Zander Rhodes is a talented young folk artist who enriches memory with a vast lyrical tapestry. His latest single is pervaded by nostalgia and a wistful longing.
Songsmith Zander Rhodes reveals a perfectly nuanced acoustic debut single.
The ode to Byron Bay is a lyrically beautiful inflection on passing time and forlorn love.
Zander Rhodes is a Yorkshire-born musician living in the sunny climes of Brisbane. Drawing inspiration from the folk revival music of the 1960s, his songs pair intricate acoustic guitar patterns with velvety vocals and pensive lyrics. Zander recorded his debut EP Whiny Folk Songs, in his quirky local haunt Bedlam Records.
The first single from Zander Rhodes debut EP is a beautiful flaunting of classic folk. Rhodes doesn’t adorn his music with unnecessary tapestry or tassels, the colours are plain yet boldly confident.
Harkening back to the elegant yet poignant lyricism of Donovan and Graham Nash, Zander Rhodes does well to craft a tale. Furthermore, he sparks a feeling of nostalgia and longing, romanticising movement, travel and love on the road.
Growing up with a religious love of great singer-songwriters like Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and Joni Mitchell, Zander says he’s always been drawn to the storytelling element of folk music, and tees this with a fingerpicking style devised by Merle Travis to form the foundation of Byron Bay.
“With songwriting you have to choose an area of complexity to focus on,” explains Zander. “Folk music tends to use simple chords and simple melodies, giving lyrics the space to be able to drive the song, which I like.”
With a debut EP just around the corner Zander is putting his pedal to the musical metal and we can’t wait to see where this journey takes him. Byron Bay is the perfect insight into the acoustic and lyric centred forthcoming EP and to celebrate Zander is playing a headline EP launch show at the Skukum Lounge on the 22 September.
Check out Byron Bay below:
