Each Measure Feature: Larry Karpenko

FEATURE

What is your feel-good playlist? Maybe nestled somewhere in there is that heartwarming acoustic track about that all-encompassing and ever-present thing called love? Larry Karpenko’s single, Little Things New, is just that. The new song is a peppy start to a hopeful new series of releases, all revolving around the resilient belief in love and creativity.

If you aren’t familiar, you don’t have to go far to see that Larry is a bright optimist committed to sharing songs that inspire positivity. The album cover alone, featuring a big red rose and a contemplative gaze, is a warming reminiscence of that cautious and giggly feeling of first love. In the past, Larry’s Christian faith and history in worship were at the forefront of his music. From personal experience, I can say this is a great incubator for discovering your musicality, trying out harmonies and tunes alongside hundreds of other voices kind of washes out any insecurities. That background only makes it more exciting to see a musician reveal a new side of their work, perhaps more personal and stylized for individual expression rather than being transferable to the masses (pun intended). 

But this is no breakaway album, and Karpenko doesn’t shed his past for a whole new sound. Instead, he zooms in to show a little more of his vulnerable side, writing with a broader message for anyone to hear. This song is about love in more than one way, a reminder of the web of relationships that makes life so enjoyable. Apart from lyricism, his simple acoustic instrumentation is another change from previous fuller arrangements. Larry’s easygoing voice is complemented by the percussive steel string guitar and occasional reverb to emphasize those dramatic moments. The pared-back recording brings that rare personal feeling as if we are there with him in the studio. His sweet track is a sunny dose of easygoing music, guitar and foot taps included.

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