First Listen: Alec Hutson “Bear Bones”
With as many requests for reviews as I get that I end up not getting around too, I occasionally am reminded of folks in the most random of ways. While on the Red Line yesterday I caught a dude giving me a glance on the train…initially I was a bit thrown off, but I then recognized his face from good old social media. We had a good convo for a stop or two, then I had to head out. This chance encounter reminded me that I hadn’t yet dug deep into Alec Hutson’s music…and damn I am glad that chance encounter happened.
The first thing that hits me when I hit “play” on Hutson’s “Bear Bones” is that he has this groove. His guitar playing and the riff is really great, its funky but it’s straight acoustic. And the sound just builds so solidly from them. Alec’s voice is totally different. It has a raspy, but beautiful tone to it. It’s really hard to compare it to anything I listen to regularly, but will be listening to this regularly from now on. The way that the first tune “Natalie” builds from that initial guitar line, adding vocals, harmonies, mandolin and a steady bass…it’s really something of splendor. It draws me in as a listener and I am listening close to hear what is going to happen next. I hear a familiar mandolin line…mandolin players apparently know when one another are playing as Forrest O’ Connor has become one of my favorites.
“Little Home” has a bit different of a feel. A bit more indie folk pop kind of a feel, with somewhat predictable rhyme schemes, and a happy bop kind of a vive. But its nice. Hutson’s vocal again wows me here. He has a certain maturity to it, like he is from another time or something, not sure what it is, it just stands out in a very good way.
I’m tired
I’ve been waiting all my life, for a chance to be me, and I’m tired.
I’ve been tangled up in lies, but I smiled.
And I think I’ll keep on trying for a while.
‘Velcro Soul’ gets back to that groove that the first tune had when it kicks in. With a lot of harmony vocals swooping around. The quick spat lyrics lend themselves a bit of a skat vibe. It’s a cool dynamic. Again with some pop sentimentality, but still just funky enough to keep me engaged.
Completely unpretentious. The record has a lo-fi feel without being actually lo-fi, it’s just not overproduced or compressed. The arrangements are simple and don’t try to outdo themselves, they just flow nicely. It just sounds crisp and clean and like you are in a room with great acoustics. The musicianship is fantastic, but the real star of the show is Alec Hutson’s voice. I love this dude’s vocal work here. Really something great! Keeping collections on the shorter end are a smart choice. Personally, I love shorter EPs and this is just the right amount for me to get a taste of what the songwriter is laying down and hungry to check out what else he is dishing out.
