Makin Waves Song of the Week: "Two Moths” by Sean Kiely feat. Jean Rohe

by Bob Makin

originally published: 10/16/2026

The Makin Waves Song of the Week is “Two Moths” from “Long Live The Low,” the latest album by Jersey City singer-songwriter Sean Kiely. PHOTO BY ANTHONY DELIA

Jersey City singer-songwriter Sean Kiely just released his third LP since 2015 and second in as many years.

“Two Moths,” the opening track of the nine-song “Long Live the Low,” is the Makin Waves Song of the Week.

As the Makin Waves Song of the Week, “Two Moths” also can be heard between 6 and 8 p.m. on Oct. 16 on “Radio Jersey” at ThePenguinRocks.com. If you miss it, you can tune in any time in the archives at The Penguin, Mixcloud and RadioJersey.

“‘Two Moths’ started out as a different kind of song,” Sean said. “When I wrote it, it was fingerpicked, folky, acoustic —almost a Nick Drake kind of thing. I love Nick Drake.

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“But once we got into the studio, the band immediately fell into more of a groove, and we all got so excited that we stuck with it,” he continued. “A few takes later, we had the track. Jean Rohe’s vocals and Bobby Hawk’s fiddle took it to another level.”

Lyrically, “Two Moths” sets the tone for the whole record, Sean said.

The Song of the Week hints at a story whose details are just slightly out of focus, which only makes it more emotionally vivid and universal.

“I like the way the moth metaphor plays out across different sources of light,” Sean said, “and the numbered structure — ‘first time … second time … third time’ — is a callback to another doomed love song from earlier in my career: ‘This Might Be True’ from 2015’s ‘Your Logo, My Logo.’ From this light, airy start, the album moves toward something deeper and more nuanced, closing with ‘Misunderstanding,’ a denser song — out of time, full of mystery — that turns its face toward the sun and loops all the way back around to the beginning.

“I love this new LP,” he continued. “It’s my favorite thing I’ve done. A lot came together on this one, starting with the songs and continuing with two very inspiring days at Restoration Sound in Brooklyn with Chris Parker on guitar, Bill Campbell on drums, Chris Morrissey on bass, and engineer Lorenzo Wolff behind the board. My last album, ‘Postcards of the Reckoning,’ was a major step forward for me after a long stretch since the previous one. But because of its subject matter, there’s a heaviness and grief there that can make returning to it pretty intense. This new record has plenty of heartbreak, but it never tips into despair. And whatever I learned making ‘Postcards’ allowed for a breezier recording process, which I think translated to tape in some sort of meta-psychic way. I’m in love with all the richness and creativity the other musicians brought to the sessions, which you can also hear right there on the tape. And my dear friends Jean Rohe, Bobby Hawk, Kaia Kater, and Jeff Taylor, stars in their own right, make downright dreamy guest appearances throughout the record.”

Sean produced the brand new “Long Live The Low.” Adam Brisbin mixed, while Nate Wood mastered at Kerseboom Mastering in Queens, NY.

Sean will celebrate the release on Oct. 21 at Jalopy Theatre in Brooklyn, NY, with album stars Chris Morrissey and Jean Rohe.

When he isn’t busy with his own career as a singer-songwriter, Seam backs Jersey-based Americana great Abbie Gardner. He’ll perform with her Nov. 19 at St. Elizabeth's Episcopal Church, Ridgewood; Nov. 20, Kennett Flash, Kennett Square, PA; Nov. 21, 6 on the Square, Oxford, NY, and April 10, Jersey Shore Arts Center, Ocean Grove.

Bob Makin has produced Makin Waves since 1988. Follow Makin Waves on Facebook and Instagram and contact Bob at [email protected].

New Jersey Stage is proud to be the home of Bob Makin's Makin Waves column since 2017. His Song of the Week column comes out every Friday. He also writes an Album of the Month and Interview of the Month as well.