Abby Webster - “Sea Goat”

Livingston, Montana-based singer-songwriter Abby Webster has us completely spellbound with the sounds of her new, vintage-flavored folk song, “Sea Goat.”

The first award goes to the acoustic guitar, warm and full as it gently starts this number, but the gold is awarded to the late-1960s creamy goodness of the melodic bass that brings “Sea Goat” to life. In all seriousness, we simply cannot get enough of it as it coaxes a gentle rhythm out of the production. And just as the song settles into its groove, Webster’s authentic vocal arrives, elevating the arrangement to heights unseen. If you are not smitten for this tune by the thirty second mark, please lose our number.

A moderate beat pushes the song forward over the first verse, enough to keep the other instruments in a straight line and provide some modest forward momentum, but not overbearing in any sense. This is what true musicianship sounds like– they master their craft and learn their parts, never rising enough to steal another’s thunder, but instead let the song marinate in a natural and honest dynamic flux.

The chorus arrives and propels the song’s upbeat spirit into motion, with a fully fleshed beat and a confident vocal delivery from Webster. The back half of the refrain includes a subtle harmony that has brought us back for multiple spins, and we truly cannot get over the full-bodied analogue flavor of this entire recording– it is distinctly modern, but with evidence that suggests we’ve opened a time capsule to the days before digital audio workstations.

If you’re hankering for some ear candy, “Sea Goat” has got you covered with its delicious layers of twangy, surf-infused guitars and an unmistakable, bona fide folk vocal that is sure to have you digging through Abby Websters prior releases.

-HD