Truth Is Power An Introduction to Steven Leake

Steven Leake’s Debut Double Album Truth is Power / Love Kills: A Dual Journey Through Folk Rock and Experimental Blues

South Carolina’s Steven Leake, a poet, author, singer-songwriter, and libertarian activist, has unveiled a bold and ambitious debut with his double album Truth is Power / Love Kills, released on April 21, 2025, via Bandcamp. This 35-track opus, split into two distinct sides, showcases Leake’s versatility as an artist and his ability to weave timeless storytelling with innovative sonic exploration. The album’s first side, Truth is Power, channels the spirit of classic folk rock with stripped-down acoustic arrangements and uplifting Americana themes, while the second side, Love Kills, dives into electric, experimental indie rock and blues-infused poetics. Together, they mark Leake as a singular voice in the modern music landscape, blending introspection, social commentary, and raw emotion.

Truth is Power: Classic Folk Rock with Heart and Purpose

The first half, Truth is Power, is a love letter to the folk rock tradition, evoking the raw sincerity of Bob Dylan, the heartfelt storytelling of Woody Guthrie, and the pastoral warmth of early Neil Young. Recorded with minimalistic acoustic arrangements, this side emphasizes Leake’s roots as a poet and his knack for crafting lyrics that feel both timely and timeless. Born in 1986 on his family’s farm in Rock Hill, South Carolina, Leake infuses these tracks with a deep connection to Americana, celebrating resilience, individual liberty, and the enduring spirit of the heartland.

Songs like those on Truth is Power (specific track titles are not detailed in available sources, as the album is presented as a demo collection) are built on simple yet evocative guitar work, allowing Leake’s voice and words to take center stage. His lyrics resonate with positive, forward-looking themes, reflecting his libertarian ethos of personal freedom and self-reliance. Tracks likely explore narratives of rural life, personal struggle, and hope, drawing from Leake’s experiences growing up in a working-class family of schoolteachers and his brief time at West Point before a health issue forced him to withdraw. The result is a collection that feels like a fireside gathering—intimate, reflective, and universally relatable, with melodies that linger like a well-told story.

The production on Truth is Power is deliberately sparse, embracing the folk rock tradition of prioritizing lyrical content over ornate instrumentation. Fans of classic albums like James Taylor’s Sweet Baby James or The Band’s Music from Big Pink will find familiar comfort in its acoustic warmth, yet Leake’s perspective—steeped in contemporary issues like individual rights and cultural identity—grounds the album firmly in the present. It’s Americana that doesn’t just look back fondly but pushes forward with purpose.

Love Kills: An Electric Dive into Experimental Poetics and Blues

In stark contrast, the second side, Love Kills, is a sonic adventure that sees Leake trading acoustic simplicity for electric grit and experimental flair. This 17-track collection, also presented in demo form, ventures into alternative indie rock and driving blues, with tracks like “Moilly,” “Love Kills (Born Again Hard),” “White Lighter Society,” and “In Search of Lost Time” showcasing his willingness to push boundaries. Here, Leake channels the raw energy of his band Starfish Prime, where he plays drums and guitar, into a sound that feels both visceral and cerebral.

Love Kills draws inspiration from the likes of Tom Waits, early Beck, and the bluesy experimentalism of The Waterboys’ Fisherman’s Blues era, blending distorted electric guitars, pulsating rhythms, and poetic lyrics that grapple with love, loss, and existential musings. Tracks like “Pawns in the Game” and “Shotgun Supernova” suggest a narrative intensity, possibly exploring themes of betrayal or cosmic rebellion, while “In Memory of Amanda” and “Confederate Jasmine” hint at deeply personal reflections, perhaps tied to Leake’s Southern heritage. The album’s experimental edge comes through in its unconventional structures and genre-blending, with moments of indie rock abrasion giving way to soulful blues grooves.

Leake’s poetic background shines on Love Kills, where his lyrics take on a more abstract, almost surreal quality, akin to Mark Kozelek’s stream-of-consciousness storytelling in Sun Kil Moon. The track “In Search of Lost Time,” for instance, nods to Marcel Proust, suggesting a meditation on memory and fleeting moments, while “Warriors of Love” might evoke a defiant, romantic spirit. The electric energy of this side, paired with its driving rhythms, makes it a perfect counterpoint to the grounded introspection of Truth is Power, showcasing Leake’s range as both a songwriter and a performer.

A Libertarian Poet’s Vision

What ties Truth is Power / Love Kills together is Leake’s distinct voice as a libertarian strategist and poet. His work, from his contributions to the North Carolina Bards Anthology to his activism, reflects a deep commitment to individual liberty and truth-telling, themes that permeate both sides of the album. On Truth is Power, these ideas manifest in uplifting, community-oriented narratives, while Love Killschannels them into raw, emotional explorations of personal and societal conflict.

The double album format, though ambitious for a debut, suits Leake’s dual nature as an artist rooted in tradition yet unafraid to experiment. At 35 tracks, it’s a sprawling introduction, but its demo status suggests a raw, unpolished authenticity that invites listeners into Leake’s creative process. The contrast between the acoustic warmth of Truth is Power and the electric intensity of Love Kills mirrors the duality of his life—grounded in Southern tradition yet driven by a restless, forward-thinking spirit.

A Debut Worth Discovering

Truth is Power / Love Kills is a testament to Steven Leake’s ability to bridge the past and present, the personal and universal. For fans of folk rock, the first side offers a comforting yet thought-provoking return to the genre’s roots, while Love Kills will captivate those drawn to the raw, experimental edge of indie rock and blues. Available on Bandcamp, this double album is a bold statement from an artist unafraid to bare his soul and challenge conventions. As Leake continues to carve his path as a poet, musician, and activist, Truth is Power / Love Kills stands as a powerful debut that demands attention—and promises even greater things to come.