Half Dream Share Will I Still Bloom, Announce LP

I’ve been championing Paige Berry and her Half Dream project since they released the excellent Monster of Needing EP back in 2020. Now, news comes across that we’ll finally be getting the band’s debut Will I Still Bloom LP this October, and we’ve got the title track from Will I Still Bloom. This song’s filled with tons of little details that illustrate just how much the band’s grown; I love the little guitar tickles atop Berry’s voice and the thumping drums for the first 45 seconds or so. Then, at 53 seconds, the track shoots off, layering in a dreamier vibe from the guitars as Paige delivers a striking vocal performance. The band take a moment to flex their musicianship, then jump right back to the affair at hand, brooding in mood while we await the next huge chorus! Everything in this track just feels like a huge step for the band, and if Paige ever doubted herself, this song is evidence that she’s clearly blossomed into one of Austin’s finest songwriters. And, if you’re in the ATX tonight…the band celebrate the new single at Captain Quackenbush’s Soundspace, so come pregame with me as I DJ at Tweedys, then head to the show!

Half Dream Music Return with Too Much Single

After all the praise I through at Half Dream‘s Monster of Needing EP, it seems only natural that I follow up with the band’s latest single, hinting at what’s coming later this year. You’re going to, of course, marvel at the power of Paige Berry’s voice; she’s got this dominating control that can spin a melody into a softened growl, which is matching up well with the band’s sound on this new track. It is, well, incendiary, firing off heavy riffs that bring in the punch almost immediately, turning the group’s dreamier folk nature into a force to be reckoned with, yet it never loses their personality. Excited to hear what’s in store for us later this year.

Half Dream Share Christmas All Alone

Paige Berry and Half Dream released one of my favorite EPs this year, Monster of Needing…and today they’ve got a holiday tune Paige penned to share. While the song was written pre-pandemic, the thematic relevance to this year’s holiday season is blatantly obvious in the title alone. The core of the song really focuses on Berry’s voice, which is a marvel, draped over a heavy strum and some accents in the song’s background. Always down to celebrate a great voice, and perhaps we’ll all find solace knowing that we’re all alone together.

Half Dream Share Strange Lover

We’re sort of in love with Half Dream over here, especially after the moving “Celia” dropped a few weeks ago. It would be really easy for us to wax poetic about the power of Paige Berry’s voice; you’re going to be blown away again within the first 15 seconds, particularly by the angelic tones that tease you into the track. For my two cents, the success of this song comes in the balancing act between the band’s more forceful performance and the delicacy with which they approach the interludes. Just before the 1 minute mark drums ring out announcing a brief foray into sonic bombast, only to recede into the whispers briefly for Berry’s voice before galloping to the end. Such juxtaposition crafts a sort of push and pull within the song, building your emotional investment as you listen. They’ll celebrate this new single with Rattlesnake Milk and our own Mean Jolene Friday night at Hotel Vegas; Monster of Needing comes out on April 2nd.