Music Existence Because of Music, We Exist
Sparkling strings cut through the speakers with no resistance, and out of the darkness emerges a bold vocal that starts to harmonize with them. The tempo is slow and pendulous, but the energy is urgent, almost to the point of feeling a little rushed. There’s a passion in our lead singer’s voice that isn’t reflected in the melodic instrumentation surrounding it, but still finds a way to infect the beat of the drums with its optimistic tone. This is “Country Drunk,” the latest release from Austin Martin, and though it’s not the lone stunning country tune that’s out this autumn, it’s a solid representation of who its composer is, and who he’s aspiring to be in this next chapter of his career.
The harmony between the vocal and the guitar is sharp as a tack, and it balances out the rather streamlined sensibilities of the bassline and shallow grooves excellently. I like the contrasting pace in the instrumental elements here, and I can see where Martin might have found it to be an exotic way of enhancing an otherwise plain piece of material (at least by the standards of an artist on his level). There’s a lot of country twang that I enjoyed hearing a bit more of than was necessary, and I don’t think that it’s enough to qualify “Country Drunk” as a radio-fashioned work of Nashville indulgence at all.
One thing that this man has going for him over his contemporaries is his flexibility as a songwriter. This single is definitely on the lighter side in terms of its arrangement and underpinning construction, but at the same time, it’s incredibly inspired thanks to its vivacious lead vocalist. There are moments where the song admittedly lives up to its creative ethos as implied by the title, but make no mistakes about it – the man leading us from behind the microphone is not the least bit intoxicated when it comes to his country music acumen. He means business here, and that’s more than evident for anyone who gets deeper into the mix than the first couple of bars can carry.
Lately, I’ve got a vast mix of vibes from other output in the American underground as opposed to the sheer energy and magnetism that this new cut from Austin Martin packs, and I do believe that “Country Drunk” should suffice as a satisfactory swing tune for country, roots rock, and all sorts of western fans who enjoy spot on melodicism that has more than its share of quirks. This player’s sound has a conceptualism that might be a little daunting to casual music enthusiasts, but for the serious audiophile, its experimental nature will leave you either loving what Martin is doing or wondering why you chose to acquire this single over another this season. I definitely think he’s on the right track towards breaking through on both a creative and a commercial level in “Country Drunk,” and I’m excited to hear how he follows it up before the year has come to an end.
Skyler Voss
