With releases from both new faces and familiar ones, August has proven to be flush with so much good music! First, let’s begin with a new face on the scene…
MAY – “Falling”
If you’re a fan of big, powerful vocalists like Jill Scott and Adele then you’ll LOVE MAY. This New York-based, Aussie singer has a voice that simply stops you in your tracks. I had the pleasure of debuting “Falling” last weekend when I hosted the Summer Mixer. It’s an account of the “naive vulnerability” of her first love, and it’s the first single from her forthcoming debut EP, Phantom. I discovered MAY earlier this year and from the first note I knew I was listening to something extraordinary. After taking a listen, I’m sure you’ll agree
Shannon Shaw – Shannon In Nashville
Some of you may be familiar with Shannon Shaw as the front woman of the Northern California punk band Shannon and the Clams. Well, as you might suspect by the title of this album, this ain’t no punk record. After reaching out to Dan Auerbach to thank him for following The Clams on Instagram, the two decided to collaborate, and that synergy produced an incredible debut solo effort. Shannon In Nashville sounds like the perfect mix of Amy Winehouse and Patsy Cline. No matter where you land on the musical spectrum, you can appreciate this album. Also, she will be performing live on Morning Becomes Eclectic with Jason Bentley this Monday, Aug 20. It’s not to be missed. In the meantime, take a look at the video of one of my favorite songs on the record, “Broke My Own”
Moses Sumney – Black In Deep Red, 2014
My man Moses has done it again. Almost a year after his stunning debut full length, Aromanticism, which made my top ten albums of 2017 by the way, Sumney has given us Black In Deep Red, 2014. Though the EP comes in at less than 10 minute, each track is so dense that the listening experience extends beyond the number of songs. The title is inspired by a 1957 Mark Rothko painting of the same name, and he says he was ignited by “the first and last time” he attended a protest. It was in 2014, after a grand jury decided not to prosecute the officer who shot and killed Michael Brown. This event contextualizes Sumeny’s departure from the soft, melodic compositions of past projects to the more bass-heavy, bombastic sounds of “Rank & File,” the first release from the EP.