Similar sounding song: “Starling to a Starling” by Leaf Rapids

June 20, 2024 11:33 PM

I heard this song recently on the CBC: Starling to a Starling, by Canadian band Leaf Rapids. I immediately loved it, probably because the style of song and the singer’s voice remind me of another song/singer I know and love. However, I just can’t put my finger on it. Who am I probably thinking of? Also, how would you classify this song—is it country? Bluegrass? Folk? None of those seem quite right.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl to Media & Arts (14 answers total)

Mazzy Star? indie/alternative
posted by HearHere at 1:35 AM on June 21 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Beginning guitar sounds like Chris Isaak, song Wicked Game.
posted by sciencegeek at 2:13 AM on June 21 [5 favorites]

As to genre, it’s not bluegrass, which is a pretty well defined and rigid style in its traditional form (eg, gotta have a banjo, can’t have drums, guitar is acoustic).

I’d describe this as folk rock, maybe indie folk. As for who it reminds me of, maybe Laura Veirs? She doesn’t have the southern tinge to her voice but otherwise kinda similar. This song has the pedal steel thing going for that country-tinged vibe: Seven Falls
posted by Ted Maul at 2:33 AM on June 21 [2 favorites]

With a prominent backbeat like that, it's some kind of rock for sure. With a prominent pedal steel in that style it's gotta be country. So country rock is I think the most objectively defensible, but I think indie rock or folk rock are also fine bc it doesn't sound like what many might picture when they first think 'country rock'.
posted by SaltySalticid at 4:03 AM on June 21 [1 favorite]

As previously mentioned, a definite 90s alt country Chris Isaak vibe but I think the singer sounds a lot like Emmylou Harris so maybe it's reminding you of something like Hearts on Fire from Grevious Angel?
posted by brachiopod at 4:18 AM on June 21

I'm getting a little bit of Kate & Anna McGarrigle, or The Innocence Mission (they use a similar male harmony frequently), maybe a little Nanci Griffith, maybe some Laura Cantrell. But it's also not really far off from somebody newer like Gracie Abrams.
posted by bcwinters at 6:30 AM on June 21 [1 favorite]

The music is definitely Wicked Game by Chris Issak. The singing voice is generic 'country music lady' voice. Together they are a pretty good combination. That's a nice song.
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:41 AM on June 21 [1 favorite]

Best answer: The closest I'm getting vocally is First Aid Kit since I tend to skew more to female vocalists with a darker or huskier tone (kd lang, Neko Case, Lydia Loveless, Cowboy Junkies), but in terms of the overall sound, I'd also call this alternative country.
posted by EvaDestruction at 7:43 AM on June 21 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: YES, thank you sciencegeek, brachiopod, and The_Vegetables, the song I was thinking of (that the intro reminded me of) was Wicked Game by Chris Isaak!

I also appreciate other posters’ recommendations for singers, genres, and songs I might enjoy. EvaDestruction, I particularly liked First Aid Kit as they are new to me and very good!
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 9:23 AM on June 21

Reminds me of "Far From Any Road" by the Handsome Family, but only as a matching genre.

Also, thanks, new band for me to follow!
posted by Jane the Brown at 9:25 AM on June 21

Interesting.
Leaf Rapids is a small mining town in Northern Manitoba.
Population 350 today ,was 2500 in 1980.

They play a lot dates in Northern towns.
August 9 they play at the Trout Forest Music Festival
in Ear Falls , Ontario population 1000
Which is really middle of nowhere . South of Red Lake

Thanks for asking I knew the name sounded familiar
posted by yyz at 12:14 PM on June 21

Response by poster: This article says the bassist, Devin Latimer, is from Leaf Rapids (hence the band name). I would love to see them in concert—I wonder if they’ll come out to the west coast and maybe play some northern towns here.
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 1:42 PM on June 21

You might enjoy the band Still Corners
posted by polecat at 3:47 PM on June 21 [1 favorite]

Reminds me somewhat of Frazey Ford/The Be Good Tanyas.
posted by oceanview at 12:26 AM on June 24 [1 favorite]