foxy digitalis blog

Friday, June 24, 2005

red hunter

i want to dedicate this post to someone who is one of the best singer/songwriters i've heard in a long, long time. someone who doesn't get the attention his music and talent demands, which is a shame... especially when sub-par artists constantly get lavish praise b/c they look the part or have a big PR budget. well fuck that. music is about music, and for my money, few people are writing songs of the caliber of red hunter.

red is also 1/2 of the magic cemetary duo, peter & the wolf. his work in that project is mesmerizing and beautiful. he writes simple songs (many of which seem to be about war - refreshing subject matter considering most of the garbage out there). but they speak to me in a way that most artists can't even grasp.

case-in-point #1: the fall

i can honestly say this is one of the best songs i've heard in 2005 (even though it was recorded in 2003). the way hunter's vocals and words command your attention and pull you in from the second he opens his mouth is enthralling. the simple guitar line follows a stark, winding path through post-apocalyptic ruins. but hunter welcomes the death of civilization. this is a song about being reborn. it's insanely powerful and memorable. i've probably listened to it 20 times today alone.

case-in-point #2: strange eyes

this is peter & the wolf - red's project with vocalist dana falconberry. this song is but a glimpse into their ethereal world, but it's simplicity is stunning. "strange eyes, older than the hills i know we are." i said this in my review on the FD mainsite, but still... it's a beautiful line that conveys so much. there's this underlying sense of emotion in both voices that hints at a lost opportunities with grave consequences. fuck, it's so good.

case-in-point #3: couches by the sea

another solo track. this one has all the charm of a sunday afternoon in the middle-of-nowhere. hunter has a unique voice and it is on perfect display here. if you close your eyes, it's like he's cradling you, the music holding you close. it's enchanting.

so there you go. red hunter. meet him. hear him. love him. he's an amazing artist - the kind of songwriter independent music desperately needs. the kind of independent voice that resonates so deeply, he becomes part of you.

red hunter.

2 Comments:

  • At 10:42 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    hey, great stuff indeed!!

     
  • At 11:51 AM, Blogger Chessie Cooley-Rieders said…

    Isn't Red's music just enchanting? It's both beautiful instrumental, and the lyrics are catchy, bittersweet and inspirational. Peter and the Wolf is my favorite band ever. The music has the magical qualtiy of not becoming boring or old and listening to his music is like therapy.

     

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