Ball of Wax 50 Songs: Harbor Island – “Your Call”

The lovey mood continues (sort of) with “Your Call,” from Josh Schramm’s mellow, folky Harbor Island side project. While Harbor Island sometimes includes collaborations from the likes of Kevin Suggs, Nila K. Leigh, Kory Nagler, and Dave Bush, “Your Call” is just Josh and his fingerpicked guitar and voice (and a little nicely-placed shaker on the wordless chorus – I am such a sucker for a wordless chorus with shaker). While this is a love song, it’s more about the darker side of love; where Shenandoah’s narrator in “Supernatural Powers” is fortified by love, Josh’s singer – once “larger than life, bright as the sun” – is diminished, rendered powerless as he waits for the phone to ring. Not to spoil anything for you, but there are no happy outcomes here, no redemption; just a little more guitar, shaker, and humming to ease the pain.