Niall Connolly has never shied away from his own artistry. In listening to his repertoire you’re unlikely to sense reluctance. Instead, the folk singer rushes headlong into his music, laying his soul bare for the world to witness. “In this house, if you wanna cry, you can cry,” he sings on his latest album, The Patience of Trees, out June 2. And with a shuddering breath, we believe him.
The Irish-born troubadour has been a steady presence in the New York City folk scene, telling his musical stories across the din of nondescript bars and Manhattan’s broad stages alike. At every Connolly gig audiences are ushered into his world of unflinching honesty and disarming resonance. Whether listening to him live or on recording, the listener is wrapped in a strange combination of isolation and warmth, a mix that leaves a profound effect: one of having been held and lonely at the same time. This is Connolly’s unique ability to transform his art into something capable of providing tangible comfort.
The album’s first single, “We Don’t Have to Talk About It”, approaches the topic of self-harm in this same manner. “I know you get tempted by the third rail late at night,” he sings, acknowledging and stripping the power away from one’s demons at the same time. The latest single, “It’s a Beautiful Life,” gives an unrelenting perspective of the struggles many of us endure and, ultimately, the love that attempts to pull us through. The song evokes the painful journey through mental health and offers a unique perspective of the collective’s ability to triumph by giving voice to our experiences.
“Out of the Light” feels like an offering at the altar of Leonard Cohen’s emotional legacy. Thoughtful and serene but also spare in its hints of loneliness as he observes “every kind of messy road that leads to love.” Similarly, “Orchids at the Supermarket” haunts like a Nick Drake ballad, making beauty out of brokenness. Yet despite the gentle presence of such ghosts, the presence of Connolly’s emotionality makes each song the kind of experience that only he can create.
The Patience of Trees is enriched by the presence of Connolly’s friends and collaborators, including Mick Flannery, Anna Tivel, E.W. Harris, Javier Mas, and Warren Malone. The arrangements of each track serve as an echo of their lyrical power, emphasizing the story at the center of each song. Expansively, the songs stretch out across the album to create a rich journey full of remarkable souls and powerful experiences. At once demanding and exquisitely comforting, The Patience of Trees takes us into our own depths and offers us solace.
“The clouds were forming question marks, like the sky was doubting me,” he sings in “A Cloud on the Summer Sun”. “I’ve got every right to be here, as much as everyone.” While his songs take us into the caverns of human struggle, likely to cause the sharp, stabbing breath of resonance as the days, weeks, years of tamping down our emotions burst to the surface, the underlying tenet of Connolly’s work is always hope. Aggressive fucking hope. No longer the lame figment to punk theology. His words and his music welcome us into a world where hope and kindness are the bravest of things. In his house, if we wanna cry, we can cry, but ultimately we will heal.
If you want to be in your feels with me, this playlist is definitely for you 🙂 I love that all of these songs have a storytelling aspect to them that makes you feel like you are experiencing the moment/emotion with the singer. One of my favorite parts about music is that even if you didn’t go through exactly what the songwriter did, you’re able to understand and relate to the narrative in your own way.
This is a fun playlist of some of the soul artists from around Australia that have inspired me lately! Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed putting it together.
On September 23rd, Lizzy McAlpine and Carol Ades took the stage at the Theatre of Living Arts in Philadelphia. Photographer Jay Lindblad was on-hand to experience the magic of the evening. He was enamored by the vocal nuances of each artist, who displayed live performance tactics that would indicate music industry experience far beyond their years. The mood of the evening was blissful despite the “sad girl” ambiance, and we got some snapshots to prove it.
Here’s a selection of tunes from our favorite artists that all pertain to a nature/plant/flower theme. Come chill with us in the garden!
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If you’re lucky enough to live or vacation in the Los Angeles area, you can check the band out live at the Lodge Room on September 2nd. Keep up with Goon here.
…And you all thought we were going to get out of our SXSW 2022 coverage without a playlist featuring all of the artists we were excited to discover at the festival this year. Nope! We hit the pavement listening for incredible acts, and got a lot of international artists on our list for up-and-coming greatness. Check out our playlist below, and let us know what SXSW artists you’d like us to add in for some more listening pleasure!
The indelible Tayla Parx performed for the masses at Day 1 of Dr. Martens Presents at SXSW 2022. The singer/songwriter/actress shared her incredible voice while the crowd – which was wrapped around the building to get into the party – went wild from both inside the venue and outside the gates. Her stage presence was absolutely off the charts, as she garnered everyone’s attention despite other activities provided at the event. (Can you say “free tattoos”?) With two Grammy nominations under her belt for writing credits on Ariana Grande’s Thank U, Next and Justin Bieber’s Justice, it seems like the songstress that is Tayla Parx isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
As the weather gets crisper and we snuggle up under more layers, there is a specific kind of music we yearn for. Nostalgia, warmth, fun. Luckily for us, polymathic artist Miles Francis gives us a run for our money with a curated playlist that provides a little boost of energy to keep us going through the cold winter months.
“breezy bass lines and smooth rhythms to keep it hot as the temp falls.”
Brooklyn-based indie rock trio Anna Sun illustrates the euphoric and unforgettable feeling of finding true love with the video for their debut single “Mine.” The pastel-singed visuals follow vocalist and guitarist Sam Aneson’s endeavors to ensure her lover understands how confident she is in their relationship and how much they mean to her at the end of the day.
Accompanied by performances from bassist Andrew Shewaga and drummer Nikola Balać, the video encapsulates the dreamy, vibrant energy from the track while also adding a layer of lighthearted humor that helps it stand out from the crowd and any other productions as of late.
I started this song with the intention of writing a bubblegum love song, and it turned into this larger than life, kind of romanticization of codependency. I think there’s something overly optimistic about the style of this song that matches the lyrical content.
I spent so much of my life obsessing about being in a relationship. It was shoved down my throat in the media that I consumed growing up as a girl. Prince Charming and all that. It became exhausting, and it started distracting me from bettering myself. I realized my programming at some point in my twenties and made a distinct effort to not make romance my number one priority. This song came out of the concept in my head I was drugged with my whole life.
The speaker is making her current relationship out to be absolutely perfect, the missing puzzle piece to her life. “I can do anything now, since I’m with you! I’ve been waiting forever for someone like you, and now I have everything I could ever want!” There’s a part two to this song, and it’s a rude awakening.
I have always struggled with codependency, and I think this song was my attempt to take the piss out on myself. The idea that another person being your partner can make you invincible is not a very healthy concept, in my opinion. I mean, I don’t know about you, but the only way I’m going to stand in the rain and not get wet is with an umbrella, not because I have a boo.
Check out our exclusive premiere below, and then show the band some love over on Facebook!
Producer: Sam Aneson Co-Producers: Nikola Balać, Andrew Shewaga Director: Sam Aneson, Nick Snow, Stephanie LeBlanc DP: Nick Snow Stylist: Liana Mack Editor: Sam Aneson, Nick Snow
