Cricket Blue are a Vermont-based folk duo comprising Laura Heaberlin and Taylor Smith. Their unique sound lies "somewhere between tingly/prickly,"    built from intricate, layered guitars and dreamy harmonies which sources consistently describe as "haunting",                even though only Laura believes in ghosts.

 

Taylor and Laura share writing duties, and the fruits of their collaboration are songs which draw mainly from traditional American folk music and also borrow liberally from jazz and Romantic classical ideas. Their lyrics wheel from balladesque narrative to stark character portraits to small meditations on philosophy or friendship, buoyed by signature tightrope harmonies which Laura once pitched to Taylor as "playing a two-headed narrator."

 

Cricket Blue released their first full-length album, Serotinalia, in 2019, to widespread critical praise. NPR Music writes, "Within the first few seconds, it's clear the two musicians are master storytellers." The All Scene Eye declares that the duo "sets a new standard for fiction folk.” Folk Radio UK dubs Serotinalia "a fresh-sounding, true delight." To be balanced, Cricket Blue has also been informed by alert commenters that "Milkman", their ballad of a woman's unhinged reaction to a dairy-delivery crush, "needs some work in terms of pace and cohesion.  !!" and that the "player on the left was not dressed warmly enough."    So, your mileage may vary.

 

Laura and Taylor met as members of their college a cappella group. One time Taylor foisted a bunch of his weird college freshman poetry onto Laura and she actually read it. After creating and performing music together in various capacities for several years, they adopted the Cricket Blue moniker in 2013.

 

During the pandemic, while live music was on hold, the duo created a series of video covers of songs from the television series Over the Garden Wall. The project, full of lush arrangements, costumes, and guest stars, has grown fairly popular on video-sharing website Youtube.com amongst a small group of enthusiastic international listeners.

 

Cricket Blue are currently focused on polishing and recording a new batch of tunes, and also continue to tour and perform when the spirit moves them.