The Weather Station

One Liner: Pleasant Americana/folky tunes with a light touch and very good lyrics

Wikipedia Genre: Folk music, experimental music
Home:  Toronto

Poster Position: 21
Day: Friday at 2:15
Weekend One Only.

Thoughts:  Absolute first impression: her most popular track is like Joni Mitchell tried to cover a Grateful Dead song.  I swear the tune sounds like an old lost Dead track, and her voice sounds like that semi-airy, semi-country thing that Mitchell did a lot.  

Or is it "Cassidy," the actual Dead song, which was remade by Suzanne Vega for that Deadicated album?  Is that what I hear?  Or Jewel.  Sometimes Jewel did that same breathy/high sound.  Anyway, pretty cool track.  And killer lyrics: 

There was a time, When you put your hand on the small of my back, I was surprised that you touched me like that, But there in your hand was a current of life, I could hardly stand, I stayed still, And I didn't mention it, Or if I did, I made some joke of it, It was strange how I could feel so sane, So plain when you're around.

That is just verse one.  The tune continues with those types of poetic observations and cleverness about not having children or being close to family, or about mountains staying on the horizon while driving, or about the sweet sadness of relationships and the relentless passage of time.  All in one song.  Freaking good.  1.8 million streams.  Should have 100 times that, if people actually cared about bars instead of the party.

"Power" also sounds kind of like the guitar and drum riff from a Dead song.  Maybe I just have the Dead on my mind, but then the string section from Beck's Sea Change was used to add to the Dead jam.  I also get some Cowboy Junkies vibes in here - and those guys freaking rule, so I'm down with all of the action here.  Both of those tunes come from their most recent album, 2017's very good The Weather Station.

They also have 2015's Loyalty, 2011's All of It Was Mine (much more bluegrassy, but still quite good), and some EPs and singles.  That 2011 album has a couple of their top tracks - this one is their second most listened to, "Came So Easy," with 1.5 million streams.

A little soft on the vocals - has me straining to catch the words.  Nice plucked tune like an Appalachian mountain lullaby.  By the way, pretty much everything I read about the band brings up Joni Mitchell, so I'm not coming up with anything too off the wall here.

Ooooh, and a Tiny Desk Concert.  YESSSSS!

Tiny Desk is the best.  Love them.  And I really enjoyed listening to this band.  I have no clue if they are going to be good on a huge stage in the blazing hot Texas sun as their 1pm slot on the BudRazzaRita stage, but in terms of enjoying the tunes, I'm in for sure.