MAAR – “Seismic”
-There’s an antiquated style to this song, but I mean that in the best way possible. Maybe another word for it is “timeless,” but the notion of an antique sound just tickles my fancy today. The vocals are unhurried, careful, and well placed. There’s a real artful, almost poetic element of phrasing in this song. Not all folk songs are created equal and this one feels like it combines vintage jazz with Greenwich Village era folk renaissance in a way that makes musicologists squeal on the inside. Take a deep breath, gently close your eyes, and feel the movement of this one (pun intended).
St. Catherine’s Child – “Leave a Light On”
-The atmospheric opening of this track made me think I was watching a documentary or cinematic work, but as the folk acoustic entered the track I felt something completely different… this is peace. If you ever had the dream of monsters under your bed as a child, this song will bring back some core memories. The notion of bringing light to our “monsters” is actually a transcendent and powerful expression. I love the depth and sincerity of this track. It reminds me of so much of the early 21st century folk revival. The phrasing, the writing, and the texture of this track feels too good to be true. I hope folks like Jeffrey Martin and Anna Tivel get to hear this, but St Catherine’s Child is absolutely in that same conversation and company with contemporary folk music.
pocket berries – “come”
-I kid you not, today on my walk I saw some raspberries and thought about putting them in my pocket to bring home. Now here we are listening to this lovely folk tune that highlights vocal harmonies and a crispy harmonica. The harmony style reminds me of a band called Pebaluna that I featured years ago. The artful folk styling here is bouncy at times, yet also has an introspective depth to it as well. The phrase about still loving someone even while the world falls apart feels absolutely… um… relatable right now. If all we have is to be together, I guess that’s still pretty lovely. Music like this fills my soul, even when the world seems to be spinning off it’s ever-loving axis.
Image courtesy: St Catherine’s Child IG
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