Three tracks in the folksy rock and pop world that we’re excited to share

Sophia Lanuza – “Ben Rector”
-This is a bit meta for us to be featuring this song because Ben Rector was actually one of our site’s earliest interviews! To have people comparing their music to… and now writing songs about him is actually quite exciting for us. The song has a very Ben Rector style to it with the 80s and early 90s pop energy. The atmospheric blending on the production works really well. The vocal is absolutely OUTSTANDING. If you are a fan of Rector’s music, there’s a lot to like about this song and this artist. In fact, I like it so much that I’m putting it on my song of the year candidate list. The nostalgia and vibes are absolutely magical and if you’ve ever experienced a breakup where listening to that favorite artist makes you think of them… mmhmm. You get it. Dang I love/hate how relatable this is!

Motel Sundown – “Waterfall”
-One of my favorite things about featuring the intersection of folk and pop is that we often end up finding these beautiful harmony tracks. The “ooo ooos” on this song feel a bit like a Siren song (but in a good way). The call to “go dancing” with great harmonies and a cathartic, chill sound is really pleasing to hear. There’s something that feels a bit like Rumours era Fleetwood Mac and we are absolutely here for it. I like the whole song, but the chorus absolutely soars on this one.

Donovan Woods – “Back for the Funeral”
-The opening of this track feels like a sad narrative folk song, but there’s something about the pacing that makes it feel a little pop, too. The lyrics on this song are absolutely outstanding. It’s a hard theme with some emotional lyrics. If it’s any indication of how I feel about the track, I actually had to stop listening to it to focus on how to write about it. The experience of going back to a place where you grew up with the mix of emotions there makes for a phenomenal track. The instrumentation is sparing, providing a peaceful acoustic backdrop for a story that needs to be told. This is what folk songwriting is all about and we’re so glad to have found this incredible work from Donovan Woods.