Donovan Woods - “116 West Main, Durham, NC“
Toronto, Canada-based singer-songwriter Donovan Woods has shared his latest indie folk single: the breezy and atmospheric “116 West Main, Durham, NC.”
The song opens with the ethereal tones of smooth, meditative reverse sounds before a chilled, steady drumbeat starts to propel the arrangement forward with a breezy, subtle sense of energy. This is beautifully complemented by the tender bass underneath. The acoustic guitar, rich in warm, resonant texture, gently envelops the track, evoking feelings of nostalgia. This sentiment is further enriched by the delicate touches of piano that resonate and the evocative swells of saxophone that gracefully enter over the main hook.
“116 West Main, Durham, NC” maintains its breezy and chilled atmosphere throughout, with ethereal swells of reverberated noise that sound like ghostly backing vocals, and delayed shimmers of fingerpicked acoustic guitar meditatively drifting and floating over key areas. The breathy, soulful, storytelling vocal of Donovan Woods is exquisitely intimate throughout. This wonderfully allows the delivery to blend with the music, helping to make the track even more immersive. Supported by warm harmonising layers, the performance is nothing short of lush.
On the track, Woods adds: “I wrote this in a green room at The Carolina Theatre in Durham. I had a great day walking around (really nice town), and I was feeling hopeful. This is what passes as hopeful for me. I’m trying to forgive myself more, and that’s what I’m doing here. I wanted it to feel like one of those days when you’re getting a lot of errands done. Maybe you’re walking, and your legs feel good. You feel like you could walk forever. It’s sunny, not too hot, and you think it’s good that time rolls on. Maybe it is actually good. Saxophones are the sound of moving on. Maybe you didn’t know that.”
“116 West Main, Durham, NC” is a reflective track filled with rich, emotive layers. You will find it difficult not to get lost within its tender tones. The track is taken from the forthcoming album, Things Were Never Good If They’re Not Good Now, slated for release July 12th via End Times Music.