For What It’s Worth – Maggie Eckford For What It’s Worth – Maggie Eckford (Free Download / Buy)

Ever wonder what would happen if a Southern belle relocated to Sydney, Australia to write songs?  Look no further than Maggie Eckford (@maggieeckford) and her debut release, For What It’s Worth. Eckford delivers her indie-pop songs with a soft molasses-filled voice that still manages to make you feel like a silhouette in an iPod commercial as you walk down the street. Writing songs since the age of fourteen, Eckford says she draws influences from artists like Ray LaMontagne and Feist to Kings of Leon. Whatever the source, her new brand of infectious folk-tinged pop has garnered the attention of listeners across the globe.

The title track from her debut release is a lo-fi gem; acoustic guitars, minimalist drums, and squirmy synth that will dig into your brain. Another standout track on the album “Couldn’t I See” features banjo and alludes to Eckford’s down-home roots mixed with a powerful pop sensibility. Eckford sings, “Couldn’t I see the strings tied tightly around me?” as an endearing whistling hook moves above the banjo plucks. Another track, “Asleep”, opens up with a slicing guitar hook with British garage rock bop flair that backs Eckford’s sultry vocals, which will likely draw comparisons to Metric frontwoman Emily Haines.

Eckford was busy outside the studio as well, producing a snappy music video for “Asleep” that’s sure to please hipsters everywhere. The video follows her on a bike ride (fixed gear, obviously) errand to pick up some Polaroids from a local corner store and then continues the journey to snap a few shots of a lighted tree in the park. While the video doesn’t break any new boundaries, it does give eager fans the chance to see the pretty face behind all those pretty pop songs.

Eckford has since relocated back to US soil given the rising wave of success of her licensing agreements with Apple and numerous Canadian television series. Considering the glowing reception that For What It’s Worth has received, Eckford has already begun production on a follow-up album that is due out in the spring or summer of next year. Perhaps because of this, Eckford hasn’t listed any shows on her websites for the coming weeks, so the American public will just have to wait patiently. We all hope it’s soon, Maggie. Don’t leave us hanging too long.