Atlanta-based American guitarist Eddie 9V is heading to the UK next month, but ahead of that you can check out his new single ‘Saratoga’, that’s taken from his forthcoming studio album to be released later this year out on Ruf Records.
“’Saratoga’ was written under a perfect western landscape,” the guitarist remarked. “We had an off day on the road and I was sitting on a random Air B&B porch picking a riff I had recently come up with. I was writing all these little lyrics while looking out to a huge mule deer directly in front of me eating grass and carrots that I was throwing to them.”
He continued, “’Saratoga’ has a real, almost desert/disco vibe to it. When it came time to record, we flew to Denver. I wanted to record the forthcoming album in the Rocky Mountains. You definitely get an outdoorsy feel in this song.”
As someone stuck in a grim and grey England where the sun forgot to get the memo that spring officially started a while back, the song certainly bakes you kindly with its sun-kissed warmth. From a gentle electric piano and organ opening over which Eddie 9V’s falsetto vocals echo The Alessi Brother’s vintage hit single ‘Oh Lori’ even as he’s giving you the kind of narrative pitch Steve Miller or Boz Scaggs did back in one of those long ago decades old gits like me can only recall. It gets bluesier, a deeper timbre to his voice as the guitar comes in, following through with Mick Ralph-patented Bad Company power chords as his voice really starts to roar out. There’s even time for a sax solo and a final shift in musical theme that’ll put you in mind of Jonathan Richman’s ‘Egyptian Reggae’ before heading back for a final tour de force chorus to end on.
People talk complete cobblers about “going on a journey” but this song really does, and does all this within 3 minutes 36 seconds. If you can, I suggest you arrange some reliable transport to check him on one of the dates on his May tour. Support on the tour is The Zac Schulze Gang and tickets are available from Alttickets.com and Eddie 9volt’s website.
’Saratoga’ is available on all streaming platforms here and you can check out the video here at RAMzine.
The new single dovetails Eddie’s May 2024 UK tour which takes in dates at The Grace, London (Monday May 13), Komedia, Brighton (Tuesday May 14), The Bodega, Nottingham (Wednesday May 15), and The Louisiana, Bristol (Thursday May 16).
For more about Eddie 9V at RAMzine click here.
