In this – the age of the Coronavirus – many of us are stuck at home, isolated with only TV screens and the glow of laptops and phones to keep us connected. In other words, there isn’t much to do.
Videos by American Songwriter
However, one thing that is available to us all is the wide world of recorded music. And now is as good a time as ever to get to know some bands you may not have heard of but ones that you will assuredly enjoy, dear reader.
So, buckle up and get ready for a digital ride around County Clare (Ireland), Seattle, Boston, Reykjavík (Iceland) and Seattle (again!).
Cinder Well, “Wandering Boy,” County Clare
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As the vocals hit, they feel like thick iron nails shot into your chest. Suddenly you’re made of wood. You’re a doorway or a coffin. This is your swan song. The river is ahead and whatever you are is about to be dropped into the water. Other people are standing by the banks, a woman weeps. As daylight leaves the sky, the song begins again one final time and you, silently, thank Cinder Well for the final song.
TeZATalks, “Bully,” Seattle
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Seattle’s TeZATalks is part-candle flame, part-forest fire. In one moment you can see her silhouette swerve on each word, in another the entire song is ablaze in your mind and there is nowhere to turn. Even the rain is hot as she spits and sings with enough bite to break down a brick wall. “Bully” is just that – TeZa uses the techniques of terror against the one who’s been terrorizing. She has gained the strength and now she’s in charge. Listen up.
Anjimile, “Maker,” Boston
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Picture this: you’ve had a long, hard day of work. Finally, you walk through your front door and put your bags down. You shed your coat. Now you can rest your bones. And there is Anjimile there by the fire with a guitar, singing, “Maker,” sounding like the wind through the chimes, like the snow on your eyelash, the eagle rattling the tin roof as it sunbathes. The song is the sound of found glories.
BSÍ, “Manama,” Reykjavík
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It’s no easy task to combine beauty with trepidation. It’s the sound of ash falling from the sky looking like snow but feeling like fire. It’s the sound of a loved one walking up the street only to break your heart and walk back away. But this is also the stuff that propels the world. Without things breaking there would be no rearrangement. Without a torn wedding dress there might not be the very sexy moment in this particular video two-minutes in, for example. Thanks, art!
Mindie Lind, “Hungry and Fed,” Seattle
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One of the clearest and most distinct voices on the planet is also one of the most textured and wood-grain. Mindie Lind sings like the way dreams turn into nightmares – that moment right in between where you, the dreamer, aren’t sure which is which and which is what you want. Lind, though, is there to guide you in song. Absorb her melodies, fall asleep with her allusions underneath your pillow so that when you find yourself in the betwixt, you’ll be aware of the correct move.
