Country music seems to be at the center of the current cultural conversation, but George Steel wants to remind you that he is not a cowboy, at least not anymore. On the track, which bangs like Sparks gone to Texas, Steel—whose forthcoming album Desire on the Range features collaborations with over 20 Austin musicians—pleads, prods, and provokes. His dulcet tones soothe the listener into buying what he is selling. He’s a changed man.

I guess here I should mention that Steel is not a real person but rather the conceptual brainchild of the Brooklyn-based artist Michael Quint, who is the face of Steel, and Ernesto Grey, who handles production. In George Steel, they have found the ideal character for which to explore the recent history of America—you might call what they do confusing country music. Maybe Steel is a cowboy after all.