Brian Revels & the Heat Lightning’s latest single, “All the Gold,” is a refreshing meditation on love that transcends material wealth and worldly possessions. The new track reflects a more serene, less nervy Revels than previous releases. These days, Revels is California sober, in a long-term relationship, and grappling with big, existential questions.
Rooted in a soulful, honey-smooth, countrified R&B-style, “All the Gold” combines Revels’ barroom vocals with heartfelt lyrics in a ballad that resonates with hushed and sweetened depth. From the opening chords, his seasoned backing band, the Heat Lightning (which features Paul Stevens of Moloq on drums and Matthew Pendrick of Slow Parade on bass and backing vocals), envelops the listener in a whiskey-warm reverie as Revels sings, “We may be poor / What else is new? / I can cut back on everything but you.” Elsewhere, he weaves a tale of emotional vulnerability as he confesses on the bridge, “A home with you is all I need / But I still want to buy you the world.”
J. Lo said that love don’t cost a thing, but that was in 2001 long before “There is no ethical consumption under capitalism” became a slogan printed on coffee mugs and sold at boutique flea markets for $25.99 a pop. A lot has changed since then and Revels’ lyrics reckon with the paradoxes of capitalism. He declares: “You’re just like money / I can’t get enough / But there are millionaires that can’t buy our kind of love.” His lyrics wrestle with the notion that love, once touted as priceless, now exists within a landscape where everything is commodified and marketed.
Overall, the hallmarks of what makes Revels a standout songwriter are still here—his earnest delivery and clear-eyed lyricism—but they are bolstered by the track’s stripped-down production, as well as his willingness to seek out inspiration in new places. The effect is a more mature sound that allows his writing to shine brighter.
“In late 2022, I prompted ChatGPT to ‘write me a country song about being broke and in love’ because that’s where I was at the time (and still am, giving or taking some money),” Revels says. “While GPT’s version was mostly cliched garbage, it made writing the song so much faster. It’s like the SFD (shitty first draft) that Anne Lamott talks about in Bird by Bird was already done for me. Plus, I had all the inspiration to live the truth of being poor and in love. As usual, when the Heat Lightning added their talents, it became something all new (and way better).”
Listen below.
Brian Revels & the Heat Lightning will celebrate the release of “All the Gold” with back-to-back Georgia appearances starting at Holsenbeck Fest in Winder, GA on Sat., Apr. 27 and again on Sun., April 28 at Buvez in Athens. Both events will include support from Adam Klein and Slow Parade.
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