Kendrik Baker’s Struck knows no bounds. This song writer and singer has this innate ability to mold himself into just about any genre he feels like at a moment’s notice. His latest single Struck has a classic pop sound to it with an authentic, down to earth and undeniable southern charm. It’s a real delight to listen to, and hooks the listener in with its simple yet engaging music and story.
The music is your standard country song fare, fully equipped with acoustic guitars, slide guitars. Kendrik Baker’s got a bit of a country twang to his voice, and he sounds fantastic.
From a distance, this feels like a well-crafted country ballad, soulful and delicate when necessary, brighter and more passionate as the hook appears and the instrumentation reaches a well-matched peak and fullness. The whole thing works beautifully as its melody pours through, that heartbreak shows in everything from the lyrics to the chord progression to the performance, yet there’s also an easy to appreciate sense of optimism and warmth that prevents the track from being overly melancholy.
Though the subject matter and the way it’s presented is likely to draw a feeling of sadness from most, particularly those who’ve lost a loved one – maybe even a horse of their own – there’s also a touch of gratitude and hope to the way the concept is laid out. This idea of there being more, of the horse carrying the wind up in heaven, is a deeply poetic and comforting one.
Struck has an indescribable yet familiar vibe to it that’s present from its opening notes all the way to the very end of this nearly four minute long track. Kendrik Baker drives with a careful balance between heartache and acceptance, and this shines brightly in the music and in the lyrics. His vocal tone does steer the song in a more personal and subsequently poignant direction, but that balance with the brightness of the music does a grand job of keeping the mood positive and reminiscent of happier times.
Where many country or pop songs take to vague and impersonal topics just to offer a catchy tune, Kendrik Baker has written from a place of genuine truth and experience, and this makes his writing and his performance connect in a much more profound fashion.
