Featured Image Credit: Braedon Photography

Indie-rock group Branches recently released a cover of Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds.” The band is a down-to-earth group of friends from California who live in separate cities, often writing songs over the course of several months (or, in the case of their EP Cabin, over just a single weekend). The fact that their time together is in short supply only adds to their dedication and passion, which is apparent when listening to their music.

They released a full-length album entitled White Flag back in 2016 and, after a whirlwind tour, decided to take a break from new releases. This cover is their first step this season, with three new songs expected this coming spring.

Fans of the original song can enjoy this cover, as it shares familiarity while defining its own sound so that it is clearly a tribute to Marley, not an attempt to outshine or even exactly replicate the original.

With a slightly electric background and gentle vocals, their rendition of the song is haunting and light in contrast to the original track. They use silence within the song, dropping off at moments so that a lone voice can ring out or simply letting the instruments speak for themselves as they slowly build into a chorus of voices.

Since one of the ways Branches got their start was finding a shared passion for singing cover songs, this track is a perfect fit for their re-emergence in the world of music.