Maybe it is because of my musical past as a keyboard player but I can always appreciate pretty piano playing. It might also be the jealousy of realizing I was never actually that good. (I could lay down some great psychedelic background sounds though.) The musicians I found today are much better than I ever even dreamed of being. Let me introduce you to Stellar Winds.
The duo of Justin Turner and Steve Neal hail from the college music hot spot of the Ohio Valley. After splitting time between working the day job and writing music by himself for years, singer/guitarist Justin decided to reach out to longtime friend and pianist Steve to complete the sound. These two parts have combined to create something quite amazing. The songs came together quickly and the newly named Stellar Winds realized they were onto something.
The duo selected their best 7 songs and released them on the Nights At The Nest EP last month. This is perfect record for those times in your life when you just want to relax your body and let your deep thoughts wander. Their sound is very reminiscent of current indie rock darlings Bon Iver and Iron & Wine. Using acoustic instruments and soft vocals Stellar Winds is able to create that safe comfortable atmosphere that allows you to be alone in your own mind with no worries of the outside world. The lyrics are very poignant as well especially on the song ‘The Town’, which they claim as a ballad to their hometown and all small towns alike. There is also a very hummable whistling in there that draws your attention and paints a picture of a quiet street in the town after all the shops have closed. Another standout, ‘The Angel’s Statue’ builds quickly with a melodic piano line that you cannot get your focus off of even when the vocals come in. It is a song you want to listen to again and again to catch the nuances you may have missed on the last listen. They also are open enough to share their thoughts and photos on a well-kept Tumblr blog which I recommend checking out.
Bottom Line: A very listenable album for your quiet time. Not something you will hear blasting out a car window on the boulevard but Nights At The Nest should definitely find a place in your available personal listening time.
Take some time out and go look and listen for yourself now at: