Issue link: http://southshoremagazine.uberflip.com/i/919874
Greetings, music lovers! Jay Psaros here and welcome to volume thirteen of "The Beat," where we cover all things music right here on Boston's best shore, The South Shore! Here at The Beat we are proud to be the ear on the ground, turning readers onto the finest music that our humble region has to offer. In this issue of The Beat, I'll be covering a few artists who are about to release new albums. Not singles or "EP's," but full-length albums. In the digital age where content is king and listeners are often bombarded with media, it's nice to know that artists are still taking time to craft full-length records. It's within these full-length records that listeners can really begin to hear the depth, insights and character of a musical artist, often covering a wider range of their craft than a single or an EP would allow. We are fortunate to have several artists here on the South Shore who are about to release new albums. So lets dive in! First up to release a new record is Wareham's Grace Morrison. Grace has been cultivating a career based upon deft musicianship and songwriting. No smoke and mirrors with this girl's music. Her latest release, a twelve song collection called "I'm The Apple," is no exception. Throughout the album, Grace skillfully blends folk, roots, bluegrass and even pop-rock to frame her personal lyrical style — often musing on the many emotions found within familial and romantic relationships. The song "Lorraine" even contains hints of some New Orleans minor swing. Perhaps what stands out most on this record is the way that the songs and music are arranged. Grace does a delightful job at creating melodies which aren't necessarily predictable, but are still pleasing to the common listener. This is a hard line to balance that only skillful musicians such as Grace could accomplish easily. Although a completely different genre, Steely Dan comes to mind with regard to their ability to write accessible songs while infusing complicated musical arrangements. Highlights of the record include "Lorraine" and "America." I found both of the songs to be well-produced, leaving plenty of space to shine light on Grace's skillset as a lyricist and composer. Easy on the ears, I found myself drawn in by both of these tunes. Grace will be touring in support of "I'm The Apple." Find out more information at www. GraceMorrison.com Next up is Duxbury's Sparrow Blue. Sparrow Blue is a duo consisting of fiddle player/vocalist Katy Boc and guitarist/vocalist Todd Nickerson. This duo does a fine job at staying true to the roots of Appalachian fiddle music, with songs driven by "fiddle- centric" melodies and backwoods harmonies. Sparrow Blue has been making a name for themselves around the region by keeping this particular genre of roots music alive. Although both are very skillful instrumentalists, they do a great job at letting their songs shine, as their performances are often direct and to the point. It would be easy for Katy and Todd to take you away on an instrumental journey (which many acts do, often leading nowhere) but this duo does a superb job at framing their talents within the meaning of the song. Often gathered around a single microphone, their sound will take you away to dusk on a back porch, or into the heart of an old time speakeasy in an Appalachian valley. Reminiscent of a simpler time, this duo will stir the imagination and paint a picture of what things were like before the modern world. They are due to release their first full length album "Rabbit in the Moon" in January and have several regional release shows scheduled. For more information, visit www.TheSparrowBlue.com b y J a y P s a r o s Grace Morrison 30