David Latto - “Up The Road”

Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter David Latto has just sent us the folksy single, “Up The Road,” from his upcoming EP, Dream Logic.

Latto takes a very stripped-back approach to the beginning of “Up The Road,” consisting of just the soft strums of an acoustic guitar before filling our ears with his tender, emotional voice. To be quite honest, this would have been more than enough for us, as the song, at this point, goes very well with a cup of coffee on this rainy Chicago morning. But every once in awhile, the most careful of listeners will catch hints of an ethereal element in the background and in between the lines of the lyrics. Because of this, we knew that Latto was about to lift the production through the ceiling.

And sure enough, around a minute into this delicate jaunt, we hear the first signs of an electric guitar, which, to our ears, comes complete with a sort of rotary effect– or perhaps some other vintage flavor.  But before we’ve had a chance to mentally map out the pedal board, the drums and bass arrive, and the result is complete sonic bliss. By the last third of the song, there is a notable increase in momentum and determination, leaving the acoustically-driven intro in the past as the narrator decides to go back ‘up the road.’

For the remaining bars, Latto’s vocal rises in intensity, leaving us to play the track on repeat all morning. “Up The Road” is a heartfelt journey that is bound to resonate with folks who also favor the music of Gregory Alan Isakov, as Latto has the same sincerity in his voice and a profound gift for finding the perfect words. You’re going to love this one.

-TM