Following the release of his latest single 'Rainbows Coalesce' we caught up with multi-instrumentalist Drew A. Will to find out what influences his eclectic sound. If you enjoy Drew's picks be sure to check out 'Rainbows Coalesce' at the end of the article.
1. I Am All That I Need / Arroyo Seco / Thumbprint Scar - Fleet Foxes
"The opening track to one of my favorite albums of all time. It’s a wild journey that sets the stage for the rest of the album. It is a song that fits almost any mood I’m in somehow. I could be running and need motivation, hiking out in the woods, hanging in, or slowly floating around town alone feeling low and detached. This song covers all the emotional bases. In fact, I just looked up dynamics in the dictionary and sure enough, it just lists this song!"
2. Sadness As A Gift - Adrianne Lenker
"Adrianne is just a songwriting force of nature and I think one of the greatest to ever do it. I was lucky enough to take a songwriting workshop with her at the beginning of the year and it was unsurprisingly a very moving, eye-opening experience. I first heard this single off her incredible new album sitting in my car in the parking lot of the supermarket and just cried and played it back three times. 2023 was a pretty brutal year for me and the lyrics of this song hit insanely close to home. Also the violin playing is superb. I mean sheesh. Catharsis in song form (see also another Adrianne favorite, “Dried Roses”)."
3. Over The Hill - John Martyn
"The 1992 version of this song off the Couldn’t Love You More album of re-recorded tracks is my favorite version. I was born in 1992 and it sounds like coming home to me. The piano and violin are perfect and Martyn’s voice is as insanely captivating and powerful as ever. This song reminds me how important nuanced performance and subtle inflection is in conveying big feelings."
4. Three Weeks In Havana - Blake Mills
"I could talk about a whole number of Blake songs, but I feel like this one is a lesser discussed masterpiece. The chord progression and depth of field are masterful. The moments when the bass pulses just make my heart swell and the nylon guitar is played with such perfect restraint. Of course, I adore Blake’s guitar chops and production wizardry, but it’s Blake’s singing that foremost makes me love his music. He’s one of my absolute favorite vocalists, able to convey such honesty and emotion."
5. Come And Go With Me To That Land - Bernice Johnson Reagon
"Bernice Johnson Reagon is one of the greatest and most powerful American voices I have come across and this track is one of many that feel sacred and spiritually transcendent. When I catch myself ever feeling burnt out or cynical, Reagon’s voice is always able to lift me back up to see that small and distant north star of hope. Listening to this song is like attending church, only better."
Listen to Drew A. Will Rainbows Coalesce