Tag Archives: Single Review

Single Review: Second City Sin – “Morose”

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Second City Sin band photo

photo courtesy of Second City Sin

Single Review of Second City Sin: “Morose”

Birmingham, England’s Second City Sin is a heavy rock band with a tuneful touch. The band – Tyler Quantrill (vocals, rhythm guitar), Chaz Carr (lead guitar), Neva Bevan (bass), and Jacob Lancaster (drums) – formed in March 2024, with its first single, “Under the Landslide,” dropping in August. “Morose,” the band’s second single, was a February 14th release, a date that fits both the song’s lyric and the song-driven imagery on the single’s cover art.

Second City Sin – "Morose" cover art: blood-stained hands hold roses, laying one rose on a page of "Morose" lyrics, with a lyric sheet of "Under the Landslide" sitting on the ground beneath the "Morose" lyric sheet

image courtesy of Second City Sin

“Morose” begins with a slow bass thump and then frenetic axework, setting the stage for the vocals, which are heavy, and at the shouting end of singing, but not quite. The vocals are quite apparently angry, befitting the lyrics, but also tuneful with nuance and emotional power. The music’s tone is more angry and depressed than jubilant, and on that note as well, the vocals are an ideal match. The guitar is distorted and muddy, furthering the heavy mood, consistent with the requirements of “Morose.” As for the lyrics, the chorus begins “Watering a dying rose. Roots dead in the lows. The highs won’t bloom, and I’m so morose.” Hence, the rose imagery on the cover art. It’s not all flower imagery in the lyrics, but between the chorus and the closing lyrics “the petals fall, I wish I was a rose,” well, let’s just say the Valentine’s Day release date was inspired.

Interestingly, there are some spots in “Morose” in which the guitar part opens up a bit, almost lifting the mood, if it were allowed to last. There is also some late-song shredding that suggests serious broad-based skills from the band’s axeman. All of Second City Sin’s skills, it seems, would be useful across a broader heavy rock canvas. Since “Morose” was my first exposure to the band, I wondered if their other songs might not all be so sullen, so I gave a quick listen to the band’s first single, “Under the Landslide.” Sure enough, while the sound is just as heavy, there’s a bit more classic rock flavor, a bit more funkiness in the rhythm, and some cool harmonies. Two songs are still a small sample size, but they show that, while Second City Sin’s style remains aggressive, heavy rock, I’d expect the band’s set list to span a broad enough range of delivery styles to provide a fully entertaining, multi-faceted live concert experience. I mean, your ears are still gonna bleed, but they’ll be more broadly entertained as they do.

With that being said, “Morose” is a helluva song and a terrific introduction to Second City Sin. I’d expect fans of a broad range of hard and heavy rock subgenres to enjoy this headbanging track.

The next step, then – after listening to Second City Sin’s recorded material a few more times – would be to find out how and where to catch a live show. The band seems to keep its linktree updated with upcoming show information, currently listing a headlining spot on a 4-band bill on Friday, May 30th at The Dark Horse Moseley in Birmingham and a spot on Skelta’s undercard at a 4-band show on Saturday, June 7th at The Lab in Northampton.

Single Reviews: Soft Skies Inc – “Sooner or Later” and “Your Small Army”

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Soft Skies Inc

photo by Chris McLaughlin; photo courtesy of Knyvet

Single Reviews: Soft Skies Inc – “Sooner or Later” and “Your Small Army”

Soft Skies Inc reminds me of some of the more creative, rock-adjacent pop music I’ve enjoyed over the years. Brothers Ryan Rex (vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards) and Martin Rex (drums, percussion, backing vocals, keyboards) each man multiple instruments on these songs.

Soft Skies Inc – "Sooner or Later" cover art

cover art by Ryan and Martin Rex; image courtesy of Knyvet

“Sooner or Later” was recorded with Chris McLaughlin in Deep Space Studios in New York, while “Your Small Army” is a 2017 release, at least per Soft Skies Inc’s bandcamp page, which was recorded by Chris McLaughlin in 1867 Recording Studio in Boston, but with a brand new music video, directed by English filmmaker/moving image artist Sapphire Goss. So, you know, the video is what’s “new” about “Your Small Army.” But I hadn’t heard the song before I received the video was released – and I’ll be most of you haven’t it, either – so I’ll review the catchy music. The duo self-describes Soft Skies Inc’s music as alternative and dream pop. Honestly, that’s a better starting point than I’d have otherwise come up with, so start with that general subgenre blend in mind, and let my descriptions build upon that.

The first single, “Sooner or Later” is a steadily progressive soft pop song, very drum-driven like a standard pop song, perhaps a little reminiscent of ’80s mainstream, keyboard-heavy Brit-pop acts but with a much lusher, richer sound. The song’s catchiness is kind of sneaky, notably how it lulls you to sleep a little before popping in with the crisp opening of the chorus, “Sooner or later you’d get caught” and the musical rise and fall during the lyrics “And even back in the day, you were already gone.” And, of course, the clever way the song slips into its brief bridges. It’s not often a brand new song will make you this stylistically nostalgic, but “Sooner or Later” will. This song will definitely grow on you after a few listens, and soon you’ll be singing along with the fadeout like it’s an old musical friend: “You get lost sometimes, you get lost sometimes, you get lost sometimes…”

Soft Skies Inc – "You Small Army" cover art

photo and cover design by Christopher Sargent; image courtesy of Knyvet

Next, “Your Small Army,” the newer video but older song, provides an interesting variation of the duo’s musical theme. It sounds like it belongs on the same album as “Sooner or Later,” but it isn’t by any means a soundalike. And yet, as I dig into what makes it so memorable, I notice similar reasons. It’s a pleasant enough song to listen to. It seems there’s a little more guitar apparent than in “Sooner or Later,” though it’s still a soft pop song. Now, I know you don’t ordinarily hear echoey blasts of noise in soft pop music, but they’re the quirky cool bit that’s particularly unique about “Your Small Army.” And yet the song mostly slowly but pleasantly sways, which I suppose is where the shoegaze-y dream pop comparison quite aptly applies to this track.

Soft Skies Inc’s music is not exactly like anything else you’ve heard before, and it’s much more pleasant, catchy, and easy on the ears than most music I can say that about. Personally, I’m looking forward to hearing what Soft Skies Inc does next. Ryan and Martin are a talented duo.

Single Review: The Outfit – “Hard On Me”

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The Outfit – "Hard On Me" cover art

image courtesy of Pavement Entertainment

Single Review of The Outfit: “Hard On Me” (Pavement Entertainment)

Not long ago, you read my review of Go, last year’s album from The Outfit. The Chicago rockers are back with a new single, “Hard On Me.” This is The Outfit’s first release with new lead singer Bill Wilson, and the band doesn’t miss a beat. Wilson’s voice is an ideal fit for a top-shelf ’80s-reminiscent hard rock outfit like The Outfit. Wilson seems to fit seamlessly with his new bandmates Matt Nawara (lead guitar), Mark Nawara (drums), and Mike Gorman (bass).

Musically, “Hard On Me” has a sidewinding guitar style, with the opening verse rocking hard in bursts, using blank space as a powerful additional instrument. It’s a relatively blues-based hard rock take that seems a natural fit for a Chicagoland band. Well-placed key changes, absolutely crunchy axework, and a steady rhythm steer the musical direction of the song, while there’s a very Eric Martin-ish edge to Wilson’s voice whenever the song calls for him to build up the power from one line to the next. I can absolutely hear Mr. Big potentially performing this song. But not necessarily better than The Outfit does. This is an impeccable performance of a thumpin’ classic hard rock tune. It’s no wonder the song is gaining some attention – as I write this, “Hard On Me” sits at #18 on the Secondary Market Rock Chart.

Classic ’80s guitar-based hard rock fans are going to love “Hard On Me,” so be sure to check it out. (And then maybe give my review of the band’s last full-length album, Go, a quick read.)

Single Reviews: The Northern Line – “Lightning Strikes” and “Throw a Fist”

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The Northern Line band photo

photo by Harrison Searle; photo courtesy of Knyvet

Single Reviews of The Northern Line: “Lightning Strikes” and “Throw a Fist”

Boston’s The Northern Line is Bilvox (vocals), Mike Ackley (keyboards), Pete Zeigler (lead guitar), Joshh Magee (bass), and McG (drums, backing vocals – formerly of The Luxury, an old favorite band I reviewed many years ago). Or, I suppose, since they have a sort of British indie flavor to their music, I suppose I should say The Northern Line “are,” but while I let my British writers write in British English, I’m strictly an American English writer, so the band “is.”

The Northern Line – "Lightning Strikes" cover art

art design by Bilvox; image courtesy of Knyvet

The last few weeks, I’ve been digging into a couple of The Northern Line’s catchy, rhythmically rocking singles; namely, “Lightning Strikes,” which was a fall release, and “Throw a Fist,” which dropped this spring.

“Lightning Strikes” won me over quickly with its crashing rock guitar opening and psychedelic organ early accompaniment. The song’s modestly-jerkily swaying tempo and keywork that occasionally mimics a distant siren suggest a ’70s-themed dance party, perhaps something Austin Powers might attend. Occasional, well-placed guitar riffs add to the song’s character, providing something of interest to a broad range of fans, putting the finishing touches on an interesting song with a nice beat, and you can dance to it.

Finally, and I just cant let this go even though it’s a bit self-indulgent, but there’s something about the way the lyric “bang the drum” is performed that makes me think of T. Rex’s “Bang a Gong (Get It On).” To be fair, the songs aren’t that similar aside from being kind of jangly and having that similar line of lyric, but truly, I keep wanting to sing “bang a gong” whenever The Northern Line delivers that lyric.

The Northern Line – "Throw a Fist" cover art

art design by Bilvox; image courtesy of Knyvet

This spring, The Northern Line followed up “Lightning Strikes” with “Throw a Fist.” The newer single eases into its melody a bit slower, starting simply with a steady bass beat that thumps for a while, then joined by a little jangly guitar, stretching for about 40 seconds, making me think it’d be a favorite intro for DJs to talk over, rendering an off-air tape recording of it a lot less interesting. It’s one of those songs for which you’d have some radio personality’s banter as a permanent part of your mixtape. And that thought is completely in line with the song itself, which, stylistically speaking, naturally takes me back in time to the era of shag carpets and recording songs off the radio. The tempo of “Throw a Fist” is midtempo, so even though it suggests danceableness, it’s more of a slow fast-dance – too fast for a slow dance but not fast enough to engender more than simply swaying and maybe bouncing up and down a little as a dancing style. It’s not as if “Lightning Strikes” was faster; rather, there’s a cooler, more laid-back vibe on “Throw a Fist.” And as much as the song just kind of moves along as more of a tempo-driven song than a typically-structured, lyric-driven tune, there is a memorable lyric – or, at least, one that’s quickly familiar in the chorus, “memories of moments adorn the walls” – that ties the song together for the listener.

The Northern Line has a unique sound that’s hard to place on the music spectrum. If I had to place it, though, I’d say it’s British pop-rock influenced music with a bit of a throwback vibe. It’s music that’s cool, enjoyable to listen to, and more memorable than it perhaps initially seems, as it becomes quickly familiar, sporting a unique vibe that easily identifies the songs as The Northern Line originals.

The Northern Line band photo

photo by Harrison Searle; photo courtesy of Knyvet

Looking Ahead

You can catch The Northern Line live twice in the next week here in the Boston area, according to the “Live Shows” section of the band’s website. On Thursday, May 29th, The Northern Line will be on the bill at The Middle East with Lipsmear, Looking Glass War, and DJ Ben Sherman. Then, on Saturday, May 31st, you can catch the band performing during Malden Porchfest.

Single Reviews: Midnight South – “Villains” and “One More”

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Midnight South band photo: four men sit on carpeting in a bowling alley in front of a row of bowling ball racks

photo by Autumn Dozier Photography; photo courtesy of Skye Media

Single Reviews of Midnight South: “Villains” and “One More”

Midnight South is an country band with an arena filling, rockin’ country sound. Winner of the Arkansas Country Music Awards’ Vocal Group of the Year award in 2023 and 2024 – currently hoping for a threepeat in 2025 as they’ve been nominated again this year – you can hear why award voters are so enamored with this band. The band has released several singles in the last year or so, and I’ve chosen two of my favorites to write about.

Midnight South – "Villains" single cover: four men sitting and standing around the back of a pickup truck, drinking beer

image courtesy of Skye Media

Midnight South’s “Villains” is a straight-up good-time country music party song that reminisces about enjoying life. The sound is big and uplifting, exactly the sort of song that hits #1 on country charts. Sure, there are the classic Pavlovian country hit references about life going fast, beer (“Busch light”), church (“front pew feelings”), references to to wild youth (“still shows up to raise hell sometimes”), and even smokes (“Marlboro Reds”). The only thing missing is a pick-up truck, which Midnight South covers with the cover art. You know, it seems like I’m painting this as a trite, formulaic country song. Nah, of course not. I mean, in some ways it is – and that’s a good thing because that’s “audience reach” right there – but the playful delivery, the vocal nuances, and the sense of exactly where a little noodly guitar riff belongs… well, that’s what makes Midnight South a cut above. It’s all about the details. For me, this is a crank-it-up, windows down, dog days of summer kind of tune. I know the band released it last fall, but right now’s a much better time to be discovering it, if you haven’t already.

Midnight South – "One More" single cover: a billboard along a rural highway reads "One More"

image courtesy of Skye Media

The other song, “One More” starts off a little nuanced, with a smoothly sung, almost-spoken first verse – and a reference to a “whiskey coke” in the first line as a nod to our old friend Pavlov. Then the song builds to a catchy chorus that ends with that lyrical hook, “One more’s never one more with you.” I mean, the band’s promoting safe drinking, taking a cab home, sitting in the backseat “kissin’ like who were we kidding.” I mean, it’s not very deep, but the lyrics are clever, and it makes taking a cab home seem like a great idea. But it’s really about how the band’s delivery seals the deal. It’s not the blow-the-doors-off country rocker that “Villains” is; no, “One More” is more of a sit back and enjoy it kinda song.

Back-to-back, these two songs are the kind that gives a concert variety. Both have big sounds and relatable, nostalgic themes. However, they have very different types of energy, and that’s what makes it seems like Midnight South is a band with potential staying power. They’re not one-trick ponies; they excel at a range of mid-to-high-tempo country styles. From this small sampling, I’d say Midnight South is talented, authentic, probably a helluva lot of fun live, and definitely a great band for a repeated-listen playlist.

Midnight South band photo: four men stand inside a barn, one of them with a guitar strapped over his shoulder

photo by RK Barger Photography; photo courtesy of Skye Media

More Recently

Between the releases of “Villains” last fall and “One More” earlier this year, Midnight South released a Christmas song, “This Christmas Night.” Since the release of “One More,” just last month the band released its latest single, “Loved By You.” Both of those songs – as well as the band’s back catalogs – are worth a listen.

Also, as I mentioned in the opening paragraph, Midnight South has been nominated for Vocal Group of the Year at the 2025 Arkansas Country Music Awards. A win, if it comes, would be the band’s third in a row in that category. Here’s wishing the band good luck.

Finally, if you’re in Arkansas, check out the “Shows” section of the band’s website. Midnight South has a bunch of shows scheduled around Arkansas for the rest of this year. Of course, you’ll want to keep checking back for updates… or join the mailing list. Yeah, that’d probably be easier.

Single Review: Jaime Kyle – “I Hear You Knocking”

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Jaime Kyle promo photo

photo courtesy of Jaime Kyle and BJF Media

Single Review of Jaime Kyle: “I Hear You Knocking”

I recently reviewed Jaime Kyle‘s most recent album, Wild One, as well as the release of Bernie Marsden’s last single, “Invisible,” which featured Jaime. Both the album and the single leaned into Jaime’s rock and roll skill set. Well, her new single, “I Hear You Knocking,” skews a bit country – or, at the very minimum, deep-fried Southern rock – as the Nashville-based singer-songwriter slips a little twang into her cover of the Dave Edmunds classic. (Yes, Edmunds’ version was also a cover, but hey, do your a quick Wikipedia search if you want more deets on the song’s history.)

Jaime Kyle – "I Hear You Knocking" cover art

image courtesy of Jaime Kyle and BJF Media

“I Hear You Knocking” begins with a crunchy guitar riff, accompanied by Jaime’s rough-edged bluesy country-rock vocal and a steady, mid-tempo classic rock rhythm. I’d place Jaime’s rendition of “I Hear You Knocking” on a playlist with Foghat and Kenny Rogers, as the mid-point connecting those two. Or, perhaps, between the Fabulous Thunderbirds and George Thorogood.

Jaime’s vocals on this track are steady through the verses. And, of course, her powerful voice is able to emphatically punctuate the energy required by the “I hear you knocking” portion of the chorus while also being appropriately dismissive on the back-half of the song’s central lyric, “go back where you’ve been.”

All in all, this is a cool track smack dab in the sweet spot of Jaime’s wheelhouse. If your musical tastes include any of the artists I’ve mentioned in this review, you should definitely give this cool song a listen; I bet you’ll enjoy it.

Single Reviews: The Brother Stereo – “Time in History” and “The Ballad of the Washed Up (and Seemingly Forgotten)”

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The Brother Stereo band photo

photo by Emily Joy Ashman; photo courtesy of Knyvet

Single Reviews of The Brother Stereo: “Time in History” and “The Ballad of the Washed Up (and Seemingly Forgotten)”

The Brother Stereo is a Massachusetts alt-rock band comprised of Michael Robert Kelly (vocals, guitar, bass), Shawn Pelkey (drums), and Buddy Sullivan (guitar). The band’s music has a very clean, throwback rock veneer but with an alt-rock energy. In other words, the songs would have broad appeal to fans who might not typically like a band “this alternative” while also appealing to alt-rockers whose tastes might not usually include bands with such a clean sound or, it seems, some of the influences that present themselves throughout The Brother Stereo’s songs. You know, if I weren’t trying to describe The Brother Stereo’s sound, I probably wouldn’t even try to pin a subgenre on them beyond simply calling them a rock band. But, alas, something so vague would not be super helpful.

The first of the two singles that found my inbox late last summer and fall, “Time in History,” has a musical intro that will identify it from the very moment you hear it on your playlist. It has a bit of an otherworldly, dispossessed, echoey musical opening, which sets the stage for Kelly’s sharp, melancholy vocals, very well-suited to the song’s subject matter, which walks the line between reminiscence, longing, and regret. This song may very well be the first time I realized those three emotions border each other.

The Brother Stereo – "Time in History" cover art

artwork by Emily Joy Ashman; image courtesy of Knyvet

Interestingly, about halfway through the second half of “Time in History,” there’s an exceptionally well-placed – though you probably wouldn’t guess it would fit in this song until you hear it – classic, not particularly short, blues-rock guitar solo that provides energy, emotion, and a power-build all the way to the song’s end. I can’t recall a comparable alt-rock song that transitions so seamlessly to a blues-rock song. However, though The Brother Stereo’s sound is tough to pin down, it’s easy to dig for fans of each of the individual styles that contribute to these songs’ mutt DNA.

Of the subject matter covered in “Time in History,” Kelly notes, “‘Time in History’ is about the insecurities and complacency of today’s world coupled with the nostalgia of growing up and the longing for yesterday’s world. I think this song will be relatable to our generation very directly.”

The band’s next single, “The Ballad of the Washed Up (and Seemingly Forgotten),” is much more R.E.M.-like; it might pair well with “Losing My Religion.” In particular, in that comparison, Kelly’s vocals have a cutting edge to them much like Stipe’s. Or perhaps this song could be the up-tempo half of a back-to-back with Incubus’ “Drive,” as both tunes have an open but rocking feeling to their driving strums, but that’s probably not quite as good a sonic match as “…Religion” would be. Comparing The Brother Stereo’s two singles, as in “Time in History,” the band leans into a broader rock sound on “The Ballad of the Washed Up.” And delivers a blues-rock guitar solo, though  it’s much shorter and serves just a bridge this time.

The Brother Stereo – "The Ballad of the Washed Up (and Seemingly Forgotten)" cover art

artwork by Emily Joy Ashman; image courtesy of Knyvet

As he did with “Time in History,” Kelly shares the inspiration for “The Ballad of the Washed Up (and Seemingly Forgotten)”: “It’s about being at the top of your game and being a human under a lot of pressure. It’s about the superficiality of the people you meet, keeping up the façade of fame in the eyes of the world and trying to relate to others. I just had Hollywood in mind for some reason and what it must be like for people who are so famous and desirable they can’t walk down the street. Then what it’s like to be the person who used to be that famous and the shit you get for not being as ‘perfect’ or ‘beautiful’ as you used to be. Washed up, if you will.”

The Brother Stereo has a unique sound all its own, but it’s a band whose singles belong alongside other guitar-driven rock songs on your personal playlist. Trust me, they’ll worm their way into your brain. “Time in History” first, likely because of its easily identifiable intro, but “…Washed Up” soon thereafter because of its engaging tempo.

The Brother Stereo band photo

photo by Emily Joy Ashman; photo courtesy of Knyvet

More Recently

In the time since these singles landed in my review queue, The Brother Stereo has released four more singles – “My Focus,” “Drinks on Me,” “Tornado,” and “Feeling Low,” all of which you’ll find on the band’s bandcamp page. To be honest, I haven’t listened to any of them yet. When I take a break from prepping for my next review, I look forward to checking them out.

Single Review: Natalie Joly – “Wayside”

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Natalie Joly – "Wayside" cover art

image courtesy of Natalie Joly

Single Review of Natalie Joly: “Wayside”

Natalie Joly is back in the blog, and I’m going to have to issue an earworm alert! I mentioned a couple of Natalie’s 2024 country-rock singles in a pair of “Publisher’s Corner” columns last year, but I haven’t dedicated a full review to one of her singles since a couple of 2021 reviews. That’s too long. Natalie’s new song, “Wayside,” is way too catchy to hide in a column where you might miss it! This is definitely one of her best. Then again, those 2021 releases, “Will You Ever Stop” and “Yours to Stay,” both still appear occasionally on my #PhoneOnShuffle playlists, so perhaps it’s more correct to say that “Wayside” adds to her strong body of work.

On “Wayside,” the drums kick off with a sharply hypnotic rhythm, while Natalie’s trademark country-rock grainy voice – a delivery that seems more gravelly than it actually is, thanks to Natalie’s tone – is better-suited to the verses than most of the other singers who are also able to hit the bigger, more powerful notes in the choruses. Restraint, though, makes the big notes stand out. Indeed, Natalie doesn’t go to the well too often, and those big notes sound effortless when she does. On this song, actually, they’re actually more rich than big, by design, because they’re exactly what’s called for.

The song itself is an introspective number about succumbing to manipulation, with thoughtful lyrics in the verses leading to the chorus payoff of “Don’t think I’m desperate enough to fall in line and grovel for you back just to be pushed to the wayside.” It’s a very cool release from rising, pop-friendly country-rocker Natalie Joly.

 

Single Review: Jon Muq – “Hear My Voice”

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Jon Muq

photo by Morgan Wommack; photo courtesy of Reybee Inc.

Single Review of Jon Muq: “Hear My Voice”

Singer-songwriter Jon Muq recently released his soulful pop single “Hear My Voice.” The song is musically lightly instrumented and pleasant, with the beat swaying softly in the verses, leading to an echoey power surge. Well, relatively speaking, anyway; the “surge” is still pretty soft-pop. But it delivers the song’s climactic moments, each time leading to the initial chorus vocal “Can you hear my voice.” And the song’s heartfelt final few notes are reminiscent of an Ed Sheeran ending.

Vocally, Muq’s vocals are in a very cool pop style. Yes, his vocals are entirely his own, but they contain elements of some other big-time pop and pop-rock singers. In some parts, they’re reminiscent of – here’s that name again – Ed Sheeran’s more syncopated moments. In other parts, like James Arthur, with Muq’s tone particularly comparable to Arthur’s warmth. And this memorably enjoyable voice is wrapped up in an old-fashioned, mainstream pop-styled vocal package, with maybe even a little Phil Collins vocal styling mixed in. If your musical taste includes any of those three artists, you’re likely to enjoy Jon Muq’s singing.

Here’s hoping Jon Muq has a few more well-written songs like this up his sleeve. He certainly has the voice to rival today’s top pop singer-songwriters. Predating “Hear My Voice,” Muq has a full-length album available. I’ve not listened to any of Muq’s prior releases, so after I wrap up this review, I look forward to checking out that record, Flying Away, a 2024 release. Muq will be on the road this spring and summer, with concert dates across the U.S. and Europe, plus a couple dates in Calgary, already scheduled, per the “Tour” page of his website.

Single Reviews: Girl with a Hawk – “#Vote (#Rock the Boat),” “Share It All,” and “No One Like You”

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Girl with a Hawk

photo by Kelly Davidson; photo courtesy of Knyvet

Single Reviews of Girl with a Hawk: “#Vote (#Rock the Boat),” “Share It All,” and “No One Like You”

Girl with a Hawk is led by New England Music Hall of Fame inductee Linda Viens (lead vocals, guitar). She’s joined by Daniel Coughlin (guitar), Richard Lamphear (keyboard), Nancy Delaney (drums), and Dan Bernfeld (bass). The band’s sound is rock-centered but veers into folk and Americana, as well. Essentially, Girl with a Hawk is a talented group that’s able to go wherever the song takes them.

Girl with a Hawk – #Vote (#Rock the Boat) cover art

image courtesy of Knyvet

I suppose it’s not surprising a song-driven band would unleash an issue song like “#Vote (#Rock the Boat),” a song released last fall, shortly before the U.S. election, as a non-partisan message encouraging voting, urging voters to make sure their voices were heard. The song is lightly instrumented, with just vocals and guitar, plus guest harmonica from Jim Fitting (Treat Her Right, Session Americana) and backing vocals from the entire band. The song opens with a twang – more precisely, slide guitar – and strums along folkily with a nifty, knee-slapping rhythm.

Girl with a Hawk – "Share It All" cover art

cover art design by Nicole Anguish; image courtesy of Knyvet

“Share It All,” on the other hand, is a richly instrumented pop-Americana number. Viens’ vocals are rough but tuneful, with an almost punk-rock pacing, varying phrasing to draw the listener in, helping turn what could be a too-smooth groove into an engaging, consistently interesting listen. And there’s a twangy guitar way off on the left-hand corner of the mix, giving your left ear a different listening experience from your right ear if you’re wearing headphones – country on the left, rock on the right, if you will.

The third single, “No One Like You,” is the sole 2025 release among this trio; the others dropped in 2024. “No One Like You” is a song about loss and passing, inspired by the tragic passing of Foo Fighters’ Taylor Hawkins in 2022. It begins with vocals steeped in sadness and melancholy but then picks up the tempo and thumps along with a steady beat. Still, the vocal cracks a little more than usual from time to time, echoing the emotion in the song’s lyrics. After the mellow opening, the tone moderates, and the song becomes more about reminiscence than loss, with the addition of a crunchy guitar bringing in some energy by the mid-point. The track’s second half embodies a more upbeat energy, seeming to recall the joy of the past a little, even if slightly strugglingly. In the end, what starts off sadly ends more enthusiastically, emphasizing reminiscence and joy, musically at least, more than loss.

If this is your introduction to Linda Viens and/or to Girl with a Hawk, it’s a great trio of songs to start your journey. For longtime fans, if you’ve missed any of these three releases, it’s time to give them a listen!