Snowden River - Sea Glass

Snowden River

Sea Glass
self-released; 2025

​​By ​Dino DiMuro

The name Snowden River evokes Winterscapes with snow-covered mountains and silver trout swimming upstream, but actually belongs to a self-described bedroom artist from Maryland now based in Toronto whose real name is Lukas Roselle. His music is rooted in folk but also inspired by psychedelic, country, rock and pop. First releasing music in 2023, Snowden River’s newest album is titled Sea Glass. 

River recorded most instruments himself, using GarageBand as his DAW and mastering through BandLab. These include vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, pedal steel guitar, drum machine, percussion, various keys and harmonica. His sound can best be described as gentle and sincere, a rare quality that I’ve also heard from the songs of indie artist Jim France (they even have similar voices) but not too many others. 

“Empty Room” is built on a dream-like folk pattern with lots of backing strings and an open, expansive sound that recalls artists like Tim Buckley. As mentioned, Roselle has a sincere voice that sits in a lower register, barely crossing the line between speaking and singing. This song might be about a breakup, but as a fellow home taper I get distinct glimpses of what it’s like to “feel the speakers boom (without) much shoulder room.” Cole Allen guests on backing vocals. “Open Tab” continues the warm, welcoming sound with the addition of dreamy pedal steel and ringing acoustics, and again also seems to touch on the life of a solitary muso (“I wear songs like a uniform / Let the words show off til I’m adored”).

The title track “Sea Glass” seems to go deeper into Roselle’s heart, with both guitar and vocals playing even lower with church-like reverence. The lyrics are somewhat parallel to the classic construct of Harry Nilsson’s “Now Think About Your Troubles” as we watch a glass statue get created, broken and finally washing up as sea glass. Musically it’s a second cousin to the Zevon classic “Hasten Down The Wind”. In “Blue (Interlude)” Roselle takes a short track to offer solace and acceptance to the ocean, building a Brian Wilson-like vocal chorus in the process. “Blitzed” is the second song in a row to cast aspersions on mountain living (“Upper Appalachia ain’t for me”) and has a breezy, mid-range Bob Dylan feel including left-and-right harmonica. 

“One More Time” is the big track where Roselle welcomes lots of guests: Ian Mackenzie on lead guitar with Ray Hawkins, Emma Kate Bates, Sarah Kaisar, Norah Jackson and Eric Martins on backing vocals. It’s to Roselle’s credit that five extra singers don’t overwhelm the track: he mixes them to his own vocal almost as tight as a shrink-wrapped package, and then has them sing by themselves in a cute coda. Mackenzie’s fuzz solo changes up the sound, and Roselle is kind enough to give him co-writer credit!  “Evergreen” has a classical acoustic piano and organ at its center in waltz time, creating a magical aura for its remembrances of a visiting lover who soon must depart. Amazing vocal overdubs by Mr. Roselle here. The reverence of “Let Me Know” certainly lets the listeners know that this ode to a troubled friend weighs heavily on the narrator’s heart. Great interplay between guitars and electric organ here! “Christopher” closes the album with more Dylan-like harmonica and a final jangly guitar solo by Mr. Mackenzie.

Sometimes you need songs and music of a more comforting style, and Roselle has that aspect more than covered. See what he’s about!

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snowdenriver.bandcamp.com/album/sea-glass

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