BEST NEW ARTIST: MAX GARCIA CONOVER

It might seem like a "song of the week" would be a quick, dashed-off affair. Maine singer/songwriter Max Garcia Conover disproves that notion with "Streetlights," a gorgeous slice of folkish Indie Pop. "Streetlights" was written over the span of several months, just getting off of a fall tour.

MAX GARCIA CONOVER- STREETLIGHTS

This commitment to quality speaks to the care Conover puts into his music. The "song of the week" series is also a testament to Conover's work ethic. "Streetlights" is the 67th installment in his "song of the week" series. It's even more impressive, considering Max Garcia Conover's been trickling out these gorgeous indie gems on his SoundCloud. He's clearly recording and releasing music for the sheer bloody love of it. His songs are confessional, intimate, and personal.

That alone is not enough to qualify someone as one of We Are: The Guard's Best New Artists. There's skads of bedroom pop/lo-fi indie folk musicians out there. While we have a deep love and appreciation for many of these auteurs, it doesn't qualify them as breakout artists. Truly great Pop Music (and let's face it, much of today's indie music has a Pop quotient, even if only due to the sheer amount of music out there) needs to at least touch on current tastes and trends. Musicianship, emotionality, subtext, and nuance can get lost when there's too much noise along with the signal.

Max Garcia Conover's intimate, confessional songwriting is augmented with glistening synths and glittering guitar lines. Musically, it could come from the Miami Vice soundtrack or an especially emotional b-side from The Police. Conover's vocals could've come straight from the Dust Bowl. The Maine singer/songwriter employs a talking blues style that is as much Woody Guthrie as Chance The Rapper. "Streetlights" sounds timeless and utterly current, all at the same moment.

Cheers to We Are: The Guard curator Duffster for the find!

Cover art source: https://soundcloud.com/maxgarciaconover/week-67-streetlights