Jon Freeman continues to prove himself as a striking, eclectic songwriter on new track “The Big, Bad Wolf”, the first peek at his forthcoming album, AMERICAN GRIMM. As that title and this track’s sound/lyrics may suggest, the release’s themes will revolve around about modern day United States, with some discussion of the political landscape. Rather than dig in directly, Freeman utilizes his narrative and songwriting prowess to feature monsters and heroes pulled from American parallels, hence “American Grimm” title — he intends on “taking the Grimms’ Fairy Tales out of Germany and overseas to the American Wild West, and then modernizing that.”
If “The Big, Bad Wolf” is any indication of the album, we’re in for a special one. Especially compared to previously featured tracks like “Flowers on the Moon“, Freeman’s vocals assume a more menacing tone with lines like “nothing’s gonna keep you safe from the big, bad wolf,” all while retaining the charismatic nature of his vocal tone. Strings add to the rustling guitars at around 01:25, adding an American Gothic feel to it all. The strings’ involvement increase in intensity around 02:12, as they project a more ominous sound alongside Freeman’s almost growl-like vocal charm. “The Big, Bad Wolf” is a winner that we’re happy to premiere.
