Recording: Isla Craig

Artist: Isla Craig

Song: The Becoming

Recorded at Jam Factory ("Feast in the East 47"), April 4, 2015.

Isla Craig - The Becoming

"I'm not sure if this is a song or a vibe," Isla said a couple months back when I first heard this song (and its snaky guitar groove) in a stripped-down solo performance. But in the hands of a new backing band (which included Bram Gielen on bass, Johnny Spence on synth and Evan Cartwright on percussion) it was most assuredly a song. Debuting a set of new material written on guitar, there were fabulous arrangements throughout that accentuated Craig's soulful grooves (and leavened the stew with a subtle dash of reggae). The band also didn't rush through the songs, letting them all simmer for five or six minutes apiece. After staying on the down-low for the past while while these songs gestated, this was definitely a triumphant launch of a new phase for Craig.