“’Old Town’ take one,” says singer-songwriter Graeme Duncan at the start of his band’s new single.
This is a good pointer to what’s in store – a type of music uninterested in perfection or pretension, instead documenting something more human, honest, flawed, but still sublime.
It can be hard to make your mark as a singer-songwriter.
You need some serious uniqueness, a personal voice and message that can’t be heard elsewhere if you want to avoid open-mic obscurity.
Luckily for Stampede Road, they have all these qualities in huge amounts, with lyrics, melodies and arrangements that steer clear of the obvious clichés.
The band sound equally comfortable playing threadbare folk as they do with full electric bombast, and this contrast is played to good effect in ‘Old Town’s concluding crescendo.
B-side, ‘Night Terrors’, stands out through its grim claustrophobic lyrics, drawing the listener into an intimate world filled with struggle, nostalgia and loss.
If you want pretty acoustic sing-alongs, skip this one.
If you’re into Bonnie Prince Billie, Withered Hand or any other songwriters who aren’t afraid to delve down into the dark side every once in a while, you won’t regret giving this a listen.
Words: Calum Calderwood
