Songs of the Week: Broken Radio, The Locksmiths, & Doug Levitt

Welcome to Songs of the Week, a running series with new selections.

Broken Radio – “Going South”

A dark gothic tale, “Going South” has the feel of a murder ballad, terribly grim and haunting. “Nothing really matters / I don’t even feel no pain / Wish I could feel some pain,” sings Broken Radio‘s Klaus Patzak, taking a labored breath. Fiddle cries in the distance, with guitars dropping electric tears down to scorched, cracked earth. Patzak’s heart has been ripped to ribbons, and somehow, the “soothing sirens” roaring on the horizon offer a bit of comfort and a brutal end to his misery. “Going South” powers with emotional fumes, lingering on the tongue and casting a plume of smoke into the air. It’s enough to leave you breathless.

The Locksmiths – “2Handz”

Robert’s voice crumbles mountains. Whereas, Krissy’s is like a hawk swooping through the air. Together, they make a dynamic duo known as The Locksmiths that’ll bowl you over. With “2Handz,” the duo enlists Mike Robinson (Sarah Jarosz) for lead guitar and pedal steel, an arrangement that meets the stiff vocal performance every step of the way. Even with the boisterous horn section, there’s no distracting away from Robert – a monstrous performer who takes no prisoners. He’s that good. “Your words don’t hold much water / I’m still working on the dam / There’s only so much I can do / I’ve only got two hands,” he howls, a grit oozing from his voice. Well, it’s a song you just have to experience for yourself.

Doug Levitt – “Born in West Virginia”

Speaking of gravel-soaked, soul-pounding performances, Doug Levitt grips you around the throat and won’t let go. With “Born in West Virginia,” the singer-songwriter regales a story about how he left West Virginia behind and will “die in West LA.” Over piano and the pitter-patter of drums, Levitt crafts a burning vocal that beckons you into his world. You might be enticed by the musicality, but you stay to hear how the story ends, each note striking down to the bone. Levitt is an underrated talent, that’s to be sure, and his Edge of Everywhere LP is irrefutable proof.

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