When a genuine old soul inhabits a voice it conveys genuine emotion and a lived-in rawness to the sound of a song. That was what struck us when we heard this version of  ‘House Of The Rising Sun’ by Swedish gothic folk and blues musician Old Kerry McKee.

McKee has a history in punk and metal and you can hear that in the way he approaches a song like this, even though it’s stripped back to its raw essence. He imbues it with frantic energy and expose nerve endings, flayed and frazzled. His playing is impressive – percussive and full of downhill momentum. It’s the voice that seals the deal though, damaged and worn, bent and misshapen, it blends perfectly with his playing and paints a sense of desperation throughout the song.

For fans of Wovenhand, Lift To Experience, raw acoustic blues.

McKee is recording his new LP this month. Stay tuned for more new music.