Bartees Strange has had a whirlwind of a year. More than that, actually. Fresh off the release of the deluxe edition of his debut record, Live Forever, Strange (real surname Cox), seems to be the name on everyone’s lips, and for good reason, because he’s fast popping up everywhere and shows absolutely no signs of slowing down.
While not technically his first solo release, many became aware of Bartees Strange in 2020 with Say Goodbye to Pretty Boy. Strange took a gamble making his first release a covers EP exclusively focused on Cincinnati’s most prominent indie rock export, The National. Unconventional though it was, the move was successful, showcasing his talent as a producer and a rearranger of sound, deconstructing songs like ‘All the Wine’ and turning them into recognizable but distinct versions of themselves, that one moving from a sparse instrumental that recalls Kid A-era Radiohead into a sweeping finale as powerful as its source material.
After that introduction, Strange was firmly on the radar of the indie rock faithful, but it remained to be seen what his own unique creations would be. But as if to permanently quell any mysteries about his songwriting ability, the first two singles from Live Forever were the supremely confident duo of ‘Mustang’ and ‘Boomer’. The first thing that’s apparent in these songs, particularly the latter, is that they defy any sort of simple classification. ‘Mustang’ answers the question, “What if the glitzy sheen of M83’s synths collided head-first with Springsteen?” ‘Boomer’ is a blistering rap song in its verses, a pounding rocker in its chorus, and a bluesy country song past the bridge. Strange moves through his many influences effortlessly, combining them into something totally unique, master of his domain.
Had the term “rap rock” not long since been assigned to something else entirely it might be a fitting descriptor, but something more original is required now. “Rock rap”, perhaps? (I kid.) Maybe the only fitting label for what Bartees Strange concocts is “Americana”. And while that term has historically referred to a different sound as well, there is perhaps no better example of what it could mean going forward. Strange lived in many states across the nation before settling in its heartland as a teenager, and eventually finding his way to its capital. That vast synthesis of experience positions him incredibly uniquely to embody the true soul of American music – all of it.
Live Forever is excellent throughout and dotted with moments like this, moments that make you think, “I don’t know what I’d call what I’m listening to, but I love it.” And people have taken notice – Strange has already done a leg of the Phoebe Bridgers Reunion Tour and is now on the road with Lucy Dacus. It’s exciting to see his rise and he’s as energetic as you might expect to watch live. In Englewood’s Gothic Theatre, Strange emerges to huge applause, his reputation preceding him in the best way. His persona is as chameleonic as his songs – for ‘Mustang’ he’s a born rock star, shredding his guitar; during ‘Kelly Rowland’ he’s a rap icon, posturing at the end of the stage with mic in hand, tossing the cable around. But there’s no artifice in any of it, every last turn is genuine. It’s hardly a writer’s business to say what anyone else is born for – but a case could certainly be made that Bartees Strange was born for this. His ability to write genre-transcendent work, replete with catchy hooks, as well as produce and remix, have rightly earned him the place he now occupies at the start of what is sure to be a massive upswing.
Throughout the night in Colorado, Bartees showcases work from all his releases thus far, including a pair of those National covers. In his hands, ‘About Today’ becomes almost formless, a piano-led poem, Strange kneeling on the stage to deliver its final question, the crux of a relationship on the brink. For ‘Lemonworld’, a dynamically even-keeled song on 2010’s High Violet, he polarizes the verse and chorus – the former is quiet and subtle, built from a loop pedal and not much more; the latter is a huge guitar salvo with a howled vocal that far exceeds the volume of the original. It’s this sort of decision-making that highlights his ingenuity behind the mixing board as well as in front of it.
He also shows off ‘Weights’ – one of the new tracks from the deluxe reissue of Live Forever, and it’s hard to imagine why he left it on the cutting room floor the first time around. In a way, the re-release of the album, dropped on its anniversary, is a herald of things to come, a reminder that within Strange there is a seemingly unstoppable mass of kinetic energy, just waiting to take definite shape.
Review and photos: Collin Heroux
