Buried Treasure, March 19
Lauryn Peacock, Crys Matthews, Natalie Jones
By Adeem Bingham, Editor
I took the last week off from obligations to spend time with family and now doing any task feels like torture. Hope you all are faring well and drinking lots of water. I’ve procured a new wooden pipe and a few new blends of tobacco for myself over the last week and I’ve been softly weeping inside the rolling smoke to Brandi Carlile and Phoebe Bridgers singing John Prine.
There are a lot of painful things going on this week. Another white male terrorist is being given gentle treatment by the press. A swath of anti-trans legislation is rising up across the Country. I feel a lot of heaviness for queer kids. I feel a lot of pressure to affirm their value and worth in a society that continues to try and legislate bigotry as the default position. There is still so much ground to cross on our march towards equality.
But, we march together by taking our representatives to task, campaigning for truly progressive politicians, and by using our voices with intention and clarity. This week I’ve got a couple of songs that touch on struggle and I’ve included a poppy little chaser at the end. Please remember to be gentle with yourselves and to protect your energy.
Your friend,
Adeem
Lauryn Peacock
Lauryn Peacock is not a queer artist but her contemplative and thoughtful album takes aim at conversion therapy in a lilting song called “Cameron” inspired by The Miseducation of Cameron Post. A richly cerebral and agile thinker, my correspondence with Lauryn reads like notes from a wanderer between hostels; holding her privilege and cultural estrangement in outstretched palms like misplaced prayers. Theology is an insightful and brooding collection for the discontent mystic.
Crys Matthews
Crys Matthew is a powerful folk artist who draws comparisons to Woody Guthrie, using her songs as tools in the fight for a more equitable world. Driven by a passion for social justice, she implores the listener to, “get in, then stay in this fight,” while armed simply with a guitar, powerful lungs, and a mouth full of revolution. Check out her new single, “Call them in,” now available on all platforms.
Natalie Jones
Natalie is one that we’ve been sleeping on. I don’t know how exactly I discovered her but she’s a Welsh Country artist who released a delicious EP in 2018 called Love ‘n’ Stuff which made the top 10 on iTunes Country charts. It’s been difficult to pick a single song to share with you because the whole collection is well-produced and the songs are really fun. Hopefully now that we’re on board we’ll be ready when new music drops because she’s a terrific talent.
“Buried Treasure” is your bi-weekly guide to under-the-radar queer artists in country, Americana, and folk. Know an artist who should be included? Contact us!