quinnie — gold ring
Edyn-Mae Stevenson
It’s “wistful girl summer” according to singer/songwriter quinnie. And she must be right because I’ve had this track piping through my car speakers on every single road trip, from the mountains to the beach. Whenever I reach the coast and roll my windows down for the first breath of salty air, this is what I’m listening to.
Remi Wolf — Soup
Kendall Todd
I’m really enjoying Remi Wolf’s new album, Big Ideas, and I’ve found myself humming this track around the house a lot this month — it’s a good one to sing along to!
Clarice Assad, The Merian Ensemble — The Book of Spells: III. Health and Well-Being "A Spell for Global Healing"
Laura Carlo
Let's hear it for the Women! A new album, The Books of Spells, from Navona Records, celebrates 21st century music for flute, clarinet, oboe, viola and harp. The Merian Ensemble plays 11 pieces composed by 8 women, and I have to admit the only composer I knew was Jennifer Higdon. What a delight to find something special in each track, and to learn about new composers on the contemporary classical scene. It seems that each piece has a story, or at least the titles would tell you so: "A Boy and a Makeshift Toy," "The Sound of Light," and what I think is a welcome message, "She Flies with her Own Wings," were just three of the tracks that I have been enjoying. My favorite of the three movements from Clarice Assad's The Book of Spells is the last one, titled "A Spell for Global Healing." If anything can heal, it's music.
Gillian Welch & David Rawlings — Hashtag
Phillip Jones
Some people exist in a constant state of suffering, unseen by many, brought on by the unrelenting wait for the next Gillian Welch album. I am one of them. Those that don't feel this suffering have simply never heard The Revalator. It's been 13 years since her last album of original material, but the agony ends now: Welch released her new album Woodland Studio, credited to her and David Rawlings, her musical partner. Rawlings takes the vocal lead on this standout piece, wondering "When will we become ourselves." Welch and Rawlings always ask big questions, but their airy harmonies and wandering guitar lines suggest they don't need answers any time soon. They take it all as it comes, even if it takes 13 years, or forever.
Lawrence — Watcha Want
Katie Ladrigan
I've been following Lawrence for a couple of years now, wondering when the rest of the world would discover their brilliance — lo and behold, Jimmy Fallon had them on as featured artists this month! Siblings Gracie and Clyde Lawrence pull from all sorts of musical influences to create their own high-energy, soul-pop sound. The album has a few bangers on it (including the oh-so-clever "I'm Confident that I'm Insecure"), but "Watcha Want" demands to be heard — the opening lyrics are "Eyes on me" — but they might as well be saying EARS on me. Hold on for a wild ride!
PS. The album is fantastic, but Lawrence is at their absolute best with their "acoustic-ish" recording sessions - check out the one for "Watcha Want"!
Listen to the August playlist below, or check out the entire Instant Replay playlist here.