Aaron Nathans & Michael G. Ronstadt - Esperanza (2026)

This is the acoustic progressive folk duo’s 5th LP & it’s quite an ambitious effort. Not that their previous albums weren’t interesting, but their partnership seems to develop & rejuvenate with clarity & precision through each succeeding collection. Invariably cool performances, self-assured & confident.

There are 10 well-sculpted tunes to Esperanza produced by Michael Ronstadt with Aaron Nathans & recorded in studios in Boston, MA, Cincinnati, OH, & Chester Heights, PA.

Their dual vocals will remind some of the wonderful team, Lowen & Navarro. The opener is the ballad “Mallory Riley” with its gentle arrangement & pensive performance that’s charming & for some, a good introduction. For the most part, their classical-folk-leaning melodies explore expressive narratives. “Thankful Anyway” is an optimistic tune rather than another dig at how difficult the world is – forgetting how difficult the Depression was, how pandemics came before, how wars have been fought in the past under more dire circumstances. The world is a beautiful place & there are good people in it.

Singer Tish Hinojosa guests on “La Madrugada Tucsonense” (Madrugada = the time between midnight & 6 a.m.). This is a beautifully performed ballad & the addition of Ms. Hinojosa’s Spanish vocals is a classy touch. Describing the beauty, food & warm memories of Michael’s family home in Tucson.

A peculiar cover comes with David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” (not necessarily a folk song) but is rendered smartly by Aaron Nathans & Michael G. Ronstadt. They add a flamenco feel, the keyboards & backing vocals of Serenity Fisher. The duo reinvents the classic spacey rock song & adds new tints to its arrangement. The cello adds a surprising dimension; despite its vintage, it provides the “spaciousness” the song requires. The progressive rock of Bowie’s original is gone, & it allows the remoteness of being alone in space to grip the ear more forcefully. The heartbeat at the end is poignant.