Wild Earp – “Florida Lee”
-Ok I’m admittedly a sucker for play on words, so the “Florida Lee” and “fleur-de-lis” works really well. Instrumentally, the steel guitar kind of steals the show for me on this one. The vocal is great, sitting right in the center of the mix. The overall energy of the track is toe-tappingly good. The fiddle break is wonderful and the guitars do a nice job. The rhythm section keeps it moving along. This is what Americana is all about with clever songwriting, genuine performance, and an overall vibe that feels like the genuine article.
Paper Towns – “Oh Misery”
-When I find a good folk song, I just feel better. It’s like fresh air after you’ve been cooped up too long. I feel that when I click play on this song from Paper Towns. It’s a clear, easy going folk anthem that just makes you want to tap your toe and sing along. The vocal harmonies are subtle enough to feel comfortable, but are the keystone linking the whole track together. The guitars are perfectly mixed here, allowing them to carry the weight of the melody without overwhelming the other elements of the track. This is just a really great tune with a lovely sonic balance. I’ll be putting this on a playlist or two.
Plastic Harpoons – “Haunt Me Forever”
-I don’t make this comparison very often, but Plastic Harpoons might be the closest sound to Good Old War as I have heard in the past few years (and yes, they are one of my favorite bands of ALL TIME). This sound… the great vocal harmonies and overall light folk energy… is absolutely outstanding. The lead vocal cuts through the composition while the string work provides a light bed of folk instrumentation that is comfortable to the ear and allows the listener to connect with the lyrical message. Which, by the way, is also interesting; the thought of “the one that got away” being more of a haunting presence is absolutely dynamic. This is an excellent song, and frankly, one of the best we have ever received on Groover. What a gem!
Honolulu O’Dughi – “Freight Train Rollin’ Down the Track”
-It doesn’t get more Americana than a train song. I love the timeless style here. One could imagine Jimmie Rodgers writing a song like this a hundred years ago. The bluesy guitar, piano, and harmonica all feel just right. It’s just the kind of song you could imagine coming out of the smoky bars on Frenchman Street. I’m a huge fan of the stand up bass and traditional overall energy of the sound. It always gives me chills when I realize I’m listening to music that my long-passed grandfather and I would have enjoyed together. Timeless blues… makes the heart grow fonder. What a treat!
Ali Bevan – “Been A While”
-Just when you think you’ve heard it all in acoustic folk music, someone writes a song like this that stops me right in my tracks. Something about the chord progression reminds me subtle and sweet tunes like “Something” by George Harrison. There are these almost cinematic elements to this song that takes just the right amount of risk, an almost dreamlike quality. Then there are these other grounded elements that are exactly what I love about good folk music. The fact that Bevan captures all of it in this same sonic experience fills me with emotion and the incredible urge to click play again. I’m sure there’s a fancy musicological word for the half step chord progressions, but I don’t know what it’s called… I just know that I dig the feeling and Bevan’s vocal work is just the right amount of projection so as to stand out but not overwhelm. The whole recording is great and I hope listeners will give this one a shot.
Cover art courtesy: Ali Bevan IG
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