EP Review: Drew Kohl 'Sweetheart'

Drew Kohl is a singer-songwriter from Athens, Georgia who now resides in Nashville. Drawing from influences such as The Avett Brothers, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Ryan Adams, Kohl writes an acoustic blend of bluegrass, folk, and country that can be found on his newest EP, Sweetheart. An independent release, Kohl worked alongside friends and musicians at Smoakstack Studio to produce a record of six original songs dealing with the positive and negative aspects of relationships.

“Are You Gonna Be My Friend” feels like an old time bluegrass song on overdrive (that’s a compliment). It’s fast paced fiddle and banjo asks a simple question, “Are you gonna be my lover/Are you gonna be my friend/Are you gonna stand by me until the very end?” Continuing that toe tapping frenzy is “Is It You” and “If I Didn’t Have You” while “Drops of Ink” slows the tempo down, and with that emotive harmonica that gets me very time, compares hurtful words that you can’t take back to the stains of drops of ink.

Mid-tempo “Someone to Let You Down” takes a unique look at the end of a relationship putting forth the fact that you have to go through some tough ones in order to find the one. “Don’t you need someone to let you down/So you can find the one who picks you up?”

The album closes with “A Love Letter.” Its simple production, melody and Kohl’s unique vocals put forth a soothing, positive sentiment. “May you never be away from the things that you love/May your tears be dry when the going gets rough/May you live in peace as you were meant to do and may our souls be free when our bodies are through.”

Kohl has released a bluegrass driven, folksy, twangy, and thoughtful set of songs that you should definitely give a listen.

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