No Lonesome – For Carlo (2021)
Paying homage to old folk songs while writing an open letter to 16th-century composer Carlo Gesualdo, No Lonesome unleashes their folk single ‘For Carlo’. Their debut single draws on the influences of folk and country traditions with a modern folk flair. An enthralling single, it brings a touch of folk, alt-country and folk-rock to your ears.
This open letter comes from Jeb Backe who is a multi-instrumentalist and audio engineer. Recorded in Chicago with the help of artist Smushie and audio engineer Jake Zeisel, they add their own flair to storytelling folk music. If you are looking for a song that complements your love for ‘Matty Groves’, this is the one that you need to listen to.
‘For Carlo’ uses vocal harmonies to get your attention before the acoustic guitar hits. Backe’s vocals have a wonderful old folk feeling to them when they enter the single. Their performance has an almost spoken-word feeling to it that is wonderfully contrasted with the humming flows. As the song progresses, their voice shines out into the soundscape. There is a thread in their performance that pulls at your heart as he fills you with the story of Carlo. Their performance is really amazing as their voice weaves between the instruments using a traditional folk style that merges perfectly with the modern hits of the melody.
The acoustic guitar that takes over from the harmonising opening has this wonderful strummed beat. There are strings resting in the low levels that create a layered effect to the melody. This has been very lightly done to allow the horns to swell with the humming vocals. In the latter part of the single, the horns have this traditional Latin vibe to them that is an interesting complement to the folk traditions of the guitar. The interplay between the influences in the single keeps you hooked while you work through the story of the lyrics.
Using an interplay of traditional folk stylings, Latin horns and storytelling lyrics, No Lonesome offers a delightful open letter in ‘For Carlo’. The melody plays folk sensibilities against swelling strings and captivating horns while the vocals tell the story of Carlo. While the single might seem minimalistic, there is a lot going on that showcases the influences and abilities of No Lonesome.
Find out more about No Lonesome on his Instagram and Spotify.
