With the fervour of acoustic folk punk and the raw magnetism of Americana, Connor Bettencourt’s latest single, House of Cards, bridges folk intersections while shattering the illusion of stability with frenetic strings and a vocal performance that drags vulnerability into the spotlight. His jaggedly chopping fretwork slices through bluesier angular notes, creating a duality that mirrors the push and pull between emotional defiance and confession.
While plenty of artists latch onto the concept of resilience, few acknowledge how brittle it can be. Bettencourt doesn’t try to spin triumph from hardship; he lets the cracks show, making House of Cards one of the most relatable folk releases of the year. Each note and lyric submerges you further into its storm while holding a mirror to the turbulence within.
The weight of Bettencourt’s honesty, paired with the kinetic energy of his guitar strings, ensures House of Cards leaves an imprint. His talent knows no bounds, and neither does the resonance of this track. Fans of artists like Frank Turner and Shakey Graves will find plenty to sink their teeth into here. House of Cards is now available to stream on all major platforms.
House of Cards was officially released on January 31; stream the single on all major platforms, including Spotify.
Review by Amelia Vandergast