High Water – “Changed The Locks” (Lucinda Williams Cover)

High Water – “Changed The Locks” (Lucinda Williams Cover)

High Water is the moniker of Will Epstein. Epstein has a way of sneaking through several different genres without you knowing. His 2013 self-titled debut was good, but his upcoming effort, Crush, finds him more adept at blending genres — or at least the first single indicates as much.

“Changed The Lock” has a deft command of multi-genre wandering, transforming Lucinda Williams’ original into something all his own. It begins with a “Flight Of The Bumblebee”-esque trumpet, veers toward slow-churning reggae, and morphs again into classical-tinged psychedelia. That sounds like some difficult transitioning to navigate, but Epstein’s tender lyrics and delivery help to smooth everything together so it isn’t a discordant mess. He sings “I changed the locks on my fotn door/ I changed the number on my phone/ I changed the kind of clothes I wear/ I changed the kind of car i drive/ I changed the tracks underneath the train/ I changed the name of this town (x7)” in an attempt to escape the hold of a love that he’s lost. His desperation in combating the strength of his feelings and the surrounding soundscape make for an evocative, engaging listening experience. Check it out.

Crush is out 6/24 on Other People. Pre-order it here.

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