Three tracks at the magical intersection of folk and rock music

Ynes Mon – “Same Things”
-So I like the opening of this song but I love the chromatic chord work on the chorus. This song captures a lot of what I like in music; there’s an emotional ethos that covers the whole track. Heck, even the lyrics are relatable. I know what it’s like to be stuck thinking about the same thing all day long. Sometimes they are obsessively good, but often they are obsessively bad. I appreciate the nod to the rhinestone cowboy, a hat tip to music history but also a nice expression of the glitz and glamor of appearance over substance. This is such a clever tune at the intersection of two of our favorite genres; it works well here.

Abby Rose – “Tomorrow”
-I’ll be honest, I’ve overlooked this song a few times. I don’t mean that as an insult at all, though. What I mean is that the song has such a unique flavor and style that I’m not sure where to put it. Is it folk? Yes. Is it also a power pop song? Yes. Is it expressive and beautiful with a sense that might also fit with some of our indie pop coverage? Also yes. But here we are. And it’s a wonderful song with a colorful melodic structure and a solid vocal. I appreciate how the string work in the background creates a theatrical sense of depth and movement in the song. The lyrics highlight the importance of staying together to see how things will play out. I’m not sure if it’s about a pending breakup or a begging for someone to return, but it’s ultimately the kind of song that anyone missing a close connection will be able to relate. This is a powerful piece of songwriting and worth your time for a listen.

Sean Davis Newton – “Gasoline”
-Okay so this song is one of those tracks that we say is a bit “on the nose.” I don’t like to get into politics here, so I’ll leave Newton to make his own statement there. But I can tell you why I like the song so much; it’s got a fascinating snarky lyrical style and a genuinely good performance style. It’s an allegory about all the things that make our world so inherently divisive today. I appreciate that the style has a dash of Jeremy Messersmith or even Joe Purdy, all while bringing in an Americana vibey sound that feels almost theatrical in moments. It’s hard to categorize a track like this, but it’s definitely worth taking a bit of time to consider the style and substance here. Also, it’s worth mentioning the Frenchman Street style horn work that gives the song a wonderfully bouncy jazz style that feels quintessentially American and well worth the time to listen.

Image courtesy: Ynes Mon IG