Midweek Mountain Getaway : Jordan Hull and Toy Soldiers

Consider this a follow up story. Before I left the Vision, I did my last edition of The Beat 'n' Track on a singer/songwriter from Nashville named Jordan Hull. We met up at a coffe shop and he told about writing songs, painting pictures of monkeys, playing gigs with a group from PA called Toy Soldiers, and about a split EP that would hopefully be out soon called Midweek Mountain Getaway.

I'm happy to report you can listen to that 6-song EP on Bandcamp. And you know what? It's impressive. Hull surprised me back in April with a sound and a voice that was far older and weathered (in a good way) than that of someone in his early twenties. During the interview, he talked about listening to legends from Son House to Woody Guthrie. It's obvious Hull synthesizes what he listens to. Dude wasn't just name-dropping.

This EP is solid top to bottom. It's a mature and nuanced blend of blues, folk and good old rock and roll that takes you from a rock-a-billy foot stomper, to a moody Roy Orbison-inflected tune in a matter of one track. Hull and Toy Soldiers have got a sound steeped in another time, yet it's still fresh and exciting to think that music like this is thriving and in good hands.

Trivia: "Tight Rope" (track 6) is Leon Russell cover. Pretty cool.

Go listen to it. Lay down your five dollars. It's a small price to pay for a midweek mountain getaway.