Tedo Stone - Summer Sun

Atlanta’s foremost purveyor of back porch rock and roll is back after a few years off with a fuller sound and fewer affectations than his earlier records. Tedo Stone recently moved back to his hometown of Covington, and for songwriters, such a move comes with a load of expectations and baggage. The story of a writer, or in this case, a musician returning to their birthplace in an effort to simplify their art and reconnect with their past is a stereotype on the level of a Hallmark movie, but there’s an element of truth in the story for Stone, who started playing guitar in bars when he was 12-years-old. There’s also a level of self-assuredness to Summer Sun that’s new for Stone, but it’s not exactly a more laid-back affair than previous records—if anything, there’s more urgency to this record. Even the most relaxed Southern jams are propelled by garage rock riffs that churn with expectation.

Throughout the record, bouncy ’60s pop, Jackson Browne style radio rock, and spacious ’70s psych are all filtered through Stone’s down-home outlook on life. Take “Glitches,” the album’s heaviest track, which finds Stone channeling Roger Waters era Pink Floyd. It’s a bold move which initially feels gratuitous, but thanks to the album’s hazy production the decision comes across as charming rather than bombastic. It’s been five years since his debut record Good Gone Bad, and even though there’s more consistency to Summer Sun, Stone still seems unshackled from the bonds of genre. Instead, this record seems tied to his moods, which mostly slide between serene and exuberant, although melancholic clouds always seem to float in the distance. Despite its name, the title track kicks off the album with some of Stone’s most pensive thoughts. The nervous rhythms and pedal steel guitar recall Wilco’s early organic tracks as he ponders the predictable fickleness of time.

It’s evident that Stone is passionate about Americana classics and songwriting, and his commitment to the craft is in part what keeps the album from devolving into a middling retro rehash. But the album’s title is Summer Sun after all, and lovelorn lyrics aside, there are plenty of groovy hooks to keep the listener engaged from start to end. By the ninth track, “Wifey”, the listener reaches the inescapable fact that these songs are written for Stone himself. There’s not much that’s new here, especially in the ballads, but that’s not really the point. Instead, this is simply a well-paced, thoughtful record in which Stone returns to the heart of songwriting—have a feeling and attempt to translate it to music. This concept is so basic that it’s easy to forget that it’s where the craft begins, so even if you only listen to Summer Sun once, it’ll still make you want to pick up a guitar.

More Info
Web: tedostone.com
Bandcamp: tedostone.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @tedostone
Instagram: @tedostone
Twitter: @TedoStone