There’s a grittiness to the melodic disposition of Bosco’s new single “Raven” definitely contrasting with the homespun harmonies our singer offers from the center of the spotlight, but it’s in this contrast that we’re able to really appreciate the emotional context of the lyrics being sung to us. Bosco is not the type of player to utilize only one avenue of communication when it comes to making a smart composition palatable to the audience, and “Raven” features him using grain as a means of sending his verses to our hearts with an even heavier hand than necessary.
The second single this singer/songwriter has out at the moment, “Wicked Woods,” is more of a pastoral affair that embodies the retro troubadour spirit that influenced so many of the throwback folk musicians to come out of the hipster underground in the early 2010s, but with a significant twist. Rather than dwelling on angst or some faded elegy, Bosco is launching a concealed optimism at the mic in this performance, making the minimalist instrumental foundation the perfect canvas atop which to colorize every statement he could ever make. It feels as honest as a diary entry and is completely devoid of the lyrical filler becoming common in indie folk these days.
Watch the video for “Wicked Woods” below
Both “Wicked Woods” and “Raven” benefit enormously from their sharply appointed hooks, which is one of the few elements of pop conventionality penetrating Bosco’s artistry here. He doesn’t pay much mind to the fundamentals of tempo; rhythm is too much a component of his storytelling to play by the rules, but when it comes to creating some melodic warmth that embraces us rather than simply comforting us, he’s taking a page from the Great American songbook in these two singles. It’s the right move, and one I wish a lot of his rivals would consider making.
Watch the video for “Raven” below
The best way to discover a player’s sound is to hear what they can do with two different kinds of compositions, and that’s what Bosco offers us in “Raven” and its acoustic counterpart in “Wicked Woods.” On paper, these two songs are quite contrasting, but they’re united by the melodic whim of Bosco rather seamlessly, in my opinion. He’s got a trademark tonal presence that makes this pair of tracks hard to put down once you’ve picked them up for the very first time, and I think it’s going to bring him a lot of hype as spring comes into focus.