Haylie Davis – “Wandering Star” . Lp Black Vinyl

The blissful ballad ‘Horns of Time’ taps into a plaintive cosmic country palette reminiscent of Emmylou Harris. ‘Give Me a Rainbow’ follows, a lo-fi folk reverie recalling Clairo, as if filtered through a back-porch-reclining, wide-eyed Dolly Parton in awe of her own roots. Rolling Stone has hailed Davis’ earlier recordings as “gently hued Laurel Canyon folk-pop songs”, and on Wandering Star her compass swings wider still. Her maturing worldview and distinctive vocal at times evoke Lana Del Rey and Weyes Blood crafting an ode to Gram Parsons – a hybrid on full display in the self-examining passion of ‘I Was Wrong’.

A fresh take on modern pop, Wandering Star is infectious, brimming with hooks, soaring choruses and storylines that tug at the heartstrings.