The Fleeting Ends
I had the pleasure of sitting down for a chat with this Philly band a few weeks ago and found a trio with some major musical ambition. They’ve got their eyes on capturing a share of the indie pop rock market and the work ethic to make it happen. At the beginning of their journey they’ve already got a lock on Spoon-ish piano riffs and catchy singable lyrics; and yes, they are aware of the strong Spoon influence on their early work. Those comparisons though have driven them back to the studio and the new material is equally catchy but entirely of The Fleeting Ends conception. The piano cuts a tidy pop swatch across the jangley guitars to great toe tapping effect. Lead singer Matt Vantine has a voice made for pop; a little bit pleading a little bit crooning. As the young group continues to rack up live show experience and defining their strongest sound I wouldn’t be surprised to see them steadily achieve their musical ambitions.
Lay Low
When I first heard Lay Low I was taken by the tenderness of her voice. Her new single “By And By” is a simple sweet morsel of pop reflection that she delivers with a coy coo. It was enough to draw me under the spell of Lovísa Elísabet Sigrúnardóttir – the lady behind the stage moniker – and into her new album, Farewell Good Night’s Sleep, I dove. She calls it country music and she has certainly done her research as she manages to capture the essence of the rich history of female country crooners. The native Icelander has a fascinating command of her vocals tuning the notes and the delivery style to set the mood for each track. Accompanied by the requisite smooth steel guitar her soft voice spreads over the arrangements with authentic twang. The album’s 12 tracks each have enough variation to carry your attention but also run with a relaxing continuity. A delightful new artist for your consideration.
Villagers
Villagers is the brainchild of Irish wunderkind Conor J. O’Brien who, with the encouragement of his parents has been pursuing his creative muse from the early age of 12. Getting lost in the works of Roald Dahl and Jim Henson fed his imagination which, over the years, has bled into O’Brien’s work. Clearly he enjoys the role of storyteller – in particularly when it requires taking on a bit of a character- and the majority of his songs do spin an interesting tale. The instrumentals, mostly played by O’Brien on the record, are rooted in folk influence but branch out into pop and rock territory as the direction of the lyrics require. Those lyrics are as charming as they come and wear the polish of a man who isn’t afraid to indulge a little fantasy. The few tracks I’ve been able to get my hands on have been lyrically and instrumentally satiating in their wit and intention. Leaving me eager to hear more, much more.
Villagers’ debut album Becoming A Jackal comes out in the US on June 8th and they’ll be doing a brief tour through the North East later in June, including a stop in Philly on the 22nd.