Radio Stranger: Crosstalk

Radio Stranger: Crosstalk is Brightwell & Moran’s second EP of Eclectic Acoustic Pop. “Crosstalk” is the technical term for leakage between two audio circuits, such as two channels on a sound mixer. This collection of songs showcases Kelly and Woody’s individual musical strengths, as well as the places where their talents have merged to become something altogether different. The subject matter also hints at the places where individuals and their stories overlap to reveal a new pattern. Bare Boards has the feel of an Alison Krauss or Dolly Parton Country Classic. It’s a story song that follows the life of an old house -- from the inspiration of the builder, to an eventual state of disrepair, to the ultimate decision to “do the work that love requires” and rebuild it. Anybody’s Everything is a John Mayer-inspired Jazz/Pop tune that celebrates the early stages of a passionate all-consuming romance, and wonders how “love could be so easy after a lifetime alone”. Take It or Leave It comes out of the gate with a driving guitar riff and tight Eagles-era harmonies. It features a woman’s perspective in a troubled relationship, and her refusal to take on the burden of her partner’s insecurity: “Take me as I am, no strings attached.” Don’t Judge Me tells an Americana Noir tale of an unlikely savior. Sometimes, in order to rectify the wrongs of the world, you have to do the unthinkable, and cross the line “between what’s good and right”. After the Storm is a modern-day political parable wrapped in a catchy Pop/Rock Anthem. Using extreme weather as a metaphor, the question is asked: “Did you really think you’d get out unharmed?”