Tag Archives: indie folk

On ‘Letter to Myself,’ The Wandering Hearts Honor the Innocence of Youth

The thrill and innocence of youth is fleeting. Before we know it, we’re looking back at those years wishing we had treasured them more.

That is the sentiment shared by British folk-rock trio The Wandering Hearts, whose new single, “Letter to Myself,” reaches back in time recalling missed opportunities and days gone by. Listeners will immediately be taken by gorgeous three-part harmonies, which help us remember a time with nothing but blue skies ahead. Timeless piano chords march us forward like the passage of time, while skillfully layered acoustic guitar and organ tones add a solid helping of nostalgia into the sonic landscape.

“I was talking about my sister-in-law,” said vocalist Tara Wilcox, “Every time I saw her, she’d be like, ‘I just turned 21, and I’m turning 22 next year’. She’s always inches away from the next big milestone.”

“Letter to Myself” is included on the band’s forthcoming full-length album, Mother, due out everywhere on March 3. The album is described as “an exploration of motherhood and personal growth, which captures the little moments that assume a much greater significance.”

“I was pregnant when we started making the record, and Tara was pregnant when we finished it,” said vocalist and mandolin player Francesca “Chess” Whiffin. “During the process, we really found ourselves as a band. Motherhood has helped us grow and find meaning. It brought our writing and performing to a different level.”

Here comes a taste of the record! Check out the lyric video for “Letter to Myself” below.

LISTEN: Cole Gallagher Makes Us Glad We’ve Found These ‘Lost Sounds’

When it feels like the world is crumbling, a plea for peace can go a long way.

That plea is offered by Cole Gallagher, whose new single, “Lost Sounds,” is a timeless throwback and modern masterpiece, all at once. Dynamic production creates a lush folk-rock landscape that is both poignantly tender and beautifully robust, while the depth and emotion behind Gallagher’s voice is on full display, as he transitions seamlessly between his rugged wail and delicate falsetto.

“‘Lost Sounds’ is my favorite track that I’ve recorded,” shares Gallagher. “I was so lucky to have gotten the chance to write it with one of the local legends of Muscle Shoals, my good friend, (GRAMMY-winner) Barry Billings. The song is a hopeful and nostalgic sonic call-back to the times of The Byrds’ ‘Turn! Turn! Turn!’ and ‘As Tears Go By’ by The Rolling Stones. I could not be more proud of this track’s message and the production of it, which was masterfully orchestrated by both Michael Fahey and Barry Billings. I am so excited for people to hear this.” 

In addition to Billings and Fahey, “Lost Sounds” features the contributions of an all-star ensemble. These include GRAMMY-winning mix engineer Vance Powell (Phish, Chris Stapleton, Jack White); and 400 Unit members Jimbo Hart (bass) and Chad Gamble (drums), both fresh off their GRAMMY win for Best Americana Album for Jason Isbell’s Weathervanes.

With that, we’ll get out of the way and let you enjoy this one!

WATCH: Josh Fortenbery Buries the Past on ‘Heirlooms’

“It’s easier to blame
Everyone who gave me my name
Than admit I can change if I wanted.

We all learn from our kin
How to love and how to sin,
And become the same men we once run from.”

On top of finger-picked guitar and lush, cinematic string arrangements, Josh Fortenbery examines the traits we adopt from those who came before us on his new single, “Heirlooms.”

The Juneau, Alaska-based songwriter — who is preparing to release his debut album, No Such Thing As Forever, on March 8 — acknowledges the undeniable impact of our upbringings, while owning the reality that the potential to break the cycle lies squarely in our own hands

“I’m grateful for so much of my upbringing, but I also inherited, or maybe adopted, certain family traits I wish I hadn’t,” Fortenbery said. “Once I got to the age where everyone started having kids or talking about it, I wondered what I might pass on. At the same time, while it’s certainly convenient to blame our parents for becoming them, I recognize that an explanation for a behavior isn’t the same thing as an excuse.”

“Heirlooms” is accompanied by a music video directed by David Rossow. The video follows Fortenbery as he comes to terms with memories of the past, before resolving to bury the physical reminders of who he used to be in a remote location, symbolizing the journey of a man resolving to start anew.

“I’m just trying to be honest about my grief, anxiety, and carelessness, and hope that resonates with people,” he said. “I think a lot of folks feel disconnected from the world, not only because of the physical isolation over the last few years but also the increasing digital and cultural isolation we’ve slid into over the last decade. I’m trying to remember what ties me to the folks I love and folks I’ve never met.”

WATCH: The Steel Wheels Learn We Can’t Always Be the ‘Hero’

Photo credit: Mike Lee

What a powerful realization, to understand that we can’t always rescue the ones we love.

The Steel Wheels examine the limited power mere mortals possess on “Hero,” their new single from the forthcoming album, Sideways (Feb. 9). The single was inspired by frontman Trent Wagler trying to help one of his children through a mental health crisis, and the ensuing realization that we can’t always be the hero in everyone’s story.

“‘Hero’ was written to describe the way we all cast ourselves in the leading role of our story, while also touching on some of the particular pitfalls of a white, straight, cis-gendered man trying to ‘help’ or ‘fix’ situations where I just need to be in a supporting role,” shares Wagler. “I wrote this song in the midst of trying to help my child in a serious mental health crisis, needing to be OK with it being their story, and really taking a back seat to try to listen and understand exactly what they were needing in the moment, rather than what I needed to tell them about the situation they were in.” 

“Hero” is accompanied by a music video featuring the band in a contemplative dance routine opposite Wagler’s daughter and several of her friends, all of whom are enrolled in Virginia Commonwealth University’s dance and choreography program. At first, the two “troupes” perform separately, as if to illustrate the disconnect between the “fixer” and individual in crisis. In the end, however, the two sides come together, demonstrating the shared understanding that comes from listening to the needs of another.

“You Are Loved”: Cass Noelle Releases Devastatingly Beautiful Single, ‘Someone to Help You’

Cass Noelle is a songwriter who has known overwhelming love and devastating loss. The Pennsylvania-based “chickfolk” troubadour communicates her experiences by channeling an array of influences; from revered artists like Brandi Carlile, Joni Mitchell, The Cranberries, and Jewel; to architects of “beautifully sad” compositions, like The Civil Wars and Over the Rhine.

“Beautifully sad” is an accurate description of her debut single, “Someone to Help You.” Written about her husband’s passing from a drug overdose in the summer of 2022, Cass notes that “writing this song and getting it out there has been the most therapeutic part of my healing journey.”

“This is a song of desperation. It’s a pouring out of raw emotion that I know many can relate to,” she states. “Watching someone you love turn into an unrecognizable version of themselves is pure pain. It’s wrought with psychological torment and a constant agony over setting boundaries, while trying to facilitate every kind of help.”

Produced by Bobby Siegfried of Studio B Creative, “Someone to Help You” features emotive, powerhouse vocals on top of gently finger-picked guitars. Siegfried added a layer of studio magic with foundational keyboard layers, which carry the weight of a full string arrangement to bring forth the song’s raw emotion.

A music video was directed by Richie Ares of theLionhearted, and was accompanied by a page of resources for those struggling with addiction or suicidal ideation on Cass Noelle’s website.

“We all carry our trauma differently, and addiction is a symptom of deeper issues. If you’re struggling with addiction, you are not alone. You are loved and worthy of healing. You were created on purpose, for a purpose. I urge you to take steps to break the cycle of shame and self-destruction,” Cass said. “If you love an addict, you’re in good company. If you’ve set healthy boundaries, you should be proud of yourself. If you’ve lost an addict, my heart hurts for you.”

“You are loved.”

UMC20: The Best of May 2023

Hold it right there!

Did you know that you can support Underground Music Collective, any time of year? By making a tax-deductible donation to UMC via The Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville, you ensure that we can keep sharing songs and stories from independent creatives everywhere, for years to come. Click here to get started!

Anyway, onto the UMC20 Best of May…

Hear the Best of May

UMC20: Across Genre Lines (May 23, 2023)

Hold it right there!

Did you know that you can support Underground Music Collective, any time of year? By making a tax-deductible donation to UMC via The Arts & Business Council of Greater Nashville, you ensure that we can keep sharing songs and stories from independent creatives everywhere, for years to come. Click here to get started!

Anyway, onto this week’s edition of UMC20

Listen to UMC20
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