Singles Club 

• Courtesy Photo

We're checking in with a couple of local, independent songwriters this week, in our latest installment of Singles Club. We'll note that if you're a local/regional act with a new single, we'd love to hear from you, via music@cityweekly.net.

Scott Lippitt, "Sandy Vaults": Over the next few months, Scott Lippitt will be releasing a handful of four singles, prior to the release of a full album, Meaning Maker, on Oct. 7. The first song, mixed/mastered at June Audio in Provo, is "Sandy Vaults." It's a track that the songwriter says is a bit of a departure in creation.

"'Sandy Vaults' evolved over days and weeks of experimentation and playing the song live using a looper," Lippitt writes to us. "In fact, 'Sandy Vaults' is one of the first songs I wrote on guitar using a looper. Being able to loop segments live has really changed the way I approach songwriting. Before I had the looper, I was mostly limited to strumming chords and singing a melody. Now, I can easily experiment with chords, riffs, vocal harmonies and percussion all in the moment of songwriting. Although I did not utilize the looper during the final recording of 'Sandy Vaults,' using the looper during the songwriting process had lasting impacts on the final production. For instance, the guitar riff repeats throughout giving the song a pulsing, circular feel."

The track, he feels, bears the influences of Big Thief and Radiohead. Like others that Lippitt is working on, it's being augmented by music videos, TikTok shorts and other, ancillary bits of tied-in, promotional material. Speaking of which, though "Sandy Vaults" is largely a solo affair, Lippitt's generous in sharing credit for the track's artwork with artist Claire Taylor. (Her solo exhibition, "Snail Snake City," is live at the Utah State Capitol 4th Floor Gallery through Sept. 29.)

You can keep track of Lippitt's social media posts via flowcode.com/page/scottlippittmusic. You can purchase/stream the track, as well at other Lippitt works dating back to 2013 at: scottlippitt.bandcamp.com.

Evan Michael, "Porchlight": Evan Beitsch—who records and releases music under the name Evan Michael—has built a track called "Porchlight," assembling a group of crack musicians and collaborators in Daniel Young (drums) Michelle Moonshine (backing vocals), Muskrat Jones (pedal steel), J-Rad Cooley (harmonica) and Brennan Hansen (bass). The work was recorded in Orchard Studios by Young.

"I'm still pinching myself over working with what I personally feel is the 'dream team' of SLC musicians," Michael says. "As a newcomer to Utah, I was immediately blown away by the fertile country music scene that has developed around SLC. I soon stumbled into Michelle Moonshine's music, and was not only astounded by her talent, but also by the beautiful, raw production quality of her music. I chased her sound to its source at Orchard Studios and immediately knew I had to work with Daniel Young. Dan graciously took me under his wing and helped to connect me with this incredible all-star cast you now hear on 'Porchlight.'"

The track, which can comfortably be cited as high-quality Americana, is Michael's "tale of the day I decided to stop sweeping both my problems and my desires under the rug. Life was slipping through my fingers. Armed with a leaky tent and a fresh perspective, I hit the road and never looked back."

At the moment, Michael's planning a temporary move: He'll be living in Casper, Wyo., for the summer, and will be based there for the time being, with some upcoming dates booked in Cheyenne and Denver. In the fall, he'll return to SLC gigging, both solo and with his band Carving Canyons. Until then, you can find "Porchlight" through a simple search for Evan Michael at YouTube.