I featured Matt Dorrien/Snowblind Traveler last year, noting how his rich and soulful intermingling of acoustic-pop and soulful rock reminded me of a twangy Wilco crossed with the solemn folk of Elliott Smith. Such was the case on then-featured track “Love is Dead”, one of several highlights off Snowblind Traveler’s 2013 album Lost on the North Hills. That track featured the memorable line “love is dead, whisky is the winner, she’ll never tell me no lies,” – both solemn and somewhat humorous – before launching from acoustical twangs to an infectious rock jangle. It was a great example of Dorrien’s enthralling yet intimate approach to songwriting.
Dorrien’s excellent songwriting returns this year on Snowblind Traveler’s upcoming album, Confederate Burial. Set to be released in July, the album offers a standout in “Lobster”, which Obscure Sound has premiered above. This is a great jaunt, with a southern-comfort mixture of piano and expressive acoustics that would sound as good over Tom Waits’ whisky-soaked voice as it does with Dorrien’s youthful-yet-stoic-and-melodic delivery. Everything works – from the playful whistles in the final minute to the passionate chorus, which repeats twice. Even being under three minutes, “Lobster” transports listeners to a very comfortable setting fully exemplary of Dorrien’s songwriting abilities.
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