Setting the tone with an intimate, acoustic guitar performance, Terry Blade opens Won’t Be Around with charisma, a distinctive vocal timbre and the introspective lyrics, “Who you gonna run to? I won’t be with you… Who you gonna lie to? I won’t even hear you…”
We are immediately drawn in by Terry Blade‘s charm and poetic nuance as the opus expands into an alternative folk meets Americana energy. Although the artist likens his sound to Hozier, we can also feel elements of Leonard Cohen come through, however, there is also no doubt that the visionary is creating a universe of his own.
We learn that Won’t Be Around is and example of when Terry Blade “fully develops the personality of his Ethos: Son of a Sharecropper project.” Described as “the best vocal performance of the upcoming album”, it is no surprise that the rising star chose to release this as a lead single.
Terry Blade tells us that the term “ethos” as used in the album’s title refers to the “morals, values and beliefs of an individual or an entire culture.” The star from Chicago confesses, “The album seeks to communicate my ethos to the listener through an exploration of my personal experiences. This time around, I chose to experiment with a completely different sound–American roots music. I wanted to show that “black music” includes traditional Americana music, and reject any notion that black Americans are mere unwelcomed guests in the American roots music space.”
The artist continues with depth, “Thematically, the album wrestles with self identity, culture, community, relationships, adversity and perseverance. The term “son of a sharecropper” as used in the album’s title is a reference to my being a descendant of black American sharecroppers in Colerain, North Carolina. Sharecropping was a system developed in the American South after the end of the Civil War. Many former enslaved black American families became sharecroppers on large white-owned cotton farms and plantations.”
We appreciate the authenticity and history that Terry Blade shares with his vision, and have added the exquisite Won’t Be Around to our New Music Spotlight playlist, whilst we continue to stream his wider discography and anticipate the album, which is available for pre-order now.