Simon Patrick Kerr‘s solo effort Doldrums arrives on 20 July. It marks a stylistic change for the longtime frontman of the Wans. That trio’s powerhouse live shows and psychedelic leanings earned the band slots with Jack White, Pearl Jam and others as well as a reputation that many acts would kill for. This time, though, Kerr takes a slightly quieter, if no less mind-bending approach, weaving his magic on the acoustic number “Out of Your Mind”.
The track finds Kerr unravelling a personal tale of disappointment and upheaval in a voice that asks us to imagine Thom Yorke taking a cue from Neil Young or M. Ward. The quieter the song becomes, the more the listener finds themselves fraught with an internal conflict as they ask themselves if what they’re hearing is the sound of healing or only the first strike into a wound.
The rest of the record promises to be no less harrowing and no less afraid of revealing the singer’s deepest truths and utmost secrets.