Is there some sort of Neo-Country music emergence going on? Ok, that might not be a thing, but Nashville’s Blank Range, who just released their sophomore EP Vista Bent, rolls in deep rooted americana rock that enlivens the fabric of the genre. The band met and formed with some happenstance back in 2012 and have since found sweet harmony, overcoming some demons on the shoulder along the way.Under the Radar is premiering a video for a b-side from the EP called “No Aim”. Light footed picking from a custom made baritone guitar and soft organs carry you down a back country road, with a pleasant reminder of Dr. Dog. Enjoy it.
Holder of that guitar, and vocalist Grant Gustafson says of the hidden gem, ‘No Aim’ is a pessimistic poem written in a time of fresh societal tension. Maybe there was an engrained suspicion that was bursting at the seams, needing to be unpacked; Maybe just a blurry, lukewarm reality finally coming into focus. It’s day one of a new epoch of self-sworn, eyes open, raised awareness. No blinking. Though my eyes may dry I took an oath…to never try your love as a rich man. Recommended reading: A People’s History of the United States by Howard Zinn.”
Blank Range’s bio provides background of the varied influences to their traditionally textured music:
“Jonathon Childers’ songs are raw, they read like attacks on himself and his circumstances. His voice bears the imprint of more years living than he has been alive, getting gritty when he reaches: “Just take me back,” he pleads, in vain, as “Circumstances” approaches its refrains.
Gustafson’s questions of intent are communicated partially through a lens that was developed during his music studies at North Central College in Chicago, particularly improvisational jazz..Gustafson plays a baritone guitar, custom built by his brother, Alex Gustafson at Chicago Fret Works. An obsession with 1960’s Italian Spaghetti Westerns and soundtrack composer Ennio Morricone led Grant and Alex to collaborate on a baritone guitar that would become part of the foundation of the Blank Range sound.
Matt Novotny also studied music in college. Novotny gravitated toward the complexity of Latin rhythms. “Matt had a lot of ideas for subtle percussion additions that had been floating around in his head,” Childers indicates. “Seeing him get to realize some of those on Vista Bent was a real joy.” Taylor Zachry’s (bass/vocals) persistence for pursuing The Byrds’ four-part harmonies and Brown’s draw to Duke Ellington’s composition style, round out the Blank Range sound that is ever evolving..Their shared study of music gives Blank Range a wide sonic palette to draw from, and therefore, the ability to craft more refined portraits of feeling.”
