Blake Reid wants to remind you that new and shiny doesn’t always mean better.
The Cremona country troubadour has a new album out titled Rust and he’s concerned with our disposable world, whether it’s trucks, people or music. Reid will be performing at this year’s Cochrane Classic Bullriding July 25 and chatted with the Eagle about his album and whether or not contemporary country stands his litmus test.
Eagle: Let’s talk about your new album.
Reid: It’s a follow up album. A lot my music is agriculture based and really grassroots country music and this one was a follow up to that album with a bit more energy and more commercial appeal. That’s kind of what the idea is, but there’s still the same fundamentals and writing.
It’s titled Rust. Right now we’re living in more of a disposable world – whether it’s life, vehicles, music – and the idea was to tip the hat back to the past.
Eagle: How did the idea of a disposable society come to be the theme?
Reid: I take it back to when I was 16. I had a ‘72 Chev truck that was my grandpa’s and my dad’s and there was a rub spot on the top of the door where my grandpa and my dad had their arms. My son would say, ‘you should fix that up, you should repaint that’ and I said, ‘no, I don’t wanna repaint that.’ That’s where my dad and grandpa’s arms were and it tells a story of how many hours they spent in that truck. Everything about that truck, whether all the dings and rust, all tell a story. You look at the nostalgia of that truck and then you look at today, you have a vehicle for two for three years and you better get rid of it before it has too many kilometres and get something new and shiny. New and shiny doesn’t always mean better.
Eagle: If I turned on the disc player in your car or iPod, what would I be listening to?
Reid: A lot of indie singer-songwriters. I listen to commercial radio as well but I listen to a lot of Guy Clark, Lyle Lovett, Sturgill Simpson.
Eagle: Older country seems to be based around storytelling and narrative. Would you agree with that?
Reid: I’m getting involved with a project called The Homestead Sessions and what it is, is as music is going one way, music production is totally produced and they’re pitch-correcting a lot acts and artist. We’re going to go the opposite way in this. When you look at old country, it comes down to a story and a guitar and that’s my litmus test. It needs to be able to pass with just an acoustic guitar and the delivery of the story.
Be sure to catch Blake Reid’s performance July 25 at the Cochrane Lions Rodeo Grounds following the Classic Bullriding event. For more info on Reid, visit his Facebook page or go to cochraneclassic.com for event details.
