Born and raised in rural western North Carolina, singer/songwriter Isaiah Breedlove has been telling stories through song since before he could drive an automobile. “Probably the first fifty of them were terrible,” he says, though his friends and family always supported his efforts. From Sunday singings where the flame was lit to the innumerable dive bars, lunch counters, sidewalks, and festivals now under his belt, Breedlove is a seasoned writer and performer. In a country music world full of plastic and glitter, Breedlove is the real deal diamond in the rough that will give you hope for the future of the genre.
Isaiah Breedlove mixes folk tropes with murky tones to create an anthem for the commoner. “Existential Ache” ” is a minimal, twangy tune with vibrant songwriting. Breedlove’s honesty is palpable; he writes with an authenticity that jumps out of the speakers and morphs into something we can all relate to. The eerie tones of this single are accented by elegant guitar melodies, a sonic juxtaposition that gets more enticing with every listen. “Existential Ache” is bluesy, folksy, and a stunning display of Breedlove’s artistry. By expressing himself, he creates tiny universes of sonic bliss that welcomes everyone with warm tones and gritty musicianship.
“This is a blues for the working class. I am the working-class son of a working-class son of a sharecropper,” explains Breedlove. “If I ever wrote a protest song, this is it.”
