You Need This In Your Ears Now: Aoife O’ Donovan & Anthony da Costa “Scarlet Harlot” (Dylan Covers)

Its not secret that I am completely head over heels for Aoife O’ Donovan’s songwriting and her voice (you may even be sick of me going on about how great this talent is…but I will continue to do so). 2013’s Fossils landed her on my favorites list and this year’s follow up “In The Magic Hour” only further cemented her as one of the current pioneers for roots-folk music. It was on tour in support of that record that I was introduced to another voice I was completely floored to hear…the voice of Anthony da Costa. It has an almost impossibly beautiful tone to it, other-worldy in a way, high and soaring and full of light.

While on tour recently the two (along with Magic Hour bandmate and drummer Steve Nistor) holed up in a cabin in Port Townsend, Washington. The two tackled covers of Dylan’s “Jokerman” and “Soon After Midnight” respectively. Da Costa’s treatment of Jokerman builds and decontructs, rises and falls in an almost epic fashion where he truly opens up his vocal range. “Midnight” is given careful and vibrant color with an almost bluesy inflection, that is seductive and smoky. 

While each of the two songwriters have slightly different approaches to their songs in their style and aesthetic, the common thread of the gorgeous sparsity and emotion that a piano and a voice creates, weaves them together almost seamlessly. 

You need this in your life right now. Its things like this that prove music has a certain healing property to it when treated the right way, and the care and love both artists pour into these songs is oh, so, right.

And be sure to check out Aoife’s latest “In The Magic Hour” and Anthony’s “Da Costa“…