American Romance
is the debut EP from
Michael Marcagi
, a Cincinnati-born singer/songwriter who first made his name fronting alt-rock combo
the Heavy Hours
.
Marcagi
went solo in 2023, signing with
Warner Bros.
, which released his first single, "The Other Side," later that year. Yearning and introspective, it introduced the acoustic folk-rock sound that helped his second single, "Scared to Start," go viral in early 2024. Both are included here, along with three other tracks that create a spacious debut of contemporary indie folk with vintage vibes. Strummed acoustic guitars, minimal percussion, and heavily reverbed vocals give
a warm and dreamy feeling, and its title track is among its best cuts.
's reflective songs are sonically scalable and could go in a more expansive direction, but the low-key arrangements on this EP are part of its charm. ~ Timothy Monger