On my streak of unexpected posting this week has seen, I wanted to highlight one album that’s still to come in 2023 and would love more people to have eyes and ears on. Oakland-based musician Meernaa is releasing her upcoming LP So Far So Good via Keeled Scales on October 6. I previously shared early single “On My Line” back in March, but with a few more songs out and two months out from album release, I thought I’d refresh the plot.

Meernaa’s music is a refreshing take on R&B, with each single revealing a new wrinkle into how she’s going about her songwriting. Each previous single features a band in a deep pocket, memorable melodies, and fantastic performances. This single here “As Many Birds Flying” places a heavy emphasis on the dreamy slide guitar, while beds of strings and steady drumbeat paint a cinematic, driving picture. Imagine The Blue Nile produced by Daniel Lanois. In a way it reminds me of another favorite record of this year, Westerman’s An Inbuilt Fault. It’s a soft rock that takes chances; not content to sit on its laurels, but rather take cues from cult classic records of the late 80s and 90s and bring them into the present. This is the type of music that’s been exciting me the most these days.

Meernaa’s So Far So Good is coming October 6 via Keeled Scales. Pre-order + listen more via Bandcamp below. You know I copped a pre-order on the last BC Friday.