"I'm down and out / I'm finding out / Your name is Bill / We connected..."
The unexpected emotional connections and kismetic opportunities of "Angel Bill", by Fort Wayne's indie singer songwriters Joe Stilwell x Van Nes (Noah Twombly), feels steeped in the stuff of love, faith and endearing friendships. The kind of unassuming, yet magnetic indie rock pull of "Angel Bill", one of those kinds of timeless compositions that could have existed in the late folk rock 70's, the jangle pop indie rock of the 80's, the post grunge blendo folk rock of the 90's (and so on and so forth) draws you in, not only because of the throttling (yet gentle) rock sounds but Stilwell and Twombly's unique vocal countenance that feels earnest and itself, instead of mining other popular singing styles. I love that this feels utterly raw and real, and organically drawn.
BUT besides the snap and indie rock swing of the well balanced musicality and the singing styles it is the lyrics, the storytelling and conceptual narrative that makes "Angel Bill" so incredibly endearing and special. This, essentially a love song of sorts, is based on connecting with a stranger, yet bonding with them in a truly human way and, maybe too, about how fate brings us opportunities all the time that we might not always act on, but ones that could be beyond fulfilling.
LINER NOTES (bracketed)
[Angel Bill is a song about unexpected connections—finding friendship in a moment when you need it most. The lyrics paint a picture of two strangers bonding over music, old cars, and late-night conversations, touching on artists like Randy Newman, John Prine, and Television. It’s nostalgic yet immediate, built on warm acoustic textures, gentle harmonies, and raw storytelling.]
[Angel Bill is a song about unexpected connections—finding friendship in a moment when you need it most. The lyrics paint a picture of two strangers bonding over music, old cars, and late-night conversations, touching on artists like Randy Newman, John Prine, and Television. It’s nostalgic yet immediate, built on warm acoustic textures, gentle harmonies, and raw storytelling.]
"Angel Bill" exists on the album "Unseen & Elegant" that you can check out on the duo's Bandcamp or Spotify. If you like / love the album, I hope you support them.
[Unseen & Elegant is a collection of eight songs written and recorded by Joe Stilwell and Noah Twombly (Van Ness) between July and October 2024. The two met during the 2020-21 Sons & Daughters worship program, forming a friendship rooted in a deep love for music. In 2024, they launched Old Oak Sounds, a small DIY label, and rented out a room in an old church to make music with the people they love. This album is a document of that process—capturing two friends shaping their sound together.]
I dig this song. Except for Andrew Gold's classic "Thank You For Being A Friend", you don't find very many relationship songs that celebrate this kind of human connection, especially a serendipitous one. I also absolutely cherish the lyrics here, with the seemingly disparate tastes to connect on like a reference to Television's iconic album "Marquee Moon" and pizza bites in the same song.
Lyrics
I'm down and out
I'm finding out
Your name is Bill
We connected
Your chicken wings
My pizza bites
Your favorite song
We connected
Over Randy Newman
And Acetone
Over Television's
Marquee Moon
Five Leaves Left
Also talking John Prine's best
Oh Bill, where have you been?
I want to know are you an angel?
Cause' I needed a friend tonight
I figured out
You paid your bill
I gained some will
We connected
Your old Sedan
My Chevy van
I said goodbye
We connected
Over Randy Newman
And Ernest Hood
With a House of Sugar
Blue Rev kills
And Blake Mills
Also talking Chris Bell's fills
Oh Bill, where have ya been?
I want to know, are you an angel?
Cause I needed a friend tonight
-Robb Donker Curtius
THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2nQOyLuJpdJXahDe27QNWe
https://www.instagram.com/joestilwell_music/
"Unseen & Elegant" is a collection of eight songs written and recorded by Joe Stilwell and Noah Twombly ("Van Nes") between July and October 2024. The two met during the 2020-21 Sons & Daughters worship program, where their friendship and shared passion for music took root. In 2024, they combined their studio gear and launched Old Oak Sounds, renting a small room in an old church with a simple goal—to create more music together and with the people they love. This album captures Joe and Noah in the process of discovering their sound, blending their efforts into something new.
No comments:
Post a Comment