Let’s kick off this year with a song that kicked off last year. Boston Americana outfit Other Brother Darryl was founded by singer-songwriters Dan Nicklin, Nate Leavitt, and the late Dave Mirabella—veterans of Boston’s club scene who bonded over a shared love of the Laurel Canyon sound of CSNY and modern Americana torchbearers like Wilco and the Jayhawks.
“Watch the Trees” arrived about a year ago as the final single before the group’s debut album, offering a melancholy meditation on the impact and meaning of music across a lifetime. The group recently closed out the year at legendary Cambridge studio Q Division (see our studio profile here) to record this wonderful stripped-down version of the song.
About the author: Mild-mannered corporate executive by day, excitable Twangville denizen by night.