Lena Rayne Allen – “Reptile House”
The music of Lena Ryan Allen perfectly encapsulates all we love and support in the world of indie music. Her dreamy instrumentation is a nice reprieve from the world outside our door. Vocally, her vulnerability and intimacy is emotively hopeful. The overall sway of “Reptile House” is meditative and absolutely lovely. With the track, you can hear (and feel) her background in research biology and orchestral percussion. She is a diverse talent you need to hear.
Chaz Diggity – “Crying On Your Birthday”
The music of Chaz Diggity reminds us of the likes of Jeff Tweedy. His lyrics are just as sharp, weaving a compelling story. The track’s vulnerably relates the loss of the artist’s father. It is a beautifully relatable exploration of grief. “Crying On Your Birthday”, just like loss, is complicated and emotionally fragile. We fully support this expressively heartbreaking yet affirming talent.
Steve Stout – “Some Things” / “Fade Away”
The word prolific comes to mind every time we write on Stout. His ability to craft compelling songs is unmatched. Whether it be with any of his many bands or now with his stellar solo project, the result is always enjoyable. We have trouble keeping up though. The songwriter is a complete professional and we love the new more americana indie based work as of late and while the sound is fantastic, lyrically he is sharper than ever. “Some Things” is an exploration of violence in the wake of yet another school shooting. “I’m tired of hearing the same stories” is the song’s refrain, but speaks for all of us. “Fade Away” is a melancholy bopper with a great woozy guitar and tight bass. It is very much of the moment, capturing the sound and mood of the world around us. We love the music of Stout and will listen to anything he creates, no matter how prolific he is.
