DoublePlusGood – Honest Man

Labels:SoHiTek Records
Number of Tracks:1
Total Time:00:03:26
From the Album:Honest Man
Formats:College,Non-Commercial,NPR
Available Date & Time: Aug 15 2019 15:00:00 EDT
Impact Date: Aug 15 2019 00:00:00

Bio
 

On DoublePlusGood’s forthcoming full length Who's Your Man, singer-songwriter Erik Carlson openly addresses his sexuality for the first time. He confidently shares stories of gay men yearning for romance and connection in the exuberant tone of classic radio balladry – taking cues from both Elvis and Morrissey. Carlson leans into the golden age of pop, trading the heavy synth landscapes of his past work for a live-recording with a full band. For many queer people, music from the 1950's era remain stagnant – relics from a time when their stories weren’t allowed to be told. “Growing up, this was the only music my parents would let me listen to – I wasn't allowed to listen to top 40 hits! While I loved all the melodies of this era, I realized as an adult how narrow the perspective was” Carlson explains. By exploring this narrative through a seemingly contradictory style, a place for the LGBTQ community is created that never existed before in iconic American love songs.
 

This feeling of imbalance from the perspective of the queer community is proliferated in many ways in Who's Your Man. The first single from the record, "Honest Man”, portrays a gay man trying to salvage a loveless relationship with a woman. It optimistically suggests that having the veneer of an "acceptable" romance will eliminate self loathing. Through the records vintage yet queer lens, the song explores the inner struggle of those who would pursue heterosexual relationships to mask their true nature.
 

Carlson himself has a long history in the Portland, OR art and music scene. He started and directed SoHiTek, a gallery and record label, releasing music by local bands such as Hosannas and Fanno Creek while curating over 40 visual art shows. He simultaneously helped to found and serve as Director of Education for the non-profit art space, S1. Not only is he known for being a passionate supporter of local music and community, he is also a music teacher. In an effort to expand his means to educate, he has teamed up with other local musicians to start a regular queer music showcase that donates profits to Q Center, the Pacific Northwests largest non-profit which supports the LGBTQ community.  
 

With a voice that recalls Roy Orbison’s tenor and the jukebox noir of Marlon Williams, DoublePlusGood blazes and croons through a vibrant suite of songs that is both familiar and haunting. As he explores being queer via the sounds of the golden age of rock & roll, Carlson shines a light on the hypocrisy of the past. He confidently claims the romantic tensions of young love all while managing to stay true to the effervescence of the music he loves.  
 

Praise For DoublePlusGood

"As an entire vision… the song is hypnotizing; you’ll find yourself in a subconscious trance-like state"

– Cervante Pop, Owl Magazine
 

"Love Song Perfection…DoublePlusGood has done the music world right with this one, that's for sure. If you don't mind, we'd like to keep it in our back pocket"

-Meredith Schneider, Impose magazine

Upcoming Tour Dates

August 15th – Seattle, Washington – Sunset Tavern

August 18th – Eugene, Or – Luckey's Cigar Club

August 19th – Redding, CA – The Dip

August 20th – San Francisco, CA – Hotel Utah

August 21st – Sacramento, CA – The Torch Club

August 22nd – Santa Cruz, CA – Poet and the Patriot

August 27th – Phoenix, AZ – The Lost Leaf

August 28th – Los Angeles, CA – Harvard and Stone

August 30th – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge

 

CONTACT:

Erik Carlson

Leave a Reply

powered by radioinfo.com