New Music Tuesday: Vol. 3
A Focus on New Music from Women
Emily Rose and the Rounders, “Too Much Too”
To say I’m excited about this new project from Emily Rose and the Rounders would be a tragic understatement. The perfect balance of sadness, twang, and cool, the five-piece band leverages a fullness of sound that supports band leader Emily Rose Epstein’s haunting and powerful voice. Rooted in the classics, the music is undeniably progressive.
Like all of her best songs, “Too Much Too” twists lyrics for deeper meanings and lovely plays on words, forcing the listener to pay close attention to the complex story of the song. Her characters are layered and feel autobiographical because of the sincerity of the delivery.
Anyone with a record label should sign these folks and help them become the next underground smash success.
Francesca Brown, Stolen Land And Broken Dreams
An ethereal album that harkens back to early Emmylou Harris and Joni Mitchell, walking the fine line between folk and country, Brown’s latest album feels old but sounds crisp, clean and new — something needed in that space.
The album’s theme spans traditional country music topics to highly personal explorations of her looking to “make it” in Los Angeles and her transition to life in the mountains as a mother with a minivan. The songs are supported by a very well-produced sound, which makes this a great listen, either with a careful ear to the story or just to relax on those days when you aren’t running from place to place in the minivan with the kids.
Eliza Thorn, Somebody New
When this album dropped last month, I listened to it — in its entirety several times. Each listen provided a new favorite, but “It’s Only Pain” stayed with me. During a recent interview with DJ Salty Cracker on KOOP in Austin, Texas, Thorn said she nearly cut this song from the album. It’s one of her most popular streams, but the song embedded below keeps her on the charts.
“Alibi,” the album’s first track, is flawless and fun and happens to be my five-year-old’s favorite. He made me play it on repeat on our way home from baseball practice this week (not that I was complaining). An upbeat romp, supported by driving horns, twinkling honky tonk piano and a fiddle used like a telecaster, it’s easy to see why it continues to gain traction with radio programmers and five-year-old fans alike.
Currently sitting at 41 on the Americana Radio Chart - Singles and 35 on the Album Chart, Thorn seems to be breaking through.
Until next Tuesday, which will actually be next Tuesday (maybe).