Fresh Tracks: Bob Wagner “Sad and Lonesome”

Bob Wagner has long been a staple in the greater Burlington music community. I first saw him with Kat Wright, performing as trio and his style, his voice on guitar and vocal immediately resonated with me. Wagner recently announced his debut album “I’ve Been Down” will be releasing early this summer on June 5th.

The first track off that is “Sad and Lonesome”. A tune that rides the line between genre. A melding of vibes and sonic palettes new and all its own. Country songwriter meets psychedelic jazz rock.  A funky soul, with a cowboy croon and deeply heartfelt groove that is infectious. Wagner’s gruff, yet soothing, vocal is so calmy cool and beautifully captivating. Confident, with something bubbling below the surface. And its no holds barred when it comes to allowing the influence of jazzy jam infusion to seep its way into the songs pores. And when the 4 minutes and 20 seconds is over, it leaves you wanting more.

Be sure to pre-order and save the release today.

“A pretty regular thing that happens at shows is I end up doing a song or two on lead during the night,” Wagner says. “After the gigs, people were always coming up to me asking where they could see my band.”

For years, the answer remained the same. Wagner had considered launching his own project prior to joining Wright’s band — but once he settled into that musical family, his path shifted.

“I fell in love with this amazing project where I get to help write music and shape the sound of the band,” he says. “It was a place where I could be really creative — and even do my own thing — in a collaborative way.”

Eventually, though, songs accumulated, and he felt it was time to step out on his own.

“It just became time to record these songs, on my own and on my own terms — to grow as a musician and learn by doing,” he says.