Timber and Steel

Image Courtesy of Hudson

Purely uplifting, yet delicate and fragile is the music of Hudson. But there are many layers to his sound and when asked about the difference between his newly released The Undertow EP and Open Up Slowly from 2011, Travis Aulsebrook, the man behind Hudson simply writes, “Time”.

“My first EP was recorded just four months after I started writing songs for myself. It was all done in a bit of an excited newbie rush. For this one I had a good year or so to dream up arrangements and then a decent chunk of time to get them down in the studio.”

Trav, as he’s called by friends, is a late twenty-something sharp, reflective soul. Listening to his music almost feels like you’ve met this guy many times before and over a pint or caffeinated beverage is simply filling you in on the happenings of his life and the world around him.

The Undertow EP has all the buzz and pop of his first EP with toasty, catchy tunes and soaring sounds but there’s also a darker edge. What you can hear is a maturity and perfection in each masterfully orchestrated track presented to the ear and a confidence emulated through his soothing, alluring vocals. The addition of synths, keys and horn to guitar and bass add to the intricacies of every well-placed rhythm, beat and melody, every well-thought word and phrase. The stand out song would definitely have to be “His Shadow”. It starts off slow but steadily a curious synth can be heard creeping in before the keys, drums and then trumpet escalate the grandeur of a personal victory described through artful lyrics. Absolutely captivating.

“Some people have told me I write good ‘journey’ tracks for road trips and the like but for me, I feel like well written and performed music automatically makes for good highway accompaniment.”

If you are heading on the road or just feel like escaping into your mind, The Undertow EP is certainly one fellow you want to slip into your ears.