Maria Taylor June 5, 2008

Though often referred to as half of the duo Azure Ray and 1/4 of Saddle Creek's Now It's Overhead, Maria Taylor's talents have seen her name attached to an impressive roster of musicians. She's popped up on tracks by Crooked Fingers, Bright Eyes and Moby. Maria doesn't scream her angst or snarl out her problems. She doesn't warble melismas with the glut of high-strung chart divas. With understated grace and aplomb, she writes the sort of classic, sad songs once favored by the first ladies of American songwriting. Johnathan Rice, a young man from Glasgow, is making waves in the folk rock world with his subtle, sensitive songs.