By Linc Bradham
With an instrumental quality and flow that recalls that of groups like U2 and The Indigo Girls, along with a vocal that’s every bit as beautiful and exciting as Beth Orton and Regina Spektor, Beth Ann McDowell is a truly special new talent hailing from Minneapolis, MN. Originally from Seoul, South Korea, McDowell moved to Bloomington, Minnesota at a young age, eventually settling in Minneapolis. She grew up studying classical piano with aspirations of becoming a solo pianist, and her skills are on beautiful display in her new single, “Alis.”
In, “Alis,” McDowell captivates you in a dreamy soundscape that still leaves you wanting more by the end of its 3 minutes. The acoustic and electric guitars are at the forefront, but the standout instrument in this piece is the warm, masterfully-played organ that phases in and out throughout the track. It’s truly refreshing to hear such a well-played organ in pop music again.
Along with the beautifully harmonized background vocals, the organ gives “Alis” a vibe that’s unique, while still having a classy throwback feel. If McDowell continues releasing tracks like this, there’s no telling how far she may go. Keep McDowell on your radar, and listen to “Alis” here and follow our Alchemical Multigenre Mixdown playlist for more great music featured on the site.
Linc Bradham is an American multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, audio engineer, and songwriter originally from Savannah, GA. He has resided in the DMV for the last three years and has served in the active-duty Army for the last 12 years. He is in the process of switching Army careers into the Army Field Band as an audio engineering professional, with long-term goals of promoting music education in America and the Middle East.
After AFI DOCS’s departure, the capital city once again has a documentary festival.
Alchemical Records is a Washington, D.C. based music publication. We cover the Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, VA metro area music scenes, including band interviews, articles about your favorite musicians, new music and concert dates.
