American music has always been a story of journeys. Bluesmen, hippies, all of them traveled across the country in search of enlightenment. Hilary Cousins understands this tradition better than many of his contemporaries. His new single, “Road To Corinth,” continues this line while approaching it with a rare intellectual honesty for our time.

Hilary Cousins was born in New England, now lives in Los Angeles, and works as a sound engineer, director, and writer. This behind-the-scenes experience in the music industry is clearly reflected in “Road To Corinth.” The first striking aspect of the track is its structure. Cousins completely abandoned the traditional verse-chorus-verse-chorus format. Instead, he created a cyclical melody where a single melodic theme repeats, develops, and evolves. This bold choice could have failed in the hands of a less experienced artist, but Cousins knows exactly what he is doing. Each mini-act adds new layers of meaning.

This approach aligns “Road To Corinth” with ancient poetry, where refrains were used to amplify the listener’s experience. It is no coincidence that Cousins chose Corinth—a historic Greek city associated in Christian tradition with the search for faith and meaning. Yet the journey to Corinth is metaphorical. Cousins tells a story of inner exploration and encounters with people who help one understand oneself and the world around.

The lyrics operate on multiple levels simultaneously. On the surface, it is a road song about a journey. Dig deeper, and reflections on faith, doubt, and the search for meaning in the modern world emerge. Cousins effortlessly weaves biblical allusions, philosophical questions, and everyday details into the narrative. His vocal delivery deserves special mention. His voice sounds mature, confident, without any trace of youthful naivety or exaggerated emotion.

“Road To Corinth” is released at a time when the music industry faces a crisis of meaning. Streaming services encourage the production of short, catchy tracks designed for quick consumption. In this context, the emergence of a song that demands thoughtful listening feels almost revolutionary.

Highly recommended.

*This review was made possible by SubmitHub