A seemingly perfect rhythm surrounds fusion tones dressed in the rich melodicism of soul. There’s a pendulousness here, but it’s yet to reveal itself in the strength of the beat. In the center of it all is a soul-driven vocal courtesy of Ashley Hess that could crush just about anything that gets in its path.
This is “Skunks Misery Road,” Gideon King & City Blog’s new single and music video that is stirring up a lot of talk in discerning fusion circles this month – and for good reason. King personifies the very essence of cool in this single; utilizing every inch of sonic space that the master mix affords him, he conjures up a profound guitar-born melody that slashes through the very notion of boredom in an instant. His focus is unparalleled, his sensitivity to the most minute of nuances within the music impeccable, and while he’s backed by a very credible group of musicians in City Blog and the aforementioned singer in Hess, there’s never any doubt as to who the true star of this show is. “Skunks Misery Road” is a glimpse into a one-of-a-kind sound from an artist worth taking a second look at this September. ”Skunks Misery Road” will be featured on the band’s upcoming EP, ‘Splinters.’
Hess’ vocal is woven into the fabric of the instrumentation perfectly, adding to the surreal quality of the music substantially without stepping into overly postmodern territory. He takes an experimental approach to the dispatch of the fretwork here, but it doesn’t interrupt the steady flow of City Blog or Hess at all; on the contrary, the contrasting grooves make “Skunks Misery Road” even more hypnotic.
Cosmetics aside, the structure of this song is really solid, and the handiwork of a visionary who knows his way around the recording studio just a little better than most do. While a lot of songwriters might have been inclined to put the percussion a bit higher in the mix than King does, it makes a heck of a lot more sense to do what he did with this particular track. There’s an evenness to the sound that you just don’t find every day when cruising the dial, and besides the fact that it lends authenticity to City Blog brand, it’s also something that makes this group stand out in a crowd.
If you’ve never heard the music of Gideon King, this is the song that I would tell you to start your City Blog journey off with, as it embodies almost everything that this group of players can do when there’s nothing to get between them and their beloved medium. For these musicians, the material means so much more than a livelihood; this is religion for them, and the audience is rewarded with the magic they make every time they hit the studio. “Skunks Misery Road” is a very elaborate crossover composition on paper, but thanks to the technique of Gideon King and his crew, it feels more like a multifaceted showcase of tonality than it ever does a basic collaboration from another underground sensation.
Chadwick Easton