Unlike their name, Those Mockingbirds aren’t mimics of their NY/NJ musical counterparts. Instead, the Montclair-based five-piece produces a refreshing brand of pop-rock, synthesizing heavy guitars, graceful guitar and violin lines, and multi-part vocals. Their record, “Fa Sol La,” released just last month and available for free here, features a mix of songs and musical interludes, including “Mountain Slang I” which begins with gentle waves of sound then segues into crashing guitars on “Coast to Coast,” folksy and balladic “Don’t Stray,” polka-esque “The Bloodiest Gums,” visceral “We’re Animals,” “Fa Sol La” comes full cirlce with serene instrumental track, “Mountain Slang II.” The album is also available in vinyl from various musical outlets for those who prefer the classic packaging. –Meijin Bruttomesso
Ambient and slightly androgynous, the duo Belle Mare released their dreamy debut EP “The Boat of the Fragile Mind” earlier this spring. The EP resonates with somber tones and almost whale-like howls, unraveling soft acoustic guitar, simple piano melodies, and occasional subtle drones. The title track features the quivering vocals of Amelia Bushell, one half of the Belle Mare duo with guitarist Thomas Servidone, painting a dreamscape portrait of longing. Charade (streaming below) gently develops an unexpected blue melody that can lull you into the deepest of sleeps - I've heard of people dreaming of sleeping, in NYC. The duo met at an open mic night in Brooklyn and recorded the album in Servidone’s apartment, but notwithstanding the DIY approach, the record is full of character and the sound mature. With their mix of rich surrealism and an almost gothic aura, these song sounds as if played through an antique phonograph inside a parlor room... located in the deepest of our subconscious. While “The Boat” could easily draw comparisons to other dream-poppers Beach House, Belle Mare’s subtleties and extreme sparsness create a stronger emotional drive and more nostalgic appeal. - Devon Antonetti
