Izzy Oram Brown

Singing in hushed but soulful tones that bring to mind Christine McVie, Massachusetts-born, Queens-dwelling songwriter Izzy Oram Brown has the rare ability to crystallize emotional states and broadcast them on the most universal possible scale. Her affecting lyrics and melodies possess all the invitingness and discipline of radio rock heroes like Tom Petty, as well as the pop acumen and emotional intelligence that galvanizes fans of Phoebe Bridgers and Sabrina Carpenter. Since her teenage years, Brown has spent much of her musical career as an accomplished session and touring guitarist—known for her work playing with legends like Julian Lage as well as rising NYC bands like Why Bonnie and Youbet. At the most devastating moments of What I Want—her sophomore full-length (out June 26)—one can hear the intricacy of Elliott Smith’s songwriting; elsewhere, there is a windswept Americana atmosphere reminiscent of Gillian Welch’s formative albums. Its ear-candy-filled, electroacoustic arrangements feature contributions by multinstrumentalist Jesse Bielenberg (Altopalo, Jesse in Grey, Dora Jar) and drummer Connor Parks (Cafune, Little Mystery, Tony Vaz). Brown’s cocktail of timeless melodies, lovingly rendered guitar moves, sensitive arrangements, and unabashedly vulnerable lyrics give What I Want its unique charge. Every song rings out with the lucidity and commandingness of someone who has thought hard about what they are going to say long before they say it.