2-12-12 - "Settler" ~ Balmorhea

I found this band on thesixtyone the other day (a site worth checking out - fun way to discover new tunes).  They're an instrumental outfit from Texas, named after a small town quite a ways away from the bigger cities.  Their sound, however, is much larger than their namesake.

Balmorhea (pronounced Bal-moor-ay) bring lush orchestration and soaring melodies, reminiscent of carefree summer days.  This track features a backbone of piano with strings along for the ride.  A subtle guitar breakdown  laced with ethereal vocal harmonies gives you a breather before the climax, when the pace picks up and claps join the strings and vocals in a manner reminiscent of The David Wax Museum.  This type of tune could easily be part of a movie soundtrack, but stands alone as well:

1-15-12 - "Ice Age" ~ Big Snow Big Thaw

So like I said late (really late) Friday night, both artists at the early show at Club Cafe were pretty okay.  Pittsburgh band Big Snow Big Thaw set the stage for troubadour Jeffrey Foucault (see how I used a French-type word to describe a guy with a French last name?!?!), and this was their closing tune.


I really enjoy the dissonance and resolution, maybe it's just me.  But the lyrics are pretty intriguing, and maybe you'll enjoy pondering them even if you're not quite as enthralled by the unusual chord structure as I.


Here's a concert video I filmed at Friday's show:

And here's another one that someone got at Thunderbird early last year - the track isn't part of their Winter/Spring dual EP, but hopefully it'll be on the new album (due for release quite soon, rumor has it...)

"how the hell'd I get here,

hangin' in the lurch?

can't reckon if I done myself

or you done done me worse..."

PS - check out another sweet song from Friday's show on my YouTube channel - new one "Homestead Grays".  Might make it a post of its own someday...