Something About Bears – “Honey”
-Maybe it’s the lifelong Pooh Bear fan in me, but I couldn’t help but smile when I saw a song by a group of bears called “Honey.” A smackerel, as they say. I know if you read their PR information they are actually human, so on… but in my head canon, they are singing bears. 
Okay, so silliness aside this is actually a great piece of folk pop songwriting. The string work is nice and open, with a real levity to it. The vocals are solid and really invite the listener into the sound, almost with a “singalong” feel to it. You want to sit around with these folks at a campfire and sing with them, genuinely. The “come a little closer honey” and “come on and dance with me tonight” feels like a sweet, sincere invitation. It’s just the sort of light hearted folk pop we need in our world today.
Savanna Leigh – “tightrope”
-If you’ve been around my writing for a while, you know I’m a sucker for a soft and subtle acoustic singer songwriter. From the first time I heard this track, I felt instantly calmer and relaxed. There’s a sentiment here in the composition that feels distinctly peaceful. I’m not sure Savanna Leigh’s vocal has a good comp… there’s some breathiness that reminds me some of Lizzy McAlpine… and then there’s an early Taylor Swift inflection in some of the phrasing that I really like. All told, this song has this feeling of intimacy and closeness, like you want to lean in and listen closely. It’s a beautiful piece of songwriting for your chill acoustic playlist or for if you really want to experience some deeper emotions. I appreciate the way the song taps both of those energies so well.
MacLaine – “Dragonfly”
-Okay, so this song… really hit me in a different way lately. I’ve been making a concerted effort to get out and walk more (therefore in nature more) so I’ve bumped into more insects in the past 2 months than I had in the past decade, I bet. MacLaine’s line about the titular “dragonfly” connects with me for that reason, but also there’s a softness to the composition style that invites the listener into the emotions of loss and wonder. The line about “I’ll see you in another life or something” feels really deep and sincere. I’m not sure the full story behind the lyrics, but I know that I can feel the personal intimacy in each line on this recording. This isn’t “folk pop” in the sense of handclappy lightness; it’s folk pop because it’s storytelling for the people… and the guitar and vocal are outstanding. This is a gem.
Image courtesy: MacLaine IG
