A couple of months into the new year (March 2024), The Northern Belle, a Nordic-flavored folk-country group, is poised to release their latest LP, Bats In The Attic. Astral Plane (seen/heard here) is the lead track on that LP. The Northern Belle are known for their intricate melodies and singable refrains. Currently, this song and the bouncy pop-flavored Merchant Navy Hotel are available as single-track purchases. Partly inspired by a cache of letters sent by her grandfather to her grandmother…
Read MoreIs there a connection between music and space? Is there life out there that only music can connect with? New York City’s Earthquake Lights explore this and more with their latest single, Silhouette (heard here). To be fair, the group feels that this song and its lyrics could mean different things depending on your interpretation. For that reason, I’m glad there is just an audio-only video because interpreting meaning is all about listening and feeling the music. Lead singer and keyboardist Myles Rodenhouse’s sky-high tenor soars, while…
Read MoreSmoke Fairies have been around for nearly two decades, creating unique and wonderful folk, folk-rock, and alternative folk music for the masses. They’ve managed to dodge Vodka’s radar for a long time, but with the release of their 9th LP, Carried In Sound (November 2023), I discovered them while trolling Bandcamp. There are so many musicians out there and so much music to filter through (not all of it good) that it is easy to miss something that you should be…
Read MoreWhile Jack Frost (seen/heard here) is from The Magpie Arc’s November 2022 LP, Glamour In The Grey, the progressive folk-rock group has just released (November 3, 2023) their digital download-only Anthology, which includes their first 3 EPs plus Glamour In The Grey in their entirety as a single 22-track offering. If you need an introduction to this magnificent band’s inventive, creative, and powerful sound, look no further! Jack Frost is the work of the late folk artist Mike Waterson,…
Read MoreReleased today, November 8, Far Away (heard here) from JB Elwood is a pop-rock earworm worthy of repeat play! It’s a song about leaving home in search of your dreams. Sure, that song has been written many times, but Elwood breathes a firey breath of new life into the narrative. While his stated influences include Slash and Guns N’ Roses, I can’t hear those influences on Far Away. Instead, I hear a fresh sound, a wonderful singable song, and a refrain that clings to you…
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