NYC’s Arsun takes us track-by-track through his spirited debut album ‘Babe I Hear Thunder in Your Heart,’ an instant classic in the making whose timeless, sonically and emotionally charged songs establish him as a once-in-a-generation singer/songwriter with the multifaceted musical breadth of Led Zeppelin, the fearlessness of The Rolling Stones, and the storytelling prowess of Bob Dylan.
for fans of Bob Dylan, The Doors, The Grateful Dead
“Babe I Hear Thunder in Your Heart” – Arsun
I’ve always liked the idea of taking a timeless style of music and trying different things with it.
To experience Arsun’s debut album is to embark on a kaleidoscopic musical journey – one that spans multiple styles, sounds, and generations.
Like the city he hails from, the 24-year-old New Yorker contains multitudes – and like the city he hails from, Arsun is unapologetic about being his raw, unadulterated self. Rather than pick a lane, he packs his far-reaching passions and influences into an impressively cohesive, exhilarating, and instantly memorable half hour that hits hard and leaves a lasting mark on all who listen. He’s already been heralded as an artist-to-watch from publications and fellow musicians alike, and for good reason: Folk, rock, blues, psychedelia, and more melt together with glorious results on Babe I Hear Thunder in Your Heart, a soul-stirring introduction that promises to light a fire in your heart and in your soul.
The honesty of beggars,
it sickens the crowd
While love begs for comfort
from this brave new world
So help me to enter
the bright eye just for a while
‘Cause soft nights,
and voices are warm in my mind
Oh white light is beating down on me
How kind that this light shines for me
White light is beating down on me
How kind that this light shines for me
– “White Light,” Arsun
Independently released April 4, 2024, Babe I Hear Thunder in Your Heart is dramatic, dynamic, intrepid, and invigorating: A sonically and emotionally charged fever dream packed with moments of unbridled inner reckoning, self-discovery, longing, connection, and desire. Through just nine songs, Arsun Sorrenti establishes himself as a once-in-a-generation singer/songwriter with the multifaceted musical breadth of Led Zeppelin, the fearlessness of The Rolling Stones, and the candidness and storytelling prowess of Bob Dylan.
In fact, his record – the product of five years’ worth of writing and recording – takes liberally from the classic rock canon, drawing easy comparisons to ’60s and ’70s underground and mainstream legends (Lou Reed and The Doors come to mind, among many others) while standing out on its own musical and lyrical merits.
“These songs especially reflect who I am,” Arsun tells Atwood Magazine. “I’ve always liked the idea of taking a timeless style of music and trying different things with it—making a unique sound that people haven’t heard before even as it’s still focused on working with traditional instruments and song structures.”
“The record consists of songs from many different periods of my life, so there isn’t one specific vision,” he continues. “However, I always knew I wanted my first record to contain a bunch of different styles, which I think I’ve achieved. My music has evolved and changed a lot, so this record showcases the breadth of my style… I think it captures my artistry very well. I’m heavily involved with every aspect of my music, from its conception, its recording, its imagery, even down to its distribution. So I think it’s a pretty good introduction to me in every respect.”
Highlights abound on the journey from the album’s fervent, spirited opener “White Light” to its achingly soulful and emotive closer “Lay Me Down.” In fact, it was shortly after Arsun released “White Light” back in 2018 that Cat Power invited him to partner with her; in the blink of an eye, he was crossing multiple continents as her tour opener and an occasional member of her band. That time spent out on the road playing his songs to thousands proved an unbeatable education, and one that informed Arsun’s recordings as he took what he’d learned from those live shows and put them into practice. Tracks like “On the Dark Water’s Edge” and “Splinter the Evening” – two unmistakable standouts on an album full of energy and visceral passion – find Arsun starting in a softer space, and building his way up to cathartic, all-consuming crescendos. Title track “Babe I Hear Thunder in Your Heart,” from which the album gets its name (for no better reason than that he liked the name), is a jangling, smile-inducing folk rock revelry – the kind of singalong that conjures the spirits of both Dylan and The Grateful Dead as Arsun invites all to join in the fun:
Babe, I hear thunder in your heart
Storm clouds ‘round your eyes
that drive us apart
Babe I hear thunder in your heart
Yes, you try to spit out the truth
But what dribbles down your chin
Ain’t the truth in the end
Its just something you made up my friend
Yes, I’m down at the necklace of the world
I’ve got diamonds, I’ve got pearls
But all I want is my girl
Down at the necklace of the world
For his part, Arsun cites “On the Dark Water’s Edge” and the album’s stirring penultimate track “If You Must Leave” as his two current favorite songs, though he admits it changes all the time. As for lyrics, he cites the main hook of ‘Send Her My Way’ and the lyrics to “If You Must Leave” as some of his proudest lines:
“She held her light right up to me
and said don’t be upset
I’m not the one you’re looking for,
I’m just the one you met
If not for me I promise you,
you’d be lost on what to say
If you must leave then leave me now
I am not afraid”
– “If You Must Leave,” Arsun
Admittedly, it’s hard listening to Babe I Hear Thunder in Your Heart and comprehending that this is a “modern” album.
So much of its DNA lies in so-called “older” styles and “bygone” eras, to the point that you could play the whole record through and easily believe it to be some long-lost relic from the ’60s or ’70s. But it’s not just Arsun’s sound that gives his record that nostalgic feel and timeless touch; it’s the fact that he, like those who broke through the noise some fifty years ago, is a generational talent: A storytelling songwriter and a songwriting storyteller, whose music speaks not just to his own life, but to the overall human experience. Kudos to Cat Power for plucking Arsun out of relative obscurity when she did; the rest, as they say, is history (and lots of hard work).
Babe I Hear Thunder in Your Heart is an instant classic, and one that deserves to be heard around the world. No doubt this is the start of something special as Arsun’s career takes off.
“I want to get to a place where my inspirations are helping me repurpose these human experiences in a fresh and modern way,” he shares, his eyes (and ears) already focused on what comes next.
As for what listeners take away from this first LP?
“I hope people come up with their own unique conclusions about the songs. Most of all, I just hope people enjoy it.”
Experience the full record via our below stream, and peek inside Arsun’s Babe I Hear Thunder in Your Heart with Atwood Magazine as he goes track-by-track through the music and lyrics of his debut album!
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:: stream/purchase Babe I Hear Thunder in Your Heart here ::
:: connect with Arsun here ::
‘Babe I Hear Thunder in Your Heart’ – Arsun
:: Inside Babe I Hear Thunder in Your Heart ::
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White Light
This is the first single I officially released under my name. I wrote it in 2016. It was after releasing this song that Cat Power first asked me to come open for her on the West Coast of the United States. It was an incredible experience; overnight, I went from playing small DIY high school shows to playing venues that had 1000+ capacity.
Strange Dreams of You
I wrote this song while I was in London. I was there alone because I had come on business, so I had a lot of solitary time to play guitar and try to write music. It’s very inspired by Patsy Cline.
On the Dark Water’s Edge
“On the Dark Water’s Edge” is a song that arose from my interest in folk songs and traditional music. Around the time I wrote it I was learning a fiddle tune called ‘Cluck Ol’ Hen’ and was often listening to a record called Foc’sle Songs and Shanties by Paul Clayton. Those two references played a large role in the song’s conception. The music and lyrics came very easily and after writing it I felt as though I had expanded my repertoire as a songwriter.
Splinter the Evening
This is a song I wrote when I was quite young. My notes date it back to early 2016. I really enjoy this track. I think it’s very romantic and emotional. It’s the first song I recorded with my band. I’m happy it finally came out on this record.
Southern Winds
This track was born out of the main musical hook. I just wrote it on guitar and couldn’t get enough of playing it. I was also reading the odyssey at the time and was very inspired by it for the lyrics.
Send Her My Way
This track is one of my favorites. I think it’s very simple and pretty. The guitar and vocals that are heard on the track were recorded by me in my bedroom at my parents house on a 4 track 3M tape machine.
Babe I Hear Thunder in Your Heart
This is the title track of the album. This song was written quite effortlessly. I was just sitting outside late at night having a drink and playing guitar and I put it together. The guitar playing was very inspired by Bob Dylan’s version of the song “Delia” with the inversions that descend down the neck. I think the lyrics of this song were a big leap forward for me. They are straightforward, fun, and at times even humorous. The video for this song was also exciting to film. We packed all of my friends together and had a bunch of beers and performed the song. My girlfriend, Tasmin Meyer Ersahin, directed and shot the entire thing. It was all done on 16mm film so we didn’t have many takes which made it a very spontaneous feeling.
If You Must Leave
“If You Must Leave” evolved from my interest in an old gospel song performed by the blues artist Blind Connie Williams. I am proud of the lyrics to this song. I think they are very simple while still maintaining mystery. They also take a nice unexpected twist at the end. The song also has a slight medieval feel which is also something I’ve been interested in lately.
Tasmin also shot and directed this music video. We had a Bolex on hand and it was snowing pretty hard in New York so we jumped at the opportunity to film in the interesting conditions. That footage became the springboard for the whole video. We pretty much just shot things we thought looked interesting throughout Brooklyn and around where I live in Manhattan.
Lay Me Down
The lyrics of this song were heavily inspired by old poetry from the 16th century. I was trying to mix this very lavish lyrical style with a 1960s R&B feel. I also stacked a bunch of horns on the end of this song which was really fun. I contacted Renard Poche, a veteran musician out of New Orleans, for some tips on arranging the horns. He helped me out and it turned out great.
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:: stream/purchase Babe I Hear Thunder in Your Heart here ::
:: connect with Arsun here ::
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© Tasmin Meyer Ersahin
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