Donny Hue and The Colors

Here at VK we get lots of music recommendations from readers, artists, publicists and the like. Sometimes we like them. Sometimes we don't. And sometimes we're all-together floored (in a jaw-dropping good way). I'm beyond pleased to say that Donny Hue And The Colors fit into the latter category.

The Brooklyn-based band's latest album Folkmote is an awesomely cohesive psych-folk romp. It exists in a universe where "flowerbirds" flit across fragments of mountains, while autoharps and "piano dreams" soundtrack their flight. The band's rootsy, rollicking aesthetic is simultaneously lovely, scrappy and at times transcendent. So few established bands, let alone up-and-coming ones could title a song "-", which features a nearly four minute long instrumental intro and not sound pretentious or meandering.

So these guys have got the "epic" thing down, but that's not to say the album is without snappy three minute pop songs - there are plenty of those, most notably "Real Long Time". In other words think of Donny Hue as a more accessible Neutral Milk Hotel, or a trippier Okkervil River. Except you'd still be off. And that is indeed a good thing.
Mountain Piece - Donny Hue And The Colors
Gone are the days of delusion
Gone are those days so far behind
Would you believe they're not all mine
(Just wait til the 1:34 mark, that's when the song really takes off)

Stream more songs on their myspace page