Shallow Alcove - “First November Snow”
Fellow music lovers, please allow us to introduce you to one of your new favorite bands: Shallow Alcove. They sent “First November Snow” a couple of weeks ago and instead of feeding you our excuses for why it has taken so long to get to it, we are firm believers in better-late-than-never, but we’d also like to assure you that it was worth the wait.
“First November Snow” is a folk song, through and through, but the additional elements provided by the band send it to the very peak of the cinematic mountain. Of course, all of the usual ingredients are here, including the tried and true finger-plucked acoustic guitar, but it is interlaced with piano and ethereal effects that send it over the edge, leaving us with very few sonic comparisons to make. It is gentle and it is dreamy and once the vocals arrive, your fandom shall be cemented. It has that Julien Baker vibe that we simply cannot get enough of, but it also has the storytelling aspects of our folksy forefathers and you will likely find something new to love about it each time you press that play button:
Shallow Alcove describe the song as: “A sweet story about finding embodied, honest love during your bad bangs era, “First November Snow” evokes the racing feeling of first kiss butterflies. The driving drums and giant stack of tender harmonies make you feel like you’re sticking your head out the window of a moving car in a coming of age film. This song was born on a walk home from a party in the early season snow and is an anthem to remind you that good, healthy love is possible.”
“First November Snow” has a pulse that is in tune with the heartbeat of life and it crescendos into something much larger than a simple folk song, with (dare we say) a subtle nod to ‘80s dance music– though very tastefully and delicately utilized. Once you hear it, you might find yourself wondering about Shallow Alcove’s previous work, so we will go ahead and also recommend that your next stop be “Blonde Phase:”
As far as we’re concerned, Shallow Alcove is one to watch in 2023 and though they already have a devoted following, we would be completely stoked if you’re hearing them here for the first time.
-TM