Saturday Songs – Nov. 12

1. “Once I Was A Bird” – Lauren Shera

This song seemed somewhat of a retread through familiar singer-songwriter territory until I reached the chorus. The chorus, with the introduction of strings and a beautiful vocal harmony, elevates the song right out of banal, repetitive singer-songwriter-land in a flash. It’s not a particularly polished metaphor that Shera is working with, but the image of a bird meeting the sky has an immediate resonance.

It was only after a few listens that Shera’s song really jumps out at me. There were elements that I hadn’t noticed the first time around, especially Shera’s delicate elocution, which is never pushy with the words she sings, but playful as well as the throaty warble that ducks in and out of her phrasing, coming across…well…as a frightened bird.

You can’t download this song for free, but you can find Shera’s song “Endless Love” for free on her website here!

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2. “Kingdom Of Your Own” – Matthew and the Atlas

A band that I imagine will shortly emerge out from under the giant shadow that Mumford and Sons casts on the English folk music scene, Matthew and the Atlas have a sound that effectively combines the ecstasy of a Mumford song such as “Little Lion Man” and a worn-down melancholy. Lead singer and songwriter Matthew Hegarty’s gritty, bluesy voice certainly helps carry that melancholic atmosphere.

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3. “If I Had A Gun…” – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds

I don’t think anyone really expected that the quality of Noel Gallagher’s songwriting would substantially decline as he departed Oasis and moved on to his solo work. While brother Liam is still a better singer, there’s something to be said for Noel’s singing chops; he doesn’t have the versatility of his brother nor does he have the edge of vitriol in his voice that made Liam so popular, but he’s still got a voice.

One of the singles off the debut album by Noel’s solo project band, “If I Had A Gun…” has remnants of the classic Oasis sound, but I think it ventures into some interesting, new territory for Noel. The creepy and obsessive undertones in this seeming love song elevate it out of Noel’s former Oasis songwriting.

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4. “Alta Suciedad” – Andrés Calamaro

Continuing my explorations into the wide world of Spanish music, this past week I encountered Andrés Calamaro. Calamaro has been cited by some as the “Bob Dylan” of Argentina, which seems at least somewhat inaccurate judging by the heavy-metal crunch of this song, which is derived more out of Black Sabbath and Metallica than to Dylan.

Granted, I’m not exactly the right person to ask, with my years of learning Spanish a bit behind me, but “Alta Suciedad” doesn’t really strike me as Dylanesque in its lyrical content. Any Spanish speakers out there are free to judge for themselves!

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5. “The World Will Move Along” – Evan McHugh

The World Will Move Along by Evan McHugh

A Nashville-based singer-songwriter, McHugh distinguishes himself through his excellent construction of pop songs. The tunes on his album The World Will Move Along all demonstrate that craft, but the title song is an especially good example. With a voice that looks to fellow Nashville songwriter David Mead, McHugh’s delicate vocals are the best part of this song. You can download McHugh’s entire album for free below off Noisetrade.