The Doubt

 

 

 

When Kaleb Shields was hit by a car on his bike in November, 2022, The Doubt had to postpone their studio date as he recovered from a broken jaw, torn rotator cuff, and several other bumps and bruises. Most of their upcoming album, it’s All a Joke was written around the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, one of the themes of the record is about rolling with the punches, particularly when things don’t go according to plan. It seems fitting that that is exactly what the band did. As Kaleb mended his wounds, they used the delay to redefine themselves. They changed their name from B.R. Mount and the Doubt, to simply The Doubt. They prepared harder, planned more, and in the end, were able to produce a much better record for it. 

The members of The Doubt have been playing together since 2017 and as with any good band, one thing the members exceed at is balancing each other out. B.R. Mount’s existential songwriting is lifted by Kaleb’s groovy, bouncy beats and overall energy, while Troy ties everything together with his expertise on bass. 

Trusting the process, believing in goodness, and leaning into connection are the main ingredients that make up Little Gem’s debut project, “Threadweight.” With lyrics written over the course of eight years and brought to life in 2024 with collaborators Tommy Diez and Mat Larimer (Spare Key), Little Gem (Anna Brown) hopes to bring listeners in touch with their own nostalgia. Her sound is a distillation of memories, half-full cups, and curiosity, motivated by a desire to explore feelings that both haunt us and remind us to look for the light. Little Gem draws inspiration from artists such as Grouper, Hundred Waters, Adrienne Lenker, and Fred Again. Layers of vocal harmonies, warm cello overtures, electronic soundscapes, and acoustic guitar guide “Threadweight” through its double-sided release, featuring both an acoustic version and an electronic remix of each track, composed by Spare Key.

 

 

A Pan-Americana Panacea