New Music Friday – Episode 16
This series has brought us some really talented musicians over the past several weeks. We’re excited to keep bringing more to you here. Please continue casting votes and sharing these lists to help these folks keep making music. If you feel so inclined, follow the link and buy their music!
Evenlee – “Warm and Rustless”
-This is a nice pure folk sound that fits in nicely with the still-hot folk revival. The duo are extremely talented and the vocal blending may be the best part. They remind me a bit of the band Branches… and a few others. They have a nice, solid sound and the lyrics are just poetic and mysterious enough to keep me coming back.
Claybrook – “Mind the Silverware”
-This piano-based track is tailor-made for a soundtrack. The piano rolls and rises beautifully, like watching the tide roll in. Then the vocal is intricate, while feeling deeply human and accessible. It sounds like your exceptionally just sat down at the piano to play you a tune while you toast the bagels. Except he’s like good enough to play Heinz Hall. Still it’s a really exceptional little song and you should definitely share it.
The Landing – “Stars in Motion”
-If you’re like me, you have great memories of watching Jamiroqui on MTV. That moving room is as vivid in your mind as… well, other scenes on MTV. Anyways, this track has that same kind of kick that will get your feet moving for sure. It’s the kind of contemporary groove funk that I wish was more prominent. It’s better than 90% of what passes as pop music these days and really should come back.
Modern Me – “Waters”
-This track “Waters” by Modern Me strikes me as the quintessential pop rock song. I hear a little 30 Seconds to Mars in it, for sure. But I also hear something that comes across as truly unique in the way that the electro sounds evolve. They are not predominant, but add just the right texture. Also, the female vocal really gives the track a softness that works perfectly with that arena ballad style.
Faultlines – “Wooden Bridges”
-This is probably the kind of song you expected to hear on a site like EarToTheGround. There’s some twang, plenty of strings, and a sound that is so genuine you can hear the creek rollin’ by. That said, the strength of this song, to me, is in the group vocals. It’s definitely an interesting style that will keep your toes tapping.
Henry Jamison – “Real Peach”
-Okay I know I should probably be an impartial judge here, but I love this song. There’s something about Jamison’s delivery that reminds me of Taylor Goldsmith, and that’s a pretty huge compliment around here. In fact, the range and sense of melody on this track surpasses most of the music I’ve heard this year. There’s a great lyrical balance of irony and genuine romance that comes together for a wonderful pop folk song. This could be a hit if it gets in the right big media machines.
Peach! – “Side by Side”
-When God created soul music up in heaven, he had Peach! in mind as a performer of it. There’s just a quality in the slow, emerging style that oozes the stuff of soul music. The vocal is really well done. The whole song comes together for a feeling that is equal parts romantic and soothing.
Tom Grennan – “Something in the Water”
-I have Tom Grennan listed as “singer songwriter,” but really he could just be in the category “amazing.” The vocal is categorically stunning. But then on top of that voice that could stand alone, the band also has this colorful swagger to it that I absolutely love. The song really rollicks along with this sort of gospel pop sound that could have charted in the 60s and is still equally captivating today. This is a great one.
Obscura Hall – “Qualia”
-This track is a bit different than what we typically cover, but if you give it a shot you’ll hear something really breathtaking. The acoustic guitar is beyond exceptional. Then the vocal comes over that sound with a soothing, esoteric and engaging sophistication. Imagine yourself in a coffeeshop in a Brahmin town, reading Kafka or Thoreau, listening to the perfectly appropriate, thoughtful music of Obscura Hall. It works.
Cuesta Loeb – “My King”
-Now this is a unique sound! Cuesta Loeb starts off feeling like some sort of light female-fronted pop, but as the band comes in the song becomes more and more of a real ripping rock tune. There’s a complicated feeling in the layers of sound that I just can’t turn away from (not that I’d want to). Something about the quality of the lead vocal is captivating, but the whole composition defies contemporary categories. It’s unique and attractive.
[yop_poll id=”17″]
Discover more from Ear To The Ground Music
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
