Solid Ground (2024) – Gaby Moreno

So there I was the other day watching a film, and during the ads I did what I often do – a bit of channel hopping. My last stop is usually the film & arts channel. There I landed on a feature: Gaby Moreno live at The Troubadour. I watched for about five seconds and I was completely immersed – she sounded spectacular. Goodbye previous film. It was now Gaby hour. I’ve lost count of how many new musicians and movies I’ve discovered thanks to that channel. It’s a haven for independent music and foreign, arthouse cinema, and I’m grateful for it.

The first song I heard was Saber (“Know”), and it blew me away. I quickly jotted it down for my music project. Unfortunately, the live Troubadour version I saw isn’t available on YouTube, but I hope to share it here one day. Translating lyrics properly takes time – and that’s something I didn’t have this morning.

Instead, I’ll highlight another one I liked from the concert: Solid Ground. It’s groovy and stylish, built on a simple but catchy riff. Combined with Gaby’s rich, expressive voice, it makes for a charming listen. It’s a light, breezy, blues-tinged rocker that I can imagine returning to often when it pops up on shuffle in the years ahead.

Gaby Moreno is from Guatemala. She moved to Los Angeles in her late teens to pursue music and has built a career blending blues, jazz, soul and Latin influences, often singing in both English and Spanish. Over the years she has earned multiple Latin Grammy nominations and won her first Latin Grammy for Best New Artist – recognition many felt was long overdue.

I’ve included two versions of Solid Ground below – the live performance from the Troubadour that first caught my ear, and the official studio version. Consider this a modest introduction. There’s more to come.

Most readers will know the Troubadour’s reputation. The small Los Angeles venue has hosted early or breakthrough performances from artists such as Guns N’ Roses, Pearl Jam, Elton John, James Taylor, and Joni Mitchell. It has long been a proving ground for artists on the rise.

I hope you enjoy Gaby’s music as much as I did discovering it.

[Verse 1]
So tired
Of this “flowing”
Never knowing where we’re going, where we’re bound
So scared of
Time passing
Nothing lasting long enough to hold it down

[Chorus]
Looking for solid ground
Looking for solid ground

[Verse 2]
Still believe in
Good intentions
But you took this heart and turned it upside down

[Chorus]
Looking for solid ground
Looking for solid ground

[Post-Chorus]
Got me running, running, running, going nowhere
I keep holding, holding, holding, it’s so unfair
Looking for solid ground
Looking for solid ground

[Verse 3]
So tired
Getting nothing
Giving all that I can, hoping something comes around

[Chorus]
Looking for solid ground
Looking for solid ground

[Post-Chorus]
Got me running, running, running, going nowhere
I keep holding, holding, holding, it’s so unfair
Looking for solid ground
Looking for solid ground

[Outro]
Solid ground