Thomas Lavine – “World of gray”
-The sincerity of Thomas Lavine’s performance is delightfully evident from first listen. The whistling just takes this song from good to great. The easy going string work (both guitars and violins) creates a depth in this song that feels unbelievably nice. Before this song I hadn’t heard of Lavine, but I will certainly will be following his career from here on out.
Chris De Souza – “Rabbit Hole (In love we hide)”
-De Souza’s layered vocal, intricate vocal, and intimate recording style make this piece “Rabbit Hole (In love we hide)” a real treat. It’s about sharing and doing life together. It’s about exploration and discovery. The high harmonies are perfectly subtle, creating this texture that bounces off of the guitar work quite well. I could listen to this over and over. The vibe is something that would put a smile on Stephen Stills’ face. The harmonics are entrancing.
Tyler Edwards – “Delta”
-There are few regions in the world as iconic in music as the Mississippi Delta. Edwards offers an homage to that region with this engaging folk song. We tend to associate that region with a blues vibe, but this is a subtle pop folk style from Edwards that is sure to get more than a few listeners to lean in and listen closely. The poetic sincerity of Edwards’ lyrical style begs your interest. Give this one a spin and fall for each expressive line.
Corey Hales – “Ball and Chain”
-The vocal on this track is going to impress you. Just shush yourself and listen to it. The easy going beat reminds me a little bit of early career John Mayer “pop blues” music. “Everybody dies in the summer so pray to God for a little more spring.” Um… how’d you know? The musical break with the trombone (or is it a baritone?) solo absolutely sealed the deal for me. I could listen to this chilled out pop blues sound for hours on end.
Allison Leah – “We can still sing”
-If lyrical folk music is of interest to you, give Allison Leah a shot. Her expressive songwriting style is absolutely delightful. Part of the song is about enduring during “this time,” but it also just seems to be a journal-entry style intimate portrait of Leah’s own life. The clarity on the vocal and the easy going composition is really nice. Once the layered vocal of the last chorus hits… I mean… it feels very emotional.
Sparsh Dangwal – “End”
-It takes a lot for a “pop” singer songwriter to stand out from the crowd. Dangwal does that with his expressive songwriting and honest approach. The layers on this track are really intriguing, but really it’s the spirit behind it that makes the overall sound resonate. It’s a love song… and it’s a song about having two people’s destinies line up. It’s just memories of the past but the hope of the future. Fans of pop love songs will enjoy this one.
