“Turkey Vulture” acts as a powerful opener to the record, kicking it off with some striking mandolin, twinkling piano, and breezy swaying melodies. Steadily, the band layers walls of guitar and pounding drums into the track, letting it build from a sunny indie folk meditation into a mountainous rock stomp.
“Nothing disturbs the good time feeling of such experienced musicians playing together. Without a doubt the standout track here, for me, is the traditional Shady Grove (a love song that has a closer relationship with the English version of the ballad ‘Matty Grove’ – as recorded by Fairport Convention) The band give it a lively outing with Lee’s mandolin taking a lead alongside Mayock’s baritone guitar.”
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Diane Hubka & the Sun Canyon Band, You Never Can Tell. Diane Hubka built her career as a jazz singer but on this album, she applies her unaffected vocals to folk music. Backup comes from a talented band of multi-instrumentalists as well as guest Albert Lee, the veteran British musician known for his fingerstyle guitar work.
Now, First Listen brings back The Savants of Soul spotlighting their latest single, “For Another.” A quiet soulful piano intro leads into a crisp foundation of brass and rhythm section providing the frosting for Mandy Ferwerda’s blues-drenched voice. While the storyline may reflect justified frustration (“I’m not his girl anymore”), The Savants of Soul render their stories with confidence and authenticity. A true testament to southern soul from Gainesville to Muscle Shoals and beyond. Enjoy “For Another.”
It can be tough to keep track of all the new music coming out in 2023. Impossible, really. But we can certainly try to cover the ones that stand out.
Daisy Jones & The Six: Aurora
Ella Vos: Superglue
Elvis Costello: The Songs of Bacharach & Costello
Fake Names: Expendables
Kate NV: Wow
Macklemore: Ben
Ron Gallo: Foreground Music
slowthai: Ugly
Tanukichan: GIZMO
The Minks: Creatures of Culture
Whitney Walker: A Dog Staring Into a Mirror
Xiu Xiu: Ignore Grief