Artist: Meghan Cary
Album: Sing Louder – The Festival EP (LISTEN)
Genre: Folk
Release Date: Aug. 9, 2015

Last summer, Philly-based folk singer Meghan Cary released “Sing Louder – The Festival EP” as part of an upcoming greater whole. Judging from the songs on the five-track EP – which deals predominantly with themes of love, loss and family – the to-be-completed project is off to a great start.

Cary’s soulful alto voice and prowess for storytelling combine to convey the broad and, at times, conflicted emotions we experience in our relationships. Lyrically, the five-song EP shows respect for our fellow man and those who came before us, while offering a mother’s perspective on what we can do to make the future better for upcoming generations. Musically, the backing of Peter Farrell (keys, vocals) and Stacy Weathers (banjo, vocals) adds beautiful depth and harmony to enhance the overall message of “Sing Louder.”

The EP begins with the country-bluegrass picking of “Responsibility,” a pensive selection that showcases Cary’s powerful vocals as she asks how accountable we are to help our fellow man in need. Cary’s vocals are just as effective on “Wind,” a gentle, searching piano-driven ballad with excellent folk sensibilities and the use of metaphor as a means of dealing with loss (“I’m praying that you’ll answer me with the rustle of the leaves”).

The tempo picks up on the EP’s title track, which drives home the message of leading a long, fulfilling life and leaving behind an enriching legacy. That theme, coupled with the sense of loss in “Wind,” seem to join together on “Fly and Be Free” to add a sense of comfort and closure to the pain conveyed two tracks earlier.

The EP wraps up on an upbeat note with “Building This House,” whose lyrics stretch beyond a reference to physical structure and touch upon the elements of love and family that make a house a home. Musically, this is Cary and company’s most triumphant moment on the record, as its continued build adds a fun exclamation point our 23 ½-minute emotional folk journey.

Overall, “Sing Louder – The Festival EP” is a strong offering and a sign of things to come from this talented folk artist. Whenever the follow-up makes its way into existence, we’ll be ready!

Track listing:
1. Responsibility
2. Wind Song
3. Sing Louder
4. Fly and Be Free
5. Building This House