Artist or Band Name
Nick Carver
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In his return, Nick Carver has stripped back his sound, whilst amplifying its weight. On ‘Stones You Throw’ (Out September 11), Carver returns with a gritty and bluesy reflection on the tendency to judge without knowing someone’s story. The single also comes with the announcement of his EP, which will be released in November.
With his band Nick Carver and the Mean Street Butchers, Carver released two highly praised albums, ‘The River’ and ‘Animals’; performed at festivals including NYE on the Hill and Folk Rhythm & Life Festival; and shared stages with Ash Grunwald, Custard, The Fauves and The Tea Party.
On ‘Stones You Throw’, Carver strips away the familiarity and security of a full band, leaving himself sonically exposed yet empowered, embracing his imperfections as he is unapologetically himself.
Opening with stomping percussion, ‘Stones You Throw’ is an unbothered, gritty blues-country track underpinned by Carver’s unapologetic hard-yakka confidence. His gravelly, defiant vocals are surrounded by the tough bluesy twang of his overdriven acoustic guitar and slide, while the tambourine and stomp box give the track its raw, foot-to-the-floor pulse. Carver deliberately leaves space for imperfection, utilising it as a creative tool.
'Stones You Throw’ challenges and critiques the ease in which we judge people without understanding them and their story. The song becomes a reflection on reclaiming your own narrative and discovering who you are, not who everyone decides you are. As Nick Carver discusses:
"Stones You Throw is the only song on the EP that isn't told from my own perspective. Instead, it imagines the story of someone else's life…. this guy from where I'm from, the town drunk, the weirdo, the ex-junkie - the bloke everyone knew but nobody really knew. What was his story before everyone decided who he was? And if he's gone, does that make me the town weirdo now? Those questions became the heart of this song, a reminder that it's easy to throw stones at someone without ever understanding how they got there.”
Carver's accompanying music video builds on this theme, as he intentionally reveals the craft behind his work and shows that all he needs is himself, his swaggering vocals and his guitar. The music video embodies his identity as an artist, with workwear, boots, a trucker hat and edgy coloured glasses, reflecting the same gritty, unpolished and bold style found in his music.
Carver knows who he is, and ‘Stones You Throw’ proves it. Driven by pure conviction, the track conveys the confidence of an artist who won’t allow anyone else to define him or break him.
Nick Carver's new single ‘Stones You Throw’ is out on September 11.
