“That Low and Lonesome Sound” – Garrett Kato

I’d hoped with the unseasonally warm weather we’ve been experiencing, I might have seen the last of the colds that have plagued me this winter. However, it seems there was one left in the season, as I’m sitting here congested, achy, and generally feeling miserable. When I feel this way, I look for the musical equivalent of chicken soup. Something nourishing, soothing, and mellow. I found just what I was looking for in That Low and Lonesome Sound, the latest album from Garrett Kato.

Garrett was born in Canada, but he relocated to Byron Bay when he was 23 so I think we can officially claim him as our own now. That’s a good thing too, because his album is one of those ones I really want to write about.

It couldn’t help but note similarities between the music Garrett makes and that of his current touring mate and fellow Byron resident Pete Murray. Perhaps there’s something in the water, because both artists have a similar low-key grooviness about them, and husky, hypnotic vocals. Garrett seems a little more willing to play with genre though, which I find really exciting. I loved the psychedelic touch in “Trouble Will Find Me,” and the folky stillness of “Arkansas.” The intimacy of “More Than Love” really struck me. The closing track “I Wonder Why,” a poignant duet, was the cherry on top of a stunning album.

I listened to That Low and Lonesome Sound in my lounge room, but I really want to take it outside my home and whack it on my car stereo. It feels like the perfect driving soundtrack, a collection of songs that are mellow, organic, with driving drum beats designed to get you to your destination.

That Low and Lonesome Sound
is available now. You can see Garrett Kato supporting Pete Murray at venues all around Australia through October, November, and December.

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