Jackson native Knowlton Bourne, 23, debuted on Misra with a “cosmic country” sound that incorporates influences like the space rock of Spiritualized, the storytelling of Townes Van Zandt and the harmonic distortion of My Bloody Valentine.
The album’s opening track, “Summer Sun,” features a distorted harmonica that drones in the background like a tiny synthesizer. The fourth track on the album, “Done Movin’ On,” features ambient pedal steel guitar. Between the harmonica and pedal steel, he’s using two instruments with a limited genre association of country and Americana in a unique way.
Bourne accomplishes more with less. His successes come not only with colorful and succinct songwriting, but with an atmospheric feel to the album. Even after a song finishes playing, its resonance seems to linger for seconds afterward.
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