Premiere: Singer-Songwriter Oliver Myles Mashburn Releases Brooding Folk Single ‘Red Moon’ With Debut Album To Follow

Hudson, New York, based singer-songwriter Oliver Myles Mashburn explores themes of existential turmoil in his September single “Ten White Horses” and his newest single, “Red Moon,” which dropped today, November 9th.

Mashburn’s debut single, “Ten White Horses,” is a gritty and intimate country folk-rock ode to leaving his hometown of NYC. His twangy acoustic guitar snarls, his smoky soulful vocals command the mix, and the steady percussion gives the tune an irresistible driving force. The occasional droning of a fuzzed-out electric guitar and a dirty slide guitar solo towards the end of the track give it an unmistakable edge. 

Mashburn’s second and newest single, “Red Moon,” was written in the winter of 2020 during the pandemic, and explores themes of alienation, isolation, and depression- in other words, some of the most prevalent feelings felt throughout that time. About the song, Mashburn notes, “The lyrics are essentially a series of images that evoke a bleak and disturbing frame of mind, something I think lots of us were experiencing around then.” 

The song’s sound brilliantly reflects the frigid and somber atmosphere in which it was written. With its stripped down arrangement and intimate production, the track feels ghostly and haunting. Mashburn’s raspy, smoky voice and folky fingerpicking reveal his vulnerability and emotional depth as a songwriter. 

With help from producer Jannek Zechner (Tony Visconti, David Bowie) and Clemens Grassmann on drums, the songs are both set to appear on Mashburn’s debut album, Jaws Of Oblivion, set for release on December 10th. 

Mashburn started playing guitar as a young teenager in NYC, influenced by the local punk rock scene and mid-century blues musicians like Muddy Waters and R.L. Burnside, as well as the rockabilly twang of Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash. Cutting his teeth in various bands throughout his school years, he went on to found and front the Brooklyn-based rock n’ roll band Swanky Tiger in 2014, with whom he has two releases, Empires (2015) and Mechanical Nightmares (2017). 

Mashburn will be playing tonight at Pete’s Candy Store in Brooklyn, New York.