I could never in good conscience call myself “Mr. Country” but my musical palette does include many artists who have “crossed over” from Rock (see: The Allman Brothers) so I’m not averse to some solid country rock in my musical diet. In that sense, Lane Lowder’s music is right up my alley. Hailing from Pocola, Oklahoma (so far so good), Lowder’s first major musical moment came at three years old while singing with his Dad’s band onstage, which sparked his lifelong love of country music (and based on his photos, he doesn’t look THAT much older now!).
Lowder’s very first EP “Write A Song” featured his original compositions and was released in May of 2024 on all streamers. These three tracks are from that release, recorded and produced in Nashville Tennessee by Jacob Garner. Credits are scarce but it looks like Lowder got help from Justin Lowder (guitar) and Arron Hodges (bass) along with an uncredited but amazing studio band. Lowder’s influences include George Strait, Parker McCollum, Riley Green, Bob Seger, and many others. I myself heard a lot of Lynyrd Skynyrd in his sound. “Small Towns” is a jangly, upbeat tune featuring Lowder’s young,Texas-like voice in the forefront. It follows the sturdy template of a country tune, bemoaning all the changes to the narrator’s small town and packed with wry observations. What’s funny is to hear someone as young as Lowder singing about “Mr. Bill lost his hunting lands to some guy at the bank” and his desire to “bring back cowboys and old dirt roads, John Wayne on the TV screen… but most of all, bring back small towns for you and me.” I love the reference to “cassette tapes that don’t work no more.” The song has a full, clean rock sound with multiple electric and resonator guitars, lap steel, keyboards, bass and drums. There’s nothing here not to like! “Home To Me” is thematically similar to “Small Towns” where the narrator tells us how well he fits into his own home (in that very same small town). “My childhood memories come running back to me / I love the sound of a rooster crow / the smell of a wood burning stove / Yeah, that’s home to me!” Again it’s interesting to hear the sentiments you’d normally associate with an old wiseacre returning to his hometown when it’s such a young feller, but the power is undeniable. There’s more rock here, still jangly but with heavier guitars. “It Feels Good” has more of a baroque feel to the guitars. Lowder begins the lyrics by listing a lot of things that hurt (stabbed in the back, having a heart attack, your dog dying when you’re seven years old) leaving inevitably to losing a lover; so of course it “feels good” when you “slip a ring on her hand / ‘cos you’ll feel like a man!” The sentiments are maybe a bit overripe but there’s no arguing with Lowder’s sincerity. It’s silly to quibble about genre when the music makes you feel so good. Country fan or not, check out this young and very cool artist!
Become A Fan
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Critique/insightWe are dedicated to informing the public about the different types of independent music that is available for your listening pleasure. We feature a wide variety of genres like americana, electronic, pop, rock, shoegaze, ambient, and much more.
Are you one of our faithful visitors who enjoys our website? Like us on Facebook
Archives
March 2025
|