The haunting and memorable Baltimore soul-folk-rock act, Ebb and Nova, are celebrating the one year anniversary of their eleven track masterpiece, Night Sounds, this month. Ones to be out and about at night, playing their infectious brand of live music in Baltimore and the surrounding areas, it was a fitting title for the album. But the album also deals in night themes fit for the title: counting sheep, dancing into the wee hours of the night, chardonnay and moonlight, wolves and witches, and the like.
They are songwriters who know the allure and importance of darkness, as well as light. “Oh insanity, how you comfort me / Oh serenity, don’t let me go,” they start on the cello-laden first song, “Nighthawk Serenade.” Songs about “casting ashes into a well,” the blood in our veins (“Rush in / it’s thicker than wine / It’s something we do”), lovers separated by wartime (“These bullets make me feel alone, these bullets are my ticket home”). The deep feeling story telling is equally matched by instrumentation filled with pathos and heart.
While the whole album is made up of hits of the folk-rock kind, there are songs that just stay with you in a radio-friendly fashion. Like the song, “Capture You,” with its super memorable chorus and almost poppy instrumentation. Or “Last Lovers,” another catchy number that you’ll want to play again and again. And “Missed Connections.,” which is just wow. They are a band that is able to make songs that demand your attention, whether it’s their impeccable sense for melody or their mastery of folk instrumentation, poppier or folkier numbers, alike.
I was struck by their writing and performing acumen around the time of the album’s release, a year ago, while I was looking for bands with a similar sound to the accordion romp rock band that I was in at the time, and they impressed me with songs that were at once honest and artful, high energy and heartfelt. They seem to be one of the hardest working bands in the area and I would be willing to bet some people have been playing this album, without stop, since it was put out last year. And I’m glad to finally give it a little bit of loving press. If you’re looking for an album of consistently impressive tracks from a band that perform like they record, definitely check this album out and see if you’re not playing it a year from your first listen.
Prism Reviews 