Chill Singer-Songwriter
RIYL: Bon Iver, The Head and the Heart, The Staves
According to their Bandcamp page, Davis is a duo comprised of Sara Regan and Bradley Vaught. Hailing from Austin, Texas, the pair have been playing music together for seven years. They say that the project is a simple, but rich. Further, the songs are driven by dark acoustic picking and warm vocals. This is an apt description for the band, and their body of work so far. This, their first published full-length Stills carries the entirety of that sonic palette and then some.
Basing their sound on music inspired by Ben Howard, Bon Iver, Daughter, and The Staves, the band and record have some of those flourishes. What makes them noticeable, is that they are willing to wear influences on their sleeves, yet make songs that are all their own.
Lyrically, the duo write music that build sounds that pull at the listeners heartstrings, while turning people toward the beauty of a life alive. This feeling is most prevalent on songs like “To Prove I’m Not” and “Fantasia.” While the singer-songwriter aesthetic is prevalent on these songs, the use of layering and synthesizers drive these songs further into lush sonic territories.
In addition to the aforementioned tracks, there is an interested series of songs that appears on the record. A triplet of songs entitled “Dagger, June 22nd,” “Stills, September 19th,” and “Katy, September 26th” all seem like their cut from the same stylistic cloth, but have a sonic palette all their own. There is an intense beauty though each song, as Regan croons over some sparse soundscapes and production.
Ultimately, what is so ear-catching about this record is the no frills approach to each composition. While they seem effortless, each song has a purpose. There is intention on this record. The album is eight tracks of pure lyricism and instrumentation. The only complaint? Having to start the record over because I want more.
