Fluke, the latest album by Frances Luke Accord, expertly navigates a wide variety of genres and sounds. The one constant throughout the album is the synchronized voices of this Chicago based duo. Frequently singing over nothing, effortlessly switching from unison to harmonies, they remind you that Frances Luke Accord is an entity. There is rarely a distinct lead and rhythmic role to their music as these two prefer to trade musical ideas to the point where any song would be meaningless without the other.

"Reach out for it," they begin the album, "leave your things behind." This opening line feels a bit autobiographical coming from FLA as Fluke pursues new musical ideas with remarkable grace. Musically and lyrically this is an album that illustrates travel; for all it's joys, pains and excitement. Even Nightline, the album's one instrumental track (a brilliant violin performance by Katie Van Dusen) is appropriately riddled with noises from a bustling city.

The instrumental track's placement is quite appropriate as it comes directly after the song David, a turning point on Fluke. After four songs that show clear growth but still echo the musical roots of FLA these two begin to stretch their legs a little and the listener can only benefit from this experimentation. Clever fills are casually tossed between trumpet and piano for a jazzier arrangement while the mandolin tremolos continue to convey this group's distinct sound. Everything culminates into a musical interlude that is positively mesmerizing and easily my favorite moment on the album.

Fluke is intriguing from start to finish and it reflects Frances Luke Accord well. Fans of the Local Natives should check out the harmony ridden, tom heavy, psychological treatise that is Egoeye. On The Road, their 8 minute opus, is not only masterfully built as a song but also well placed near the end of an album that wants to gradually reveal something new. Whatever these two decide to do, they commit and they do it well. It is important to note that despite the few guest musicians peppered throughout the album and the bold, almost cinematic, arrangements this is still a pure folk duo who would be just as entrancing with a dusty, out of tune hand-me-down guitar on the side of the road. Listen and purchase on bandcamp today!

I went to my first Dirty Projectors show having never heard their music and this is the song that stuck with me. Live performance is the best way to experience the wondrous oddity that is this group. This band has many sounds but it's hard to forget the awesome power of their vocals. 

Mountain Man was never a band that needed instruments. Their voices echo pristine on the walls of this tunnel as they stand in sight but out of view. Bravo on this beautiful location choice. 

Perfectly capturing their self proclaimed "loosest show on earth" David Crosby proceeds to engage in his classic onstage buffoonery before performing this stunning, soulful acoustic number. Also how scary would it be playing folk music when JOHN FUCKING BONHAM IS SITTING 8 FEET FROM YOU in the crowd! Check him out in the white suit. 

This video actually has a lot of elements that I do not normally enjoy. It's one guy with an acoustic guitar and no other musicians or frills. He wears a hat so you can't even see his face and he is reading music from a sheet. The important factor here is that this guy is M. Ward. In addition to one of the most refreshingly distinct voices in today's music, this guitar part is perfectly understated and just as catchy as the vocals. 

 Alternating banjo and guitar led songs with stellar three part harmonies over an omnipresent percussion and double bass, The Wild Reeds have crafted a folk album that is full of personality and instant classics. Despite each singer showing nothing but character when singing lead, they still know how to blend effortlessly when singing backup.

They burst in with the high energy Where I'm Going. "You think you know where I'm going," singer Kinsey Lee belts into the air unaccompanied. "The truth is I haven't got a clue." The song has an easy sway as it crescendos to a perfectly restrained bridge; forgoing typical flowery lyrics in favor of a message that is quite astute. "Love is a choice every morning, not some fuzzy feeling in the room. I never needed your company but I surely longed for you."  Yes, this is a good one to put first. 

The next two songs don't have the initial excitement of Where I'm Going but they have something else: Sharon Silva. Her melancholy vibrato on Let No Grief is entrancing. The harmonies are delicate at first but all three of them join together for a transcendent vocal breakdown, ending with Silva's lone voice carrying one note into the distance. Listen to her lead on the chorus of the song Blind and Brave or on Recognize when she sings her little asides at the end of each verse and you'll see why she's my favorite singer in a group of all stars.

Rounding out the trio, keeping the genres loose and the intrigue elevated, Mackenzie Howe's lilting twang has charm, particularly on the endearing ballad Of All the Dreams. Or on Lock and Key, aided with honky tonk pianos, when she shows how to sing the perfect ending credits to a movie in what turns out to be a nice wrap up for the album.

Blind and Brave absolutely flies by and each time I listen I find a new favorite song. To hear more from The Wild Reeds and purchase their album visit their website!

The Aldermaniacs are a duo that works best as a duo: a guitarist and a cellist trading lead vocals back and forth to create an album that is abundant with character and diversity. Recorded over just two days in 2014 without overdubs, harmonies, or guest musicians, Vox Pop has the feel of a pristine house show. House concerts are such a staple to the folk community (with large yet respectful crowds more open to listening than the average bar patron) and while I wouldn't limit this duo to being labeled exclusively folk, their minimalist arrangements are quite appropriate to the house show setting. Despite their apparent jazz and classical influences, The Aldermaniacs embrace both the folk genre and their band name with intriguing and poetic political commentary.

Guitarist/vocalist Drew Pompano begins the album by asking, “Hey there stranger have you got the time? Please let me haunt your mind.” And the two of them proceed to do just that by calling attention to uncomfortable truths regarding homelessness and violence in Chicago; insisting that we are living in a “north shore fable” by forgetting the turbulent south and west side neighborhoods. Lest we confuse this with a more general protest of injustice (as much folk music is) The Aldermaniacs pepper their album with Chicago references through specific song titles and lyrics directly relating to problems within the city.

And yet there is a playful aspect to the music despite the dark subject matter. In what ends up as a meta commentary on an album calling people out for ignoring injustice, it can be easy to disregard the message and get caught up in the fun, jazzy guitar on 2337 W. Monroe, the catchy cello riff that opens the album, or the sultry opening to Englewood that instantly makes me think of M. Ward's best work. The songs are so good that the listener could be forgiven for such ignorance; at least until Alex Gilewicz wails, "I don't think you're listening" in a line that feels directed at the audience. I don't always catch lyrics on a first listen but a line like this in the chorus motivated me to pay more attention to the message. Not to mention the ethereal Shifty Eye where Alex coaxes a delicate intro from her cello before the chilling opening line, "Got dynamite, no need for the hindsight"  proving the album is not without its dark points musically. Moving into the latter half, the cello is more prevalent as we leave behind the lighter opening songs to the eloquently bleak Rigby's Riot  or the stunningly eerie Jane.

Alex opts to keep her cello mostly reserved to moments when she does not sing, giving the instrument a distinct role in Vox Pop without over-saturating the songs. I give sincere credit to the duo for presenting most songs with a single guitar, played with just enough craftiness to shine without stealing attention by Drew, while augmented by Alex's expressive wail. Alex’s cello has a similar role on the more contemplative songs sung by Drew's Josh Ritterlike baritone.  It feels intentional that they don't ever sing together until the perfectly understated last song, Prairie Centennial. After spending an album encouraging people to take a stand and stop ignoring these issues, they save themselves from self righteousness by admitting they themselves could always do more. "I've been idling for a week now" Drew begins which quickly turns into a year, then fifty years. then a lifetime.

The "north shore fable" is widely accepted because it's easy. Just as it's easy to ignore the message on this album and choose only to listen to the beautiful songs. We can all “idle for a lifetime” but doesn’t this album inspire you to do differently?

To hear more and download Vox Pop, check out The Aldermaniacs Bandcamp Page!

I have been a huge fan of the Tiny Desk Concerts since it was a podcast that I downloaded back in 2009. NPR Music has introduced me to some of my favorite bands over the years. It's unbelievable the amount of talent they have crammed behind that desk.

This is the second year of the Tiny Desk Contest where NPR picks a winning video submission from an unsigned artist to come to their office and play their own Tiny Desk Concert. After filming my submission, I began watching the other videos on their site and I felt so thrilled that NPR gives such a great opportunity to local musicians.  This got me feeling nostalgic about some of my favorite concerts (old and new) behind the desk and I wanted to share some of my favorites.

​Here they are in no particular order.

This one really takes me back. I watched this video over and over again when it came out. This is not legato strings fleshing out a simple strummed guitar part. This is dynamic guitar playing with interplaying strings that add vibrance and movement to the arrangements. If that isn’t enough they also utilize foot percussion and this was one of the first times I had ever seen someone play a saw as an instrument. They have since added a banjo player and more foot percussion and have only gotten better with time.

Who sings like this?! Lianne La Havas. Her voice has such raw power: she switches octaves easily and doesn't seem to know how to sing a wrong note. She's got a barebones backing band but the arrangements are perfectly curated to the space. With a voice like that she could totally get away with singing without an instrument but Lianne La Havas is not content to just stand and sing. Nor is she comfortable strumming idly. Her guitar playing is thoughtful, intricate and adds much to the experience.

The Low Anthem are a perfect fit for this space. They are an Americana band like I've never seen before. Where else can you hear a clever song about cabin fever sung between clarinet/baritone arrangements? I particularly enjoy the stunning major 7th clash between Ben Knox Miller’s voice and Florence Wallis’ clarinet at the end of the phrase “Don’t forget to comb your hair” on This God Damn House. This is a thoughtful arrangement that culminates with a whistled outro over cell phone feedback. Where else can you hear that?!

In a world with so many folk-pop albums it can be hard to stand out, but Anti Beyond (the stage pseudonym used by Chicago musician Andy Masters) finds a fresh sound with his self proclaimed "Meditative Indie Rock." Closet Space is chock-full of gems and intricacies that further intrigue with each listen.

Pina the second track would have to be my favorite. I respect the choice to abandon the traditional idea of the Verse Verse Chorus Verse song format and it serves this track well. Beginning with a delightfully surreal vocal loop, this song explores boundaries beyond simple folk, to say nothing of Andy's ethereal lead vocals. The loop keeps us grounded in a song that rarely repeats itself and never seems to settle or resolve. After a dreamy beginning, the harmonized electric guitar breakdown feels so purposeful and serves to communicate the last lyrics of the song: "so self assured...in an uncertain world." It is a beautiful fascinating song.

So we go into The Trojan War. A song that benefits from the lack of loops or overdubs as the rapid fingerpicked triplets dance across the guitar neck. "Who are you waiting for? Who won the Trojan war?" Andy croons in the chorus. "Was it me?” This makes me think of falling for someone so difficult to impress you would need to commit a grand gesture, such as kidnapping the wife of a Greek King and fighting a 10 year war, to prove your love. “Who are you waiting for?” sounds like an exasperated plea: who else would do all of this for you? Or consider how the Greeks won the war: by hiding their army within a large wooden horse, masquerading as a gift, in order to get in the city. Was he with someone who seemed like a gift until he saw the danger within? Lines like this song's chorus make this an EP that is really fun to unpack.

Other lines are perfectly clear but clever enough that I enjoy listening to them anyways. Such as the following line from the title track Closet Space:

"I try to catch a piece or two of your DNA
I will splice it in a song
I wont have to say your name"

Self referential lyrics in a song can be a bit oversaturated but this bit about the DNA gets me. I find it to be a clever take on an old trick. And that is exactly what this EP is: a refreshing take on acoustic folk songs. At just four songs it's a short trip into Andy's Closet Space but you will like what you find. To hear more Andy Masters (Anti Beyond) check out some his tracks on his bandcamp page. Spoiler alert: they're FREE!

It is rare to find an album with a lone guitar and voice, stripped of any frills or other musicians, that can still inspire. Liz Chidester not only passes this test with flying colors on her new Otter Hill EP, she makes the idea of harmonies and other instruments seem superfluous. 

Opening with the acapella song Between Two Mountains, Chidester shows that even a guitar can be redundant when faced with the enormity of her vocal talent. This gospel-like melody twists and turns while she effortlessly switches between a light vibrato and a passionate wail. This is a perfect start to the gem that is Otter Hill. 

If that weren't enough to get your attention, (though it should be) Chidester's mature songwriting will definitely turn some heads. "My grandfather lives in the ground," she starts on the second track Grandfather's Praises. "...of a cup of dark black coffee" This pause is a great misdirect and it draws you in.  Clever wording and imagery unfolds into the ethereal on lines such as "Like a poor built dam built by a poor built man. You can't stop it from folding ooooo." Everything comes together on those drawn out notes and you understand how other instruments would just get in the way. 

Otter Hill feels like Liz Chidester pulled up a stool to perform folk in its purest form. This entire EP could be performed on any of those dusty inherited guitars that grace dorm rooms and apartments all over the country. At the end of the day the most impressive thing about Otter Hill is that amidst all of the lone acoustic-guitar-playing folk singers out there, Liz has created something that is original and stunningly beautiful.

To learn more about Liz Chidester visit lizchidester.com

If anyone could make me feel empathy for inanimate objects it would be Matthew Morgan. Over a contemplative acoustic guitar his rich baritone shows an impressive vocal range all the while maintaining a powerful emotional presence. You can picture him sitting in a room viewing the inanimate objects that inspired this wondrous collection of songs. 


Throughout the EP Morgan continually looks to a past that was filled with tragedy but doesn't lose his hope. "We could build a little house from the sticks and stones," He encourages in SticksNStones, the chorus of which brings me to the best elements of the 90's alternative folk scene. The "whoa" is one of those catchy vocal parts you will find yourself singing after just one listen. Even the whistling conveys more of a care free attitude that says 'maybe things were bad but we can move past this together.' 

Or consider how the minimalist folky opener, Songs Like These , which swells as it takes you into the album. "You don't really like to cry" becomes "It's so nice to see you smile" with stronger harmonies backing him up as he moves into a more optimistic tone. Special shout out to the church organ on this track. This is a tough instrument to use well and but Morgan pulls it off nicely. 

First Day begins with a door closing (a nod to the song topic of leaving behind a troubled home) while the song seems to "click" into place as would a music box. The theme continues with the quaint plucking violin over the despondent accordion as Matthew spins a tale of a desperate lover "sipping bourbon in the candlelight waiting for the house to get quiet." Even after this gut wrenching lullaby, Morgan crawls out of the emotional muck to remind the us this is "the first day of your new life."

This is a very refreshing EP that warrants numerous listens as there is much to discover; particularly musically. From an Americana take on Sam and Dave's Hold On I'm Coming to the surreal beauty present on Lost At Sea, Matthew Morgan shows there is a lot of weight in those Inanimate Objects. Honestly, he tells us from the beginning what this album is about. "You don't really like to cry" he tells us. So he won't make you cry. But he will make you think.

For more Matthew Morgan visit matthewmorganmusic.com

AOID is an album lush with many great ideas that impress, not just with their diversity but their seamless integration into one stunning final product. Check out the cover. A fist clenched tight and triumphant, the album name stamped on it like a festival entry. This is a total Facebook pre-concert brag photo. This calls to mind an eager fan excited for the Ratboys performance and after digesting this album I certainly can't blame them!

Beginning with otherworldly noises that pick up intensity before taking you into the opening track, vocalist Julia Steiner delivers thoughtful lyrics with ample personality. This low key opener moves into to the catchy tune Tixis with a meta twist where she the last thing she sings is "The time has come to go to Tixis." This is easily one of my favorite song transitions ever. As Tixis builds instrumentally you think you understand this album but (to quote another) you ain't seen nothing yet.

Each song seems to tease the listener by going beyond the typical pop-rock format into a sound that is refreshingly fluid. Take the the surprisingly jazzy acoustic chord that ends MCMXIV or the mid-song breakdown on Charles Bernstein which calls to mind some of the best surreal moments of Bon Iver.  One particularly memorable moment occurs on Our Morticians Daughter with the EPIC transition 2 minutes in. Dave Sagan really shines here on guitar and you see that this band is not only full of expert arrangers but fantastic musicians.

MCMXIV is probably my favorite song although the competition is stiff. I can't stop singing the refrain "I had no idea what to think about you"  which is not only a catchy hook but a beautifully heartbreaking refrain to contrast with the upbeat backing instrumentation. Can I just take the moment to say how much I fucking love the Will Lange's bass part on this song? I'm wondering if this song is referencing the Phillip Larkin poem of the same title, as the song does seem to follow the idea of the poem's ending line-'Never Such Innocence Again'. 

Ratboys have created an album full of subtle references and adept turn of phrase but the music always seems to change when the lyrics are at their most bold and vulnerable. This helps the listener really pinpoint the focus of each song as in "I had no idea what to think about you" in MCMXIV or "I don't know what to do without you" on Our Morticians Daughter. Seeing these lines together you can guess that this album is certainly full of love and loss but is so much more than that. As bold and inventive as the songwriting is, it's the little details that get me. Be it the vocal octaves following the slide guitar in Folk Song for Jazz or the spacey lead guitar contrasting the crunchy backing band on Our Morticians Daughter or even the perfectly hit full band triplet towards the end of Tixis.

After a mind blowing half hour AOID ends with a song called And. This song intrigues me. Are they saying "and this is our last song"? Is this a preview of the next album? A 'nod to the sequel' as it were? When the song begins you get the impression that you just walked into a room where they were already playing. This is a jarring effect but it fits with the album as a whole and certainly adds to my speculation of the song title and its meaning. After the rocking outro they bring everything down and Julia sings “and I’m not afraid of where we have to go” and we've reached the end. Everything about this last song (particularly the last line) seems to be looking ahead.

For all its maturity and variety this album could easily be a retrospective of a great career. Instead this is one of Ratboys' first releases. Despite a variety of sounds and ideas, AOID never deviates from the overall vision. Bottom line, this album has charm. When Julia sings of "Bugs like constellations" or how "you make me want to vomit" you are still moved. I'm still figuring out what it means to be "just a Ratboy" but I want this band to know that this is certainly not a bad thing in my book.

In just 17 minutes the Gardens EP creates a journey that tackles increasingly melancholy topics and moves beyond a collection of songs. Sedgewick's well curated music aligns with inventive harmonies and evocative lyrics to create something bigger. 

Whether it is the wistful vocals on The World In You, the quaint piano on Nostalgia, the anguished lead guitar on Beneath the Fireworks, or the driving rhythm on So Long, John each song has a perfect music counterpart to it's lyrical identity. 

One of my favorite parts of this EP is how every now and then the band will step back as if to say "are you hearing this?" and it really works. Whether it's by building a track one instrument at a time or by stopping everything, the listener can appreciate just how ingenious the arrangements really are.  

This is especially rewarding on their closing track So Long, John. A song that rarely repeats itself but rather moves through different ideas before the stunning refrain. It hits you right away and builds in intensity before everything stops with ethereal backing vocals to make the line "please be with us" especially vulnerable by comparison. This is a work that makes bold decisions and doesn't shy away. The musicians know when to play and more importantly (more challenging as well) when not to play. (Side note: Genius idea to included a video file of their live performance of this song when you download.) 

All too soon you hear the words "So Long" and what sounds like an old record skipping to signify the end. This group may sing of nostalgia but I know I can't wait to see what they do next.