Lil Skritt Goes Country on New EP Release

Having performed music in the Charlotte scene for over 10 years now, Lil Skritt has been consistent in his penchant for humor and having a good time. It’s a personality trait that he’s carried with him whatever he does, be it acting in movies or traipsing through a range of different genres in his music.

Skritt started his music career with hip-hop singles like “I Don’t Suck Toes” and “What’s the Deal Doe?” In 2020, he began to experiment with more of a rock sound, adding guitar and drums to the three-track EP When It Hits. 

He built on that vibe with the release of 2021’s Once Before & Now Again, adding a full backing band and bringing new versatility to his mixed bag of tricks. 

On Nov. 22, the artist’s evolution continues with the release of Lil Skritt, Big City, an EP that sees him delving into country music for the first time. 

According to Skritt, the plans to dip into the country genre date back to 2021, when he first dabbled with making full-on rock music.

“We were talking ideas of doing another rock ‘n’ roll album, and I just have, like, an itching to do some country, because I felt that my voice was better suited for country as opposed to rock ‘n’ roll,” recounted Skritt. “I felt being from the South and being born and raised in Charlotte, I grew up around a lot of country, and so it’s kind of like, you know, in my blood and in my voice.”

Thinking it over, Skritt chuckled and added, “That, and then learning that style of guitar has been pretty fun, too.”

One of Skritt’s new tracks, titled “Grow,” shows the proof of concept in action. Playing guitar supported by Randy Franklin on the banjo and harmonica melodies, and Jesse Hinkleman, aka Jahphomet, elevating the track with drumwork from the back, Skritt takes full advantage of his talented teammates, laying into the spirit of the Western imagery provided by the combined instrumentals. 

His howling and bellowing vocals come off as second nature as he weaves in and out through the track with three sections of lyrics.

“Take what you want/ Take what you know/ Take all your problems on down the road/ If everything were easier/ there’d be no room to grow…”

Skritt could be speaking directly to his own evolution as an artist. There’s a natural way in how his voice melds with the music that sends a warm shock through my system and leaves me wanting more.

The other preview we get off the new EP is “The Moon,” a doo-wop-inspired offering that again shows off another layer within Skritt’s repertoire. The instrumental pacing from the previous single is slowed to a crawl and stripped down to drumwork, guitar, and a tambourine, casting a wholly different scene from “Grow.” 

Skritt exchanges the 10-gallon hat and leather shirt for something a little more formal, shifting his style of songcraft and crooning in a mild tone, allowing for the love-deprived longing to be pitched and caught without a single misstep. 

The backing vocals are layered in like faint brushstrokes, adding to the picture that’s been painted of past loves lost. As a last touch, longtime Skritt collaborator Red Jesse lays his own light work on the keys, landing the track and dimming the spotlight on a memorable outing.

There is a certain magic in how Skritt has laid the foundations then followed the path for different chapters in his journey as a performing artist and musician. Listening through his catalog tells some of the story. Just as audiences might get comfortable with one section of Skritt’s abilities, a solid shift is heard, only adding value to what came before. 

A liveliness sparks in his tone when discussing this latest shift in style. Having drawn inspiration from acts like Queens of the Stone Age and Arctic Monkeys for his rock-centered projects, this time he drew from the likes of Dwight Yoakam and Orville Peck.

“There’s going to be guitar, where I play and sing on this in a very different way than the rock ‘n’ roll stuff, all in the sense that I’ve gotten more into Americana country and Bluegrass with my playing style with this EP, so it’s going to be different than what people have heard with the singing as well.

Besides Franklin, Jahphomet and Red Jesse, collaborators on the new project include Travis Phillips (Modern Primitives, Pleasure House) and Mo Church (M’am). Enyo Phase completes the crew with his signature bass stylings alongside Skritt.

With the first two singles available on streaming platforms now, longtime Skritt fans have plenty to preview, but perhaps no one is more eager for this new music to drop than the artist behind it all. 

Lil Skritt, Big City, will drop on Nov. 22, with a release show scheduled at Snug Harbor on Dec. 20, where he’ll be supported by Modern Moxie and Dead Sea Scrilla.