Songwriter Julian Lynch has an unusually academic background which includes a stint at the venerable Smithsonian Folkways record label and is currently earning a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. So it is not surprising that his latest release Mare is full of a broad range of diverse musical influences, from experimental noises to swaths of pop rock, from African beats to drone. What results is a refreshingly unique and at times deliberately raw record with instrumentation that includes guitar, clarinet, drums and maracas. The sounds on Mare seem to flow organically, with layers that expand and evolve into finely textured songs that don’t disappoint. – Written by JFelton
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