Gorgeously unique and refreshingly human vocals drive forth a clever kind of folk songwriting – a sort that’s both thoughtful and charming. TJ Gurn gets the melody, groove and emotion just right, with the brightness and warmth of singles like Spirits & Springsteen.
Featuring a classic folk-country set-up, a full-band warmth with reverb-kissed slides and a raspy vocal character, Spirits & Springsteen is a perfectly crafted single, catchy and uplifting, but with just enough of a memorable conceptual twist to really hit the scene with impact.
Noting thousands of monthly listeners to his growing repertoire, storyteller, singer and songwriter TJ Gurn is carving out a timeless and heartfelt lane as an indie artist right now. His style has a classic feel, but the songs are independent and interesting, and the mood seems consistently grateful, always inspiring a sense of lasting serenity.
Simple Mornings is beautiful, paired vocals and an acoustic guitar strum, with soulful electric guitar in the distance, wind instruments subtle but stylish, all leaning towards the likes of world-folk music acts like Nick Mulvey. The song is a pleasure to let play, smoothing out the edges of a rainy autumn day through a finely recorded ode to the wonder of the moment.
Other highlights from the TJ Gurn catalogue include the crisp and clean acoustic guitar groove and breathy intimacy of Observer. TJ’s lyrics are stunning, the sort that feel familiar, easy to relate to, but also weave in more than a few smart and sharp references or metaphors, which help gift his timeless country-folk set-up a touch of something other-worldly, even near-euphoric; particularly during those melodic peaks. The passion is subtle but genuine, and this song captures it with authenticity and heart.
Finally, we dive into a slightly more confronting lyric, ‘Where do you go when you’re lonely?‘ connecting for its left-of-centre melody and the raw, gritty emotion of the delivery. The song soon evolves into something romantic and reflective of the human need to reach out and build relationships with one another. It’s a pure acoustic arrangement at first, rising up later with modest layers of that full-band sound TJ Gurn so faultlessly presents, and it speaks volumes on behalf of the organic, natural talent and soulful realism of this artist.
What a voice, what a songwriter. Well worth a listen. Find TJ Gurn on Instagram.
