Browsing Tag

Americana Folk

The Gillies Shattered Stirred Scarred Souls with Americana Folk Reverence in ‘It Hit Me Like a Bullet’

Posted on 29 April 2025

There’s no escaping the arcane aura of It Hit Me Like a Bullet, the latest release from the award-winning contemporary Americana folk duo, The Gillies. Through shimmering organ tones that swell around the arrangement and seraphically panoramic vocals, the single welcomes Americana Folk home on London’s streets. The Gillies – Susan Turner and Mark Evans – have long been revered for weaving steel-strung and tenor guitars into haunting odes to love, loss, and tangled relationships. True to their reputation for creating ‘music for your graveside’, they set raw emotions free without straying into needless theatrics.

It Hit Me Like a Bullet is salvation in sound, an invitation to tend psychological wounds no matter how raw. The imagery the cinematically intimate arrangement conjures transcends the more than a thousand words phenomenon, unchaining the soul, giving it permission to feel as free as the breezy melodies within the track.

If you know how it feels to find your feet after life broadsides you with perpetually unravelling perplexity, find your peace in the authentic euphony of It Hit Me Like a Bullet. The Gillies, whose previous works like ‘6am’ earned accolades such as Best Single in the GSMC Music Awards 2023 and selections for Fatea Magazine’s showcase sessions, continue to affirm why their understated melodies and timeless themes resonate on both local and international stages.

It Hit Me Like a Bullet is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Dust-Stained Dreams and Sky-Wide Hymns: ‘Dreamer’ by Olav Larsen & The Alabama Rodeo Stars

Posted on 23 April 2025

https://open.spotify.com/track/12jqSXPrgVGA7M3Bj55iSf?si=d2a3872922744c36

‘Dreamer’, lifted from Stream of Consciousness Vol. 2 by Olav Larsen & The Alabama Rodeo Stars, traverses the most affecting intersections between the avenues of Americana, Alt-Country, and Folk Rock while conjuring a blissfully ethereal manifestation of roots-deep reverie. It’s gospel for anyone who calls the open road home and finds sanctuary within the horizons of a free imagination.

Olav Larsen & The Alabama Rodeo Stars work with a rare sense of serenity and synergy to deliver a sound that instantly transports you to the panorama of soul they paint through harmony, cutting folk strings, and bluesy guitar licks that ground the release in virtuosic cultivation. It takes a rare breed of musician to make innovative passion feel like a timeless portal to a time when life was simpler and sanctity was easier to find, but clearly, Olav Larsen knows exactly how to deliver sonic solace to wearied nostalgia-inclined minds.

For nearly two decades, the Norwegian country purist has channelled his love for traditional songwriting into a raw, heartfelt sound shaped by the weight of Hank Williams, Bob Dylan, John Prine, and Neil Young. As always, his voice carries a weathered resonance that doesn’t posture or reach—it simply lays truth bare. Stream of Consciousness Vol. 2 broadens the blueprint laid out in the first volume, offering a more expansive, full-band experience without losing the poetic intimacy that defines Larsen’s approach.

Dreamer is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast.

Connor Bettencourt’s ‘House of Cards’ Stacks Emotional Intensity on a Shaky Foundation

Posted on 20 February 2025

With the fervour of acoustic folk punk and the raw magnetism of Americana, Connor Bettencourt’s latest single, House of Cards, bridges folk intersections while shattering the illusion of stability with frenetic strings and a vocal performance that drags vulnerability into the spotlight. His jaggedly chopping fretwork slices through bluesier angular notes, creating a duality that mirrors the push and pull between emotional defiance and confession.

While plenty of artists latch onto the concept of resilience, few acknowledge how brittle it can be. Bettencourt doesn’t try to spin triumph from hardship; he lets the cracks show, making House of Cards one of the most relatable folk releases of the year. Each note and lyric submerges you further into its storm while holding a mirror to the turbulence within.

The weight of Bettencourt’s honesty, paired with the kinetic energy of his guitar strings, ensures House of Cards leaves an imprint. His talent knows no bounds, and neither does the resonance of this track. Fans of artists like Frank Turner and Shakey Graves will find plenty to sink their teeth into here. House of Cards is now available to stream on all major platforms.

House of Cards was officially released on January 31; stream the single on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Saint Senara’s ‘Lost Lisa Marie’: Where Sothern Gothic Folk Blues and Ghosts Collide

Posted on 2 February 2025

Saint Senara’s latest single, Lost Lisa Marie, demonstrates the award-winning singer-songwriter duo’s unrelenting commitment to crafting southern gothic folk with depth and distinction. Since their 2020 inception, their evolution has led to a sound that combines blues rock’s raw intensity, folk’s piercingly poetic imagery, and the atmospheric richness of Americana.

The haunting arrangement in Lost Lisa Marie invites listeners into a vivid sonic panorama. Blues rock guitars, distorted crescendos, and angular riffs collide to create an audibly tactile experience. As the powerhouse chanteuse’s vocals re-emerge over the brash blues-rock climax, her delivery cuts through the chaos with grace, grounding the intensity in rich, emotive clarity.

Far removed from the pitfalls of pastiche, Saint Senara imbue their sound with authenticity and power, allowing Lost Lisa Marie to unfold like a narrative in motion, leaving space for reflection as much as visceral connection.

For fans of blues-soaked Americana and raw poetic intensity, this is a track that will leave your pulse racing out of rhythm and your finger hovering over the replay button. Off the back of their successful headline shows in 2024, Lost Lisa Marie is both a standalone triumph and a stepping stone towards what promises to be an uncompromising future.

Lost Lisa Marie will be available to stream on all platforms from January 31^st. Find your preferred way to listen via the band’s official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spotlight Feature: Isiah & the New People became the defining voice in modern folk with ‘Did You Run?’

Posted on 11 January 2025

‘Did You Run?’ by Isiah & The New People opens with Isiah’s natural finesse as a rhythmatist, his skill on the fretboard drawing you in before the Western psych melodies begin to swell and pirouette with the kind of synergy that only comes from a collective with a shared artistic pulse. The union between the instrumental energy and vocal emotion is undeniable; it’s a back-and-forth exchange that feels both intimate and uncontainable.

With some of the most affecting vocals heard from Isiah & The New People so far, the trembled timbres of vibrato are flawlessly pitched, amplifying the bittersweet poignancy of the questioning narrative. The affection that drives every progression offers a moving undercurrent, even amidst the uncertainty that saturates the vignette.

Following the success of their debut EP Boxes, which set a strong tone for 2024, Isiah & The New People have gone from strength to herculean strength. ‘Did You Run?’ is another clear step in their rise, demonstrating their ability to merge heartfelt storytelling with immeasurably talented artistry.

As we tentatively step into 2025, it’s becoming increasingly evident that Isiah & The New People are gearing up to be one of the most promising breakthrough acts of the year.

Did You Run hit the airwaves on December 28^th; stream the single on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Through the Wire: The Poetic Resonance of Mike Maurice’s ‘Telephone’

Posted on 11 October 2024

Mike Maurice’s latest single, ‘Telephone‘ intercepted the static of formulaic melodies by belying the minimalist instrumentalism with the profound euphony in the production. Nestled within the contours of indie folk and brushed with Americana hues, telephone orchestrates an ambient symphony where the instrumentals speak as profoundly as the lyrics.

Maurice’s skill in merging soul-stirring acoustic layers with his poignant narrative stitches together a sonic space where the deeply, almost shamefully, personal transmutes into the universally relatable.

telephone intertwines the melancholy of isolation with a lyrical richness that peaks with the confession, “I want the truth so bad I’d even lie.” This line alone encapsulates the dual nature of truth and deception, weaving them into the fabric of the affecting release, which was born through a collaboration between Mike Maurice and Danny Black of Good Old War and a pedal steel player from Gregory Alan Isakov’s ensemble.

From the rustic town of Biddeford, Maine, Mike Maurice has made a name for himself, coming out of the shadows of the John Mayer and Bon Iver comparisons. Maurice, alongside his seven-piece ensemble, continues to foster a sense of community at each performance, their collective sound reverberating through venues renowned and intimate alike.

Telephone will be available to stream on all major platforms, including YouTube, from October 11^th.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Chris Bannister unleashed the black dog of depression in his latest Americana folk vignette, William, You Lied

Posted on 27 July 2024

The roots-reverent folk singer-songwriter, Chris Bannister, broke the radio silence which followed the successful release of his 2020 album, Truth, with his latest lyrically panoramic single, William, You Lied.

Taken from the UK-residing professional musician’s upcoming sophomore album, The Calling Course, which is due for release in August, William, You Lied is a sonically stripped, tonally paralysing, emotionally charged vignette of how heavy depression weighs on the soul and how it clouds vision with confusion and loss of direction.

The single, which follows the release of seven critically acclaimed LPs, aches with authenticity as Chris Bannister takes influence from folk greats in the vein of Cohen, Nick Drake, and Steve Earl while using his distinctive Americana-tinged acoustic folk signature to scribe a striking account of the all-consuming afflictions imposed by a melancholy mind.

William, You Lied was officially released on July 26^th; stream the single on Spotify and discover more about Chris Bannister via his official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lounna orchestrated the sound of spring into her indie-folk Americana release, Peak Season

Posted on 16 February 2024

Lounna orchestrated the sound of spring into her latest indie-folk reverie, Peak Season; a single that resonates with the soul’s longing for renewal and connection.

The Pittsburgh-based multi-instrumentalist, drawing inspiration from the likes of Bear’s Den and First Aid Kit, infused her latest single, taken from her Garden for Winter LP, with a unique blend of indie, folk, Americana and naturalism, and signalled her departure from her more whimsical approach to songwriting from her debut. By delving into more profound themes of mental health, resilience, and hope. The single is a harmonious amalgamation of lyrical depth and orchestral richness, with crystalline vocal harmonies commanding the ensemble with an effortless grace.

The track opens with a melodic embrace that gently uplifts the listener, symbolising the shedding of winter’s weariness. Lounna’s voice, soothing yet potent, weaves through the instrumentation with a narrative that echoes candour and resounds through universal relatability.

The orchestral backdrop, carefully crafted with Slate’s collaborator Daniel Blake, adds a panoramic dimension to the song, allowing each instrument to converse and complement the vocals, rather than overpower them. Peak Season allows you to stand at the shores of your own introspection while washing over you as a cathartic release from the clutches of life’s darker moments. It’s a sublime feat of originality and expression, that has left us with bated breath to see what’s to come from Lounna.

Stream Peak Season from February 16^th on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Luanne Hunt strummed soul strings in her poignant echo of Americana, The Vice

Posted on 30 January 2024

In Luanne Hunt’s 2024 album, Miles & Memories, the single, The Vice, is a standout feature in the series of vignettes, soul-stirringly portrayed through the lens of Americana folk nostalgia.

The lyrical journey is a testament to Hunt’s magnetism as a storyteller and musician. The song’s stripped-back arrangement, accentuated by the haunting resonance of folk strings, creates an intimate soundscape that allows Hunt’s narrative to take centre stage.

The Vice is a serenade that delves into the life of a man ensnared by hedonistic desires, a theme that resonates with the album’s overarching exploration of human experiences and memories. Hunt’s portrayal of this lone wolf ‘king of bluff’, with his penchant for Jim Bean, is both evocative and empathetic. Even those who live by the live and let live ethos will come to pity the protagonist. Hunt’s ability to paint vivid portraits and bring you emotionally in tune with them is unparalleled.

Each note and chord was meticulously chosen to complement the storytelling. The quiver of the strings not only reverberates through the heart but also underscores the emotional depth of the lyrics. Luanne Hunt, with her 24th album, has created a piece of profound resonance, which transcends the boundaries of genre and style. We can’t wait to hear the 25th.

The Miles & Memories was officially released on January 15. It is now available to stream in full on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Never look at apocalyptic fiction the same again after losing yourself in McKay’s indie-folk earworm, Last Man Alive

Posted on 28 January 2024

Staying true to folk roots while not getting entrenched in its antiquities, the Nashville indie folk quartet McKay made the genre relevant for this generation with their larger-than-life rendition of their latest single, Last Man Alive.

If you have ever immersed yourself in apocalyptic sci-fi media and wondered if you would have the determination to endeavour or simply submit to the same fate that removed the majority of the planet, you’ll hear familiar thoughts and questions echoed back at you. But McKay goes even further by touching on all of the ways that we make sense of space and time as society keeps on buzzing away. It’s impossible not to become caught up in a state of contemplation as you listen to the harmonica blow over the raw folk chords and Hudson Haining’s pontificating vocals, which bring you right into the introspective world the promising outfit constructed.

With the evocative pull of Deathcab for Cutie fused with the sonics of Neutral Milk Hotel, McKay’s sound is original as it is intimately affecting.

Last Man Alive will be available to stream on all major platforms from January 28; stream it on SoundCloud first.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

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