Just 17 years old, Tristan Roberson already demonstrates the sort of songwriting grit and stylistic fearlessness most artists spend decades chasing. The title track to his new debut album, "One Night in Dallas," shows that country’s future is in good hands, though it indeed is it’s got a little swagger, a lot of soul, and a whole lot of stories to tell in "One Night in Dallas," song.
From the start, “One Night in Dallas” establishes the tone for the 11-track project, and Roberson’s multi-instrumental chops and keen storytelling take center stage. It’s got all the elements of a classic country story, love, loss, and a place you never can quite stop thinking about, but Tristan isn’t interested in just going for the safe or predictable. The song bops from toe-tapping groove to emotionally tinted vocal, intertwining bluesy guitar licks with the bounce of modern country hooks.
The song is warm as a whiskey drink on a Texas night, a bittersweet and impossible to shake. Tristan has that vocal range, that’s all there is to it. He sings with a simultaneously rough and raw voice, but also plays most of the instruments on Almost, acoustic strums and electric riffs, piano runs, and driving drumbeats. That sort of creative authority lends One Night in Dallas a warm, fleshed-out feel, like a road trip through the center of the country-music world, with stops for blues, folk, and Southern rock.
The balance stands out most about “One Night in Dallas”. It sings to Tristan’s gift for wrapping heartbreak in a melody that still wants you to sing. He’s establishing one of his own. With this debut, Tristan Roberson introduces himself and makes a promise. Country music is not done changing, and neither is he.
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