In case you missed it, Brooms’ latest release from last year, ‘Fuzzy Waters,’ is about as close to New Orleans as you’re liable to come while still being stuck nearer to the Hudson. If lead singer Matt Cascella’s hoarse tenor doesn’t pull you in with his enchanted screams in tracks like ‘Something Happened Along the Way,’ just wait until you hear some of the brilliant orchestrations behind band mate Brett Crudgington’s horn and string arrangements (and I think I may have heard a toaster in there somewhere too) found throughout the ride. This is singer-songwriter music for fans of early Randy Newman, or late Tom Waits, operating by a simple and effective policy: just because you’re baring your soul, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a little fun. Check out ‘Front of the Plane’ below. – Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)
The full results for the NYC Year End Poll’s ALT FOLK submissions are here.