Rod Coote - “Blue Lake”
Photo by Leana Marie
If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll already know that we have been following the music of Australia’s Rod Coote as though he were some sort of folksy Pied Piper. Today, he has revealed the fresh, stripped-back, and delicately soothing sounds of “Blue Lake.”
Coote gets his listeners started here with some meticulously finger-plucked acoustic guitar, setting a fantastic, emotionally-charged vibe. After a few bars, your ears shall be filled with the lo-fi and intimate sounds of Coote’s vocal, extremely raw and void of any obvious hints of autotune or other digital manipulation, just the way we like it.
It is not long before the production expands, revealing a thick, vintage-imbued rhythm section that consists of tightly bound bass and drums. At this point, additional layers of guitar sweep into “Blue Lake,” providing a cinematic and bewildering soundscape, perfectly encapsulating the mood of the Byron Bay mountain cabin in which the song was recorded.
Coote’s lyrics traverse the ideal fantasy of finding that special someone and the longing for the bliss in being able to grow old with them. Coote adds: “The song first came to light after spending a month traveling the North American wilderness in Canada and northern parts of the Unites States. This imagery helped paint a picture lyrically on the journey the song takes. Following the closure of a long term relationship, the song explores the realities of living alone and dreaming one day you will grow old with someone in a peaceful place.”
If you find yourself drawn to the folksy sounds of artists like Hollow Coves, Harrison Storm, or The Paper Kites, then your heart will be right at home amongst the sounds of “Blue Lake.” The song comes from Coote’s forthcoming EP, which shall be celebrated with upcoming tours in both Australia and Europe.
-HD