The Soft Collapse is the duo of Ryan Montgomery and Dave Teufel on acoustic guitar and cello, respectively. Their simple, heartfelt music has drawn me in for repeated listens and I wanted to share with you my favorite track from their latest album, Little Songs.
The Soft Collapse – Black on Black on Black on Black
Immediacy in music often is associated with a quick tempo or a high level of noise, a propulsive beat or urgent shouts. "Black on Black on Black on Black," is quite the opposite, but I found it just as transfixing. I love the way the guitar and cello sound together, and Ryan Montgomery's deep voice is one you can't help listening to intently. What I find most interesting is that the lyrical sentiment is not something I totally identify with, but which I can easily understand. I'm not thinking about settling down any time soon but I am compelled by the narrator's struggle to want stability versus the doubt and unpredictability that comes with trying to achieve it. The details are rich and the music is beautiful.
If you dig this song, I encourage you to check out the rest of Little Songs for ten more songs in this vein. I enjoyed listening to it. For me, the highlights were the strong run of songs that close the album – the last four tracks – though "City Ramblin'" is an early favorite. The album is available here on a pay-what-you-want basis.