These LITM Singer-Songwriter Picks come to you from artists like Leo Walrus, Every Other Weekend, Derby Hill, and more!
1. Leo Walrus – Matthew’s Line
Leo Walrus has already established a sound that’s lowkey, introspective, and warm; Matthew’s Line is no different. With intimate vocals and vulnerable lyrics, all under the slightest hint of grain, Leo Walrus explores obsession and self-sabotage with a nuance that keeps you hooked. On the surface, the song is laid-back and almost nonchalant, but from the onset, there’s a hint of uneasiness that gnaws at you – present enough for your subconscious to notice it, but not so much that you go to do something about it. Its accompanying music video is a beautiful reflection – a worthy enhancement to the already expansive track. Check it out here!
2. Every Other Weekend – Memories
Every Other Weekend’s Memories draws its pull from how raw it sounds; easily the kind of song that you can imagine coming out of a cosy jam session, it’s filled with nostalgia and energy. Humming with lived experience throughout, its vibrancy clearly comes to you from a place of authenticity. Based on acoustic rock foundations, the track is minimal and restrained, allowing the lyrics (“Some stories now are buried and untold / Some are waiting for their moment to unfold / And if they take everything you have to hold, hold on / Hold on to your memories,”) to take prominence. Listen to Memories here!
3. Derby Hill – Restless and Forgiven
Opening Derby Hill’s eponymous debut EP is Restless and Forgiven, a relaxed, acoustic track drenched in sunny vibes and carefree energy. Built on instrumentals reminiscent of folk music and a delicate arrangement of various instruments seamlessly woven together, the song is overwhelmingly sincere, reflecting on the condition of life: what it means to be human, what the world is like, and how we can get past it all for the moments when life sounds like this song. It all comes together by the time the upbeat chorus hits, and the feeling of knowing things will turn out okay settles deep in you. Listen here!
4. Mick J. Clark – There’s Nothing Anybody Can Do
Driven by an acoustic melody with hints of country twang, There’s Nothing Anybody Can Do is all about soft catharsis and release. “Wipe away your tears, it won’t be long before your friends appear,” Mick J. Clark sings on this track, a helpful hand reaching out to soothe those going through heartbreak. He shines light on the fact that in difficult times, “there’s nothing anybody can do, there’s nothing anybody can say” to make you feel better, but sometimes, just the presence of the right people can be soothing enough. The calm from this song is the kind that lingers – check it out here!
5. Andy Smythe – Life of a Man
Life of a Man is groovy yet intense, layered with harmonies that come and go, and jazzy instrumentals that lie under rich vocals. Andy Smythe’s music has never been scared of confronting the darkest parts of societal structures, and this track is no different. With tension simmering just below the surface of this seemingly chill song, Smythe weaves a story of disillusionment: loneliness, instability, high costs of living, and fewer opportunities are all conditions that plague modernity, and he addresses these not with superiority, but empathy and wry self-aware imagery. Life of a Man balances being thematically heavy with listening ease – no small feat! Listen here.
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