Dive into the captivating indie-folk of Searows.
Put on some Searows and let it alleviate your blues.
photography by Marlowe Ostara.
I distinctly remember the moment Searows walked on stage, the singer-songwriter carrying himself with a softness that echoed through the music for the rest of the night. I rarely find myself more in love with someone’s music after seeing them perform live; there is always something that takes me out of the experience—a loud audience or unpolished vocals—but not this time. I sat in Lincoln Hall, mesmerized by the blue lighting and gentle melodies for an hour, wishing the set would never end. Searows’ music has filled my playlists and my heart since then, and I believe his small yet mighty discography should be on the radar of any indie-folk lover.
Searows, whose real name is Alec Duckart, is a 24-year-old singer/songwriter from Portland, Oregon. He describes his sound as “stereotypically Pacific Northwest,” and I must agree; there is a peaceful quality to his music that takes me back to the gorgeous forests of Washington State. Additionally, he cites Sufjan Stevens and Bon Iver among his biggest inspirations, two artists whose sounds are heavily influenced by the Great Lakes region.
Duckart’s music feels like it’s made for a Chicago winter, those days that start with the warmth of the sun on your face and end with a snowstorm. Searows’ unique blend of hope and melancholy reminds me exactly of those days. “I Can and I Will” is my favorite song from his 2023 EP End Of The World, and it’s the perfect example of this feeling. Given the right moment, that song can break me into a million pieces. However, once he sings, “There are hands to be held and drinks to be spilled/And I can and I will,” I’m always left with a newly found sense of warmth.
End Of The World is my favorite release from Searows so far—not to discredit his gorgeous 2022 debut album, Guard Dog. End Of The World took everything that was already good about Searow’s first release—the soft vocals, simple yet beautiful production, heartbreaking lyricism—and refined it. While all the songs on Guard Dog are individually beautiful, they are a bit too stylistically similar and blend together in the context of the album. In contrast, the 2023 EP is more concise, and each song holds its own. It must be noted that both of these records are completely self-written and produced, and the restraint Duckart shows in all aspects of the process is truly admirable. It’s hard not to go overboard with clever stylistic production choices or extended metaphors with no one else to keep you in check. Yet Searows does such a good job of providing a balance between reserve and personality so early on in his career.
I’ve seen Searows’ music described as resembling early-career Phoebe Bridgers. While I agree that their voices are eerily similar, I think Duckart’s music has a certain tone of maturity that Bridgers’ early music lacked—and I’m saying this as a huge Phoebe Bridgers fan. As much as I’d like his music to replace what I’m missing in this Phoebe Bridgers/Boygenius hiatus year, Searows has managed to carve a unique space for himself in the indie-folk scene. For an artist who writes ‘sad music,’ his discography, remarkably, lacks angst. His music has a unique undertone of acceptance within the melancholy, which is refreshing to find in a genre that tends towards pure sadness without enough complexity. Take these lyrics in “End Of The World” for example:
And it’s okay, I’m grateful to you
For letting me lose
And it’s a damn shame, you’re good at winning
And I can’t handle when the fight runs out
His lyricism is consistently unpretentious yet thoughtful, a difficult feat to pull off without being overly simple. He doesn’t have to rely on the overuse of metaphors or clever rhyme schemes. Duckart knows how to tell a story while leaving space to process, delivering a gut punch every time.
Searow is tender music from a tenderhearted individual. Before performing the last song, Duckart said, “This is a song about a house,” alluding to his track called “House Song,” and lightly chuckled as the crowd began screaming in excitement. “House Song” is overwhelmingly more popular than his other tracks, and while many other artists have shown disdain for the TikTok-ification of their music, Duckart took it in stride. Although he ended his concert with “House Song,” any new listener should start with it. This was the first song of his that I heard—on TikTok of course—and I was immediately mesmerized. In a world where it’s trendy to hate songs just because they’re trending, I’ll set my snobbiness aside and defend this song to the fullest extent. The tight harmonies, soft finger-picked guitar, and vague, yet gut-wrenching, lyrics deliver that bittersweet feeling of nostalgia in a way that few songs can. So, if you’re like me and find yourself craving warmth and feelings in these dreary Chicago months, put on some Searows and let it alleviate your winter blues.
edited by: Alyssa Manthi.
photography by Marlowe Ostara.
