On Sept. 23, Arizona singer-songwriter decker. is set to return after one short year with his sixth album Snake River Blues. With so many independent artists popping up there seems to be a new genre associated with each new act. These classifications can almost seem arbitrary and as mere marketing ploys to differentiate a band that otherwise sounds like any other. But decker. undoubtedly brings the sound of desert rock to life. His sound is just as dusty and spacey as one would imagine music of this unique description to be.
The best example of desert rock is seen in “The Phantom,” where in perfect ode form, decker. sounds like he is actually speaking to the girl he is yearning for.
The album opens up with the heavy rock song “The Holy Ghost.” This is a solid and powerful song. Even when decker. turns down the gain for the breakdown it’s still intense.
Every aspect of decker.’s music is poetic. He is able to project his vocals in a way that makes the listener imagine sitting around a campfire with him while he tells stories of ancient folklore. This is the atmosphere of the concluding song “Snake River Blues,” with its heavy folk influence and climactic lead up to a boisterous rock ending. The guitar periodically wanes as the drums support the dramatic story that is being lamented.
Each track on Snake River Blues forces the listener's dedication and compels them to listen to each song in its entirety to hear the resolve. Snake River Blues is an album that stays with the listener long after they’ve heard it.