Powerhouse seven-piece roots-rock outfit Bywater Call stake their claim with Broken Souvenirs, their fourth studio album. It’s a record that confidently blends rock, Southern soul, blues, funk, and singer-songwriter sensibilities. At the heart of it all is frontwoman Meghan Parnell, one of the finest vocalists working today. She possesses killer pipes, not unlike Susan Tedeschi but with an edge. She’s soulful and powerful, dialed back when necessary. With an innate sense of timing not unlike Aretha Franklin, her phrasing is spot on. You’re either born with a voice like Parnell’s or you spend a lifetime reaching for it.
Formed in Toronto in 2017 by guitarist Dave Barnes and Parnell, Bywater Call also features Bruce McCarthy (drums), Mike Meusel…