Mark Loughrey – Nothing on a Truth
David Crosby may appear to be the most bitter man in music, a title he’s held in an uncontested manner for many years. But, to be truthful, folk has changed since the days that the great singer was partaking in harmonious singing about the joys of country living.
Mark Loughrey is an example of where folk has travelled since then. At its best, which is the case with the single Nothing on a Truth, folk sounds expansive, makes use of modern production techniques, and celebrates interpretable poetry above empty sloganeering.
There’s a majesty to the sound that Mr Loughrey has managed to come up with here that begs for repeated listens of the song to be carried out in a wide, open space, not the crummy office from which I’m writing. The beauty of this music is that just like starring into a fire, the meaning of it comes out different each time around.
Ben Guihan – Goodbye Los Angeles
Hollywood has a habit of going back in time and looking at itself with nostalgic pride. Nobody knows exactly when it’s going to strike. When that will, however, the early 1970s and the culture surrounding it will be easy picking for the movie machine. And, when and if that happens, Ben Guihan’s Goodbye Los Angeles would be an ideal soundtrack addition to tie the whole production together.
Leaving any cynicism aside, Mr Guihan’s work, from the sounds to the artwork, could easily fool most listeners into thinking that they’re hearing some kind of would-be folk-rock classic that for reasons hard to explain never achieved the fame and fortune of some of its peers.
Not only is the right aesthetic there, but, frankly, the writing and performance are also at a level required for a classic. The simple chorus is made undeniable by the sheer melodic quality of Guihan’s voice. The storytelling of the song reveals a man that is half egomaniac, half flowerchild, the exact recipe to get 1970s Los Angeles just right. Hollywood would be foolish not to make good use of this.
