Following prior single “Get Ready,” Toronto singer-songwriter Katie Dauson shares charming new single, “Will You Won’t You.” A master at bringing bygone genres to life, Dauson is inspired here by 1950s rockabilly, and she follows in the footsteps of 1970s revivalists like Blondie and George Thorogood who reimagined the sound. “Will You Won’t You” mixes vintage rockabilly spirit with modern stylings, resulting in a track that feels equally timeless and fresh.
“Will You Won’t You” was produced by James Nickle, and the song’s balance of old and new influences is rooted in careful decision-making in the studio. Dauson recorded the rhythm guitar with a left-handed G&L Comanche in Shoreline Gold; its Z-coil pickups give it a unique tonal character. Dauson also deployed a fuzz pedal to modernize the arrangement and make it grittier. These choices do wonders in making rockabilly feel fresh while maintaining its crucially vintage aesthetic.
“Will You Won’t You” is a gem of a throwback anthem, not completely stuck in the 50s but clearly evocative of that time. The saxophone’s inclusion in the instrumentation drives the song forward, and echoes George Thorogood’s similar innovation decades earlier. On Thorogood, Dauson shares, “I love George Thorogood’s guitar playing, and the fact that he added a saxophone player to his band in 1980. Saxophone is such an important instrument in rock and roll and rockabilly, it really elevated his music.” Dauson crafted “Will You Won’t You” with palpable love and passion, and this homage to Thorogood is one element of a worthy tribute to a forgotten genre.
Never mistaking simplicity for complicity, “Will You Won’t You” is an excellent addition to Dauson’s catalog, and distills her unique blend of inspiration and individuality. Dauson is proud of her influences, but pens a unique track that maintains the charm of the rockabilly pioneers from nearly a century ago. “Will You Won’t You” is a worthy blend of a sound etched in time and the modern punch that makes Katie Dauson’s latest single uniquely hers.
PR: Decent Music PR
