The Melbourne singer-songwriter ushers in a new era with an ominous, swaggering slice of blues-rock
With his newest single full of big riff energy, Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Kurt Gentle has made significant steps in the transformation of his musical style, from the acoustic-roots songsmith of his debut’s Barefoot Freedom to bona fide blues-rock star.
Titled ‘State County Lines’, the new single speaks volumes of his intent to create music that’s rich and infectious, honing in on his stylistic roots and incorporating recent projects and efforts to arrive at an electrifying, modern-blues-driven peak.
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The follow up to his 2017 debut album, Heart’s Fire, the singles see Gentle continue to mine his treasure chest of influences (roots, blues, indie-rock, folk) in new and exciting ways, and deliver a track that will be remembered as an instant classic—anxious, pulsing, irresistible.
Spanning just over three and a half minutes, the feel-good, swaggering instrumentation, raw songwriting and blistering vocals are entirely infectious, boasting an undeniable earworm of a hook. Frivolous, moody, with a somewhat haunting element, ‘State County Lines’ is like a brick wrapped in silk: taking heavy rock riffage, feedback, epic guitar solos and pervasive drums and delivering it with such a sweet groove that leaves you desperate for more.
Drawing similar comparisons to the likes of The Black Keys, Jack White and Dan Auerback, right from the get-go that single is a thrusting of urgent blues-rock – the kind that, despite being rooted in the past, sounds fresh and electrifying.
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Recorded in his home studio built during the lockdown, the enthralling hard-rocking song was inspired by “old school American style manhunt films,” like that of writer/director Quentin Tarantino and sees the singer-songwriter record a variety of instruments that he blends into his unique sound.
“I recorded the track at my home studio I built during lockdown,” Gentle explains.
“It’s the first of a handful of songs I’ll be releasing throughout the year. It’s a little bit of an experiment of trying my hand at playing all instruments myself and seeing how it turns out. Making the most of what I can do in lockdown.”
Earning himself a solid reputation both locally and internationally over the past decade with his mix of roots, folk and reggae-inspired tracks and zeal for music’s rawness, Gentle continues to endear listeners with bold, overdriven guitar riffs flared with catchy vocals and thundering backbeat percussion everywhere he goes.
Bristling with talent and vision, his latest single is sneakily charming, and stands as a diverse and likeable middle ground between his acoustic roots and heavy overdriven blues-rock music.
It’s, of course, not surprising that he’s able to craft such a masterpiece that has a unique, compelling identity of its own. As anyone who can see him live will tell you, he’s the type of musician that can get your feet stompin’ and fists pumping, while also stripping things down with modern folk songs full of heart-warming melodies and captivating songwriting, all within the same set.
With this release, Gentle’s first for 2021, it’s possible to see just how intricate and imposing he is as a singer-songwriter, his sweet and salty style creating a cocktail of infectious melodies and heavy payoffs.
If you’re looking for something that goes down smooth as an afternoon highball, listen to ‘State County Lines’ below.
