Came across this old tweet today…
And then I played the song. Turns out, going on 4 years later… it’s still true.
Featuring background vocals from Belle Plaine, “Caroline” was released on Colter’s debut Imaginary Appalachia EP in 2015. The song tells the heartbreaking story of an old man whose lover has passed on to the other side. It’s a tale of longing and pain, but also of hope… the hope that he’ll see her again when his time comes.
The songs makes you miss the hell out of Caroline and you don’t even know who she is… and that’s what country music is supposed to do.
Colter Wall Brewery Sessions
If you’re anything like me, your first exposure to Colter Wall might have very well been the Original 16 Brewery Sessions from a few years back.
I can’t with 100% certainty recall the first time I heard that heavenly voice, but I have a hunch that his Brewery Session performance of “Sleeping on the Blacktop” was it. And to this day, after a podcast or long day at the office, we might play a game of Madden, crack a few beers and re-watch those old performances.
And of course, Colter has transitioned into more of a western singer these days, singing old cowboy tunes and other western-themed material, but fans still rave about some of those older, more aggressive tunes like the aforementioned “Sleeping on the Blacktop,” “Kate McCannon,” and more.
Now however, Colter has admitted that those old performances make him cringe in a series of since-deleted tweets:
“I’m glad folks still enjoy those brewery sessions from 2015. I can’t watch them without cringing. The vocals are very forced. I’m grateful for what their popularity has done for me, but I hope folks are able to accept that I simply don’t play/sing that way anymore.”
He added:
“Don’t get me started on the kick drum…”
I’m not gonna lie… I was a BIG fan of the kick drum. He continued:
“As per live shows, I always make a point to play at least a few songs from every record I’ve put out, along with the new stuff. I know a lot of folks prefer to older tunes. Honestly, just glad anyone likes any of them!”
Artists evolve their sound all the time, and for Colter, it sounds like he has moved towards a much more natural style of singing and playing for him. Personally, I’m one those that fall into the “still enjoy those Brewery Sessions” category, but like many others, I thoroughly enjoy everything Colter does.
And if it’s any indication that he still has a loyal fan base, his most recent album Little Songs, did pretty damn good.
So for old times sake…
“The Devil Wears A Suit & Tie”
And the all time favorite…
“Sleeping On The Blacktop”