Jeff Hulett – “Sun Recordings” [Single Review]

Drummer/guitarist and singer-songwriter Jeff Hulett releases his double A-Side 7-Inch, Sun Recordings, via Small Batch Records. The two songs are “Spin Your Wheels (Tongue Tied)” and “This Bird.” Speaking to the first track, Jeff says, “‘Spin Your Wheels’ is a laid back, mid-tempo tune about letting go of a complicated relationship.”

He goes on, “‘This Bird’ is a story song, a dream if you will. It’s about a plane crash and how strangers become friends after miraculously surviving said plane crash. It speaks to the disconnection we all feel because of technology and reinforces the importance of authentic connection.”

A member of the Memphis band Snowglobe, Jeff’s first musical love was the drums. After watching Fascist Frank & the German Brigade play at the Antenna Club, he purchased his first kit, a used set of Maxx drums. Eventually, he ended up in Snowglobe, where, in his spare time he began working on his own projects.

He collaborated with Leah Keys in Me and Leah, followed by dropping two solo albums, followed by forming Restless Townies with Melissa Goodwin and Adam Poor. In 2021, Restless Townies released Miles Away, and has a full-length album forthcoming.

Sun Recordings, recorded at the legendary Sun Studios, features Jeff Hulett (acoustic guitar, vocals), Jacob Church (electric guitar, vocals), Jonathan Schallert (Hammond B3 organ, piano, vocals, melodica), Lehman Sammons (drums, percussion, vocals), and Adam Poor (bass, vocals).

“Spin Your Wheels” opens on low-slung harmonics, vaguely reminiscent of Procul Harum merged with Bob Dylan. Perhaps best defined as indie-folk with tangs of prog-rock, Jeff’s scratchy, nasal voice imbues the lyrics with delicious drawling timbres as radiant harmonies kick in on the chorus. Schallert’s oozing organ gives the melody its diatonic elaboration of static harmony, akin to Procul Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale.”

“This Bird” rides loose, crunching drums and a subterranean bassline, topped by Jeff’s inimitable vocals. The feel and mood of the tune lie somewhere between a rift and a revelation, conveying the ensuing concatenations of cause and effect – human connection through a near-death experience.

Both tracks are excellent, brimming with misty layers of instruments materializing into beautifully integrated leitmotifs.

Sun Recordings Track Listing:

Side A: Spin Your Wheels (Tongue Tied)
Side B: This Bird

Run Time: 2:46 / 4:40
Release Date: February 25, 2022
Record Label: Small Batch Records