Alexander Wren - “Big Rig Blues”
Photo provided by Alexander Wren
Singer-songwriter Alexander Wren, from New York City, has just released the rugged and steadfast “Big Rig Blues.”
“Big Rig Blues” is a country, rockabilly, and folk number that feels as if it has been lifted from the mid 1950s tapes of Sun Records, at least at first. Central is the guitar groove that conjures the styles of Luther Perkins or Johnny Cash with its intimate “boom-chicka-boom” rhythms. Simple and tight, the playing is crisp and hypnotic. Supporting is the steady, train-like shuffle of the drums, deep heartbeat of the bass, and a serving of pedal steel guitar.
As the song reaches its crescendo, the music shifts into a gritty, unpolished rock’n’roll style. This section charmingly captures the vibe of the 1970s that looked back to the roots of the genre. Calm, measured and full of the spirit of a storyteller, Alexander Wren delivers a classic, timeless vocal performance that perfectly matches the atmosphere of the rootsy music.
On the track Alexander Wren adds: “Big Rig Blues is a fictional account of a truck driver’s experience in the ‘70s. It strives to vividly portray the American blue-collar experience while employing satiric embellishments. I wrote the song in my Manhattan apartment on my Wurlitzer 200 e-piano from the late '60s; Micah Tawlks (Hayley Williams, Questlove, Usher, Thomas Rhett, etc.) produced the record in Nashville.”