If you haven’t heard…
Alternative Folk star Alec Duckart (he, him), aka Searows, released his second album in 2026, Death in the Business of Whaling, easily my favorite record of this year. When I learned that the Oregon singer-songwriter planned to include New England on his tour, I couldn’t get a ticket fast enough. He did not disappoint!
The title and themes of this record are drawn from Moby Dick, which, of course, tickled my literary bones. His elegant voice rises, floats, and sinks within the chordal structures as if he is paddling the deep, undulating waves of the ocean in a life raft. A melancholy reverb layers the guitars and vocals, and, coupled with Duckart’s aching poetry, I feel as if I’m in a dream while listening. Put those headphones on!
Here is a clip of the show I attended at 3S Artspace in Portsmouth, N.H., posted by another grateful fan.
