Something dreamy, something sad—that is the glow that radiates from “18,” the new indie-folk single from Providence’s Dogs on Shady Lane. The acoustic guitar strums that softly thread about during the track begin to brighten as dreamy electric guitar accents pile up, and the reverbed vocals of project leader Tori Hall gently reflect on life and its sweet and sour melodies. Refrains such as “thick as brick but stick stone, hurt/me less than silence and warn/but burning hands mend me like wool, so feel me up/I’m too old to be crying so much” hint at strength and vulnerability, at the physical and its memory. The new track by Dogs on Shady Lane has in it all the charm of the indie-folk genre: escapist sounds you can drift away to and lyrics that ground you to a reality you help to shape; if you need a moment away from your busy Monday, we have it for you streaming below. – Rene Cobar, photo by Kannetha Brown
