Local faves!
Rachel Kiel
With a distinctive voice and razor-sharp hooks, North Carolina songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Rachel Kiel combines a strong pop sensibility with a sustained interest in experimentation and creative risk-taking. She has released three albums, Table Manners (2008), Television Waltz (2012), and Shot from a Cannon (2017).
Matt Southern & Lost Gold
Matt Southern is a songwriter, singer, and studio tinkerer from Raleigh, NC. From his days with folk/rock band Magpie Feast to his solo work he has always been interested in transforming roots inspirations into something fresh and personal. Lost Gold is a bass and drum rhythm section featuring Chris Bennett (Ghostt Bllonde, Less Western) and Steven Tietgen (Space Rabbit). They bring a new weight and funkiness to the often acoustic compositions of Southern.
Seabreeze Diner
The North Carolina-based quartet traces its origins to the songwriting partnership of Kevin Murphy (guitar/vocals) and Chris Powers (guitar/vocals), two high school buds who realized they had a mutual affinity for the barefaced sincerity of early rock ‘n’ roll. After connecting with a dynamic rhythm section in Davis Alderson (bass) and Patrick Stovall (drums), the band released the effervescent For Use With Care EP in 2016. The band’s debut LP, Headline Act, arrived in 2018, showcasing a broader, more cinematic approach to its pensive garage pop. Produced by fellow Carolina denizen Marc Kuzio (Ghostt Bllonde) and featuring songwriting contributions from all four members, Headline Act serves as a rumpled reminder that rock ‘n’ roll should be raunchy, righteous, and above all else, fun.
