Justin Hulsey started writing and playing music at the age of fifteen in his hometown of Kansas City, and since that time has crafted a sound -- and, indeed, a written voice -- all his own. His work displays influences ranging from master song-craftsmen Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, and John Lennon to musical groundbreakers Radiohead, Elbow, and Jeff Buckley. His most recent work, an EP entitled Four Songs has earned Justin praise from critics and peers, and a recently inked affiliation with SESAC. But Justin's career has already seen more staggering iterations than many successful musicians see throughout a lifetime of effort.
In 2002, Justin travelled to Nashville to work with producer Donnie Boutwell. The two spent several months in the former Park Studio fostering an atmosphere of pure creativity. Drawn closer to the dark musings of Nick Drake and Elbow's artful ambiguity, Justin had arrived at a new, distinctly different place, while honing his trademark honesty and emotive flare for the subtle dramatic. The project, now known as The Ghost, was the culmination of a year of struggling with (and writing about) death, faith, growth, and ultimately life, in a new town. And in this new town Justin had found greater depth and more complete thought in his craft.
This growth and confidence has continued and manifested itself in a new way in Justin's latest offering. Four Songs has begun to garner the praise and attention owed this groundbreaking artist. Produced, engineered, and mixed by Chad Brown (Stateside producer, engineer on Ryan Adams' Demolition) this collection of songs called for a more minimalist treatment. Primarily acoustic, Four Songs features world-class musicians including Brad Pemberton (Ryan Adams and The Cardinals) on drums and percussion and the legendary pedal steel of Lloyd Green (credits on The Byrds and Waylon Jennings, among countless others). Showing as much restraint as his previous EP indulged, this is just the showcase these songs require. According to Chad, this record is "much like [Justin's] personality -- sincere and whimsical. He'll deliver one poignant line after another -- poetic and melodic."
Justin's catalog is uniquely rich for an artist with such a short career. At once stylistically diverse and uniformly cogitative, he has an undeniable potential to write some of our era's most important music.
Lucky for us.
Written by Beau Davidson, Creative Catalog Manager for Cal IV Entertainment, Nashville, TN.
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