Tennessee native Redferrin originally started out as an aspiring Arenacross rider, before making the switch to music with the release of his debut single, ‘Red In My Last Name’, back in 2021. Since then he’s become one of the most talked about new artists in Nashville, being named the 2024 Amazon Breakthrough Artist To Watch and lining up tours with the likes of Niko Moon and Billy Currington. Now, ahead of his UK debut at C2C next month, he’s releasing his first ever EP, ‘Old No. 7’.
Appropriately, the seven-track project kicks off with ‘Jack And Diet Coke’, an ode to a lost love that very much sets the tone for the next 20 minutes. In his Morgan Wallen-esque drawl, Redferrin half-sings, half-raps the nostalgic lyrics over an acoustic guitar melody and a trap beat. It reminded me a little of some of Sam Hunt’s early work and I liked the smooth, slightly soulful touches in his vocal.
There’s a couple of other influences sprinkled in here too. ‘Lose Her For Nothin” is a twangy, rock-influenced track with sharp beats and a touch of gravel in Redferrin’s vocals, as well as some smart wordplay over a lonesome wailing guitar riff. Elsewhere, the light, bright ‘Miss Summer’ has a poppier feel and tons of details crammed into the lyrics, whilst ‘She’s Like Whiskey’ bounces along with its playful melody and contrasting bittersweet lyrics.
Redferrin definitely has some strong storytelling skills and I liked the twist he puts on things in his writing on this EP, such as taking the intoxication of a romance to the burn of relationships falling apart. For me two of the most interesting songs on the project are ‘Just Like Johnny’ and ‘Doin’ Life’. The former has a dark, sparse feel about, with Redferrin examining his own shortcomings and how it’s led to the demise of a relationship (‘I love living in the flames… baby I don’t think I’ll ever learn’), whilst the latter – an introspective reflection on mental health struggles and facing up to one’s demons – features an acoustic and driving drums before dropping away on the outro. It’s a haunting, slightly unsettling moment and something I’d be keen to see him explore more of in future.
The EP closes with ‘Champagne In The Morning’, a stripped-back, almost cinematic number with Redferrin’s trademark lyrical twists in the chorus and a weighty, atmospheric quality. To me it sums up the project very strongly, blending modern beats with country instrumentation as well as hip-hop influences, and feels like a solid closer as a result.
Overall ‘Old No. 7’ exactly fulfils its purpose of acting as an introduction to Redferrin’s sound and shows why he’s considered one of the hottest artists in Nashville at the moment. If you’re a fan of the likes of Morgan Wallen then this will definitely appeal to you, due to the punchy beats and quick fire, vivid lyrics, and decent vocals to boot. That said, as a whole the EP feels slightly repetitive and I would have liked to see Redferrin be willing to experiment and push things a little more. However, there is plenty of potential here, particularly in terms of his songwriting when he’s willing to delve a little deeper, and I’m intrigued to see where he’s going to go next.
Track listing: 1. Jack And Diet Coke 2. Lose Her For Nothin’ 3. Miss Summer 4. Just Like Johnny 5. Doin’ Life 6. She’s Like Whiskey 7. Champagne In The Morning Record label: Warner Music Nashville Release date: 16th February 2024
