Welcome to RedEye’s “Song of the Day,” an ongoing feature where music reporter Josh Terry or another RedEye staff member highlights something they’re listening to. Some days the track will be new, and some days it will be old. No matter what, each offering is something you should check out. Check back every weekday for a new song and subscribe to the Spotify playlist below.
Over the last decade Phil Cook has been kind of an Americana journeyman. He’s spent time in bands like DeYarmond Edison (which featured Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon), plays in the sprawling indie rock collective Gayngs and tours with Hiss Golden Messenger. While he’s always been relegated to sideman, now he’s giving the world a taste of what he can do as a solo artist.
This Friday, he’s releasing his new album “Southland Mission.” If you like a little bit of twang in your folk and rock, the record should be one of your must-buys of the year. While his original songs on the effort are stunning (“Ain’t It Sweet” and “Great Tide,” especially), one of the most impressive offerings in the collection is actually a cover: “1922,” which was originally a Charlie Parr song, fits Cook’s full-throated croon.
The track is a really nice way to rope in the fall weather. It’s full of nicely-plucked banjos, becoming the aural equivalent of jumping into a big pile of leaves. As an added bonus, lines like, “Well I worked all summer, couldn’t save a cent/Gave all my money to the government/I don’t know how it all got spent/But the banks are comin’ for my deed,” and “Ain’t that the way it is?” give it some salt-of-the-earth accessibility. Listen below.
[email protected], @joshhterry
For more music, click here.
[Sponsored]: Want to learn how to brew beer or make an awesome cocktail? Click here to teach yourself.