Adam Newling premieres 'Half Cut and Dangerous' EP

Singer-songwriter Adam Newling continues to impress on latest EP Half Cut and Dangerous, a raw and introspective exploration of heartbreak and triumph, with features from Ruby Fields and Skegss‘ Benny Reed.

Backing up the release of singles ‘Leather Face‘, ‘Singing Blackbird‘ and the monumental ‘Sweetness‘ the eight-track EP is a collection of tender alt-country melodies stamped with Newling’s signature raw poetic lyricism. The second solo offering from the folk crooner, Half Cut and Dangerous navigates themes of heartbreak and triumph with a bittersweet nostalgia.

Having cut his teeth writing and performing with other bands, Newling made his impressive solo debut last year with Occupational Anxiety, a raw guttural expression of Newling’s inner turmoils; its follow-up again showcases Newling’s remarkable ability to bring forth heavy subjects with an earnestly soft approach.

With his signature soft crackly growl, he delivers impassioned lines about love and life, both the good and bad times. “These songs explore the many sides of my mind and personality, the light and the dark,” Newling said about the EP. “Sonically I just make the music that I feel like I’d want to hear and lyrically I will always write about whatever is on my liver.”

It’s the overarching sense of authenticity that makes these songs work so well. On ‘Beggar’s Prayer’, a harmonica and lazy electric guitar provide a warm backdrop for the darker lyricism. “I’ve wasted so much in the smoke / and I’ve lied to myself when I said on the shelf / is where my bad habits belong,” Newling sighs.

The unexpected but welcome inclusion of a flute solo on ‘War Cloud’ (co-written with Skegss‘ Benny Reed) provides a calming interlude to Newling’s soulful crooning: “Strong man silver hand bullets on the tip of his tongue / Spitting at the world again trying to make sense of it all / Keeps his poems in his chest, protect his beating heart from getting shot / He’s from a different life with different words speaking to a different kind.”

Ruby Fields contributes angelic vocals elsewhere: her sweet harmonies with Keva Wilson (keys) make the perfect complement to Newling’s gravelly drawl where needed. The highlight is the final track ‘Southern Comfort’, which Newling wrote with the aforementioned Benny Reed.

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If you want to catch Newling play the new EP live, his Half Cut and Dangerous tour kicks off next week, visiting Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane (tickets on sale here). You can also catch him supporting Amy Shark around regional NSW in July.

Adam Newling’s Half Cut and Dangerous is out now on all digital platforms.