American Sigh – “Burning the flag”
-This is a magical little song. It starts off in such an unassuming way with an easy going folk style and a whimsical energy… but once the harmonies enter there’s a richness to it that’s really hard to describe. I guess it’s folk rock; but genre be darned this is a really fantastic song. Something about it reminds me a little bit of Ben Folds… imagery unfolding, developing, and making listeners consider different ideas in ways that are inquisitive and intriguing. But more than anything, this song has a energetic folk-influenced rock sound that fascinates me.
Andreas Vey – “Joanna”
-It’s rare for me to feature a track where the vocal is almost entirely in falsetto, but this one definitely connected for me. There’s an energy to the track that really takes off here. It’s nice to hear that not all indie rock has to have the same formulaic power chords. This song feels very much intentional and cerebral. It’s got a George Harrison character to it that I genuinely appreciate. The loving, heartbroken lyrical style works really well with the overall mood of the track.
The Brazen Youth – “I love it all”
-The balance between the guitars, the rhythm, and the vocals on this track is really well done. It reminds me of classic folk rock, which is why the track appealed to me so much on first listen. I don’t know the lyrical meaning for certain, but it seems to be that someone is stringing the main voice along… wasting his time in a romantic/inspirational context. If you’ve ever had someone string you along romantically, the song will resonate. You love them, but you also feel like it’s not working without them being “all in” as well. The guitar work on this track is really engaging and I hope folks will give it a shot.
