A Living Tradition in a New Voice: Alex Krawczyk’s ‘Love Through Sound’

Alex Krawczyk’s new single, “Love Through Sound,” released on August 1—Jerry Garcia’s birthday—offers a rich tapestry of lyrical allusion, musical reverence, and cultural continuity that will speak to lovers of traditional music, Americana, and folk revivalists alike. Co-written and produced by Robbie Roth, the track stands not only as a modern folk-pop ballad but as a living contribution to the long-standing tradition of song as collective memory and emotional ritual.

What sets this release apart is not its homage to the Grateful Dead; though the lyrical winks to “Casey Jones,” “Cumberland mine,” and “Uncle Sam’s blues” are unmistakable. Rather, it is how Krawczyk reinterprets these motifs through a personal and spiritual lens, placing them in the service of a new song with old soul. In the folk tradition, this process is called transformation. The familiar becomes fresh, the past is recast in the voice of the present, and something new is born from something deeply rooted.

Krawczyk’s vocal presence is central to this transformation. With a delivery that is more invitation than declaration, her voice bears the marks of a folk storyteller: clear, warm, and unhurried. Like Jean Ritchie or Judy Collins before her, she does not overpower the lyric but carries it gently, allowing meaning to emerge naturally. The refrain—“Love through sound”—echoes like a mantra, grounding the song in a quiet but profound sense of purpose.

Robbie Roth’s production is subtle and respectful, creating a soundscape that supports Krawczyk’s vocal clarity without clutter. The musicianship here is of the highest caliber: acoustic textures blend with electric coloration from Tim Bovaconti and Caroline Marie Brooks, Devon Henderson’s bass guitar offers a solid but unobtrusive anchor, and Davide DiRenzo’s percussion is delicate enough to be felt more than heard. Robbie Grunwald’s piano lends a tender intimacy, reminiscent of a parlor room performance where every note is a gesture of sincerity.

But to analyze the song merely in musical terms would be to miss its folkloric significance. “Love Through Sound” is not just a single—it’s a gesture toward what Alan Lomax called “cultural equity”: the idea that all voices, especially those drawing from shared traditions, have value in shaping a broader cultural narrative. Krawczyk contributes to this tradition not by replicating it, but by embodying it, by allowing the values of folk music (connection, empathy, community) to shine through original composition.

In this way, “Love Through Sound” becomes more than a song. It is a reminder that the folk process is still alive; not in dusty archives, but in artists who listen deeply, write honestly, and sing with the quiet conviction that music still matters.

Krawczyk may not present herself as a revivalist, but with this track, she does what every great folk artist has done: she adds her voice to the chorus of those who came before, and in doing so, ensures the song goes on.

--Steve Winn