Phoneswithchords

Arthur Alligood, of Phoneswithchords, grew up outside of Nashville, “close enough to drive into town, but far enough away to feel secluded.” Growing up outside of a major city, I can relate. But now that I’ve gotten older, I am looking forward to one day being able to reside in the outskirts again. Perhaps that idea is what draws me to the rural sound of folk and Americana. Just the same, it is definitely what has brought me to “what's the use, the real use?,” the single from Phoneswithchords’ most recent and ambitious collection of songs, Cut the Kid.

This track contains everything I love about the genre– a lone acoustic guitar, with randomly sprinkled keys from a piano, and those raw, doubled vocals that everyone falls in love with the first time they listen to For Emma… or Carrie and Lowell– easy ingredients that only the most skilled chef can use to create a dish. The sparseness of most songs within the genre is often, itself, a throwback to simpler times, much like the moniker, Phoneswithchords. While you cannot go wrong with listening to the entire LP, “what's the use, the real use?” holds fast as its single, giving the listener a solid overview of what’s in store, should they decide to explore the depths of the album. Give Arthur’s creation a rotation:

By the way, we have a playlist for songs such as this that we’ve reviewed on the blog. Check it out… You’ll find that Phoneswithchords fits quite nicely:

-TM