Calling the upcoming indie duo Jack + Eliza “newcomers” isn’t exactly fair—they’ve played together in bands since they were 13 years old, and Eliza Callahan won the John Lennon Songwriting Contest at just 15. Still under 20 and in college, the two split their time between schoolwork and crafting song now that they’re signed to Yebo Music.
The New York natives dig into influences well before their time to create their own brand of folk rock. “Hold the Line” is a strong showcase of the style, digging in the crates for records from the ’50s and ’60s and polishing up the findings into a modern Mamas and the Papas sound. Clean instrumentals, scattered tambourine shakes, and guitar plucks dunked in reverb clear the way for complementary vocal tracks. There’s a distinct bit of youthful exuberance infused in the singing as the two dance with each other, briefly splitting for moments before rejoining in effortless harmony.