On Nov. 16, Detroit-based indie-folk musician Shepard Tone released his first single “Sunset Lover.”

Shepard Tone’s sound is described as being inspired by both The Beatles and The Head and the Heart. The music conveys a sense of nostalgia for simpler times, which is exactly the vibe singer-songwriter Brad Rude is going for. According to his press release, the song “has that certain bittersweet feeling I’d like to portray in my art.”

Shepard Tone’s music pays homage to summers in Michigan, where Rude grew up.

As stated on his website, Rude started out studying music at Berklee College of Music before heading back to making music in Detroit. A singer-songwriter since the age of 12 and a current member of The Social Bandits (also based in Detroit), he is now embarking on his current solo project, Shepard Tone.

The first song Rude has released as Shepard Tone, “Sunset Lover” is a song that is both smooth and dreamy. Capturing the essence of an adventure-filled summer romance, the song is a good one to play when studying for finals or chilling with friends.

With its acoustic guitar, tambourine, drums and backup vocals, the song’s layered sounds give the song depth. The lyrics are well-crafted and fit the indie-folk feel of the song. Rude sings about the “Sunset Lover,” a girl who mesmerizes him. The song opens with “She’s a sunset lover/She’s a moonlit summer dream/She’s a world to discover/And I’m chasing her meteor stream,” creating an ethereal atmosphere. His soulful, clear singing gives the song a more emotional side, appropriate for the bittersweet feeling Shepard Tone attempts to-and succeeds at capturing.

With a simple and beautiful chorus, “Sunset Lover” easily becomes catchy. Rude sings “And I’ll watch her go/And I’ll watch her go/And I’ll watch her go/But I’m not ready/I ain’t leaving your side,” further conveying how he feels about the girl. While catchy, he also gives the song a sadder feeling, but also shows the dedication he feels toward her.  

Shepard Tone will begin taking music to the stage in early 2018, as well as releasing a new single in January. Rude also says he plans on releasing multiple other singles and an EP by the summer of 2018. With such a catchy, well made first single, expect the rest of the EP and the live shows to be just as good.

Listeners can currently download “Sunset Lover” for free from Shepard Tone’s website and iTunes. It can also be streamed on Spotify, YouTube and Apple Music.