Lyrics, Lessons, and Life: A Review of Autumn Hollow

Sarah Levecque calls Autumn Hollow “the best songwriting you’ll hear around this town,” and we can’t help but agree. Whether imparting life lessons or love stories to the audience, lead singer and songwriter Brendan Murphy sings with persuasive emotion. His clear and expressive voice allows the lyrics to take center stage, while the band, composed of Chuck Vath (bass), Mike Burke (electric guitar), and Rick Cranford (drums), complements his stories with lively enthusiasm. In “The Dolphin,” for instance, Murphy sings about a woman who thinks she sees a dolphin near the shore, and Burke’s guitar makes a high-pitched sound reminiscent of a dolphin’s cry. In “Heck to Pay,” Murphy sings, “I felt a tingle in my skin,” and Burke again brings the words to life with an eerie tremolo.

What is it about Autumn Hollow’s songs that leave such a distinct impression? A large factor is Murphy’s characteristically trustworthy voice. Not only does he believe what he’s saying, but he makes the audience believe it, too. He passes on life advice -- “Don’t go to sleep with anger on my breast,” and “Listen to the flowers / Take shelter in the winter” -- with conviction, and the audience senses his authenticity and therefore feels compelled to take it to heart. 

When asked about how he describes the band’s musical sound, Murphy finds it difficult to label their style. With country and rock influences, he notes that many people describe it as “Americana.” However, he firmly believes that “Your biggest contribution as an artist is to try to be an individual.” Rather than limiting himself to one genre, he instead relies on his own creative instincts. “Whatever happens when you start trying to compose music or write music is what you’re supposed to do,” he told us. These creative instincts appear to be serving him well, as Autumn Hollow is at once able to impart sincere messages, humor, and wisdom while engaging the audience with catchy melodies, epic guitar solos, and locked-in basslines. 

On stage, you’ll often see all four band members with their eyes closed, truly into the music and connected to one another. Their chemistry on stage enables them to achieve their goal, which, as Murphy describes, is to allow the audience to “forget about whatever it is that’s going on and just enjoy themselves and lose themselves, and if they need a guide, then just look up at us.” 

In many senses, music is Murphy’s guide to life, too. Even as a parent of four teenagers, Murphy is determined to keep playing music and, in fact, he believes that it teaches him to be a better parent. “Playing music, and especially playing music with other people in a band is so important for me to be able to be better at all the other things I have going on,” he explains. As he puts it simply, “Music is a necessity.” This motto is readily apparent when watching Murphy and the band play music that seems to travel directly from their souls into the audience’s open ears.

The Burren, 5/17/24