Monday, January 29, 2017
Highlights from this week’s show:
“Before I Found You” — Van William
We hopped on the Van William bandwagon last year with the release of “Revolution,” one of the most visceral love-me-nots in the history of ever, and featuring the honeyed tones of Klara and Johanna Soderberg, the Swedish sister duo more affectionately known as First Aid Kit. Capturing the perfect snapshot of the heart’s inner workings is a theme running throughout William’s solo debut, Countries. The countless hours spent at sea working with his father as a commercial fisherman allowed him time to reflect and write the exemplary collection of songs that comprise the record. With Countries, William takes us all the way back to the beginning, when the butterflies and chemistry are only starting to kick in, summed up perfectly in his interview with Baeble Music: “That initial spark and flame is the most powerful drug in the history of the planet, and like most drugs — it’s hard not to chase the first buzz.”
“Long Way Down” — Becca Mancari
The old saw about how it’s all about the journey couldn’t ring any truer for Becca Mancari, the in-demand Nashville lyricist and singer whose wanderlust and vagabond ways have served her well. Good Woman is the culmination of those experiences, distilled into verse and served up neat. Whether she’s on her own or sharing a stage with her Bermuda Triangle bandmates Brittany Howard and Jessie Lafser (who’ll be in Dallas at the Kessler on April 6, just so’s ya know), Mancari’s got a wealth of sources from which to keep churning out the sort of deeply personal and spiritually-infused songs that have helped put her name out there as an artist to keep an eye on in 2018.
“Oom Sha La La” — Haley Heynderickx
Portland’s long been fertile ground for both up-and-coming and established acts, and with the never-ending avalanche of talent, sometimes it’s daunting to keep track of them all. Someone who popped up on our radar as of late is Haley Heynderickx (pronounced just like “Hendrix”), one of your Slingshot 2018 artists. Bringing Velvets-informed hooks and effortlessly nervy lyrics to life, Heynderickx’s clearly on her way to winning a whole new legion of fans, especially with the March arrival of her debut, I Need To Start A Garden.
“On The Lips” — JD McPherson
JD McPherson’s Undivided Heart & Soul is a few months’ old now, but keeps yielding radio-ready track after track, and no sign of letting up. Ushering in a new chapter with his band’s new sound and amped-up attitude, we’re holding out hopes for a crossover hit, or at least a new Dallas date, since his live shows are the stuff of legend and the kind that leave you happily spent and in need of a cigarette.
Here’s the full playlist:
Haley Heynderickx – “Oom Sha La La”
JD McPherson – “On The Lips”
Hop Along – “How Simple”
Van William – “Before I Found You”
Remy Reilly – “26”
Dr. Dog – “Listening In”
S. Carey – “More I See”
Bishop Briggs – “Dream”
Becca Mancari – “Long Way Down”
Brett Dennen – “Already Gone”
Khruangbin – “Maria Tambien”
Bedouine – “One Of These Days”
Joey Dosik – “Game Winner”
Karen O & Michael Kiwanuka – “Yo! My Saint”
Curtis Harding – “Need Your Love”
Jade Bird – “Lottery”
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Thumbnail image: Haley Henderickx, photo by Vincent Bancheri
