Anyone who sets out to be a musician and/or songwriter should be forced to have a tattoo that says MUSIC IS NOT A MERITOCRACY. Just, you know, to let you know what you're in for.

I'm not saying that Among the Acres, the Hartford-based, hyper-melodic roots band, won't yet be stars. After all, they've only been around a few years, and the success and momentum of both their excellent and independently released albums, 2019's "Looking In" and this year's "Dream Catcher," were ultimately impeded by Covid.

Among the Acres headlines Friday in Norwich at the Strange Brew Pub, and it's well worth your time to see them if you're at all interested in special songcraft, cloud-hopping harmonies and fine musicianship. Meanwhile, I'm still hoping some record or radio or streaming bigshot discovers their song "Falling" and turns it into the huge freakin' hit it deserves to be. One of the best ballads in YEARS. Give it a listen and thank me.

Among the Acres with the Penniless Wild, 8 p.m. Fri., Strange Brew Pub, 86 Water St., Norwich; $10; (860) 885-1975.