Back in September, Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Hudson Freeman posted a demo of his new song, “If You Know Me.” It’s easily one of the best songs of the year, and, rightly, went viral, even catching the eye of John Mayer.
The tune is lo-fi and folky. Freeman’s YouTube video shows him performing it in rural Southern Indiana — per Guitar World — in front of a dilapidated cabin with insects buzzing about. Over the next couple of months, the song took on a life of viral popularity. In a clip shared online, Mayer covered a portion of the song, saying he “had to learn this riff.”
Guitar World noted that the song has really found a broader audience since going viral, with one person saying it sounds like “country Nirvana.” Freeman has since released a more polished version of the song, including a full band accompaniment.
I am one of those people who have been obsessed with “If You Know Me” since Freeman released it. I saw the YT video, and then just started sending it to everyone. That “country Nirvana” comment makes so much sense.
The song has this downtuned, fuzzy blues tone to it that makes it feel like a spiritual successor to “Something in the Way” or their Lead Belly cover “Where Did You Sleep Last Night.”
Hudson Freeman is no overnight success
Let’s get one thing straight, though: Hudson Freeman has been around for more than a decade.
“Born to Evangelical missionaries, Hudson Freeman started writing songs upon a radical break at the age of 13 when his family suddenly moved from the suburbs of Dallas to The Kingdom of Eswatini,” reads his Bandcamp bio. “Inspired by Midwest folkheads like Sufjan Stevens and Bon Iver, 26-year-old Hudson Freeman continues to record and perform songs equal parts resonant, reflective, and poignant.”
Freeman has been sharing his music online since 2014. Over the past six years, he has released four full-length albums through Mendel Records. His most recent album, is a Folk Artist, was released in May.
There is certainly no denying that it is a folk album, but it’s also so much more. Which is likely what the title means, that he’s often simply relegated to being a “folk artist.” The album features shoegaze elements in songs like “Mommy Jesus,” while “Guilty Running” feels like a Bon Iver homage in the best way. Find it here, at Bandcamp.
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