Micah Sage – “Let Me Go”
-I listen to a lot of music, so it’s not every day that I get those good chills… and I get them with this song from Micah Sage. I dare say the intimate vocal style is what makes this song so wonderful. The easy going acoustic work is enjoyable, but there’s this delicate energy to the vocal that really stands out from the crowd. I hesitate to compare Sage to any contemporaries, but the closest is probably Lizzy McAlpine (and anyone who knows me personally knows this is the year of Lizzy). Anyone in that conversation – with these delicate, emotional, well-delivered lines – is certainly capturing my attention. I adore the sentimentality of the melody, the sincerity in the lyrics, and the overall energy of the track. It’s exceptional.
Zach Collester – “The Second I Could Drive”
-Any song that starts with a line about Tyler Childers is sure to put a smile on my face. There’s something cathartic about Collester’s writing style; it feels calm and chill, even though it’s a pretty heavy emotional topic to address. The cool acoustic work provides a nice basis to the thoughtful lyrical work. The line about questioning if the “best is yet to come” is certainly relatable for me. A lot about this song – the dreaming, the action, the fear, the sincerity – really works for me. It’s weird when someone you don’t know writes a deeply personal song and it feels so real. I get that with this one. Thank you, Zach.
Mike McKenna Jr. – “Long Sable Isle”
-I tell people all the time that what we look for in folk music is a good narrative style. If it sounds like it could have been recorded in 1950 or last week, that’s probably going to do well with us. This track from Mike McKenna Jr. has exactly that kind of “fresh take on an old fashioned sound” feeling to it. It’s ultimately a love song… or, maybe better put a “waiting for love” song. The calm acoustic work and sincere vocal expression makes it work. I adore the fiddle break on the bridge that makes it feel like a traditional hill country tune that many of us can relate to from our backgrounds. Fans of Tyler Childers and Colter Wall should take some time to spin this track; McKenna deserves to be in that company.
Image courtesy: Micah Sage IG
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