PREMIERE: Dylan Earl — “White Painted Trees”

It doesn’t get more country than an American-made pickup truck, wide open spaces, a loyal dog in the passenger’s seat. But this is no bro country song. Dylan Earl’s “White Painted Trees” is a true celebration of his life in Arkansas, not some suburban frat boy posturing. With his elegant baritone and finely-observed lyrics, with a description of “fun” that marries boredom and appreciation, Earl takes a clear look at life and doesn’t sugarcoat it. As the video suggests with Earl’s exploration of abandoned outbuildings on an industrial farm, you gotta take the good with the bad but, for now, things are pretty good.

Earl is a long-time member of outsider country scene in Arkansas that the new Gar Hole Records is cultivating — oth in the alt-country band Swampbird and as a solo recording artist. Earl works with a neotraditional country sound, channeling greats like Alan Jackson and Randy Travis as well as the rich folk music tradition in Arkansas. This newest record represents some of his best songwriting thus far, as well as some fun re-recordings of older tracks from his first collection of songs, an EP called Blessing in Disguise. I Saw the Arkansas is his next release. (And watch the video below to enjoy the only good kind of good old boy.)

I Saw the Arkansas will be out via Gar Hole Records on March 10

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