Something Old, Something New: Part I

In this new segment, we’ll take a look at a classic band and a modern band with a similar style.

Something Old – Anathallo

Anathallo was a progressive/orchestral rock/chamber pop bands that drew influence from emo and world folk. They released several albums spanning numerous styles – “A Holiday at Sea” focused more on alternative sounds; “Hymns” naturally saw hymns redone with broader instrumentation and Anathallo’s unique touch; “Floating World” was a conceptual album based on a Japanese folk story that showcased the band even singing in Japanese at parts; 2008 saw the release of “Canopy Glow”, the band’s chamber pop finale.

Performances regularly involved around eight people on stage, many which switched between instruments mid-song. With the use of brass, folk percussion, and powerful vocal harmonies, Anathallo left a void that was not easily filled. Check out some of our favorites from their discography below:

Something New – Songs of Water

Though Songs of Water isn’t necessarily a new band, they’ve certainly gone under the radar and their sound has continued to progress during their transition from instrumental folk to adding vocals and continuing to shape their musical identity. Much like Anathallo, the group consists of a variety of multi-instrumentalists who use music as an artform.

Their 2015 release, “Stars and Dust”, blends the foundation laid by Anathallo with Sufjan Stevens-esque vocal stylings and a fair share of hammered dulcimer. When I say it was a sleeper hit, I don’t think I’m overstating things one bit. Check them out on Facebook and check out some of our favorites songs below: