Single Out: "Old Man" by Redlight King

I've never been a fan of sampling other artists' tunes. Especially if you're a rock artist, it's difficult to actually make good music when you're resting on the laurels of your sampling, drawing more attention to the source material instead of your own creative skill. That's probably why I've been so cynical of the mainstream hip-hop genre.

That being said, Redlight King takes a sample from legendary folk-rock singer Neil Young's "Old Man" song. Yeah, the one from 1972.

But before you call sacrilege on Redlight King's folk-hop rendition of "Old Man," let it be known that this re-imagining of Neil Young's twangy guitar song was actually blessed by Young himself, a first for the artist. Redlight King offer an Everlast-esque blues mix with Young's permission, where the acoustic guitar sounds are kept in tact and even the lyrical content feels suited for Young's blessing. To be fair, there are moments where Neil Young seems to be pushed aside for some blues-rapping, but with such a powerful chorus that seamlessly brings Young and Redlight King together, it's pretty tough to not see some creative spirit in this up-and-coming group and their ancestral folk rock influence. Only time will tell how this new band will progress in the alternative market, but with "Old Man", Redlight King are off to a great start, one that doesn't just make great music, but one that respects the musical heroes that came before them.