If some see folk as a tradition-focused discipline belonging to decades past, Creekbed Carter Hogan stands as living proof of the genre’s future-forward dynamism. Released via Arkansas-based “unAmericana” label Gar Hole Records, the trans songwriter’s self-titled release packs enough open-road mysticism, brokenhearted yearning, and laugh-out-loud wit to fill their signature pinch-front cowboy hat. In the folk lineage, the Oregon native excels at penning tracks that land both like a warm hug and a dagger to the heart. Take standout “Sycamore,” a delicately fingerpicked ode to bodily transcendence anchored by Hogan’s crystalline vocals. Breaking free from the inescapable labyrinth of socialized gender, the track’s chorus ditches embodiment for a more expansive take on existence: “But now that I’m old as a sycamore tree/ All of me flowering wild and free/ I’m closer now than I’ll ever be/ To the shape and the form of eternity.” Scholarly romp “The Relic Song” pokes fun at Catholic canon law, while bittersweet ditty “Through With Lovin'” curses a wayward lover with tongue-in-cheek meta-country vocal play: “Fool me septuplet/ Fool me octagon/ When will I stop feelin’ so damn woebegone?” With contributions from up-and-comers Large Brush Collection to queergrass staples Brand New Key, Creekbed Carter plants a folky freak flag in Austin’s burgeoning new-country community.
Creekbed Carter Hogan
Creekbed Carter (Gar Hole)
Review: Creekbed Carter Hogan, Creekbed Carter
A version of this article appeared in print on Mar 29, 2024 with the headline: Review: Creekbed Carter Hogan, Creekbed Carter
This article appears in March 29 • 2024.