I still remember the time I heard my first Christian Lee Hutson song. Phoebe Bridgers had tweeted that Hutson's new single “Lose This Number” had just been released and that she had contributed backing vocals to the track. I played the song on Spotify and walked through the parking garage on the corner of Rio Grande and 22 ½ Street, then I put it on repeat. That song was the only song that I listened to for that whole week.
Hutson’s newest album Beginners makes me think of old friends and 65-degree weather. The album evokes a feeling of warmth that only folk music can, this is due to the consistently strong songwriting and Hutson’s beautiful voice. My favorite tracks on the record are “Talk”, “Lose This Number”, and “Northsiders”. “Get The Old Band Back Together” also deserves an honorable mention. All of these songs feature vivid descriptions of people in Hutson’s life and the manner in which he describes these characters makes it seem like you know them.
Like many folk artists, Christian Lee Hutson’s signature sound involves fingerpicking the acoustic guitar. However, it feels different than any other folk music that I’ve heard. There is a dreamy quality to every song that is a result of the way that the synths and strings are mixed with the guitar.
I am in love with this album and every time I revisit it I find something new that I love about it. However, I find myself drawn to “Lose This Number” time and time again. I find it difficult to listen to the entire album in one sitting because I get stuck on this song and have to sit there and listen to it on repeat. Some of Hutson’s lyrics are so personal and pertinent to his life alone, yet I find myself sitting there trying to decipher every word. He is a wonderful storyteller and writes what critics like to call “smart lo-fi folk.” I think it’s fitting and I truly think Christian Lee Hutson is a genius.