Amy Stroup – “Always”
Photo by Brett Warren
From Nashville, indie singer-songwriter Amy Stroup has just revealed a soul-stirring rendition of Irving Berlin’s “Always.”
First off, it is extremely rare that we ever feature a cover song on the blog, so when we tell you that this interpretation holds its own alongside the artists who came before her, including Etta James and Frank Sinatra, we mean it. Secondly, you've likely already heard Stroup's work before, having been featured in campaigns for Nike, Google, and Apple.
Even with all of the modern tools available to contemporary artists, Stroup has managed to cling tightly to a classic, sultry vibe, offering listeners an authentic dreamlike vocal performance that is evocative of Julie London and Doris Day. Stroup has an instinctive feel for the language of these old standards; the conversational delivery is a glorious throwback to the late-night velvet romances of yesteryear, making us nostalgic for a time we are all too young to have ever experienced.
The music follows suit, with multiple layers of reverb-soaked guitar floating atop the gentle bounce of a subdued rhythm section. From the soft churning of chords to the moments of twangy lead, this tune is bound to have you adjusting the settings on your amp to explore the six-string worlds of Barney Kessel and Billy Strange.