Presenting three different slices of life
See if one of these straight-up songwriters sticks with you.
At the risk of this part of Substack slowly becoming a giant playlist full of young men conjuring up bright riffs for the summer, I wanted to take a moment to stop and breathe in a handful of more sorrowful, sedated – but just as superb – songwriters.
Let’s dive in …
Fiona-Lee – To Make Me Feel Good
It feels like Fiona-Lee is in that purgatory between establishing herself and becoming a steadfast indie hero: give it six months, and she’ll be far beyond the remit I operate in.
With airtime on BBC 6 Music and slots at the likes of the excellent Neighbourhood Festival, Fiona-Lee’s particular brand of vibrant, sax-backed story just sticks with you – building and growing to a glorious crescendo, against a backdrop of self-doubt and an acute sense of self awareness.
I suspect Fiona-Lee is already backed by the likes of a Universal, and it’s easy to see why. Her first few singles have already steered well clear of some of the trappings emerging artists fall into; there’s no soul searching here. Just a direct, introspective vulnerability.
Finn Forster – Feels Like
Much like Fiona-Lee, Finn Forster offers a similar brand of candid, Ronseal writing: but one that’s brutally effective nonetheless.
What makes Feels Like stand out? Its sound is an uncanny amalgamation between punchy mid 2000s guitar pop and an undeniable twang that reeks of Americana. No matter what side of the Atlantic you’re from, Feels Like may well stick in your head a little while longer.
Dexter Kelly – Tasteless
A little context: the preceding tracks in Dexter Kelly’s discography are bright, simple and almost wistful in their aspiration.
In that sense, Tasteless is an evolution. Yes, it’s a blunt, jangling observation on city life, put against a mercilessly optimistic soundscape. But there’s new textures and impressions amid its structure – a new depth that shows how Kelly is exploring his potential as a songwriter.