Americana Highways brings you this video premiere of Hollis Brown’s “Go For It” from their recent album Ozone Park. The album was produced by Adam Landry at Unity Gain Recording Studio in Fort Myers, FL. The band is Mike Montali on vocals and bass, with Adam Bock on keys and backing vocals, Jonathan Bonilla on guitar, and Andrew Zehnal on drums and other percussion.
Having previously combined the worlds of country, folk and indie rock as part of Angela Perley & The Howlin’ Moons, the Ohio self-taught musician has stepped out on her own dropping “4:30”, the title track from her first solo album due later this summer.
“4:30” creates a dreamy night-owl atmosphere, with arpeggiated guitars that underpin Angela Perley’s exploration of reflection and seeking self-acceptance. Taking her cues from timeless songwriters like Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Patti Smith, she combines her delicate and dreamy vocals with a knack for emotional storytelling.
Having previously combined the worlds of country, folk and indie rock as part of Angela Perley & The Howlin’ Moons, the Ohio self-taught musician has stepped out on her own dropping “4:30”, the title track from her first solo album due later this summer.
“4:30” creates a dreamy night-owl atmosphere, with arpeggiated guitars that underpin Angela Perley’s exploration of reflection and seeking self-acceptance. Taking her cues from timeless songwriters like Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Patti Smith, she combines her delicate and dreamy vocals with a knack for emotional storytelling.
“’4:30′ is the record’s anthem and mantra in many ways,” says Perley. “It’s about overcoming obstacles, moving forward, and facing adversity head-on. I wrote it during a time in my life where I had started to feel unbalanced for a variety of reasons. There were several life changes I knew I needed to make which were difficult and I kept finding myself in situations where I felt like I had no control. Writing the song was my way of beginning to move forward and regain stability.”
The track’s title and theme, “4:30”, is a significant time of night for Perley: “4:30 is when my body’s natural sleep cycle begins,” she explains, “so if I’m not on a schedule I tend to stay up until then. I often find myself awake at 4:30 a.m. if I’m not on a schedule of some kind and feel very creative at night. I started writing this one at 4:30 a.m., which is usually later than I start writing songs, but that energy gave it an almost lucid dream-like vibe.
“I also remember listening to Lucinda Williams’ ‘Joy’ on repeat around the same time I wrote ‘4:30’ so I think the spirit of that song subconsciously sparked the creative process. I was also revisiting some old Dylan records that I hadn’t listened to in a really long time, which inspired the ‘Tangled Up in Blue’ shoutout in verse three.”
Perley co-produced “4:30”, as well as the entire album, with longtime collaborator Chris Connor, who she took the track to and created arrangements and a subsequent demo with. After tracking the whole album live in Ohio and adding more instrumentation and vocal overdubs at their home studio, Dave Collins (D’Angelo, Bruce Springsteen) mastered the record.
“4:30” is out tomorrow and the album of the same name is released 2 August. Find Angela Perley on Facebook.
Portland, Oregon-based folk singer-songwriter Erisy Watt transforms fear into wonderment on the stunning “Redwoods,” the latest release from her forthcoming album Paints in the Sky (out on July 26).
Priding himself on his cross between undulating, indie rock-driven guitars and the straight-ahead roots of Americana, Australian singer-songwriter Josh Rennie-Hynes traveled to Nashville to record his new album, Patterns, after receiving a prestigious grant from the Australian Council for the Arts.
Turning Old Testament tales into contemporary parables is no easy feat, and the duo Joanie & Matt — releasing its sophomore album, Sterling, on July 19 — take the concept in a particularly provocative direction with the title track, whose video premieres exclusively below.
“Sterling” was inspired by the story of Tamar, who was raped by her half-brother Amnon in 2 Samuel. Joanie & Matt’s song, sung from Tamar’s viewpoint rather than the Bible’s third-person, is #MeToo timely, sung from the perspective of both a woman and a victim — a voice that’s not at all found in the Bible and other ancient religious texts.
Not only is Stansell living history, but he is also a triple threat as a powerhouse vocalist, world-class storyteller and a talented dancer whose resume includes Taylor Swift’s Fearless tour. No subject is off limits to him when it comes to writing original material.