Ross spent the better part of a decade tucked away on the coast of Maine developing his voice as a writer. Inside the arsenal of tracks he’s penned, one finds dangerous, hard-hitting reflections; stories of love, life and longing, appealing because they’re so real. Tinted with an appetite for self-destruction, his writing style is smooth and eloquent while remaining sincere to genuine grit of experience. When his sonorous vocals found affinity with a band, the evolution cultivated a multifaceted, visceral experience for listeners, an auditory landscape much like that of Maine itself: Humble yet dramatic, severe yet sweet, cold and resonant with a nearby fire throwing heat.

The musicians forming The North provide a masterful blend of country + rock & roll swagger, a winning combination with Ross’s candid storytelling. Anchored by Ryan Curless (drums) and Caleb Sweet (bass), the rhythm section hits where you want it to, and hard – a fine tuned compatibility of artistic bonds reaching back to early childhood perceptible to the naked ear. Rounding out The North is guitarist Zachary Bence, a virtuoso with the ability to transition between ear-scorching guitar solos and beautiful sonic swells on the drop of a dime, his grace as a musician as boundless as his contribution to the band’s steady concord.

Chris Ross + The North are rubber tramps out of necessity, lending to the ideal consumption of their sound: Live + loud with a stiff drink in one hand and open road on either side of the night.