Three new tracks at the intersection of folk and pop music that will put a big smile on your face

Alexa Kate – “Forever”
-If you’re a fan of indie pop music, then you’re definitely on the right website. I’ve been featuring music in this subgenre for a few years and it continues to impress me with new sounds like this excellent track from Alexa Kate. Everything from the gentle guitar to the outstanding vocal, it’s a sound that feels familiar and connected. I don’t like to throw around comps too flippantly, but I don’t think it’s too wild to say that Alexa Kate has a vocal in the realm of Lizzy McAlpine. There’s a particularly intimate element to this track that I have a hard time putting into words. The lyrical message about “everything changing” is a bit too relatable right now. The focus on “forever” seems tenuous at best, so if you’re in a transitional period of life (or just living in this rapidly changing world), this song will feel like a grounding. You’re not alone.

The Brook and the Bluff – “Baby Blue”
-The defining characteristic of this track is definitely the vocal harmony. I just couldn’t bring myself NOT to cover this wonderful track. But you know what, just listen a little closer than you usually would to an ordinary folksy tune and you’ll hear some lyrics that are sure to put a big ole smile on your face. The lyrical turns of phrases with varieties of blue is clever, for sure. I really love the way the song brings together all of these unique layers from the easy going folk rock core to the gentle harmonies and the captivating lyrics. It’s a truly complete recording. To be honest, it’s the kind of song that I don’t just want to listen to… I want to live in the world that it creates. I hope that makes sense and I don’t sound like a crazy person. But if you get it, you are probably smiling and nodding your head along with me. Rock on.

Savanna Leigh – “nothing yet”
-Years ago, I decided on a lifelong affinity for any music that is, effectively, “a girl and her piano.” It could be Norah Jones or Sara Bareilles… and in this instance, it’s Savanna Leigh. The piano is wonderful, setting a particularly bright indie pop mood, but it’s the vocal that really steals the day for me. The overall mood of the track feels like it’s romantic, hopeful, yet has this almost tragic emotionalism that feels heavy and current. I think (and I’m no lyrical expert) it’s about the ending of a relationship that “could have been,” in a way that highlights both what it was and what it could have been. The line “we’ll never be more than friends that kiss…” wow. This is delicate, emotional, intimate, and the absolute manifestation of what I love about well-written indie pop music (with a folk storyteller’s soul). This is delightful.