Eric Scott Stevens Releases New Single

Eric Scott Stevens’ follow-up to his first full-length album like remember a dream, the indelible afterimage, gets a memorable introduction for many courtesy of his new single “Burnt Umber”. A native of the Southeastern United States, Stevens has long since relocated to the Pacific Northwest and his third collection shows his talents growing exponentially with each new release. He first emerged on the independent scene in 2018 and the pandemic has done little to arrest his productivity as a songwriter.

It’s little wonder. He’s been honing and working on his craft since childhood, as such, music and lyrics seem to flow from him as naturally as breathing. “Burnt Umber” doesn’t seem written as much as it seems like it sprung into being somehow. It has such a straight-forward and in the pocket groove that you can help but tap your foot early on or physically engage somehow with the music. It has a big and undeniable chorus that never lands with too heavy a foot; the massed vocals during this portion of the cut reach near-ethereal levels.

The bulk of the song’s musical attack, however, hinges on the guitar and drums. Coupling electric and acoustic guitar is a move as old as rock music and it proves to have plenty of life left in the way Stevens puts it to use. The intensity of the song’s six string work fluctuates as the track progresses and takes a stormier turn during the second half. It never comes on too strong, however.

You cannot help but notice the steadiness of his artistry. The unity of his songwriting, how the music, words, singing, rhythm and lead guitar work, complement each other without any individual component standing out. The production is top-flight, there’s nothing about his treatment that smacks of slapdash DIY, and it provides his work with the oomph it deserves. It’s hard to imagine longtime fans of his work or newcomers recoiling from the vibrant power we hear during “Burnt Umber”.

He calls upon an array of influences for his musical art but, in the end, “Burnt Umber” doesn’t owe a significant debt to anyone. You hear echoes of those aforementioned influences, the terrain is familiar, but Stevens refashions what we know into something fresh enough to leave us wanting more. Keeping things focused is key to this. The single never overstays its welcome and never has a weak moment where you hear Stevens losing the plot.

“Burnt Umber” is likely far from the final salvo we hear from this release. The orchestrated aspects of this tune, it’s obvious Stevens has given the arrangement a considerable amount of attention, never turns the track into a neutered paint by numbers cut. If it’s your first time hearing Stevens, it’s impossible to not hear a young performer approaching the peak of his powers. He’s already scaling impressive heights here but the proverbial sky’s the limit for what he can accomplish. It has a little bit of everything that will draw rock and fans of good songwriting into its web.

Michael Rand

The music of Eric Scott Stevens has been heard all over the world in partnership with the radio plugging services offered by Musik and Film Radio Promotions Division.  Learn more https://musikandfilm.com