Becca Mancari at the Raccoon Motel -- October 28.
Saturday, October 28, 8 p.m.
Raccoon Motel, 315 East Second Street, Davenport IA
Currently touring in support of their third solo studio album Left Hand, a recording that Alternative Press Magazine said "feels so inherently true and authentic," pop and indie-folk artist Becca Mancari headlines an October 28 concert at Davenport's Raccoon Motel, their August release also praised by The Line of Best Fit as a work in which "hushed vocals soar above airy synths, tropical guitar riffs, layered percussion, and undulating string sections."
Born in Staten Island, New York, and now residing in Nashville, Mancari released their first single "Summertime Mama" in 2015, and soon afterward joined fellow Music City songwriters Jesse Lafser and Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes in the trio Bermuda Triangle. In October of 2017, Mancari released their first solo album Good Woman, which led to Captured Tracks signing the artist for their second solo effort in 2020's The Greatest Part. Reviews were instantly laudatory, with AllMusic writing, "The Greatest Part pretty seamlessly shifts the balance away from more folk-leaning elements toward keyboards and catchier choruses without losing the warm, dreamy quality of her sound. Having entered recording sessions with the goal of making 'sad pop music,' Mancari effectively accomplishes that aim on an album that keeps its melodies, rhythms, and the palette bright and welcoming." Meanwhile, Consequence of Sound raved, "The Greatest Part earns its place as a second record that is a definitive step forward, specifically musically. It’s a fantastic album to lay around the house and do nothing while listening, and yet it’s no stranger to provoking thoughtful conversations with its lyrical content. Although the energy at the beginning of the album stands tallest, Mancari’s more stripped-down tracks towards the end showcase her proficiency in crafting different sounds."
Released this past August, Left Hand has proven just as critically acclaimed. NPR's Jewly Hight stated, "The way Mancari writes about family is particularly devastating. Though 'Homesick Honeybee' opens with a warm voicemail from their grandpop, from whom they've found acceptance, the rest of the song depicts how lonely it is to be cut off by those who've withdrawn their love. 'I Needed You' starts out as a spare, acoustic tune, then grows crowded with cursive strings, furtive woodwinds and strange constellations of effects. 'I wish I would have met you when you were 19,' they sing in an imagined conversation with their mother. 'I think you would have liked me.' They interrogate their abandonment, but also seek better understanding of a parent who's an enigma to them. Even the undulating love song 'Mexican Queen' acknowledges that Mancari and their partner have to cling harder to the life they're building together, knowing that their parents may never come around. There's a subtle but telling tension during 'Eternity,' a song devoted to romantic pleasure that indulges in gallantly soft-core sweet talk and plush harmonies worthy of the Carpenters. Even as Mancari surrenders to their feelings, they don't lose sight of what queer love is up against: 'Haven't we earned a love story?' The way they ask the question suggests that, in this case, they want us to know they're sure of the answer."
Becca Mancari headlines their Davenport engagement on October 28, admission to the 8 p.m. concert is $18, and tickets are available by visiting TheRaccoonMotel.com.
