GYASI - SONGS FROM THE HOLLER - Alive Natural Sound Records 2026

GYASI

Alive Naturalsound Records

 

Gyasi-guitar,vocals,feet / Dylan Whitlow - harmonica / Jimmy Froglegs - percussion

 

In high school Gyasi was beaten up regularly.He shaved his head to try to fit in, but grew it out again when he was 16, finding solace in the guitar. 

“I started to find that my only defence was music,” he says. “When I could play guitar, the people that were about to beat me up, they’re like: ‘Hey, you play guitar pretty good. Can you show me how you do it?’” 

Introducing Nashville glam rocker Gyasi: "People tell me I’ve made them feel less alone" | Louder

 

 

 

                                   He was raised in a "holler" in West Virginia where his bohemian family farmed using old school techniques, ploughing fields with a mule.His evenings were spent listening to old blues records and watching Charlie Chaplin and Marx Brothers films. The musical influences from his father's blues records and neighbors' collections of artists like Bob Dylan, Lou Reed, and David Bowie shaped not only his life but also his later musical career as a neo-glam, hard-rock, and alternative rock artist.

                             

                           My curiosity fired on all cylinders when the CD arrived at my home, prompting a rocket-launch stage dive into the life and career of Gyasi (pronounced Jah-see). Sure, here was another artist going back to his roots, celebrating the music he first encountered as a child, recording a vibrant and quirky folk-blues album, "Songs From The Holler," that cries out for our attention.  What I had not anticipated, and what absolutely thunderstruck and gob smacked me, was that Gyasi is a world-renowned guitarist—admired, respected, and in-demand—heavily inspired by Marc Bolan and T. Rex, Ziggy Stardust, David Bowie, Roxy Music, Slade, The New York Dolls, and many others. Gyasi is also the lead guitarist on the highly acclaimed Alice Cooper reunion album, "The Revenge of Alice Cooper". From a small West Virginia town comes an artist known for ripping guitar work, heavy amplifiers, and glitter outfits. I urge everyone to check out his numerous live feeds on YouTube which I did with irrepressible curiosity and a hypnotic fascination. Gyasi - glam rock guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter—continues to mirror the essence of David Bowie's chameleon quality, blending multiple styles into something fresh, exciting, yet eerily familiar. That brings us to the flipside of his career: his latest album "Songs From The Holler," which takes a deep dive into the history of traditional blues and folk music—an unusual, surprising musical journey for someone known for glam rock.

 

Gyasi says of the new record, 'This album is a collection of songs I heard or wrote while growing up in a holler near Hinton, West Virginia. My love of rock and roll, like so many before me, led me back to early blues and folk music, where I discovered a world that resonated deeply with me. There's a mysterious beauty in those records that never fades, no matter how often I listen. I wanted to become part of that folk tradition, so I returned to West Virginia and set up two microphones, and what you hear is the result. Some of these songs are very well known, while others are so obscure that I've only ever heard them on one of my dad's old 78s. They are all a part of my journey in music.'

'This is dedicated to the teachers who were kind enough to play with me when I was just a boy and would say, as John Cephas did, 'Listen to me do it.' It's also for my parents, who played 78 records for me long before I realized just how lucky I was. For Uncle David Blanchard, John Jackson, John Cephas, JW Glasker, Augusta Blues Week, Hubert Sumlin, Woody Mann, Jimmy Duck Holmes, Robert Johnson, Lightnin' Hopkins, and this old mountain that taught me to listen.'    Gyasi to Release Deep-Blues Album SONGS FROM THE HOLLER | BroadwayWorld

​

​

Appalachian folk traditions were shaped by Ulster-Scots, Scotch-Irish, English, and German settlers, and enriched by African American blues, gospel, and bluegrass influences. Gyasi has come back to his roots, taking those Appalachian folk traditions that were such an important part of his upbringing and recording them in a way that preserves their unpolished, heartfelt character. Nearly captured in the wild with just two microphones, this gives the recording a natural, unprocessed sound, honoring the origins of the music while allowing it to breathe and adapt. Much like Gyasi himself- and his approach to music in general-older ballads and work songs have been passed down, with each generation adding new voices and styles. "Songs From The Holler" is authentic and deeply personal; Gyasi's approach to the music mirrors the oral, community-based nature of holler music, where performance is as much about presence and feeling as about technical perfection. Mixing familiar classics and forgotten gems with four original compositions "Songs From The Holler" is certainly musically surprising and unconventional—an unexpected, artful departure from Gyasi's usual style, and a genuine blues/folk album with so many interesting and eye-opening twists and turns.

 

                                        "Songs From The Holler" was recorded on a little 4-track tape machine, the first recorder that Gyasi got at the age of 13. With two microphones and his guitars these recordings held a lot of improvisation and every take was different. He tried to relax and do a take that felt natural from beginning to end. There is one song on the album where something got knocked off a table and you can hear it hit the floor. On the song "Clog Dance," while Gyasi is "clogging," you can hear glasses rattling in the house. It was important for him to capture what was naturally happening in the room.

                             

                                          From the early blues of Robert Johnson and Lightnin' Hopkins to the solitary mountains of Gyasi's childhood "Songs From The Holler" takes us all on a journey through time and place. A direct link to West Virginia's mountain soul—rugged, heartfelt, deeply human, resilient, and independent-the album finds Gyasi embracing the humble sounds of home, inviting us all to join him in the rugged hills of his West Virginia "holler". Gyasi's tasteful guitar work and his genuine connection to this music gift his fans, blues fans, and music fans worldwide with an intimate, unpolished, and authentic recording that is certainly stunning and spectacular. Offering up a fresh, unexpected side and a bold artistic choice, "Songs From The Holler" should bring even greater, and well-deserved recognition to Gyasi, a defiantly original artist who never ceases to surprise and amaze us. This highly enjoyable and enthralling collection totally surprised me, and I played these songs over and over again. A treasure trove of musical nuggets unearthed and rediscovered, a fascinating musical bounty just waiting to be explored, shared, and enjoyed. Simply outstanding!!

 

A very Kool record that kicks the status quo squarely in the ass!!

 

                        Review written by John Muller - Blue Notes and Conversations - raymondmuller567.wixsite.com/blue-notes-and-con-1