Fancy Some Medieval Fantasy?
Hear ye, hear ye! By decree of the OTR court, you are hereby ordered to rocketh and rolleth all fortnight long.
As the weather turns to shades of ruby and gold as bright as a gilded crown, perhaps you’re seeking the coziness of fantasy and escapism. Fear not, for we have journeyed far and wide to conquer the musical realms and procure auditory riches for your merriment and revelry. On this ye olde playlist, you’ll encounter a hodgepodge of creatures and beings—fairies, warriors, sorcerers and beasts—and genres such as psychedelic, grunge, hyperpop, folk, classical, and metal.
May fortune favor thy noble and melodic quest!
“Come Along for the Ride” by Small Fools
Cosmic bard siblings Nathan and Ruthie Prillaman have alchemized an anachronistic combination of synth and modern-day existentialist commentary with folk, bluegrass, choral music, and medieval polyphony. “Come Along for the Ride” is a standout track from Small Fools’ debut album ‘Voices in the Atmosphere’ that they released this past September. Plucking strings meet hazy synth and echoing melodies, taking the listener on a whimsical journey. Queue up this song when you’re astride your noble Citibike or traveling by motorized chariot. If thou art at repose, close your eyes and let the quest unfold in your mind.
“Roving Blade” by Mirador
Sharpen your swords, harness your horses, and don your chainmail because Mirador’s self-titled debut album has plundered onto the sonic shores. Mirador, the rock-and-roll bards of Chris Turpin (Ida Mae, Kill It Kid) and Jake Kizska (Greta Van Fleet), are no strangers to musical voyages. Together, they’ve woven blues and folk with narrative songwriting to regale epic, lush songs that double as fables.
“Roving Blade” is a classic combination of tragedy and romance—“With my blood, I will surely pay / Six strings crying with every note that I play / When you laid with the Roving Blade.” Glinting electric guitar riffs strike and cut as sure and heavy as a broadsword.
“Traveler Stay” by Gold Dust
Weary pilgrim, why dost thou yearn for the horizon? Lay down thy burdens and find respite with this musical interlude before journeying on. Gold Dust is a folk and psychedelic four-piece fronted by Stephen Pierce and accompanied by Ally Einbinder, Adam Reid, and Sean Greene. Pierce released two albums as a solo artist before bringing friends into the fray with Gold Dusts’ latest album ‘In the Shade of the Living Light.’ The jaunty acoustic track “Traveler Stay” doesn’t have vocals, yet it recites a sonic tale of longing and fulfillment, winding paths and open skies, melancholy and merriment.
“Lochness Lady” by The Croaks
The rowdy, frolicking folk-rock quartet of Anna Reidister, Haley Wood, Alli Raina, and Denver Nuckolls are masters of lore. In their eccentric strains, The Croaks have devised a whimsical, weirdieval world of absurdist revelry.
“Lochness Lady” hails from their 2023 debut album ‘Croakus Pokus’ and weaves the tale of scorned love with a silver-haired maiden that twists from devout affection into frenzied obsession—”Why do you run away? We are meant to be! Why do you scream sweet Lochness Lady?” Verily, not all tales end in a happily ever after. If more stories you seek, look no further than The Croaks’ latest release ‘Menagerie’ EP, which follows a fantastical creature on each track.
“WIZARD” by Castle Rat
“WIZARD” is scorching and syrupy like a mystical draught that fevers the mind into grotesque and fantastical visions. 80s glam doom metal is back, and it’s wearing scandalously skin-baring chainmail and wielding an electric guitar like a sword. As foretold in the sacred texts (otherwise known as the internet), Castle Rat are “on a mission to expand and defend the realm from those who seek to destroy it,” namely their nemesis the Rat Reaperess.
At the helm of Castle Rat’s fortress is the Rat Queen, Riley Pinkerton, on rhythm guitar and lead vocals. The Count, Franco Vittore, conquers lead guitar and backing vocals; the bass is wielded by the Plague Doctor, Charley Ruddell; and Joshua Strmic casts spells on the drums as the Druid.
If you have the pluck, take up your earbuds and gallop into the fray of the playlist below. Huzzah!
