Mara Connor – “Joe”
-If you’ve been looking for a new indie folk songstress to fall for, Mara Connor might just be the one for you. There’s something seemingly timeless about the production here. It feels like it could have been written any time from about the mid-70s until the present. There’s a genuineness in the vocal that feels like listening to an old friend tell a story. The steel guitar does a wonderful job of creating a textured soundscape. The overall energy of the track is relaxed, sitting perfectly in the modern Americana energy with glowing AM Gold style production that feels just delightful. I’m going to throw out a comp for my early 2000s folk revival readers… but Connor reminds me a bit of Heather Robb from the band the Spring Standards. That’s high praise in my book.
HD Bradley – “old porch light”
-I grew up in a time and place where porch lights meant a lot; it meant you were allowed to be out a bit longer in the summer time. Out on the rural fringes of suburbia, porches were a signal for neighbors to stop by for a chat. That familiar connectivity seems evident in this song. The main instrumentation is a balance between a guitar and a banjo for a lighthearted folksy Americana sound. The vocal feels comfortable and easy going, just the right amount of emphasis for the relaxed sound of the production. Lyrically, the song is about playing music to cope with heartache. There’s some unique, experimental chord work in the second half that moves away from typical predictable pop folk music and encourages the listener to feel the unsettled nature of the emotional message of the song with a newfound ardor. This one is definitely worth checking out.
Hero Magnus – “Blues Song”
-This is a song about hate. It’s actually a song about shared hate; it’s about taking on the fight of someone you care about, hating one of their enemies on their behalf. The song has a traditional folksy Americana flavor that resonates nicely. The star of the show is, definitely, the lead vocal. There’s something about having such scathing and angry lyrics coming from such a delicate vocal style. This really taps into the timeless tradition in country music of expressing emotions through song. For our sake, let’s hope Hero Magnus didn’t do anything too rash in this situation. We need this lovely artist making more music for us, not going to jail for getting in a fight with a shared enemy. The comparison I’ll make here is with Olivia Ellen Lloyd (who won my song of the year a few years back, so I’m a huge fan). Give this one a spin and tap your toes along the way.
Image courtesy: Hero Magnus IG
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