ORVILLE PECK 'Pony'

Toronto’s ORVILLE PECK is country music’s latest outlaw, and 'Pony' is his debut. His handmade, fringed masks obscure most of his features aside from his ice-blue eyes, this mysterious persona standing in clear odds to his deeply personal lyrics. A flamboyant update on the traditional western songwriter, PECK has clearly studied the classics - his rich voice drifting between an Elvis-like quaver and heavenly Roy Orbinson-esque vamps. His songwriting is inspired by Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Townes Van Zandt, and Gram Parsons. As a touring musician who has lived on three continents, the nomadic and solitary lifestyle of the cowboy is one that PECK embraces fully, including the characters he meets along the way. “Dead of Night” begins with ominous steel guitar, his voice reaching falsetto heights. “Queen of the Rodeo” is reverberating twang and drums alike, “Big Sky” features ghostly backing vocals over finger-picked acoustic guitar. “True country music is not about instrumentation, it’s not about the color of your skin, and it’s not about your sexual orientation,” says PECK. “It’s about the crossroads of drama, storytelling, and sincerity.” Beyond the theatrical flourishes, it is the sincerity of 'Pony' that makes it a compelling initial listen, and a rewarding record to return to.