Video: Christian Lee Hutson, ‘Northsiders’

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Christian Lee Hutson (Photo by Gus Black)
Christian Lee Hutson (Photo by Gus Black)

Christian Lee Hutson writes quiet songs that speak volumes. Long respected in songwriter circles, Hutson possesses the kind of understated genius that often get drowned out in the noise of Los Angeles. In the past few years, he has released two now-hard-to-find albums on Trailer Fire Records, performed room-quieting support sets and played in other artists’ bands. Most recently, he played with (and opened for) the Conor Oberst-Phoebe Bridgers project Better Community Oblivion Center. It was easy to see why Bridgers is a supporter, and Hutson, after all, was a co-writer on two Better Oblivion songs and one on the Boygenius EP.

It is Bridgers who produced Hutson’s new album — an as-yet-untitled affair that is Bridgers’ first foray into production. The album was engineered and mixed by Joseph Lorge (Blake Mills, Perfume Genius) and features Nate Walcott (Bright Eyes, among others).

“Northsiders,” with its doubled vocals and droll lyrics, is the first warm-and-fuzzy from the album. Its splendor is in its lack of adornments. Take it to a secluded place and cuddle with it.

||| Watch: The video for “Northsiders”

||| Live: Christian Lee Hutson opens for Okkervil River on June 29 at the Troubadour. Tickets.