony of unmet expectations in her timeless folk single, Pill That Won’t Go Down

Posted on 20 April 2024

“Pill That Won’t Go Down” by Ellie Irwin is a heart-wrenching exposition of coming to terms with a breakup where it was impossible to meet expectations. The single explores the intersections between contemporary folk and the styles of Joni Mitchell and James Taylor while winding in elements of alt-country through the acoustic guitar strings.

This track doesn’t just strike a chord; it is enough to reshape your idea of contemporary relationships, where we’re as disposable as everything else in our throwaway economy, where novelty trumps loyalty, regardless of the memories you throw away, the scars you carve into souls, and the distrust you leave in the minds of people you allowed into your world only to show them the door out of it.

Ellie Irwin’s vocal performance efficaciously encapsulates the aura of melancholy without the emotions overbearing the delicately balanced performance that will stay with you long after the final lyrical reprise of ‘the pill that won’t go down’. For anyone who has been there before, Ellie offers not just solace but a cathartic release, her music acting as a mirror to the soul’s more sombre realities.

For fans of innovative, thought-provoking folk, Ellie Irwin offers a profound exploration of heartache and the human condition. Her music serves as a critical commentary on the disposable nature of modern relationships, delivered through a blend of singer-songwriter finesse that echoes the timeless classics, yet with a twist of rawness and originality.

Pill That Won’t Go Down was officially released on April 12th; stream the single on Spotify and Apple Music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Set yourself free with The Paul Clark Project’s sophomore Americana Folk LP, Sown from the Same Seed

Posted on 10 August 2022

Some say time is the greatest healer, but that empty idiom falls short of the mindful catharsis extended by artists, such as The Paul Clark Project.

The singer-songwriter’s sophomore album, Sown from the Same Seed, uses a timelessly transformative blend of folk, rock and Americana to remind us that even though there are billions of us spread across the globe, we all have the same unifying origin and intrinsic needs.

In a time where irrational tribalism splinters our society, artists and thinkers need to step up to the plate and act as the glue to bind us into peace, love and acceptance. No one could accuse Paul Clark of not pulling his mindfully resolving weight. The opening single, Consciousness, opens a can of candour, forcing into recollection our twisted reality where we shackle ourselves with anger and limitation.

Beyond the humbling textures and tones is an unreckonable intelligence; spurred by Clark’s experience as a clinical social worker and mental health advocate. For your sanity’s sake, take notes.

Sown from the Same Seed is now available to stream and purchase on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Timothy LaRoque has delivered his sun-soaked indie serenade, Rise and Shine

Posted on 20 April 2022

Romance isn’t dead. Timothy LaRoque is making its heart skip a beat with his endlessly imploring vocals, butterfly-inducing melodies, cinematically soulful production and sheer finger-picked guitar virtuosity in his latest single, Rise and Shine (This Song’s About You).

With Spanish guitars thrown into the mix for the extended instrumental interlude, this kaleidoscopically vibrant release is a sonic gift that keeps on giving. The 22-year-old Floridian would even leave Jack Johnson weak at the knees with his modern spin on the sounds delivered by the Beatles, Paul Simon and Cat Stevens and the artful gravitas in his melodies.

Not all too many contemporary artists can carry the hallmarks of *true* artists, but Rise and Shine is prolific with them. We can’t wait to hear what follows.

Rise and Shine will be officially released on April 20th along with the Stuck in the Past EP. Check it out via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Matt DeAngelis takes us a ‘Mile Down the Road’ in his crooned spacey piano pop ballad

Posted on 2 March 2022

Southern New Jersey singer-songwriter, Matt DeAngelis, is fresh from the release of his eagerly anticipated EP, World I’m Comin’ for You’. Judging by the standout single, Mile Down the Road, he has already arrived.

By taking influence from David Bowie, Elton John and Billy Joel, the piano-led ballad carries the same style of absorbingly escapist narrative that wraps you up in the theatrically tinged emotion that effortlessly flows from DeAngelis’ timeless crooned pop timbre.

The jazzy instrumental interludes, orchestral strings and intricately clever piano motifs defiantly stand in the way of Mile Down the Road as resonating as just another cheesy show tune. This track is definitely for the audiophiles – as is the whole EP, how could we just stop at one track? The concluding single, Maybe I, makes it almost impossible believe that it was created by a 23-year-old singer-songwriter and released in 2022.

Check out Matt DeAngelis on his official website, Spotify, Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Indie-pop goes baroque in Millaze’s standout single, Viscera.

Posted on 2 January 2022

The first thing that grips you with the standout single, Viscera (I’m Saying You Can Still Have Me), from Millaze’s 2021 album, A Note on the Author, is the vibrant deep-rooted originality. In the same way that Bjork and Kate Bush ran with their avant-garde authenticity, the Oakland-hailing singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist is making strides in her own direction.

While plenty of artists struggle to find confidence in their authentic voice – especially at the outset of their career – Millaze’s confidence allows her to defy harmonic convention. Instead, she offers visceral outbursts of passion that *actually* reflect human emotion.

With song titles as endearing as Courtney Barnett’s, her unapologetic candour and frankly alchemic melodies, the aural world is at Millaze’s feet. If the Billboard charts were based on ingenuity and distinction alone, we have no doubt that Millaze would be riding high at the top.

Viscera is now available to stream on Spotify, along with the rest of Millaze’s seminal album, A Note on the Author.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spotlight Feature: Castle KYD pulls visceral emotional punches in ‘The Mess You Left Behind’

Posted on 1 December 2021

On November 26th, Idaho indie singer-songwriter Castle KYD brought accountability in trend with his artfully expressive single, The Mess You Left Behind. In the Waitsy intro, there is little but solemn vocal notes and the quiescent murmurs from the acoustic guitar; as the track builds up to the pre-chorus, that’s when the sharp hook digs in and pulls you deeper into the intrinsically melodic work.

The Mess You Left Behind truly is the pinnacle of contemporary indie-folk pop. His innocently sweet scorned vocals, the celestial accordance in the choruses and lyrics that prove the extent of his determination to transfuse raw emotion into art makes Castle KYD one of the most gifted artists of his generation.

We didn’t need the self-taught artist’s bio to tell us that his music is an amalgamation of desire for connection, a means to cope and a way to turn banality into something meaningful. You can hear it in every ounce of passion poured into this evocatively bruising seminal release.

Here is what Castle Kyd had to say about his latest release:

“Mess You Left Behind was written on a sleepless night, thinking about someone I lived with and had to leave because it was so toxic. In 15 minutes, every feeling, anger and blame poured out of me and formed a poem which became a song in those minutes. After months, I still miss and crave them despite their emotional abuse; I blame myself for craving that, the person who instilled a lot of hurt in me. After struggling to get over it, I’ve become paradoxical; I am the mess this person left behind.”

The Mess You Left Behind is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast