HUMMING HOUSE
At once danceable and reflective, familiar and nostalgic, Humming House is a musical experiment gone right. Woven together from diverse backgrounds (Americana, classical composition, bluegrass, soul, and traditional Irish music), their playground of musical exploration has something for every generation. Unmistakable pop sensibilities mixed with a depth of lyrical narrative give their whimsical songs an irresistible quality that can only be described by the imagery of the name – Humming House.
WAR JACKET
Founded by baritone ukulelist Caleb Chancey in 2010, the band has evolved through its early music, from a stripped-down, solo EP to soulful incantations with cellist Lori Cheng and electric guitar player Joel Madison Blount.
The trio’s communal sound taps into the sense of place you get in such a city as Birmingham – a haunted past, fatigued and tattering, a steely movement from day to day – but War Jacket’s songs don’t buckle under the black-blue themes. They are warm, tender, and resonant, nostalgic battle cries that balance out the somber.
And if there’s a collective longing in War Jacket’s textured music, it’s undoubtedly for home. “When I was a kid, I’d crawl into bed at night, and I’d always wait for my dad to start playing his piano,” says Chancey. “For me music has always been a kind of a soundtrack for dreaming.”