West Virginia songwriter Daniel Brown returns as HAYBOY with ‘Smartness & Dollars’, a brilliantly textured new single that kicks open the door to his forthcoming album campaign.
Musically, the track is an intoxicating meeting point between psychedelic rock, Americana and heavier alternative sounds. Warped guitars push against rolling melodies and a hazy, almost trance-like atmosphere, carrying shades of Queens of the Stone Age, All Them Witches and The Black Angels without becoming beholden to any one influence.
Its creation was similarly instinctive. Brown recorded live alongside drummer Dylan Hill of Mamalarky and bassist Steven Buehler of Pecos & The Rooftops, entering the session without rehearsal or a click track. Producer Lang Freeman subsequently captured his lead guitar contribution in a single take, preserving the wonderfully spontaneous character of the performance.
Yet beneath all that guitar-driven swagger is something surprisingly tender. ‘Smartness & Dollars’ questions the endless pursuit of success, with Brown ultimately recognising that accomplishments mean considerably less than the relationships and people surrounding us.
Ambitious without losing sight of what actually matters, ‘Smartness & Dollars’ is a superbly compelling opening move from an artist increasingly comfortable following his curiosity wherever it leads.
