We at PRP recently gave a thumbs up to the dreamy music of Australian blues guitarist Hamish Anderson . This month, from Sydney Australia, we’re delighted to bring you news about music of another genre, that of Little May. Their music is best described as folk/indie with mysterious dream pop overtures.

Their debut EP is creating somewhat of a buzz in Australia, online, and here in the U.S.

These 5 sparkling folk-rock tracks standout for compelling, driving rhythms, great guitar and musicianship, yes. But what sets them above the bar is the unusual way they pair bright, celestial harmonies atop sometimes folksy, oftentimes edgy, guitars and musicianship.

The beautiful music of this 3-woman band has an emotional intensity that’s palpable. Their new EP – titled simply “Little May” – opens with reflections on a past love interest via their nostalgic, light-as-a-feather “Dust.”

Sample lyrics: “Take me back to summer / When the nights were getting warmer / and I missed you / I still miss you.” If this relationship is “dust,” it’s gotta be some kinda lovely cosmic dust. By contrast, the subject matter on the compelling “Hide,” about a woman who quickly exits an abusive relationship, is far darker.

Dust

About Little May

Little May are: Liz Drummond, main vocals and acoustic guitar; Hannah Field, backing vocals; Annie Hamilton, electric guitar, backing vocals. The band had a successful and enterprising year last year, performing with Rodriguez  on his Australian tour and also recently touring with Winterbourne . They also recently completed a video for their song “Bones.”

Says backing vocalist Hannah Field: “Liz (Drummond) and I wrote our first song together when we were 17, and I guess it kind of just grew from there. Liz is incredible at fleshing out song structure and that really helps obviously to have as a base for the beginning of a track,” she adds. Little May formed officially when Field and Drummond asked Annie Hamilton to join the band in early 2012.

Their musical influences include Gang of Youths, Holy Holy, Bruce Springsteen, Thelma Plum and LORDE; they’re also fans of Half Moon Run and Alt-J. The band has been signed to Capitol Records in the U.S. and Island Records in the U.K.; high-5’s all around.

The exceptional “Midnight Hour” is a lovely, haunting track with exquisite harmonies against a backdrop of sometimes sparse, sometimes pronounced guitar work. Especially compelling is the subtle, skillful guitar finesse provided by lead guitarist Annie Hamilton. It’s a good example of their unique style and ability to come up with song arrangements that make an impact.

Watch the band perform “Bones” live at Australia’s Studio 301:

While all 5 tracks are exceptional, U.S. radio stations may have trouble choosing between “Bones” and “Boardwalks.” By the slightest of margins, “Boardwalks” likely holds the widest appeal; it’s the track Portland Radio Project is currently playing – have a listen:

Boardwalks

What’s next?

“We will be releasing an album later this year, but at this point the EP is it,” says Field, adding, “We definitely have plans to get back to the US this year. Nothing is 100 percent locked-in yet, but keep your eyes peeled for some dates!”

PRP wishes them all-the-best this year, and hopes they’ll come to Portland soon so we can see them live and write more about them for our listeners.

You can find Little May’s music on iTunes, amazon, and on their website .

Cynthia Orlando
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