Charlotte, North Carolina is where independent musician Donnie Doolittle calls home. His moody, cinematic music calls to mind Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave, Jack Ladder, Timber Timber, Lee Hazlewood, Johnny Paycheck, and John Carpenter.

His first single, “Utopia’s Shit”, from his upcoming album Dreamy D, is an absolute gem. Doolittle’s deep croon is brimming with melancholy and deep emotion. One can imagine it playing as someone orders an old-fashioned at a dive bar and hangs their head with introspection and regret. Groove-driven with heavy layers, the song breaks into a large, captivating chorus with dark synths and macabre plays on pop sensibility.

Both the studio and live versions of the song are available on YouTube, each with their own charms. Doolittle’s live presence is commanding and emotional for this particular brand of societal dirge.

Watch the video below:

You can also stream the studio version below:

The video for “When A Woman” is pure Southern Gothic, with a more uptempo narrative and accompanying video with a few menacing Kubrick stares and highwayman sensibility. The song is straight from the ne’er do well playbook of Lee Hazlewood, slightly unhinged. It’s bone-chilling…and catchy. For an artist so fiercely independent, Doolittle’s unique storytelling and songwriting skills are world-class.

Watch below:

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