“Emily” is a song I wrote for my oldest friend, someone who shaped my childhood in quiet but profound ways. It’s about the kind of bond that leaves a permanent mark on your heart - even when time and distance pull you apart. Writing this song helped me reconnect not just with her, but with the part of myself she helped me believe in. It’s a reminder of how important it is to say the things we often leave unsaid. At its core, Emily is about gratitude, memory, and the power of a friendship that lasts through everything."
“Halley Neal is an award-winning folk singer and songwriter whose music radiates warmth, positivity, and peace. Based in Boston by way of Nashville, Halley blends lyrical, heartfelt songwriting with soaring vocals and vibrant, bluegrass-inspired instrumentation. Often performing alongside her trio of upright bass and fiddle, her live shows are intimate, uplifting experiences that highlight her honest lyrics and effortlessly expressive voice.
A rising presence in the Americana and folk scenes, Halley has toured nationally, performing in listening rooms and folk venues across the country. She has graced the stages of major festivals including the Kerrville Folk Festival, Rocky Mountain Folks Festival, and the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Among her career highlights, Halley has opened for and shared the stage in a duet performance with Grammy-winning artist Sara Bareilles - an experience that reflects both her talent and growing recognition in the contemporary folk world.
Following the success of her critically acclaimed 2022 album Beautiful and Blue, Halley is set to release her next full-length record, Letter for a Friend, in fall 2025. Written as a collection of personal letters to the people who have shaped, influenced, and inspired her, the album was recorded in Nashville and reflects her most intimate and narrative-driven work to date.”
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Saycouth follows up their Spring 2025 single "Phantom Love" with the new single "It's the Ride," which was released over the weekend.
Nashville-based indie/soul/pop group Saycouth have been active since early 2024. They have been releasing singles, an EP, lyric videos, and have played a couple well-received live shows at Virgin Hotels Nashville with an upcoming show confirmed at Analog at the Hutton Hotel in Nashville on Wed, July 30.
Saycouth features Mikayla Debasio on vocals, Nick Bilski on guitar, Frankie Hill on keys and sax, Jarred Harris on bass, and Herschal Van Dyke on drums.
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Let The THIRTEEN 7 introduce you to ‘Gothic Soul”: a fusion of soul, jazz, folk & blues: blending haunting lyricism with rich soundscapes. The complexities of human emotion; grief & loss; mental health & self worth; plus the occasional ghost story, are addressed in their collection of eclectic, emotive songs. Yet their ability to balance darkness with beauty, sorrow with hope, is what makes their sound feel both timeless and fresh.
The THIRTEEN 7 are a UK based recording project. The rhythm section its core: Roger Batting on drums and percussion, and songwriter KLVN (Kelvin) plays bass. Guest vocalists and musicians help bring the songs to life.
Carry the Burden is second release, yet the first song we produced as The THIRTEEN 7. It’s a cover, written by singer / songwriter Trudy Hide, from her eponymous mid 90’s album. Roger asked for a backing track of the song so his niece could experience singing in a recording studio. Instrumentally the track became quite removed from the original: dark & minimal. It set a tone and ambience which in-turn inspired the songwriting for the rest of the album “Nobody’s Listening” (expected 2026).
After the positive reception the first single “The Shadow and the Light” received, we decided to continue the project: so this song, almost complete, we looked to finish next. Despite being a superb vocalist, Emma didn’t quite connect with the song, so we asked Lia whether she’d like to sing it. Once again she delivers a beautiful performance. The song also features a fabulous violin solo by Tony Quinta, Solid rhythm and percussion by Roger Batting and instrumentation by KLVN. The track really demonstrates the “Gothic Soul” sound in which the band inhabits. Dark, reflective, & atmospheric. Late night listening recommended.
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| Photo - Brett Warren |
Amanda Shires will release her new album 'Nobody’s Girl' on 26th September via ATO Records. The GRAMMY Award-winning singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist returns with her most powerful body of work yet and the follow-up to her widely acclaimed 2022 album 'Take It Like A Man'. Along with the album announcement, Amanda has shared 'A Way It Goes' the first single from the forthcoming record. The video for 'A Way It Goes' was directed by Taylor G. Kelly (Kelsea Ballerini, Brittney Spencer, Fitz & The Tantrums) and shot on location outside Nashville.
Produced by Lawrence Rothman and co-written by Amanda and Rothman, 'A Way It Goes' opens the album, taking the listener on an intimately revealing and musically rewarding journey. The track’s understated, soaring arrangement showcases Amanda’s delicate vocals and vulnerable lyrics. Amanda sings, “Spent a year looking inward and healing, made some new friends, don’t ask about the deep end. Even I couldn’t believe it when I felt my heart sprouting feathers and I caught myself dreaming again.”
Amanda has never been afraid to blur genre lines, but 'Nobody’s Girl' is not about sonic boundaries, it’s about emotional ones. Produced by Lawrence Rothman, the new album explores themes of heartbreak and loss, resilience, self-discovery and empowerment. As Amanda explains, “'Nobody's Girl' is what came after the wreckage, the silence, the rebuilding. It’s about standing in the aftermath of a life you thought would last forever and realising no one is coming to save you.”
The 12-track record features Amanda’s moving vocals and signature fiddle playing set to meticulously crafted songs ranging from achingly raw ballads to rock-infused anthems. It was recorded at Sound Emporium Studios in Nashville, TN, with Fred Eltringham and Julian Dorio on drums, Dominic Davis on bass, Peter Levin on keys, Zach Setchfield on guitar, and Rothman on guitar as well. Amanda also tracked at Rothman Recorders in Los Angeles, CA, with Jay Bellerose (drums), Pino Palladino (bass), Jimbo Hart (bass), Joe Kennedy (piano, guitar), and Rothman again on guitar. In addition to the fiddle, Amanda can also be heard playing tenor guitar and ukulele.
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