“I heard this song for the first time over ten years ago when I was listening to the deluxe version of Emmylou Harris’ Luxury Liner. I became obsessed, started covering the song at my shows but also tried to find out everything I could about the songwriter herself.
In the serendipitously magical way that music works, I not only found out about the story behind the song, I ended up becoming friends with the songwriter herself, Laurie Hyde-Smith.
It’s been ten years in the making but I’m finally sharing my own version of this beautiful song story.” - Michaela Anne
Humbird releases an album of love song vignettes
Over a series of ten weeks, Humbird released a series of mini love songs, collectively known as ‘Astrovan: The Love Song Vignettes’. The unique album has been garnering some attention for approaching songwriting with no assumed rules.
‘Astrovan is not just a testament to Humbird’s writing – one imagines that after her strident Right On, a collection of love songs is a welcome reprieve. However, here we see Humbird playing with a number of sounds: the whistling gust of an organ (I think) on “Radiator,” the shimmery electronica of “Strings Attached” and the crunchy electric guitars of “Person” that call to mind ‘90s alt-folk rockers Tracy Bonham and Ani DiFranco. For a 15-minute collection of vignettes, Humbird has crafted them with serious intent. And, perhaps, love is simply all of these things at once: the serious, the silly, and the fulfillment of desire.’ - No Depression
Andrew Marlin and Humbird included in BGS Class of 2024
Michaela Anne's Just More Love is out today!
Just More Love came to be after Michaela had found out she was pregnant with her second child and was pondering with a friend what it meant to bring new life into this chaotic, heavy, complicated world.
But really why does one do anything meaningful? Why choose a life as a musician when it can be so challenging? Why have hard conversations with people we disagree with? Why rebuild after we crumble? Why fight for what we believe in? At the risk of sounding cliché, it’s because if we have the chance to bring some light and love into the world, it’s worth it, isn’t it?
Just More Love is the first fully self-owned song Michaela has released in over 10 years! The song was produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss at Vacationland studios in Nashville, and includes contributions from talented friends, Josh Oliver (Watchhouse) on background vocals and Ethan Ballinger (Miranda Lambert) on mandolin. In times like these, we could always use more love.
Watchhouse adds their cover of Harvest Moon to Cardinals at the Window
‘We contributed a recording of one of our all-timer covers, Neil Young’s Harvest Moon, to Cardinals at the Window. It’s a compilation album organized by Libby Rodenbough, Grayson Haver Currin and New Commute to benefit our neighbors in Western NC in the long road to recovery and regrowth after Hurricane Helene.
The album contains 136 unreleased tracks (!) and 100% of proceeds will benefit Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, Rural Organizing and Resilience (ROAR), and BeLoved Asheville. Buy it on Bandcamp today.’ - Andrew & Emily