Touring behind his latest album and single, the up-and-coming singer-songwriter plays GR’s Listening Room on Friday. The Local Spins interview, plus see how you can win tickets to the show.
Inspired by John Prine and the Turmoils of Life: Tré Burt (Courtesy Photo)
TICKET GIVEAWAY: THE FIRST PERSON TO EMAIL JOHN@LOCALSPINS.COM WITH ‘BURT’ IN THE MESSAGE FIELD WILL WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO FRIDAY’S SHOW. SCROLL DOWN FOR THE ‘KNOW YOUR DEMONS’ VIDEO & TO LISTEN TO BURT’S MUSIC.
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California-based indie-folk singer Tré Burt’s latest single says a lot about the perceptive twists and social commentary that drives his music:
“Know your demons, take a look inside,” his engaging, gravelly voice declares on the chorus for “Know Your Demons. “Know your demons, ask them why oh why; know your demons, only you can set you free.”
Indeed, the up-and-coming Sacramento artist wrestles inner demons, the unknown doom of the pandemic and social injustice throughout his latest studio album, “You, Yeah, You.”
The singer-songwriter who makes a Grand Rapids tour stop Friday at Listening Room leans on narrative storytelling and intricate poetic devices to find the perfect balance between social commentary and captivating choruses.
Tré Burt
His signature, down-to-earth folky approach includes hints of lo-fi indie-rock that perfectly complement his raspy, declamatory voice.
“My brother was a musician and I just wanted to do everything he did,” said Burt, who began playing guitar and singing at a young age. He recalls his mother buying him a $50 guitar from a pawn shop just so he would stop stealing his older brother’s instrument.
Burt began experimenting with the endless intonations he could produce with his voice and guitar. He explored the diverse processes of making music in the saturated Sacramento market before eventually landing his Bob Dylan-esque, bluegrass style.
“As I continued to learn guitar, I realized that music was a beautiful means to escape,” Burt said in a recent interview with Local Spins.
“As a kid, I’d play with the different sounds I could make and try to have it come together in one cohesive piece. I found my style pretty naturally from that. But as I got older, listening to artists like John Prine was super influential. The way he writes: His pen is connected to his funny bone, but also his heart.”
LISTEN: Tre Burt, “Sweet Misery” (from “You, Yeah, You”)
After independently releasing the EP, “Takes from the Dungeon,” in 2017, he signed with Oh Boy Records, a label co-founded by Prine. Burt released his full-length debut album, “Caught It From the Rye,” in 2020.
Burt’s humble beginnings heavily influence his songwriting. “Takes from the Dungeon” and “Caught It From The Rye” both touch on Burt’s experiences with bouts of depression and the struggles of growing up black in America.
TRAGIC EVENTS THAT SPARKED COMPELLING SONGS
Creating his sophomore album, “You, Yeah, You,” however, proved to be a stop-and-start process.
“I sent the label a batch of demos that I had been working on throughout the year and they were alright, but none of them sounded like a second record,” Burt said.
It took a succession of grievous events to spark waves of inspiration.
“You, Yeah, You”
“Between the pandemic, the murder of George Floyd and the death of John Prine, these things made me feel again,” he said. “But what do we do in moments like these? Do I stop and quit or keep creating?”
He retreated to a cabin to deal with the emotional toll of these events and within five days, he had written all 12 songs for “You, Yeah, You.” Soon after, Burt traveled to North Carolina and recorded the entire album.
Much like his other work, “You, Yeah, You” brims with hard-hitting lyricism, elements of protest and his trademark folk sound, a way of coping with trauma through musical expression. There’s a tribute to Prine on “Dixie Red” and his anecdotes related to racial injustice on “By the Jasmine.”
Burt’s current “Sweet Misery” tour has taken him across North America, and he’ll head overseas to Europe later this month for an extensive slate of shows that wrap up May 22 in Belgium before returning to the States.
Burt plays Listening Room at 7:30 p.m. Friday, with Joules Satyr (Sea of Bees) opening the show. Tickets are $20 and available at listeningroomgr.com.
VIDEO: Tre Burt, “Know Your Demons”
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