In essence, there isn’t too much that’s different or new about “Pistol.” With a simple 4 chord guitar pattern, basic rim-shot driven percussion, and the inclusion of a slow but comforting harmonica, you may hear this song for the first time yet feel like you’ve heard it before. I struggled to find the draw in “Pistol” the first time I heard it, but upon review, I think their are two defining attributes that make this song great. The first is its heart. Kensrue’s character screams “I’ve been doing this ll of my life and haven’t got a whole lot of money or fame to show for it” and that’s clearly reflected in the soul he’s included in “Pistol.” The second is its playability. Watching Kensrue play, I can’t help but think that if I learned guitar, not only could I learn this song, but I could knock is out of the damn ballpark.

Orange Country’s Dustin Kensrue has had a storied career in music, although the majority of it was spent as an individual performer. Kensrue comes from the band Thrice and has a great deal of religious influences that sneak into his lyrics, such as “When I’m in the dark…you bring me light” and “Baby my life is blessed.” He even has as tattoo of Proverbs 9:10a on his left forearm, reading “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” in Hebrew. Whether you’re religious or not, it is admirable at the very least that Kensrue draws such passion from this source of inspiration. Kensrue now plays within a band called The Modern Post, who have re-imagined a great deal of Kensrue’s solo work using a fully-functioning four piece-band.