Andie Mechanic – “Cosmic Solitude”
-There’s a subtlety to this track that won me over from first listen. The delicate vocal is balanced perfectly in the midst of an instrumentation that sometimes feels like soft indie pop, yet in other moments soars to this big expressive (almost cinematic) style. The consistent quality throughout the track is the lead vocal, which seems to have equal parts gentleness and power. The line, “no I don’t need anyone” is a declaration that defines the track. The way the layered production hits around the 1:20 mark really makes the track feel exceptional. I’m not sure I have a good comp for this track (maybe Abby Holiday?), but it’s a sound that absolutely deserves your time to sit down and lean in for connection. It means something to know that someone is out there just waiting for your call when you need them most; what a sentiment.
Nate Harris – “I’m Gonna Try”
-I’m pretty sure from the first time I heard this song, I was put into a Tom Petty kind of mood. I know he’s one of the deans of folk rock music, so I don’t make that comparison lightly. There’s an easy going energy to this track that feels just right; it’s a chill rhythmic structure and a straightforward lyric about putting forth an effort (often despite the circumstances). The line about not being able to tell your friend from your enemy feels right currently. There’s something about the dramatic turn from the end of the verse into the chorus that connects every time. If you’re a fan of Petty-style folk rock from the 70s, you’ll definitely find a lot to like in this track from Nate Harris.
Lauren Wanamaker – “Face to Face”
-Good storytelling Americana pulls me right in and makes me feel like I’m a part of the journey. Something about this recording feels like I’m sitting right on the porch with Wanamaker, listening to the band. I feel like I need to swat the flies out of my face as I listen because the mood is so completely, viscerally befitting of a southern summer day. The vocal, the composition, and definitely the fiddle work feels like the genuine article. There’s something about the expressiveness in the lead vocal here that just makes you believe every darn word (and once that steel guitar enters, it gets all the more meaningful). I’m not a professional lyricist, but the image that I get from these lines has something to do with finally connecting with someone (family?) that you couldn’t connect with… maybe because of life stage or patterns of behavior. It’s almost a longing of desiring to finally connect with them. I may be projecting here, but it’s what I feel. It’s got that perfect balance of visceral imagery alongside slightly abstract lyrics that allow all of us to hear and connect with something different. Great tune.
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