This is the case with “Union Street”, the brand new 7 from Seán R. McLaughlin & The Wind-Up Crows. The song is a knockout merge of Scottish folk traditions, Americana soul and the atmospheric textures of indie-rock or post-rock, establishing a world that feels rooted yet boundless.
Born in the tiny Shetland Isles settlement of Bressay, McLaughlin came to attention as part of indie rockers Dante but has since moved onto more intimate and expansive songwriting. With The Wind-Up Crows, he has created a project that’s not just about music but also place and memory, emotional resonance. “Union Street” epitomizes that ethos, blending lyrical storytelling with an instrumentation that ebbs and swells like the tide.
Most striking, though, is the song’s power to bridge traditions across countries. There is the unmistakable throb of Scotland in those melodies, but the textures are borrowed from Americana’s dusty highways and indie-rock’s ruminative quarters. It’s a reminder that folk music belongs to all of us, altered by lived experience and personalized storytelling.
McLaughlin’s voice provides the romantic lilt and gravity in a song where she, the soul siren, anchors all of it above downy layers of sound. Backing him are the Wind-Up Crows, who provide haunting harmonies and dynamic arrangements that give “Union Street” a cinematic feel that sticks with you far longer than the last note. It’s the sort of song that allows for introspection and solidarity simultaneously, equally at home through headphones on a lonely walk as reverberating out of a live room.
For those looking for folky music with depth, discovery and emotional weight “Union Street” is the first taste of a sound that feels grounded but elevating.
Connect with Seán R. McLaughlin & The Wind-Up Crows: Instagram
