Jam of the Day | Heyward Howkins - Sweet Tea Oleander

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'Sweet Tea Oleander', the latest single from Heyward Howkins' upcoming second LP, has a sweet and shivery sibilance to it, a seductive lilt to Howkins' voice backed by shaky tambourines and a chorus of harmonies. It feels like the kind of song for a long drive late at night with someone you love, jasmine on the summer air and breeze in your hair.

Howkins' 2012 The Hale & Hearty was one of my favorite releases last year, and 'Sweet Tea Oleander' only reaffirms for me that Howkins is a distinctly talented and underrated songwriter with an unerring ear for orchestration. Stream the track below, and keep an eye out for his new record later this year.

Jam of the Day | Heyward Howkins - Sugar Sand Stitched Lip

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I'm not quite sure why I'm so utterly captivated by this video for Philadelphia's Heyward Howkins' "Sugar Sand Stitched Lip": it's sort of creepy, and the song, from Hoskins' debut LP The Hale & Hearty, is equally creepy, Howkins' warm voice disconnected from the eerie lyrics and the muted horns in the background, yet I'm fascinated by the narrative of it, by Howkins' song, and by the two together. There's just something eye-catching about eeriness, and this video has both atmospheric visuals and stunningly, oddly compelling music.

You can stream or purchase The Hale & Hearty via Howkins' Bandcamp page.