Grey Reverend, AKA Brooklyn’s LD Brown, is a modern day bluesman. That alone should make him notable, the music world being in danger of losing one of its greatest, most expressive genres to a lack of emerging talent. Grey Reverend is notable full stop however – his raw, simple, beautiful music is utterly, heartstoppingly arresting.

Everlasting is his first single since The Cinematic Orchestra’s Motion Audio imprint released his debut album in 2010, and comes fresh off the back of his vaunted collaboration with Bonobo, "First Fires". This extended player, which features four new songs, announces his forthcoming sophomore album for Motion. LD produced the songs himself, playing percussive elements, keys and a homemade melotron as well as his signature rhythmic, raw guitar 

The title song’s teasing, nostalgic melody winds through LD’s vocal observations and musings to startling effect. He immersed himself in experimental guitar luminaries from the Velvet Underground to Labi Siffre whilst writing and recording, and those influences emerge in the form of Grey Reverend's ability to hypnotise the ear. 

Lament’s raw, plucked melody is hugely powerful, LD’s yearning vocal virtually demanding description as spine tingling. ‘Nightingale,’ a tribute to Elliott Smith’s tortured, raging brilliance, echoes the late songwriter’s own bittersweet melodic genius and unflinching lyrics. ‘When You’re a Rose’ (revisited) closes this miniature collection with a sun-infused blues that teases out into a foot stomping, infectious joy of a song.

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