Lou Hazel - "Claude the Armadillo"

Photo by Lou Hazel

Lou Hazel (formerly known as Chris Frisina) has just released a new song that was original written by his uncle over forty years ago. "Claude the Armadillo" is a ramblin' type of country/folk song that may initially sound like it's fairly childish but has a very serious and adult message. Hazel first heard the song around a campfire, and that's exactly what the song sounds like. You'll probably regret hearing this for the first time in front of a computer, because I know I do. The classic pop/folk feel along with the sense of humor masking a serious topic is going to give you some Arlo Guthrie vibes.

Lou Hazel says of his new single:

"My Uncle Ralph Frisina wrote 'Claude the Armadillo' 40 years ago in 1981.The cold war was becoming a commonplace topic of dubious experts in mullets gathered around campfires. To set the scene, bad vibes between the West and the Soviet Union fostered Olympic boycotts and the Russian villain had become a pervasive, tired theme in every movie plot.

"To a young idealist, writing Claude was a prescription for anxiety while two of the world’s most powerful entities postured against one another. Did you know that when faced with adversity some armadillos just curl into a ball? This endearing, passive trait made Claude the ideal arbiter of peace and reason in a world gone mad.

"I heard about Claude the Armadillo for the first time around a campfire when I was 8 years old - mouth full of s’mores, and I’ve been looking for him ever since. Claude remains an old friend, a confidant who, as timely as ever, confronts us about the weapons we gather against one another without knowing how we’ll use them or what damage they’ll do."

You can watch the video for "Claude the Armadillo" below. The song is out now via Sleepy Cat Records. For more on Lou Hazel, check out the artist's Bandcamp.

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