If It's Too Loud...

I Need to Start a Garden  is one of the very rare albums that both Jeff and I included in our top 10 for 2018, so that says huge things about this one. Haley Heynderickx came out of nowhere back in September 2018 with "Oom Sha La La" and I instantly knew I needed to hear more. There aren't a lot of truly unique artists in folk. but Heynderickx is one of the most unique ones. From her odd and interesting way of arranging songs into long epics like "Worth It" to her stunning voice that is just slightly off kilter enough to keep interesting, I Need to Start a Garden is one of the more mesmerizing releases of the year. Take a song like the aforementioned "Oom Sha La La." It starts off as this lovely little pretty song, with the chorus of "Oom sha la la/Oom oom sha la la" just sucking you in, and then the near repeated screaming of "I need to start a garden" kicks in. I'm sure some listeners would be repelled as this can shatter th...

Photo by Alessandra Leimer We were forced to wait four long months between the release of Haley Heynderickx's amazing "Oom Sha La La" and "Untitled God Song." Luckily for us all, it's a mere two weeks later and we already have a new song of hers to check out. "Worth It" is simply stunning. It starts out as this mesmerizing quiet, slightly off kilter folk-ish song, truly driven by Heynderickx's exceptional voice. Out of nowhere, it starts going off into some noisy indie rock until it's pulled back down into its folk beginnings. I could gush and gush about the various twists the song takes, but I don't want to spoil this one for you. I don't think I've been this mesmerized by a new song since I first heard Lady Lamb's Ripely Pine back when she was the Beekeeper. This is the unicorn level rare folk-ish song that's nearly eight minutes long, and you're going to be desperate for more when it's over. You can (and...

Photo by Evan James Atwood Haley Heynderickx has been on my radar ever since I first heard her ridiculously great song "Oom Sha La La." That was way back in September, which feels like roughly five years ago right now, so I was starting to think she was a figment of my hopes and dreams for 2018. Luckily, I didn't imagine her, and she's back with another song off her upcoming album. "Untitled God Song" starts off as a pretty straightforward folk song in the vein of the current Newport Folk Festival friendly artists. Heynderickx's voice feels vulnerable yet strong. Slowly the song starts transforming and showing some of its quirks, until it breaks out into some 90's style indie rock. It's still somehow melodic and quiet even at its most rambunctious, so this is basically my idea of perfection. You can listen to "Untitled God Song" below.  Haley Hyderickx's debut album,  I Need to Start a Garden , will be out March 2 on Mama Bir...

Photo by Evan James Atwood One of my favorite musical styles I'll always have a fondness for is early 60's doo wop. I grew up an odd kid, choosing a lot of my parent's music instead of my own generation until I was about 12. Because of this, I've listened to way more classic doo wop than New Wave. Doo wop is one of those genres that doesn't really get the throwback love that it deserves. Haley Heynderickx is here to help remedy that. With a song title like "Oom Sha La La," her classic doo wop influence is right out there. The song is a true mix of Americana and the aforementioned doo wop, so there are some similarities to Molly Burch, another of our favorites from earlier this year. But there's just something about Heynderickx's singing style that just feels raw. Her voice goes from light and vulnerable to a feeling of joy (accentuated by the hints of a chuckle on some lines) and back again. And then there's the repeated near screaming of...