On The Stereo #51

Old Dominion: vocal harmonies and bold country production combine

Our team reviews a collection of new releases from Old Dominion, The Darkness, Mariama, Jack And Tim and Sun Bloom

OLD DOMINION
MY HEART IS A BAR
Sony Music Entertainment
This is the latest offering from OD’s forthcoming third studio album and sees the five-piece Nashville group at their best. The vocal harmonies and bold country production, combined with the rich lead vocals, create a timeless record that deserves to be a hit on both sides of the Atlantic. LK

THE DARKNESS
HEART EXPLODES
Cooking Vinyl
For all their bombast and volume, The Darkness still no how to pack an emotional punch when the mood so takes them. This new single finds them letting go and pushing forward, propelled by thumping drums and chiming guitars. DH

MARIAMA
GRAINS OF WISDOM
Membran
Inspired by her travels through Europe and Africa it’s no surprise that the music made by Sierra Leone-born/Germany-raised Mariama is genre traversing. With nods to soul, R&B, folk and electronica, it’s not just wisdom she’s picked up along the way. DH

JACK AND TIM
SIMPLE DAYS
Twenty Twenty Artists
The father-son duo rounded out their #4Singles4Weeks campaign with the release of this sweet ballad that tells the story of childhood memories and that nostalgia of wanting to go back to simpler times. This feels like the real Jack and Tim and we think it’s their best release to date. LK

SUN BLOOM
TAKE IT AWAY
AWAL
Alvvays and Frankie Cosmos are obvious reference points here, but there’s also something of The Pretenders about the way Viv Youel’s confident vocals kick in. Yes, there are additional layers of haze and jangle, but we can’t help but feel like Chrissie Hynde would be impressed – we certainly are. DH

Words: Laura Klonowski, Duncan Haskell

Listen to these songs and other On The Stereo selections via the Songwriting Magazine Spotify ‘Music Reviewed’ playlist.

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