DeLand singer-songwriter Bryan Raymond has been out on his own trail for a while, mining life’s fragments for truth and finding solo stride with his scarred folk songs. His brand of solitaire has gotten so grooved by now that his new single, “Voices,” might be a bit of a jolt, and it’s the most dramatic evolution in his solo career so far.
Raymond’s music still remains at that gnarled battleground between hope and grief. This time, though, he’s navigating it with a band.
The man who’s been a musical loner lately has reached back into his famous heavy-metal past to re-emerge with some credentialed cohorts. In addition to bassist Tom Crowther (Junior Bruce, Bloodlet, Hollow Leg), who’s been accompanying Raymond in the studio more recently, “Voices” also features John Stewart (Bloodlet, Hollow Leg) on drums and noted firebreather Scott Angelacos (Junior Bruce, Bloodlet, Hollow Leg) on backup vocals, which sounds as remarkable on paper as it does on record. The full instrumentation, naturally, makes Raymond’s melodies carve deeper, and Angelacos’ singing adds some savagery to the song’s soul.
As the lead-off single, “Voices” is a promising first glimpse of Raymond’s upcoming Forward EP, which will feature full band backing for roughly half its songs. “Voices” is now streaming everywhere.
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This article appears in Mar 1-7, 2023.
