Dan Sartain: An Old-Fashioned Kind Of Cool

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Dan Sartain's "Walk Among the Cobras IV" channels deep hurt into a dark but upbeat two-minute release.

Courtesy of the artist

Dan Sartain's "Walk Among the Cobras IV" channels deep hurt into a dark but upbeat two-minute release.

Courtesy of the artist

The last few years have brought a garage-rock resurgence, but while young bands in that vein often amp up the power, young guitarist Dan Sartain takes a different approach. Rather than playing loud and gritty, he channels the raw quality of surf rock that allows sound to wash over the listener in smooth but intense waves. In the process, he creates a full, heavy, forceful style which he then pairs with unapologetic, rough-around-the-edges vocals. It's a notably youthful approach that still radiates a classic, old-fashioned sense of cool.

"Walk Among the Cobras IV" is the most potent track from his latest album, Dan Sartain Lives. The cutting guitar and sharp, abrupt words smack of deception and betrayal, but not a need for revenge. Instead, it reacts to a flood of heartsick emotion by biting down hard in a way that's understandably passive-aggressive, channeling deep hurt into a dark but upbeat two-minute release.