In my head I tend break down Americana into two different sides of the coin, what I like to call “neon and gold”. Belwood favourites Evening Darling are already well acquainted with the latter; the warm and inviting side that soundtracks the open road, golden summer days, and a lust for adventure. With their new single ‘Invitations’ however they explore their darker side and shift into “neon” territory. A more bittersweet, indie-tinged affair that instead conjures up images of a night spent wandering under city lights in search of meaning. Penned from the perspective of someone gripped by obsession, the contemplative atmosphere and haunting backing vocals do a superb job of adding to the feeling of being lost and alone. With a driving bass line, shimmering synths, and all the moving melodies you could ever ask for thanks to Erica Lane’s mesmeric vocals, it seems Evening Darling are just as at home under neon lights as under golden sunsets. The band have expertly expanded their sound, while still remaining true to who they are.
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Top Tracks: Mesadorm – When She’s In That Mood
Here is a track that revels in the two most powerful forces known to man: love, and nature herself. Recorded in Eype Church in Bridport, this stunning single is about as elegant and entrancing as they come. Inspired by the English coastline, and a love affair as tumultuous as the waves crashing upon the shore, this classically inspired track carries a profound ageless quality. ‘When She’s In That Mood’, taken from Mesadorm’s forthcoming album Epicadus out 19th April, talks of a love as wild, as unpredictable, and as all-consuming as the ocean itself. To look out from the coast at the endless untameable sea before you, small and powerless to its whim, is what it is to surrender your heart to someone completely. It can so easily sweep you away, but its call remains inescapable.
Top Tracks: JACQ – Oblivion
How would you face your end? If you were staring down the barrel of the end of everything you know, what would be going through your mind? It’s a pretty dark and unique focus in terms of songwriting, and Rich Jacques brings it to life in this introspective new solo track inspired by 2018’s false missile alert in Hawaii. When faced with the eponymous oblivion, JACQ reacts here with admirable tranquility, taking time to savour those final moments instead of spending them in fear of the unknown. Indeed, it turns a terrifying situation into a dreamy love ballad. Revelling in the fact that not a single moment is wasted when it’s spend with someone you love, embracing death with no regrets and leaving this world thinking of the one who holds your heart. It’s such a profoundly powerful message and JACQ delivers it beautifully.
Album Review: Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?Spotlight!: Jane Silver
These days folk just seems synonymous with “acoustic”. Often all that links various folk acts is the use of a simplified, stripped-back arrangement. Not to say that’s a bad thing, we love modern folk, but at the same time it could be so much more. It could connect with its roots, in tales and tunes passed down through generations, or it could look forward and push the genre into more exploratory forms. Barcelona born singer-songwriter Jane Silver manages to do a bit of both on her debut EP Wooden Fortress.
The aptly titled ‘Medieval Song’ draws from deep-rooted English folk traditions and feels like an age-old song given new life. Meanwhile, ‘The More You Say It The Less I Believe It’ feels like a vision of folk from the future. Reminiscent of Led Zeppelin’s third record, it takes a more progressive turn with its faint Eastern vibes and off kilter rhythms, but still manages to draw you in with some ethereal vocals and bright mandolin. ‘The Woman With Flowers’ and ‘Invisible Spiders’ (the latter being literally my worst nightmare) carry a mystical feel as though they’re long forgotten Grimm’s fairy tales put to song. The EP’s title track is the most upbeat and conventional track found here, which just makes it stand out and let its beauty radiate all the more. Aglow with childlike innocence and nostalgia, the imaginative lyricism is this release’s crowning glory.
Fans of Joni Mitchell, and the folky side of Led Zeppelin and Hozier, should check out Jane Silver’s new EP Wooden Fortress.
Album Review: Supercaan – Supercaan
Supercaan – SupercaanTop Tracks: Andrée Theander – Words I’ve Never Used
I do love a song that knows how to kick things up a notch. Those moments when you’re just drifting along in still waters and suddenly the floodgates open and you can’t help but get caught up in the rush. That’s not to say the softer moments that start ‘Words I’ve Never Used’ don’t have heaps of charm and character, and some impressive acoustic guitar to boot, but it’s in the latter half that Swedish singer/songwriter Andrée Theander really shows us what he’s made of. This Americana tinged arena rock anthem delivers potent hooks to draw you in deeper, with gritty vocals reminiscent in places of Chris Daughtry. Though lyrically it deals with constant bickering breaking down a relationship, when it comes to the song itself ‘Word I’ve Never Used’ carries an infectious vibe that simply can’t be argued with.
Album Review: JAWS – The Ceiling
JAWS – The CeilingTop Tracks: Junaco – Willow
You know those times when a whole season seems to pass you by in a single day? Every time you look out the window the weather is doing something different. You see your surroundings change so starkly in such a short space of time, see a different side to them in dreary drizzle, blue skies, or golden sunsets. I get that same feeling from this new single from LA duo Junaco. The aptly named ‘Willow’ has the uncanny ability to shift and bend into whatever shape the pair will it. The dark, gothic folk opening becomes slowly imbued with bright melodies, warm Americana guitar tones begin to ring out, before they change things up even further by swapping vocal duties and throwing some jangly indie pop guitar and expressive drums into the mix. All this variety, this spectrum of emotions, yet all connected by a single unifying thread.
Top Tracks: Niko – Myself
It’s great to find something new, but let it be said that there is certainly a special charm to be found in the familiar. After all, that’s how most of us discover new music; we hear something we like and say “I want more!”. Case in point the new track from Dutch band Niko is such an inviting amalgamation of elements from songs and artists that I adore. ‘Myself’, already a brilliant critique of the break-down of our self-centred society, also boasts a main riff reminiscent of Rush’s ‘Limelight’, a soaring solo akin to that found in The Only Ones’ ‘Another Girl Another Planet’, and vocals that are sure to win over fans of classic indie. What’s more impressive is that this potent patchwork proves to be greater than the sum of its parts, injecting much of their own character into the infectious melodies.
Belwood Music 