(Photo: Travis Shinn)
Listening to Hunter Metts’ debut EP Monochrome made me wonder: what does Zach Bryan have that this guy doesn’t have? Nashville-based Metts writes great songs and has a hypnotic, Bon Iver-type voice. When people hear this new collection of songs, he could easily become our next breakthrough indie-folk sensation.
Metts’ songs remind me a lot of Nashville alt-country legends Guy Clark and (a less rowdy) Townes Van Zandt. Each track on Monochrome is musically inviting and insightful.
Now that A&R departments have abdicated their authority to the streaming services, a lot of deserving artists get lost in the shuffle. But that’s not gonna happen to Hunter Metts. He has way too much talent – and a Zach Bryan-style authenticity. Monochrome is a midsummer classic that’s bound to open new doors for this artist.
Your songs have fabulous melodies. Do you write solo or with other songwriters?
I love the idea of opening up to other people and letting them in on my story. Most of my songs start from a place within myself and then I take that idea to people I trust to write the song.
What town is your cabin studio in? I hope you’re not sweltering in the Tennessee heat like I am now!
I grew up in south Tennessee and cut my first record in a cabin in a small town called Clarksville (and yes, hahaha it was sweltering). Currently I work out of a brick room that was an add-on to a 1940s house in Nashville and it’s been such an inspiring space.
Did you play all the instruments on the rock-flavored song “Where It Ends” – or did you have other musicians help out on that track?
“Where It Ends” was the one song on the record that I co-produced with a good friend of mine Joel. I wanted it to feel different than what I typically gravitate towards and I think Joel had a big part to do with that. I played guitar and keys and any of those weirder obscure sounds but he had a lot to do with the drums and overall vibe of that one!
What’s the backstory on your song “The Bed I’d Make”? What prompted you to write it?
I recently got engaged and that song was written a few weeks before. I was thinking through all the little things in our relationship. Ways I wanted to be better and the details that I wanted to pay attention to. “The Bed I’d Make” is a spin on showing up for her in the littlest moments. She’s someone I’ll always do the small things for and that song was for her.
