Tré Burt - "Kids in tha Yard"

Photo by Mary Ellen Matthews

For his latest single, Tré Burt takes traditional folk and expands on the sound. "Kids in the Yard" infuses folk with vintage soul and blues. That might be nothing new in and of itself, but Burt just mixes it all together in a unique way. It could be that "Kids in tha Hall" has more than a little of an indie rock/DIY feel to it. There's just something a little rugged and intimate to the single. It's as if Burt captured the vibe of a bedroom recording within a full, lushly produced track that includes back-up singers.

Tré Burt says of his new single:

"Dunno about you but looking at this world of excess and ever expanding consumption don’t look too good. How did we end up a culture of gimme gimme more more big and bigger fast and faster? Those clammy nerds up high sold us long ago an identity that of factory pigs feeding on trendy garbage and shiny plastics just to throw it into the ocean, just to drink it to us later. All the while even clammier beings with daddy issues threaten us all with nuclear extinction and mutual destruction. As it lays, the planet is poised to be an oversexed fruitless ball of scorched bone with an ant problem.

 “'Don’t it drive you crazy? Your river’s dry. There’s still time to save it. REVIVE YO SPIRIT! Turn tha light on, baby. You’re killing me, how you rely on the comfort of thieves'

"Yes! They’re attempting to steal you away from yourself and fill the zombified void in your wake with alllllll the shit they wanted you to want as to distract you while they do their weird breeding. A plea for tha kids’ sake: Must reject trends and return to a more basic self. This will awaken us in each other again and where all hope lies. it’s all up to you and yo spirit, which is not nothing. Not nothing at all. Be kind. Let each other pass."

You can listen to "Kids in tha Yard" below. Traffic Fiction is due out October 6 on Oh Boy Records, and is available for pre-order here. For more on Tré Burt, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the song.

9/23: Healing Appalachia - Lewisburg, WV 

10/7: Los Angeles Folk Festival at The Ford - Los Angeles, CA

10/9: Songbyrd - Washington, DC

10/10: Johnny Brenda's - Philly, PA

10/11: Baby's All Right - Brooklyn, NY

10/13: Higher Ground - Burlington, VT

10/14: The Red Room at Cafe 939 - Boston, MA

10/15: Billsville House Concerts - Manchester, VT

10/17: Cafe Campus - Montreal, QC

10/18: Monarch Tavern - Toronto, ON

10/19: Magic Bag - Ferndale, MI

10/20: SPACE - Chicago, IL

10/21: Racoon Motel - Davenport, IA

10/22: Turf Club - Minneapolis, MN

10/24: Cactus Club - Milwaukee, WI

10/25: Bishop Bar - Bloomington, IN

11/2: Blue Room at Third Man - Nashville, TN

11/3: The Loft at Center Stage - Atlanta, GA

Tre Burt - "Santiago"

Photo by Mary Ellen Matthews

I first discovered Tre Burt opening for Haley Heynderickx in Providence, and I've been a fan ever since. On his latest single, "Santiago," Burt has released a rollicking folk rocker. It's a fun and upbeat song that is surprisingly keyboard heavy. It's reminding me of early Wilco. It's fitting since the song is about Burt's relationship with his grandfather, Santiago, who passed away earlier this year. It's a beautiful tribute to a beloved family member that focuses more on the joy the two shared instead of mourning. "Santiago" is the kind of song that will make you instantly want to hear more.

Tre Burt says of his new song:

“The song actually started out as a writing prompt that my friend gave me over the phone during my solo writing retreats at the cabin. She said ‘write about Santiago’ and it ended up being a good stage to talk about some heartache I was going through. But it wasn’t just heartache, there was also a lot of joy which is why it sounds upbeat, I guess.

You can watch the video for "Santiago" below. Traffic Fiction is due out October 6 on Oh Boy Records, and can be pre-ordered here. For more on Tre Burt, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.

9/23: Healing Appalachia  - Lewisburg, WV 

10/7: Los Angeles Folk Festival at The Ford - Los Angeles, CA

10/9: Songbyrd - Washington, DC

10/10: Johnny Brenda's - Philly, PA

10/11: Baby's All Right - Brooklyn, NY

10/13: Higher Ground - Burlington, VT

10/14: 939 Cafe - Boston, MA

10/15: Billsville House Concerts - Manchester, VT

10/17: Petite Campus - Montreal, QC

10/18: Monarch Tavern - Toronto, ON

10/19: Magic Bag - Ferndale, MI

10/20: SPACE - Chicago, IL

10/21: Racoon Motel - Davenport, IA

10/22: Turf Club - Minneapolis, MN

10/24: Cactus Club - Milwaukee, WI

10/26: Bloomington, IN - Bishop Bar 

10/27: Blue Room at Third Man - Nashville, TN

11/2: Nashville - Blue Room

11/3: Atlanta - Vinyl