Interview: Brett J Kent (Powder Horns)

Although a few Asheville-based bands have gained national exposure in recent years, seemingly attracting a spotlight to the local scene, the bulk of the region’s acts were thrust into a state of flux during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Many bands failed to make it through to the other side after concert venues had to put a hold on operations, including up-and-coming local garage rock trio, Ugly Runner, which called it quits in 2020, shortly after the world entered its period of social hibernation. Left without a band, bassist Brett J Kent opted for a path he’d yet to travel. Rather than seek out another band to offer his services, he decided, “I guess I’ll just do it myself.” 

On an unusually warm February day, he and I sat outside, casually discussing Kent’s shift to becoming a songwriter and bandleader following years as a sideman, and the challenge of establishing a following in a local scene that appears to still be in a state of recovery. “I went out and bought a guitar, because I’d always been a bass player, and then I started trying to write songs, and Powder Horns came out of that,” he says.

Influenced by the DIY-attitude of the original punk scene, Kent’s approach to songwriting embraced self-discovery and didn’t allow for his pursuit for a musical identity to be inhibited by a lack of experience. Speaking of those influential bands he shares, “These dudes didn’t have anyone telling them how to make music. They just played guitar until they had a sound they liked, so I kind of tried to do that.

The songs came rather quickly. Enlisting the help of guitarist J Lowell Hobbs and drummer Elijah D Raymer, Kent recorded Powder Horns’ first batch of songs with Alex Farrar and Adam McDaniel at Drop of Sun Studios. The resulting 2021 eponymous EP was a thunderous explosion of raw rock ‘n roll. Also recorded at Drop of Sun, the self-titled debut LP that followed in 2022 built upon those previous tracks, proving Powder Horns to be one of the more promising local acts.

With sophomore album, Dissolution, dropping Friday, March 10 — complete with a release show at Static Age Records that night — Powder Horns is gearing up to break through to a wider audience in 2023. Once again enlisting the help of Drop of Sun’s Farrar and McDaniel, whom Kent considers essential pieces of the band, the new song set marks a considerable artistic leap for the songwriter. Learning from his previous sessions and gaining confidence, the tunes came together more quickly for Kent, who followed his instincts and relinquished some of his pressure to do it all himself. “Surround yourself with people you trust and let them do their thing,” he recommends.

On Dissolution, Kent displays a greater willingness to step out of his comfort zone. Complemented by the mostly acoustic ballad, “Arm’s Length,” a markedly new direction for Powder Horns, incendiary garage rock tunes “The G.O.M.s” and “Shallow Place” explode with even greater force. Coupled with Kent’s raw emotional honesty, the songs propel forward with an urgency similar to that of his musical heroes The Damned and The Clash. And with a runtime of 27 minutes, Dissolution never wears out its welcome. “It feels like the right amount,” Kent says. “It feels like I got to say everything I wanted to say.”

Adjusting to the role of songwriter and guitarist has only been a piece of Kent’s journey over the past few years. He’s also had to adapt to performing his own songs for crowds. As much experience as he had playing in bands over the years, he’s learned just how different it can be when performing as Powder Horns alongside live bandmates Matt Tobia, Elijah Raymer, and Tony Bones — who will all be accompanying Kent on the band’s debut tour following the local release show. 

“After I play a set, I feel exhausted,” Kent says. “I feel like my cup is empty because I just poured it out — as opposed to playing bass, where I was like, ‘That was so much fun! I’m ready to do it again.’”

It’s not simply the physical depletion of performing with such energy or that Kent has been singing and screaming so intensely that his throat becomes raw. With songs that dig deep into his personal life and past traumas, there’s an emotional expenditure as well. There have been times before a set when he’s had to make the decision, “Maybe I don’t want to do this song, because I don’t want to re-traumatize myself today.” 

As depleting as the project may often be, it’s also provided a much welcome catharsis for Kent. “For me, Powder Horns has been a transformation,” he says. “I feel so much lighter having done it at all, having an opportunity to express myself in a way that feels exactly how I wanted it to.” 

IF YOU GO

Who: Powder Horns w/ 2 Slices + Walkhome
When: Friday, March 10, 8 p.m.
Where: Static Age Records, 110 N Lexington Ave., facebook.com/static.agerecords.7
Tickets: $10

(Photos by Alex Cox)