Two songwriters present alt-country
Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter is coming to the Fox Theatre Monday along with the soulful, Colorado-bred Chris Brecht.
Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter offers a unique sound that consists of a warm mix of acoustic guitar and viola. Sykes’s rough and penetrating voice singing melancholy lyrics gives the music a touch of darkness. Sykes offers her listeners a reminder that music is about raw emotion, even if that emotion is somber rather than upbeat.
Chris Brecht is fresh off his tour of the Northwest and will bring his alt-country style music to The Fox Theatre. Chris Brecht presents a very nostalgic feel in his music which is likely due to how prevalent traditional styles are in his songwriting process.
Brecht is known for using a typewriter to type his lyrics and for recording his debut album The Great Ride in a fashion almost unheard of in this digital age. While many bands choose to record each part of their music digitally on separate tracks, Brecht and his band record all together in a single room on 2-inch tape.
The lyrics complement this with a nostalgic theme of their own. The song “Readin’ My Mind” from The Great Ride begins with the lyric: “Remind me of your blue-eyed son, who’s been walking for miles and is still not done.” As a result, the final product has a very raw, wistful sound and a blend of country guitar melodies with a Dean Martin-like crooning voice.
The Great Ride has received highly positive reviews, and critics often compare his sound to Bob Dylan’s.
Together, these two acts bring a harmony of classic style, and music lovers looking to hear some heartfelt songwriting should definitely not miss this show.
Contact Campus Press staff writer Andrew Salazar at Andrew.Salazar@colorado.edu.
