Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter James Houlahan’s atmospheric mix of Americana and indie folk has been the backbone of five albums, the latest of which, Ordinary Eye, was released in late 2020. Houlahan describes his latest work as a document of the current moment, borne out of Houlahan’s years on the road watching national rifts grow wider. Even more poignantly, the record was recorded only months before the pandemic, putting the themes into even starker focus. Houlahan has now returned with a new video for his track, “What Is Our Love,” premiering with Under the Radar.
“What Is Our Love” is the sort of thoughtful Americana Houlahan delivers best, wrapping heartfelt melodies and autobiographical confessions in understated, unadorned instrumentation. Houlahan meanders through insular meditations on love and connection, all backed by drummer Danny Frankel (Lou Reed, Fiona Apple) and violinist Scarlet Rivera (Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Revue). Aside from Houlouhan himself, Rivera’s violin is the clear focal point, offering an expressive melodic counterpoint to Houlahan’s gentle falsetto.