Entering their 30s, New York roots rockers Mail the Horse commit to the same youthful abandon as they have with previous releases. However, with the release of their self-titled LP just around the bend, the band’s Michael “Hess” Hesslein and Mike “Donny” Amidon find themselves focusing inwardly on the post-party blues. READ MORE…
First released in 1989, Shawn Colvin’s album, Steady On,was an auspicious debut, the arrival of a new voice in American singer-songwriter circles. Continuing a tradition forged by the likes of Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, and Jackson Browne, the album contained songs such as “Shotgun Down the Avalanche”, “Diamond in the Rough”, and “Something to Believe In”, songs that demonstrated Colvin’s ability to reveal fully-formed characters whose struggles and triumphs were both familiar and intriguing.
Judy Blank is about to achieve a milestone for Dutch artists, set to be the first one to perform at AmericanaFest later this month. Blank has since garnered international acclaim for her emotive songwriting. Blank’s 2018 LP, Morning Sun, is awash with American folk influence, inspired by a trip to the U.S. that she had taken following the release of her debut album. Present on the album is “1995”, a nostalgic folk song that has Blank mournfully reflect on the feelings of entrapment that she had felt with a past love. Sweet acoustic instrumentation works alongside Blank’s warm vocal delivery to delicately craft each heartfelt rumination, making for an ensnaring listen.
After uploading the aptly-titled “Demo no. 1” to SoundCloud around a year ago, Live Miranda Solberg found herself something of a viral sensation. The Norwegian folk artist was invited to play Øya and by:Larm festivals without an official solo release to her name. Given her work with Americana outfit Silver Lining, this isn’t her first time in the spotlight, but it is with the wispier elegance of her new solo effort, Louien. Now, she is preparing for the release of her solo debut, None of My Words, on 20 September via Jansen.
The story goes that the Good Graces started on an impulse, when Kim Ware bought her acoustic guitar, Buzzy, from Lakewood Antiques Market in 2006. The artist was well regarded as a drummer in the Atlanta scene, but she and Buzzy proved to be a perfect duo as songs began to flow out from them. Now, the Good Graces are a revered indie-folk collective known for delivering evocative songwriting, and in those regards, “Snow Angels” is no different. The song strikes a chord of spiritual beauty about keeping ties with your loved ones even after they’ve gone. It hits a poignant blend of emotions in the subtle buildup towards its crescendo, where Ware’s reflective vocals are met by a broad stroke of folk instrumentation that, together, evoke their full sentiment.
Since debuting in the early aughts, Sofia Talvik has garnered recognition for her vocal clarity. A keen songwriter, the indie folk artist crafts beautiful soundscapes of subtle, rootsy timbres that place the pristine storyteller’s voice at their center. In this case of developing savvy arrangements that highlight her haunting vocals, the roots music that Talvik develops is of a similar tapestry to Joni Mitchell, tapping into that same knack for soul-stirring clarity and resonance. Between, however, is something of a different nature. Open-air production sets the scene for an evocative and atmospheric release from the Swedish folk artist, coming in the form of an upcoming album, Paws of a Bear.