Songwriters are integral to our experience as humans; they use poetic words and engaging instrumentation to help us reflect on our humanity. Some, even, do it well. Here are five fantastic troubadours who help us connect with the depth of our identity.
Nigel Brown – “No One Listens”
-This song has a wonderful set of built in existential questions. The peaceful, easy approach of Brown keeps you feeling chill even with some difficult questions. Is life a boring humdrum of workaday tasks? Or is it something thrilling, with each moment a treasure? This song will make you ponder that… and does it with some breathtaking harmonies.
Sophie Ward – “Kingdoms”
-Sophie Ward is an extremely talented singer songwriter. It can be a hard genre to cut through in, but I have utmost faith in Ward. Listen to her guitar licks and intonation in her vocal. You can tell that she just sings as who she is. This is not a performance art; it’s an expression of her soul. I can’t stop listening.
Erin Rae – “Wild Blue Wind”
-We’ve covered Erin Rae here before, but when we heard this track… whew. I did the “oh… oh this is good” slow sit down. You know the one. Anyways, the sound is a milky melancholy Americana that really hits deep. I can’t help but think of it playing at a truckstop with a half burnt out neon in the window. It’s a perfectly American story.
Seth Glier – “I’m Still Looking”
-Sometimes an artist comes out of left field and really surprises us. I would say that’s the case with Seth Glier. The track felt so unassuming initially, but the more I listened the more I believed him. He reminds me of someone Crackerfarm might find and film. He captures a bit of what I miss about Jeff Pianki’s music. I’ll be looking forward to more stories like this from Glier.
Harp Samuels – “Secrets”
-With a name like Harp, how could he not be a songwriter? If you’re a fan of early Bon Iver, you really should give this track a listen. There are some spine-tingling moments in the song. It’s thoughtful and comforting. It has a spiritual inclination that is sure to pull in some listeners. I can’t imagine hearing this in a cathedral (but I’d love to hear it).
