Nashville indie/alt songwriter J Duran has shared his new single “Sweet Tooth,” a spitefully hopeful track that captures a feeling of doom & gloom while wearing a coat of optimism. It marks Duran’s first release of 2024 and will be featured on his forthcoming debut album Introspect, produced by Cage the Elephant guitarist Brad Shultz.
“Shit kinda sucks, but there’s something better than this,” says Duran on the inspiration for the song. “I aimed to build and channel that sentiment into the guitar solo. I was listening to as well as exploring a variety of music around that time – Talking Heads, Herbie Hancock, Grateful Dead, as well as others. I think subconsciously the vocal melody in the bridge was inspired by Jerry and Bob’s melodic harmonies.”
On his debut album, Introspect (out spring 2024 via Gold’n Retriever Entertainment), J Duran blends classically catchy songwriting with an indie sound that varies from Beach House to Wilco to Vampire Weekend. Across an expansive and introspective (hence the title) nine songs, the album’s polish and songwriting prowess stretches far beyond what one would expect from a young artist’s solo debut. The sound of experience is no surprise for those who know the self-described introvert’s history though, as he penned his first songs at the age of 13 while growing up near Nashville before spending years touring with punk and garage rock bands. That time working with various other musicians led to a friendship with Brad Shultz, who ultimately asked to produce Introspect alongside engineer Jeremy Ferguson.
“J’s ability to seamlessly blend genres, along with his lyrical depth and pop sensibility, is what makes him one of my favorite up-and-coming songwriters,” says Schultz on working with Duran.
That production dream team combined with J Duran’s natural songwriting ability brought about an unmissable first release introduced with its lead single, “Can’t Get High Enough” — a perfect example of putting memorable lyrics to emotions that friends, fans, and a general audience can all relate to alike.
What do you think J Duran’s newest single “Sweet Tooth”?
