Rand Reynolds writes authentic Hillbilly Noir, a new music genre he created in 2005 to describe his haunting Edgar Allen Poe-like lyrics accompanied by a stark, rustic Martin guitar. Like its film noir counterpart, Reynolds’ musical vignettes focus on desolate characters that, on the surface, appear to exist only in terms of black and white, good and bad or love and lust. But Reynolds’ characters struggle inwardly to co-exist in the gray moral shadows of their own footsteps … the kind of bo...
Rand Reynolds writes authentic Hillbilly Noir, a new music genre he created in 2005 to describe his haunting Edgar Allen Poe-like lyrics accompanied by a stark, rustic Martin guitar. Like its film noir counterpart, Reynolds’ musical vignettes focus on desolate characters that, on the surface, appear to exist only in terms of black and white, good and bad or love and lust. But Reynolds’ characters struggle inwardly to co-exist in the gray moral shadows of their own footsteps … the kind of boot steps that echo in a vacant alley on a black, rainy night while moving headstrong, wantonly, into life’s underbelly. He delivers his songs in a deep baritone voice that spearheads his unique signature sound that is dark, threatening and dangerous. Reynolds’ material -- which ranges from songs about alcoholics, drifters, serial killers, strippers, dope fiends, wife beaters, washed-up country singers, finger pointers and, generic sinners and saints -- explores a new modern sensuality and savvy. The songs reek of the human abyss, danger and disappointment because, in his world, hope and desperation go hand in hand. For his dreams of easy deliverance are empty, two sided and vague. Reynolds has fine tuned his Hillbilly Noir to make it stylized, individualistic and intimate, and the genre embraces this guitar player’s journey of candid self-discovery that is bold and rare among songwriters. http://www.randreynolds.com
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