Great Horned Owl crafts an impactful sound, spanning from riveting rock to introspective folk, on the new album Longyear. The Portland, Oregon-based project of multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Vanderson Langjahr caught our ears with a couple tracks last month, including “Annie, I’m Leaving,” featuring Marissa Nadler. Those tracks are amongst the many highlights on Longyear, an album with consistently compelling songwriting.
Standout track “It Wasn’t Anything” casts a reflective spell, with Langjahr’s affecting voice complemented by a solemnly beautiful acoustic guitar backing. “Standing with you by the lake that night, beneath the trees, the insects buzzing,” he sings, showing a poetic grasp of vivid imagery as soul-searching, heart-aching sentiments pair gorgeously with the late-night tonal allure.
The album’s title track is another gem, closing out Longyear with a dynamic production that swells from quaint guitar trickling into anthemic rock vigor. Also complemented by a visually striking music video, “Longyear” enamors in its bursts of warming guitars past the one-minute turn, while references to sunlight glimmer into tender guitar twangs. The album is abundant with quality productions, melodic with heartfelt appeal.
Stream these tracks and the rest of Longyear, below:
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These and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
