The six tracks on singer-songwriter Lawson Hull‘s new EP Hangin’ Out with Cowboys feel at once intimate and freewheeling, the affecting folk songs at their heart lifted into greater heights with dreamy melodies and lush, atmospheric textures. Drawing on the heartland rock balladeering of Tom Petty or contemporaries like Kevin Morby, the follow-up to Hull’s 2020 EP Dreaming Is Easy is anchored largely by its vivid, introspective storytelling.
Having already been previewed with singles like ‘Parking Lot’ and ‘Mexico’, the songs on Hangin’ Out with Cowboys – which we’re premiering here at Music Feeds before it officially arrives tomorrow (27th August) – are often deeply wistful and reflective.
But, much like any classic western, there’s a quiet sense of hope underpinning each, transforming their heart-on-sleeve confessions into soaring, cinematic cuts. “I’m just a good for nothin’ / Say something, say you’ve got nothing to lose,” Hull sings on the stadium-sized ‘Fluke’, the moment immediately foregrounded by propulsive rhythms, big guitars and an infectious hook.
“I got the title from hanging out with some friends who have cowboy style but live in the city,” Hull explains. “Stories started popping in my head with a little bit of a western twist.”
Stream Hangin’ Out with Cowboys below.
