Expanding from understated vulnerability into a riveting, layered assortment of acoustic strums and textured guitars, “Beautiful Stranger” is a consuming new track from The Hell Club. The project of Pittsburgh-based artist, composer, and producer Mitchell McDermott, The Hell Club achieve an atmospheric rock and folk cohesion with this standout single — coming via debut album God’s Sick Trick, comprising eight tracks released throughout 2025. Two more singles will arrive, one in September and another in October, before the album’s vinyl release in November.
The track struts an abundance of memorable moments, across both its initial sparse and culminating expanse. “Don’t wanna play no guitar, don’t even know who you are,” melancholic vocals let out, capturing the aftermath of a relationship’s demise amidst a hazy lo-fi guitar-led strumming. “I love you,” the vocals continue with heart-on-sleeve immersion, as the memorable title-touting refrain arrives. The production then envelops with more clarity, as the crisper acoustics and vocal presence continue to lament over fading hobbies and a loss of self-confidence “since you broke me.” A movingly melodic success, “Beautiful Stranger” is a fantastic showing from The Hell Club.
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This and other tracks featured this month can be streamed on the updating Obscure Sound’s ‘Emerging Singles’ Spotify playlist.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup.
