Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1523410
June/July 2024 | maconmagazine.com 103 finds his authentic voice. This project was displayed and performed live at Middle Georgia State University in October 2023, and the evergreen digital exhibition can be seen and heard at jacksongriffith.com. - S.S.S. J A K T H E A C T from nowhere, to nobody There's a rawness and authenticity to this album rivaled only by its clever, mischievous bars and chill beats. The casual flow of the tracks on "from nowhere, to nobody" provides the perfect backdrop for Jak the Act (and his numerous, talented collaborators like Fendi Pendergrass and Don Julius) to explore lyrical landscapes that are playful and rreverent without coming off as arrogant – all the while dropping Macon references that give this album that extra-special local touch. — J.C. L I Z Z W R I G H T Shadow Love, loss, the Lord, and all things to be lamented – Central Georgia native Lizz Wright does so quite eloquently on her eighth, 2024 album "Shadow." Hailing from Houston County, Wright blurs the lines of R&B with jazz, folk, and world music, taking the listener on a spiritual journey until one finds themselves sitting on an old wooden pew beside her in any Southern church. Mature and varied, at times the gentle, lilting acoustic guitar and the whine of Appalachian fiddle change pace to organs and electric guitar riffs. Stitching the whole thing together are Wright's sincere songwriting and her earthy, velvety alto. It's no surprise that Wright is no stranger to the Billboard charts or world tours; "Shadow" is a drink of good whiskey on a Saturday night before church on Sunday morning. Most impressively, Wright's songs are appropriate for both occasions. — M.M. N 3 5 1 0 Hanahaki Meditative, otherworldly, and therapeutic – a few of the ways to describe Hanahaki by N3510. This instrumental electronic composer and producer weaves gentle piano lines, thick percussion, and swaying synthesizer pads to create expressive variations and songs that are cool and vibey without being self- indulgent. The songs on Hanahaki unfold like acts of a play, each telling their own part of the story. As a whole, the results verge on transcendental. — J.C. T H E S H A D E T R E E S All I Can Do Lush vocal harmonies, Rhodes piano, and guitar- driven "All I Can Do" joins Capricorn's modern panoply. Led by local frontman Daniel Nesmith, The Shade Trees' sound is a toe-tapping experiment in what the band describes as "eclectic Southern roots music". "All I Can Do" weaves a tapestry of Southern instrumentation: organ and piano here, a mandolin there, and the swinging percussion of Central Georgia's Jody Hightower. It's all the listener can do not to toe-tap along. — M.M. S I S T E R S O F T H E B L U E M O O N Wading in Wildflowers March's release of "Wading in Wildflowers" brought the harmonies, heartfelt songwriting, and the considerable dedication to Americana music of Erica Carr, Nina Talon, and Charlie Thomas to vinyl, CD, and streaming services. A sold-out release party at Macon's Capricorn Sound Studios proved fans were eager for more from the former members of the popular Blueskyblue band, and "Walking in Wildflowers" delivers the true-to-life, vulnerable, and playful songs hoped for. Presented in an easygoing, folk, country, and blues-inspired style, the three skilled instrumentalists' songs were rounded out in the studio by a host of musical friends, notably Aaron Rubenstein, Roger Hill, and Bray Carr, who often sit in on live shows, too. "Wading in Wildflowers" carries on a great tradition. — M.P.