"Death Valley High" by Orville Peck and Beck

What an amazing collaboration between Peck and Beck! This fantastic song, "Death Valley High" sounds like something Tom Jones would have sang in 1969 (without Beck's rap, of course). Look for Sharon Stone's "eff off" moment...

https://www.orvillepeck.com/
https://www.beck.com/

"The Curse of the Blackened Eye" by Orville Peck

Another great song and video from Orville Peck (previously here)! He has been releasing several videos for his upcoming album release, "Bronco" on April 8, 2022. I love this song, "The Curse of the Blackened Eye"...it has a wonderful pensive quality that feels like it might have even been a Patsy Cline song once upon a time. And the video stars actor Norman Reedus as a dark specter that could be the embodiment of depression, or the leftover shade from a lost love...which results in said depression.

I’ve been hiding out, running from the curse of the blackened eye
Uh huh
Darlin’ I can feel it coming every time
I sat around last year, wished so many times that I would die
Uh huh
Left it all and now I can see the night
It’s true – true it follows me around
Nothing to lose – wouldn’t miss it anyhow

It ain’t the letting go, it’s more about the things that you take with
Uh huh
And I can feel it getting closer with every kiss
You gotta beat or join ’em, try to act surprised
Just flip a coin cuz I’m too bored to lie
It’s true – true it follows me around
Nothing to lose – wouldn’t miss it anyhow

Always said I should work on my escape
Have a heart too long, it’s bound to break
Acting out the opus of your last eternal ache
Boy, just sing the song for heaven’s sake

It’s true – true it follows me around
Nothing to lose – wouldn’t miss it anyhow
It’s true – true it follows me around
Nothing to lose – lost it all anyhow

Northeast sun, northeast sun
Northeast sun, yeah – northeast sun

https://www.orvillepeck.com/

"Daytona Sand" by Orville Peck

Orville Peck is back with a new song! "Daytona Sand" from his forthcoming release "Bronco!"...and he picks up a hot one with long hair in the video...

https://www.orvillepeck.com/

"Born This Way" by Orville Peck

To celebrate the tenth anniversary of Lady Gaga's uplifting anthem "Born This Way" (and to celebrate Pride Month!), Gaga has created "Born This Way The Tenth Anniversary" special edition album, which will be released on June 18 via Interscope. And to cover the title song, she asked none other than the marvelous gay country artist Orville Peck...what an honor. And his "Country Road Version" is a hoot. It actually pays homage to the original while being utterly Orville.

"I am so honored and excited to be a part of the iconic legacy of this song and album. Thank you @ladygaga for askin me and Happy Pride y'all !!" the Canadian masked country musician tweeted.

Love it!

https://www.orvillepeck.com/
https://bornthisway.ladygaga.com/

Who Is That Masked Man?

I am not a fan of country music. AT ALL. There are a variety of reasons for that, some personal, some political, some social. But there was a time when country music was simply a genre and not a political statement. When I was growing up, my mom listened to Country and Western artists (as the genre was referred to then) like Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner, and of course early Rockabilly-Country Elvis.

And singer-songwriter Orville Peck is a new artist who is attempting to bring back a certain feeling and sound of that kind of country music. He has deliberately cultivated a mystery about who he is by wearing a fringed, leather Lone Ranger mask. And while a bit of sleuthing on-line can reveal his actual identity, I will not reveal here who he is when he is not Orville Peck...because there is something about him, his persona, and his sound that is appealing to me, despite my aversion to country music. The more I discovered about the actual man beneath the mask, I realized why I am drawn to him and the sound. He is Canadian, a former drummer in punk bands, a classically stage-trained actor (he studied mask-making in this capacity and now makes his own fringed masks for Orville Peck), and openly gay. All of that tempers the music...he allows a lot of different influences--punk, shoegaze, early Country and Western--to blend together into something unique. This is reflected in his delightful, kitschy video for his single, "Turn To Hate." And that deep, velvety voice...like Johnny Cash.

Take a look at this song played live with his band on KEXP.

And then do take a moment to watch this charming, funny interview of Peck playing "Would You Rather?"

He is currently on tour through the end of 2019. Check out his site to see if he will be in a city near you!
https://www.orvillepeck.com/