Last Friday, South Carolina-born and Seattle-based singer/songwriter Austin Crane released his latest album under the name Valley Maker. Rhododendron is Crane's debut for Frenchkiss Records.
On album release day, Crane came into the Paste Studio with his band to perform three tracks from his new record: "Seven Signs," "A Couple Days" and "Beautiful Birds Flying." His crackling, rich vocals tell a story on their own, but his lyrics open up a clown car of cosmic folk tales infused with warm spirituality and prying at the door of the human soul. His songwriting style is tender and often cryptic, but no less accessible and moving.