Tag: premiere

LISTEN: Rachel Baiman and Mike Wheeler, “Turn It Off”

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Artist: Rachel Baiman and Mike Wheeler
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee (Rachel), nomadic (Mike)
Song: “Turn It Off”
Album: Countin on You Sessions
Release Date: February 7, 2020
Label: Tone Tree Music

In Their Words: “I (Rachel) started this song in a moment of frustration, wishing I could just escape from the news of the world. I was lucky enough to be a part of a writing residency in Jacksonville, Florida and the place I was staying had all of these turtles hanging out in the back yard. I think I started five songs about turtles that week, the shell idea was just feeling very appealing.

“Anyway, this is one of those songs which I couldn’t seem to finish. I’ve been a big fan of Mike’s writing and singing for years and one afternoon back in Nashville I asked him to come by and help me finish this one (he was my neighbor at the time). We worked through it and really enjoyed singing and writing together. This song ended up launching this EP collaboration.

“When he told me he was planning to head out to Colorado for the winter (Mike is decidedly nomadic), we both thought it would be fun to record some of what we had been playing together in a really live style, to reflect the inspiration we had gotten from our neighbor jams while he was in town and the magic of Nashville nights spent trading songs with good friends.” — Rachel Baiman

Artwork by Taylor Ashton

WATCH: Wood Belly, “Can’t Get Behind”

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Artist: Wood Belly
Hometown: Denver, Colorado
Song: “Can’t Get Behind”
Album: Man on the Radio
Release Date: January 31, 2020
Label: Belly Up Records

In Their Words: “This is a tune about the basic need for acceptance. We’ve all had a moment questioning ourselves, ‘Is it me? Or is it you?’ I relate with these struggles, which can be taxing on a person’s mind. It’s sometimes challenging to arrive at acceptance before we process with our own coping mechanism. No matter how we get there, we usually come to realize we always had the answer within — but not before a little self-torment.” — Craig Patterson, Wood Belly

“James Armington really made this vision come to life. We all knew and loved James from the bluegrass community and he was a fellow Telluride band competition winner. When it came time to cast our hero, I remembered standing on the main stage at Telluride watching the tarp-run next to James decked out in suit, cape and mustache. We had no idea just how perfect he would be for the role. James had the cast and crew in stitches scene after scene and we can’t thank him enough for the wonderful performance and memories.” — Chris Weist, Wood Belly

Photo credit: Emily Sierra Photography

WATCH: Kristina Murray, “Tell Me”

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Artist: Kristina Murray
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Tell Me”
Album: Southern Ambrosia (2018)
Label: Loud Magnolia Records

In Their Words: “Soon after I moved to Nashville, I met musician and writer Logan Ledger and we became fast friends over of our love of traditional country music; soon we discovered that our voices complemented each other well, too, so we played out a bit as a duo and wrote a few songs together. One afternoon I said straight up, ‘I want to write a classic country duet.’ We then proceeded to get stoned and listen to hours of vinyl records by the Louvin Brothers, The Beach Boys, George Jones & Gene Pitney, and on and on… we almost didn’t even start writing! But Logan pulled out the melody and first line, and the rest of the verses spilled out from there.

“A month or so later, on a sunny May afternoon, I wrote the chorus. Frank Carter Rische’s vocal part next to mine on the recording is what really makes the song for me; he is so emotive and follows my voice effortlessly. Though the inspiration for the song came originally from a traditional era, I’m proud of the timeless and vibe-y feel of ‘Tell Me.’ Truly, the video is up for individual interpretation, but after I watched it a few times, I think it’s about a woman who initially feels defeated by an impending breakup but then turns it on its head, burns it down, and perhaps realizes she’s better off.” — Kristina Murray

Photo credit: James Paul Mitchell

LISTEN: Hannah Connolly, “Meet You There”

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Artist: Hannah Connolly
Hometown: Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Song: “Meet You There”
Album: From Where You Are
Release Date: January 31, 2019

In Their Words: “In writing this album about grief I knew I also wanted to share the beauty of moments when I still feel my brother’s presence. For me those moments often happen in nature, so spending time in wild places became an important source of comfort and healing. That’s what ‘Meet You There’ is about. This was one of the last songs on the record to be finished, because deep down I didn’t feel ready to write something hopeful. In a way, this song helped guide me toward a feeling I had been searching for. Writing it was a reminder of the joy my brother brought into the world, as well as the magic in moments when I know he is still with me.” — Hannah Connolly

Photo credit: Joanna Rentz

LISTEN: Union Duke, “Left Behind”

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Artist: Union Duke
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Song: “Left Behind”
Release Date: January 28, 2020

In Their Words: “‘Left Behind’ is exactly what you think it is: a song about leaving things behind. We were trying to capture the feeling of loneliness and isolation one can feel when they’re far from the one(s) they love — both lyrically and musically. It’s about the distance often forced between us and the longing to be together again.

“The last of our four newest songs produced by Jeff Hazin, ‘Left Behind’ is the only soft-ish song of the music we’ve released over the last year and once we got in the studio with it we had the opportunity to explore some really cool ideas that are pretty new for us. It was a lot of fun building this tune and taking it from mellow and simmering to a driving banjo-driven sing-along. Plus: lap steel! (Played by our guitarist Rob McLaren.)” — Matt Warry-Smith, Union Duke

Photo credit: Alex Nunes

WATCH: Darling West, “Make It Last”

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Artist: Darling West
Hometown: Oslo, Norway
Song: “Make It Last”
Album: We’ll Never Know Unless We Try
Release Date: February 7, 2020
Label: Jansen Records

In Their Words: “Spending time in California seems to have an impact on every songwriter. There’s definitely a West Coast vibe shining through on this song. We all wish for the long summer nights to last forever, although deep inside we know we have things to deal with in the light of day. And some of us are better at putting that off than others.

“This video was taped in the Norwegian woods at a place called Eina, near a friend’s cabin. It’s a beautiful spot! We hoped for a sunny day, but there are no guarantees where we come from, and of course it was raining. No biggie, we’re used to it. We had a great time recording this and hope you enjoy it!” — Darling West

Photo credit: Lars Petter Pettersen

WATCH: Kirby Brown, “Justine”

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Artist: Kirby Brown
Hometown: Nashville, TN (by way of New York City; Dallas; Sulphur Springs, Texas; Damascus, Arkansas)
Song: “Justine”
Album: Dream Songs EP
Release Date: July 2019
Label: Soundly Music

In Their Words: “As I have continuously sought to do with my writing, this song is an exploration of duality and juxtaposition. It’s about the courage to accept love as a gift, even against the backdrop of a dog-eat-dog barter culture. It imagines a world where the mighty Universe itself stoops to your level, cigarette in hand, to affirm who you are… to say, ‘Honey, you beat all I’ve ever seen.’ I wanted the video to visually represent a similar dichotomy, but I also wanted to give voice to someone else, to hear another story about what acceptance of self can look like — and to perhaps, with reverence and nuance, challenge us all to be more accepting of others. I threw the reins to Queen Robert and Gabriel, and I got out of the way.” — Kirby Brown, artist

“I was refreshed by the concept of God [as represented in Kirby’s lyrics] being visually represented by the duality of drag. Religious ideologies of God and wrath have historically oppressed queer people for centuries — I have felt that fear and oppression firsthand. Appearing in this video presented me with the opportunity to confront those fears while challenging a new audience with ideas about masculinity and femininity. I admire Kirby and Gabriel’s risk in taking an otherwise heterosexually-dominated music genre and infusing it with some queerness. Some people will love what we’ve done, but some won’t be ready for it. Those with open minds will make the connections within the dichotomy presented. Regardless, If God is THE almighty, then drag queens are a close second — just look at Dolly Parton!” — Queen Robert, actor

“Being asked to direct the video for Kirby’s song ‘Justine’ was a true gift, made even more special when Kirby told me his concept. He asked me, with genuine concern and empathy, if it felt appropriative to utilize this decidedly queer form of art as a cis straight man. I reminded him that, though I’m married to a woman, I am a queer person still. This was a generous opportunity for me to own my queer identity through his song and this video. The shoot itself was an embarrassment of riches. Kirby shared his song and in turn we were able to share ourselves.” — Gabriel Barreto, director

Photo credit: Jacqueline Justice

LISTEN: The Mastersons, “Eyes Open Wide”

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Artist: The Mastersons
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Song: “Eyes Open Wide”
Album: No Time for Love Songs
Release Date: March 6, 2020
Label: Red House Records

In Their Words: “‘Eyes Open Wide’ was one of the first tunes we wrote for the record. It took on a Byrds/Gene Clark feel the moment the Rickenbacker 12 string came out, which seemed apropos for a record cut in LA at Sunset Sound. Once Shooter Jennings had Bonnie Whitmore and Mark Stepro add their harmonies it added a Fleetwood Mac vibe and turned into a pretty fun track. It also feels like a song for the times as we can’t bury our heads in the sand with so much going on in the world. It’s tempting to check out with so much bad news every day, but it’s time for all hands on deck.” — The Mastersons

Photo credit: Curtis Wayne Millard

WATCH: Twisted Pine, “Papaya”

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Artist: Twisted Pine
Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts
Song: “Papaya”
Release Date: July 10, 2020 (album)
Label: Signature Sounds

In Their Words: “We call this Americana funk. Chris [Sartori, bass & vocals] was playing this groove in NYC one time during a sound check, and then later at a gig in California when the chorus melody came flying out of me. We decided the song would be about a papaya. We figured, ‘Everybody loves a good fruit song, right?’ The song’s about the chase for someone, the wait. The idea that they won’t give into the fact that you two are a natural fit.

“I wasn’t really writing about love. You know how when you’re waiting for an avocado, you just want to eat it right now, but it’s not ready? That annoyed feeling, the fear of someone else getting to it first. Another day and this thing isn’t ready?! By the time it’s ripe, it’s already gone or you have to toss it out. It’s about a fruit relationship and the perfect timing for love. Don’t tell anybody, but I’ve never had a papaya. We’re putting it on the rider. I just hope I’m not allergic.” — Kathleen Parks, fiddle and vocals, Twisted Pine

Photo credit: Joanna Chattman

STREAM: Alan Barnosky, ‘Lonesome Road’

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Artist: Alan Barnosky
Hometown: Durham, North Carolina
Album: Lonesome Road EP
Release Date: January 17, 2020

In Their Words: “I typically have a less-is-more approach when it comes to writing music. My first record from 2017 definitely reflects that, it was a stripped-down songwriter album with all songs performed solo or as a duo. However, when it came to recording again I felt that six of my songs really worked best in more of a full-band arrangement, so I pulled together some of my musical collaborators and good friends and we recorded this EP to showcase those songs specifically. The focus of this record is still very much on the song, but it also features musical aspects that are harder to achieve as a solo or duo, like instrumental solos, some three-part harmonies, and an instrumental tune that highlights the individual players. Although there are more musicians on this record than my last, it is still very simple in terms of production.

“Since the EP compiles a variety of songs that I felt would work best with a band, not all of these songs are new to me. In fact, one, in particular, is pretty old. I wrote ‘Might Be a Call’ over 10 years ago using my mom’s old Gibson Hummingbird guitar that has long since been sold at a garage sale. I sat on the song knowing that it would only sound right if it was on a full-band recording. Other songs were written within months of recording, including the third track ‘Ain’t It a Shame’ and the instrumental ‘Sawtooth Ridge.’ Though the timeline of these songs spans a wide period of my life, the themes are actually pretty consistent. They carry imagery of weary traveling and a search for something better.” — Alan Barnosky

Photo credit: Mick Schulte