Browsing Tag

Nashville Folk

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

Mikey Wayne – Coming Home: A Cuttingly Flawless Folk Confession

Posted on 27 January 2024

Mikey Wayne’s latest single, Coming Home, stands out as a remarkable addition to the folk genre, exuding a sincerity that captivates from the first chord. This single, a confluence of Nashville country and Wayne’s Southern Californian and Alabaman influences, offers an intimate glimpse into the soul of its creator.

The song’s strength lies in its raw honesty and the profound way Wayne owns his imperfections. He eloquently expresses the nuances of a relationship’s push and pull, encapsulating the struggle and beauty of growth within a partnership. Lyrics such as “If you’ll have me baby, I’m coming home” cuts like a knife of resonance while the gentle tenacity in the acoustic guitar strings amplifies the precision of the incision by echoing the universal yearning for acceptance and love. He may not have spoken for us all word for word, but we can all find a piece of ourselves within the single.

The official music video for Coming Home, which was recorded in Echo Mountain Studios, premiered on YouTube on January 26th.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Laura Mustard extended a folk-pop invitation into the wild with ‘Will You Go Walking?’

Posted on 6 December 2023

As the days get darker and the chill in the air compels us to stay indoors, the folk singer-songwriter, Laura Mustard, provided an opportunity to rekindle your affection for the outdoors with her latest single, Will You Go Walking?

The captivating arrangement beautifully intertwines Irish musical roots with a contemporary folk-pop sensibility as the track blossoms under Musgrave’s artful composition, where sun-soaked progressions and warm melodies create an inviting and heart-warming atmosphere.

Musgrave’s Nashville-based background, combined with her rich and diverse musical influences, shines through in this enchanting piece. Her love for rhythm and syncopation, rooted in her classical piano and percussion training, adds a unique depth to the song’s structure.

Will You Go Walking? is more than just a melody; it’s a reflection of Musgrave’s personal journey and her deep relationship with introspection. Her experiences with learning how to embody body positivity and live with a chronic illness imbue her songs with a profound authenticity and emotional resonance.

Musgrave’s storytelling prowess, influenced by the poetry of Walt Whitman and Mary Oliver, is evident in the song’s lyrical depth. The lyrics take the listener on a journey, evoking images of nature and emotional landscapes that are both vivid and poignant. Take the invitation into the wild; you won’t regret it.

Will You Go Walking was officially released on November 10; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

McKay versed indie-folk-punk poetry in their latest sardonically scintillating single, Bad Liar

Posted on 1 August 2023
McKay

Bridging the sonic gap between Neutral Milk Hotel, Mumford and Sons, and Bob Dylan is the confessionally exhilarant indie folk single, Bad Liar, from the storytelling four-piece, McKay.

While the vocal melodies prove all too well that McKay know how to hit their harmonised vocal notes with euphonic precision and honed cadence, Bad Liar favours the visceralism of raw spoken word expression, allowing the meta lyrics to hit harder than a candid meteor from space.

With each progression, the single drifts from different eras of folk, while the harmonica timbre will throw you right back to the 70s, the folk-punk energy and massive indie folk choruses fast-forward through the decades at breakneck speed.

The Nashville-hailing outfit may be best known for their passionate performances during live shows, but thankfully, for all of us across the pond, their insightful lyricism and dynamic presence resonate just as well on record.

Bad Liar will hit the airwaves on August 1st; stream it on SoundCloud and follow the affably rogue outfit via Instagram and TikTok.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Olivia Frances – The Bee and the Rose: Spiritually Resolving Indie Folk Pop

Posted on 30 June 2020
https://soundcloud.com/oliviafrancesmusic/the-bee-the-rose

Plenty of Nashville-based Folk Pop singer-songwriter Olivia Frances’ releases have deservedly gone viral. If you’re yet to experience her spiritually resolving sound, her 2019 single The Bee & the Rose the perfect introduction.

As soon as you hit play on the seminal single, you’re hit with arcane and almost tribal tones before Olivia Frances starts to sweeten the soundscape with her harmonically arrestive vocals. As the single progresses, the Indie Folk Pop instrumental arrangement becomes more eclectic and its hold on you gets tighter.

It’s not every day you hear such angular guitar riffs in Indie Folk Pop or an artist who has such a magnetically soulful vocal command.

You can check out The Bee & the Rose for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast