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- May 8, 2023
Oliver Hazard Creates Folk Perfection with “Saratoga”
In “Saratoga,” Oliver Hazard delights folk enthusiasts with an instant classic. The single is bubbly and infectious. Light but upbeat instrumentals are paired with soothing harmonies to create the indie-folk song of the spring.
Released April 28, the Ohioan indie-folk trio — composed of childhood friends Michael Belazis, Devin East, along with Nate Miner — paired the single with an equally cheery video which can be viewed here:
The track especially shines in its instrumentals. It’s toned down but still enchanting. While the track builds following the chorus, it immediately returns to a soft, melodic tune. This creates a personal feel to the song, inviting the listener into the band’s world and lyrical prowess.
In an ode to a “witchy woman,” the trio croons “Step in my shoes … for a moment / Find your way home … Saratoga.” In just a few lines, Oliver Hazard shares the fear of and strength it takes to start a new relationship.
Paired with the dreamy instrumentals and intriguing lyrics are plenty of harmonious “ooh”s and playful “shoo-bidy-bop-bop”s. The trio manages to capture the magic, sweetness and vulnerability of new love in three minutes and 50 seconds.
On the song, the band writes:
“Saratoga”is a melody that we wrote when the band was first getting started. It is a song about being disarmed by someone else. There is a mystical quality to the music and lyrics that allude to witchcraft. It is an earnest and heartfelt song about the beginning of a relationship.
Oliver Hazard
The release of “Saratoga” follows the success of the more-electric-guitar-filled-folk-rock “Summertime Whiskey” and the ethereally light “Ballerina,” which can both be streamed below:
The song is the third single from the trio’s upcoming album, with the title and release date yet to be announced as of this article’s publication. For updates on the project, the group can be followed on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
In the meantime, the band will be headlining shows in Alaska in late June and early July, culminating in an August festival in Ohio which the trio has called “Oliver Hazard Day.”
The festival was created to support the trio’s hometown of Waterville, Ohio. The lineup can be seen below:
“Saratoga” is available to stream everywhere. Give it a listen here:
