GoldenOak – “These Old Shoes”
-There’s a richness to this track that we don’t hear very often in folk music. The acoustic guitar is great in the opening, but the vocal harmonies take it in a new direction. The expressive lyrical style puts this song in really rare company. By the time the clarinet enters the track… my heart… *swooooon*. The whole style feels traditional while absolutely standing out from the contemporary crowd. The first thing I did after listening to this one was share it with several of my IRL friends. If that’s not a testimony to how I feel about it, I don’t know what is.
Mike Duhaime – “Next weekend”
-This is a literal toe tapping song with a fantastical acoustic guitar at its heart. Once the banjo enters the track, I really get excited. This is what excitable modern folk music is all about. It’s really refreshing to hear that this is made of real instruments and not just studio magic. If you miss the excitement of the heyday that brought us Mumford and Sons or the Lumineers, you’ll love what Duhaime is doing with this new track. Also, who else is excited for next weekend? I sure am. I don’t know why, but this song has me excited for it!
Adam Quereshi – “3 am”
-The chromatic work with the electric guitar here is absolute ear candy. It’s rare for me to find a song that is as hypnotizing as this is. From the first time I heard it, I think I clicked accept as fast as I have on a song in months. It’s magically composed with a thoughtful, genuine lyrical style. It’s interesting to think about the different perspectives on the morning after a rough night. In one sense, you feel regret and frustration about it. But in another sense, the new morning is a new opportunity to move on. I *think* that’s what this song is about. That’s how I took it. In any event, my ears are happy and it goes down smooth.
