When I was little, all I wanted was to live in a cottage with a thatched roof and sash windows. Ivy growing over the door in honour of my name and roses blooming in the back garden where my veggie patch would also be thriving. I tell you all of this today, not only because that still very much is the dream but also because that’s where Dog Eared brought me too.
It brought me back to days where all that would matter was getting grass stains on my favourite dress or losing my shoes because I went too high on the swing, feeling as though I could crash up into the sky and break through the Earth’s core. Don’t you think that’s so beautiful? That music can do that for you? Make you feel invincible?
Billie Marten’s newest album “Dog Eared” reminded me of that. Pushing my sister on the swing or twirling around in fields where the grass has grown too tall and you can’t really see anything but the cloudless sky above you. This album is a snapshot into Billie’s current identity, but one that feels unbelievably and wonderfully timeless. Stuck in time, across its ten tracks Dog Eared perfectly blends Billie’s signature sound while allowing this newer vibrant energy to flourish and shine, a piece of art ready for the world to devour if they so choose too … I mean, I know I am.
Dog Eared is folk music that speaks so fondly to memories you never want to lose.
However, this isn’t just another beautiful folk album from another talented musician, instead it’s a record that see’s Billie truly push the boundaries of not only her own artistry, but what it means to be a contemporary folk artist in today’s world. Weaving luscious songwriting, with refined expansive arrangements that happily redefines what her sound once was and brings you something new.
A significant part of this evolution comes through her collaboration with co-producer Phil Weinrobe, a name you might recognise from his work with indie superstars like Adrianne Lenker and Buck Meek. This partnership truly blossoms like the roses in my future back garden, creating a delicate balance where gentle intimacy meets surprisingly grand production. The album breathes with space, allowing Billie’s hushed, honeyed vocals and intricate melodies to remain at the forefront, even as layers of instrumentation swell around them.
This album feels like flashbacks to your youth — the kind of memories I told you about briefly at the start of this review. Something so familiar and cherished, but suddenly it’s now bathed in a new, more vivid light. The sepia tone disappears and in its wake is technicolour, clear and crisp. This is a record that truly manages to be both graceful and bold — it takes those intimate, almost whispered moments and expands them into fully grown landscapes, inviting you to wander through them, forge your own path … find your own quiet corners, maybe even sit with a book or two.
However, Billie Marten’s hallmark lies within the lyrics on this record. From the specific sensory recollections of childhood on tracks like Feeling, to the quiet refinance of Clover, each song on Dog Eared acts as a gentle invitation to explore your own internal world. The worlds we may keep a secret, the worlds we may share. Whatever it is, Dog Eared draws you into deeply personal narratives and reminds you that you can always find strength in growth, aging and being vulnerable every once in a while.
Dog Eared is an easy testament to Billie Marten’s ever growing artistry. Her openness to explore and her ability to create music that doesn’t just fill your ears, but truly moves into your heart, making a home you dream about, doesn’t go unnoticed. This album reminded me of all of the beautiful feelings I never want to let go of. Just like the ivy growing on the door, or the vegetables rooted in the garden, Dog Eared blooms and thrives with every listen, making this an album I will be listening to for a long time; as well as making me feel as though I truly can take over the world, with one beautiful folky song at a time.
Written by: Meg Ivy Brunning
