If you do some light googling on Andrew Adkins you’ll see his work described as a “talented singer songwriter” from the likes of No Depression, American Songwriter and Paste Magazine. Excellent accolades that evoke melancholy, contemplative ruminations accompanied by acoustic guitar and some brushed snare drums. Adkins is indeed a talented songwriter but there’s a freak flag flying high on “Broken Fangs” that is decidedly not what the label insinuates.
Serving as the first single off of the forthcoming full-length record Rattlesnake Motions, the track blends together the psychedelic, percussive grooves, fuzzy bass and a giant mix bag of playful instrumentation. It’s a bouncy and delightful track that also manages to be just a bit foreboding and menacing. If you’re not picking up on that vibe from the lyrics, simply watch the official video and you’ll be inundated with visions of ghosts, haunting twins, a Ouija board ritual gone astray and one grinning, murderous, clown. None of it evokes true terror but it is an emotional rollercoaster to watch as you’re bopping along to the song. I can’t say for certain but the whole thing feels like a subtle nod to the likes of The Shining, It, Blair Witch and a bit of The Cell; all blended together into a quality fever dream.
Spending some time with Adkins back catalog reveals a lot of diversity in the styles embraced for a given release. There’s no telling if “Broken Fangs” is an indication of the full sound of Rattlesnake Motions or an outlier but I’m on board to find out more. The full record releases is set for July and, in the meantime, I’ll be grooving along while also being just a bit freaked out.