“Scars,” the latest track from singer-songwriter Kate Ellis, is a lively, foot-stomping little number that will satisfy all of your old school country-blues cravings. Tightly-produced and twangy in all the right places, this song serves as a reminder of just how fun country music can be.
“Scars” tells a tale of a rocky, love/hate relationship (because what’s a country song without a little heartbreak?) These aren’t physical ‘scars;’ rather they’re the emotional kind, the ones left by years of the ups and downs of a passionate relationship. Don’t be fooled by the subject matter, though – this song ain’t no ballad. In fact, Kate sings as if she’s proud of her scars: “I guess this must be love ‘cause we can’t get enough/I got scars.” Just like the infectious train beat that gives this song it’s momentum, these lovebirds take it as it comes and keep moving forward, for better or for worse.
Some artists have such a strong understanding of a song’s sound that they’re able to take you out of your own world and into theirs, and that’s what is happening here. The drummer counts you in and you’d swear you were sitting in a dingy dive bar on the Chattahoochee, reeking of whiskey and tobacco. Not to mention the guitar here is classic 80s country, doing its best chicken-pickin’ Brent Mason impression. The whole band really is just full steam ahead with their country meters peaked at 10. They’d blend right into your playlist without raising an eyebrow, sitting snugly between Buck Owens and Hank, Jr.
In today’s country music scene which is often experimenting and blending new sounds outside of the traditional country realm, it’s refreshing to hear a good ol’ bluesy, rootsy, down-home country song. Kate Ellis goes all in on this track, and in doing so is able to bottle up a damn good time for you to use whenever you’d like.
Written by Tim Clark
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