B-Side Guys

Nashville’s musical identity has long transcended its country music reputation, and Plaid Forest’s debut single “Stolen” stands as compelling evidence of the city’s expanding sonic landscape. The brotherly duo of Drew and Christian Hall, alongside collaborator Taylor Sullivan, have crafted a track that defies easy categorization—inhabiting the fertile territory where alternative rock meets jazz complexity.

Recorded in a fully analog Nashville studio, “Stolen” demonstrates a commitment to sonic authenticity that extends beyond mere vintage fetishism. The production captures instrumental textures with remarkable dimension—particularly in how the guitar tones occupy physical space rather than simply existing as processed signals. This approach creates a living document of performance rather than a digital construction, allowing the natural interplay between musicians to breathe through the arrangement.

What immediately distinguishes the track is its structural adventurousness. Rather than relying on predictable verse-chorus formulas, “Stolen” moves through distinct movements that reflect the band’s diverse musical backgrounds. Sullivan’s hardcore metal history emerges in moments of controlled intensity, while Drew Hall’s jazz influences manifest in chord voicings that add harmonic sophistication to what might otherwise be straightforward rock progressions. Christian’s progressive rock sensibilities inform the song’s dynamic architecture—creating dramatic shifts that never feel arbitrary.

This jazz-rock hybrid achieves something increasingly rare in contemporary alternative music: genuine surprise. Just when a section seems to establish familiar territory, the composition pivots toward unexpected resolution, creating the musical equivalent of completing a sentence differently than the listener anticipated. These moments reflect the band’s decade-long collaborative history—a shorthand communication that allows for musical risk-taking that never feels self-indulgent.

The analog recording approach serves the material perfectly, capturing both instrumental clarity and the crucial negative space between notes. Unlike digital perfection, this recording method preserves performance artifacts—subtle rhythmic fluctuations and tonal variations that create engaging human texture throughout the track.

As the first offering from their forthcoming self-titled EP, “Stolen” positions Plaid Forest as musical cartographers mapping uncharted territory between established genres. For a city built on musical tradition, the trio represents Nashville’s evolving identity—honoring craftsmanship while refusing to be constrained by formula. The upcoming vinyl pressing feels less like nostalgic indulgence and more like the appropriate physical vessel for music that exists in three dimensions rather than compressed digital approximation.