(Laser Brains/Super Canoe) In the first minute of his new album, Same Old Kid, Tedo Stone drops a fairly succinct mission statement for the next half hour: “I don’t wanna feel stuck / I don’t wanna get by / I just wanna feel wasted in your old car.” It’s the first of about 1,000 great hooks on the record, and it feels especially prescient right now; in a moment of isolation and musical slowdown, it’s exciting when new music can remind us of more social times, and Same Old Kid does just that. This is Tedo’s first record since 2018, and it comes chock full of singalongs, party ambience and an army of collaborators. With a pair of Drews (Beskin and Vandenberg) and Matt Martin behind the desk and an expert rhythm section behind him, the arrangements are tighter and leaner than ever before, allowing Tedo and co-writer Beskin’s effortless songwriting to pop. The songs alternate between full-throated grooves and tender, easy-going ballads; this is best seen on the album’s centerpiece of “The Message” and “Shoot the Messenger,” two variations on the same musical and lyrical theme that transform from a solemn drifter into a rollicking plea for honesty and love. If you’re feeling gloomy or nostalgic for brighter, easier days, this is the perfect record to remind you of sweaty shows and tender times.
Like what you just read? Support Flagpole by making a donation today. Every dollar you give helps fund our ongoing mission to provide Athens with quality, independent journalism.
