Five singer songwriters to inspire your creativity this week

Jon Hill – “Someday Soon”
-If you’re a fan of acoustic singer songwriters (which, let’s be honest, if you’re here you probably are), then you’ll love what Hill is doing with this song. The sliding fingers and popping acoustic realness will endear you to the overall sound. Hill writes with a subtle hopefulness about wanting to find someone. It’s a song that has a piercing seriousness to it, despite feeling light an airy on first listen.

The Satellite Station – “Hollow Sound”
-When I first heard the title of this song, I kept thinking about the hollow sound of a log in the woods… one that’s been hollowed out by rotting for a long time. But then I thought about the mystical, beautiful “hollow sound” of a guitar. As usual, the energetic sound of the Satellite Station feels like pop music with some powerful lyrical content. This one will make you feel alive while also getting you to ask questions about how you’re living.

SYML – “Everything all at once”
-Sometimes we find bands and can tell that we can help them with getting their music out to more listeners. But honestly, we can’t help SYML because the music absolutely sells itself. I don’t need to say ANYTHING about this track. Just click play on it. Do you hear that haunting depth in the falsetto lead vocal? Stay with it. The recording quality on the vocal harmonies will pull you even closer to the heart of the song. It will hit you… perhaps all at once. If you give this song a chance, it might just make you cry. It’s SO good.

Coastal Clouds – “Easy Train”
-I liked this song so much, I immediately put it on our Back to Our Roots Folk Playlist. It’s got this rich folk rock sound to it, reminiscent of mid-career Beatles and their ilk. The guitar tone hits me right in my soul. The easy going vocal style works really well, too. The combination is unlike anything we typically get to hear. I think the lyrics are about a hookup, but they’re like the classiest hookup lyrics in history.

Noah Derksen – “Lonely in America”
-I’ve written about Noah Derksen in the past and I think I struggle with what else to say. He’s just honestly really talented. The songwriting feels like it comes from the mid 60s folk rock revival. There’s a bit of Paul Simon in the phrasing. Sometimes it feels a little country, especially with the slide guitar, but he really has an Americana vibe. The quote about salvation not being free is both religiously pertinent, as well as resonant with the “bluesy” vibe of the rest of the lyrics. It fits together like a big old folk music puzzle.