This week’s Froth Monkey local artist of the week is Gyasi with “23!” It’s the title track of his new EP, and you can hear it all week long on here on Lightning 100.
Gyasi was raised in West Virginia, where his parents bought him a guitar from the local flea market. At the ripe age of six, he began learning how to play; on “23,” he shreds. His ripping guitar solo jolts the listener, adding a bit of overdrive to the eerie arrangement. Gyasi’s voice commands the track as much as his guitar. He sings with an authoritative yet playful tone, reminiscent of Mick Jagger on “Sympathy for the Devil.”
As a performer, however, Gyasi is much more Bowie than Jagger. Benzine Magazine described him perfectly: “It’s as if Ziggy, instead of landing in London, had made a small mistake in trajectory and had ended up in the south of the USA, and had therefore played the blues.” This shines in the “Lai Lai Lai Lai” outro of “23,” which adds a breath of cheerfulness atop the moody textures embedded in the rest of the song.
Gyasi is playing in Tennessee on November 3rd and December 1st. Be sure to see him live for an electrifying night that is equal parts artistry and showmanship. In the meantime, you can check out “23” below.
Tune in to 100.1 FM and lightning100.com all week to hear “23” by Gyasi, our Local Artist of the Week!
