///The Scene

Derik Hultquist grew up in Blount County, and has spent his recent years around the country, mostly between here and Nashville of late, with one focus: songwriting.

"I've been writing songs since I was a kid.  I work a gig, save up money, and then quit with the intention of writing songs until I go broke again."

It may not be the sort of plan that inspires financial planners, but listening to his self-produced debut, "Blue Blues", and his just-released second album, "Anthologies", you can definitely appreciate that he's been putting lots of work into songcraft.

Blue Blues was recorded mostly in musical friends' kitchens between Bowling Green, New Orleans and Nashville, "because we couldn't get the right sound in the bathroom."  

Hultquist says, "Anthologies has a little more production and fuller wider sound."  I would say that's an understatement.  Anthologies has a great production sound that's reminiscent of Amos Lee's most popular recordings, and though I enjoyed the songwriting in Blue Blues, it matured and expanded significantly in Anthologies, which was Hultquist's 10 favorites of his most recent 100 songs.

A few of Hultquist's favorite tunes on the record, and my own as well, include "Wolves", "Linger" and "Cowboy Cliche" - but it's a solid record throughout.

Anthologies is the type of recording that gets people's attention, and it's a worthy addition to Knoxville-area artists' recordings.  Buy Anthologies on iTunes here.