Horseshoes & Hand Grenades

Close enough

I’m slowly zeroing in on the Burlington music scene, which is currently cranking out undoubtedly some of the most ambitious new independent music offerings out there, but this next artist hails from Pittsburgh, where she grew up living and breathing music. It’s in her veins.

The Burlington scene - adjacent Merce Lemon released her new single, Will You Do Me a Kindness, in March of this year on Darling Recordings, revealing a fresh new dimension to her already profound repertoire. Heartfelt, introspective indie-folk (she calls it countrygaze) that sways almost imperceptibly from melancholy to uplifting. Life’s minutiae elegantly expressed; it ramps up to gentle plateaus, eventually dropping off to a mesmerizing bridge before reaching a cathartic, ass-kicking, knives-out crescendo:

There’s a music video produced by Burlington artist Greg Freeman, who you’ll meet later. Join her for an intimate ramble around the landscape of the song’s verses:

UPDATE: Backyard Lover, from her upcoming 9/27 album release entitled ‘Watch Me Drive Them Dogs Wild’ is out today, and the album preorder is available on Bandcamp:

Additionally, the music video was released today. It’s beautiful:

Earlier this year in January, she released a double-single of Will Oldham (Bonnie “Prince” Billy) covers with Asheville, North Carolina’s folkadelic savant musician/producer Colin Miller. She takes the lead on the first one, and it does not disappoint. Covers are always tricky, walking the fine line between honoring the original and adding something of value, and they get it pretty close to perfect with this effort:

I can’t leave you with just that, however, because her 2020 full length album, Moonth mustn’t go unmentioned. Whimsical and satirical, funny and sad, it’s equal parts contagious youthful exuberance and listless ennui:

She’s also currently touring, with the aforementioned Greg Freeman and others, check her out if she’s in your area:

Linktree here for up to date tour info

I’m hoping to make it to one of her shows soon if things line up. She’s a part of the coterie of musicians and bands that inhabit the rabbit hole I’m currently writing about and still exploring, so the odds are good that there’ll be a Merce Lemon show in my not too distant future.

Part of the excitement of my most recent series of musical discoveries is that there is seemingly always just a little more, and almost every stone I overturn has something under it that appeals to my musical sensibilities. I’m certain that all these recs won’t snap everyone’s elastic but maybe this little trip will inspire you on your own. ✌️