Throughout his career, Son Little has collaborated with numerous notable artists, including The Roots, RJD2, and Black Pumas. Now living in Atlanta, Little has connected with two-time Grammy winner and Alabama Shakes member, Ben Tanner. Their organic collaboration has helped Little deliver a reflective piece learned from his family history and recent hardships.

The new album, CITYFOLK, opens with the country-rooted tune “Rabbit.” Whistling horses naying off in the distance while Son quickly strums his banjo at a fast pace, immediately speeding your heart rate. Little’s echoing voice haunts his folklore storytelling, letting your imagination run wild. It has the soul of stories handed down from ancestors who sang by firelight, gazing up at the stars. “Devils on the run. Just a punk with a gun. All you did was send one…to the angels.” Little strives for peace in the uncertain times as the deeply Americana-styled track sings about mankind needing to repent for its wickedness, “See this sickness was made by man. Mother Nature’s ashamed of him. Feels like the dream is dead. We got to get him…before he goes to ground.”

Son Little changes the mood completely for something more seductive on “Whip The Wind.” The shift in tone is what makes CITYFOLK a fun listen, having Son Little refuse to be confined to one genre. “The industry likes to keep artists in little boxes, and for Black artists, it has meant being defined by your proximity to “urban”, Little states. “But my music has always had flashes of Country, Rock and Folk, as well as Hip-Hop, Blues and R&B.” Maybe he can add Salsa to his list of genres because there’s a spiciness to “Whip The Wind.” The romanticism oozes on the percussion during Little’s story detailing forbidden love that isn’t meant to last, but those involved are going to tango till the bitter end. 

“It’s Your World” is a blissful track that manages to calm listeners while reinvigorating their self-importance. Little speaks softly over soft guitar and piano chords, spitting truth, “They say it’s a sign of the times, but it’s a state of mind… Baby, it’s your world, I just came to watch you twirl on by. Baby, it’s your world, but the universe is mine.” The dramatic pause before line, “But the universe in mine”, is a gut-punch delivery and a good reminder that we are all capable of making greatness within our lives. It’s almost gospel-like as Little’s godly vocals grow with reverberation. 

It is immediately followed up with the best song on CITYFOLK, “Cherry“. A delightfully sweet R&B song with a catchy chorus where Son Little repeatedly professes his love to someone named Cherry passionately. After one listen, it’ll get stuck in your head, making you wish you could hit the notes like Son Little. I was singing the lyrics over Valentine’s Day weekend to less success. But if you have someone you love deeply and can’t be without, throw “Cherry” on rotation one time and let the sparks fly.

“Be Better” is a motivational track that showcases strength in resiliency and the power of self-belief. The will to shed the pain of broken expectations and hold onto past stories. Little calls on the listener to leave the grudges behind and have the trust in oneself to move forward, even when the road ahead isn’t clear. Its a uplifting track that shines the darkness of uncertainty away.

Son Little’s CITYFOLK was an absolute treat to listen to. He keeps you on your toes as there is a variety of styles on the album. None of it is overwhelming or ruins the pacing. The blending of styles and beautifully crafted storytelling results in Son Little’s pleasant album.

CITYFOLK is available on streaming services. Catch Son Little on tour now in both the USA and Europe. 

Cover image by Jasmin Valcarcel.

The post Son Little’s sound travels across genres on “CITYFOLK”  appeared first on Quip Magazine.

Throughout the album, Son finds a unique balance between wistful longing for change on one hand and hope and optimism at the prospect of overcoming one’s demons or shortcomings on the other. Much of the lyrical content revolves around relationships. “bbbaby” and “that’s the way” are slower, more introspective songs for contemplation on rainy days, with “bbbaby” in particular having a distinctly low-fi aesthetic, powered mainly by an airy boom-bap beat. These two songs contain perhaps the clearest examples of some of the lyrical themes that run through the album, as Son reminisces over a past love on “bbbaby,” while making promises of commitment on “that’s the way.”

“hey rose” and “3rd eye weeping” are two of the breeziest tunes on the record, perfect for a sunshine-soaked summer day with your friends. “3rd eye weeping” in particular is one of the more catchy, groovy, and soulful songs on the album, but manages to still hold space for Son to pen memorable lyrics of self-reflection. 

Son has a gorgeous, soul-filled voice and he lets it fly on “about her again” and “mahalia.” He’s done prior work with Mavis Staples, and these soul-filled ballads give credence to that fact. 

Album standout “suffer” has perhaps the most mesmerizing guitar track on the record, with the lyrics inspiring an ‘us against the world’ type of feeling. It’s the song on the album most likely to inspire a sing-along.  

aloha is a fantastic effort by an artist with a dazzling amount of soul and talent. It’s an album perfect to cry to, sing to, dance to, and everything in between.

The post Son Little showcases his diverse musical talents on fantastic new album “aloha” appeared first on Quip Magazine.

I was really looking forward to seeing what Son Little would do with his new album. His first full length self-titled release established him as someone looking to rework the blues and R&B canon in a new way (or to travel some forgotten byways). That album was  spectral, spooky, and a little freaky. It called to mind Screaming Jay Hawkins or Andre Williams. It really grew on me. So, I was looking forward to how he would push things forward on this new outing. Initially, however, I felt let down. It seemed too simple and not so much a reinvention of the blues as a rehashing of them. It is more accessible, at times upbeat, and almost happy. This is not necessarily a bad thing but it wasn’t what I was expecting. After repeat listens, however, I came to appreciate it on its own merits. A couple of the tracks are standout: “Blue Magic” and “Charging Bull.” These fall into that category of songs you should be hearing a lot on the radio and could act as a tasty bridge between Leon Bridges and Gary Clarke Jr. on a playlist.

Son Little was, apparently, looking for a new direction after the success of his first album. He ultimately found himself on the wild north coast of Australia where he was struck by inspiration and wrote these songs on a left-handed guitar that he borrowed from a blind Aborigine who played it upside-down. Just writing that down makes me wish he had a song about that whole experience. We shouldn’t be upset when artists take new avenues and try and reinvent themselves. But it’s hard. While I like New Magic, it seems more of a breather before he (hopefully) takes another foray into the musical wilds. I hope he comes back with a song about a blind Aborigine musician and his upside down guitar.

The post Son Little’s sophomore album “New Magic” – simpler & more upbeat than his last appeared first on Quip Magazine.

During the day, there are multiple opportunities for individuals, especially college students, to learn about the music industry from professionals at various panels. But when the sun goes down, venues and bars across New York fill in with hundreds of up-and-coming artists. 

The first notable showcase of the week was UK-based Communion Records at Rockwood Music Hall. The venue was packed for Aaron Earl Livingston, AKA Son Little, who was clearly a great choice to kick off CMJ with a warm welcome. With his guitar in hand, Livingston poured out blues-inspired songs one after the other, which had the crowd roaring and cheering for an encore at the end of the set.

After a short break, the opening chords of a song brought the chitchatting crowd to silence – Ben Abraham had taken the stage for his first New York showcase. Abraham’s songs are quite serene, creating a mellow vibe at the venue, while his voice captures the listener’s attention on all levels from melody to beautifully written lyrics. His debut album Sirens was released in Australia last November and is set for North American release next month. Being a fairly new artist, Abraham is not yet well known in North America – so this album is still new to most people.

The next performer, Marlon Williams of New Zealand, took the audience by surprise. Williams opened his set with some casual small talk before heading into his folky guitar set. Having roots in a choir no doubt contributes to Williams’ angelic voice.

The CMJ showcase is one of Williams’ two stops in the US; his Americana-inspired voice is well suited to the countryside of Australia and parts of Europe, where the rest of his tour is taking place, but we’d love to see him back in the big apple.

The post CMJ with Son Little, Ben Abraham, and Marlon Williams appeared first on Quip Magazine.