SONG PREMIERE: Prinz Grizzley Offers Foot-Stompin’ Bluesy Good-Timer “I Keep On Searching”

photo by Pia Pia Pia

If the term foot-stompin’ ever applied to a modern songsmith- it would have to be tagged upon that of Prinz Grizzley. With a throwback juke joint sound that is bluesy AF and a swampy cajun kick in the ass, Prinz Grizzley reverberates with a soulful edge reminiscent of an Alligator Records label act.

From his Austrian Alps forest home, Grizzley is releasing a series of singles leading into 2023. These songs of finding hope, revenge, and eventually serenity will make you look for your own secluded mountain town to settle down in, get drinks with friends and maybe even start a family.

Chris Comper doesn’t overthink it when it comes to changing up genres in the music he releases via his alter ego Prinz Grizzley. “It’s all about the songs,” the Austrian musician explains. “I like writing songs. It’s just which dress you put on them. If it works on acoustic guitar, it’s a good song, and if it doesn’t work on acoustic guitar, it’s a shit song. And then when you go into production, if there’s a synthesizer or pedal steel, if the song asks for it, give it to him.”

It’s an ethos that’s served Comper well throughout his career, which included indie-rock success with his band Golden Reef and a brief foray into synth-pop. As Prinz Grizzley, he veered into the Americana lane with two critically-acclaimed albums that lead to playing festivals around the world, recording with Erin Rae, and sharing bills with folks like Yola, Tyler Childers, Molly Tuttle, Charley Crockett, and many more.

His new original singles, “I Keep On Searching” and “Payback Day (I’ll Give No Warning),” barrel ahead with bluesy abandon. Coupled with a doleful take on the CCR classic “Proud Mary,” the songs represent another new direction taken by Comper, albeit with the same authenticity in place.

“The most honest music I’ve made,” Comper says to sum up what separates his Prinz Grizzley output from past records. “I’m not interested in ‘What’s the single?’ I don’t care. It’s just that’s my record, do with it what you want. I’m glad it’s turned out this way.”

Glide is premiering the throw-back bluesy romp of “I Keep On Searching” that howls, screeches and keeps company with the best of blues past and present.

“I Keep On Searching” is a pretty straightforward 12-bar blues song. Beat-wise, I always treated it as just a blues song till I stumbled over “Nothin but the Blues” by Lightnin Hopkins. That song has an awesome drum beat. I thought why not try to infuse my song with a four-on-the-floor drum beat! And boom, there it was, the missing link to “I Keep on Searching.” I kept the lyrics to this song as simple as possible. I wanted to showcase the uncertain feeling of having hope and not having hope at all in a few lines and moments! Like in everyday life, hope is sometimes just the turning of a switch! On, Off, On, Off and so on.”

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