Formed in 2012 by singer-songwriters Grahame Lesh & Elliott Peck and taking their cue from the fertile Bay Area music scene, Midnight North has announced their fifth album Diamonds on the Zodiac, a continuation of their musical direction forged during the release of the group’s 2021 record There’s Always a Story. Today, they share the lead single “The Colors Here” which is a direct testament to their rich Bay Area heritage featuring Phil Lesh on bass.
Natalie Merchant: Keep Your Courage Nonesuch (16/44.1 stream, Qobuz). 2023. Natalie Merchant, prod.; David Snyder, eng. Performance Sonics On Keep Your Courage, Natalie Merchant sounds like a 59-year-old woman who has been through some rough health. But that reflection of reality is what makes Keep Your Courage so good: Merchant refuses to hide her humanity and openly celebrates her distinctive, poetic mind while pondering the mysteries of love and the innate strength of women.