Tag: Video premiere

WATCH: Bill and the Belles, “That’ll Be Just Fine”

Posted on by Editor

Artist name: Bill and the Belles
Hometown: Johnson City, Tennessee
Song: “That’ll Be Just Fine”

In Their Words: “We’re excited to share a new side of Bill and the Belles, a bigger, moodier, more decade-ambiguous sound! We wanted to nod toward early R&B and girl group pop vocals (think early Sam Phillips-era Sun Records, the Shangri-Las), while growing our instrumental backdrop with the introduction of stride piano and drums. Working with Bristol’s Big Tone Records was a thrill: we’re no strangers to vintage recording methods, and we think the warmth and depth of recording to tape really suits us. In the glow of fluorescent lights in an unmarked building in Southwest Virginia, the Big Tone studio accomplishes something remarkable: each microphone, each piece of furniture, even the clock on the wall carries a story, and with ‘That’ll Be Just Fine,’ we’re working to carry that narrative forward.” –Bill and the Belles

Photo credit: Nico LaRoche-Humby

WATCH: Bluegrass Pride, “Live and Let Live”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Bluegrass Pride
Hometown: San Francisco, California
Song: “Live and Let Live” (feat. Justin Hiltner, Melody Walker, and Laurie Lewis)
Release Date: February 22, 2019

In Their Words: “This song was written in honor of Bluegrass Pride during our first season and almost immediately became our unofficial anthem here in San Francisco. Its message of inclusion and unqualified acceptance speaks to the exact mission of Bluegrass Pride and the way we want the world to be. Making this music video was really a way for us to show people what Bluegrass Pride is really about. When you watch this video and listen to this song, you can truly feel the community that made it and all the love that makes Bluegrass Pride so special. As we continue to grow, we hope that folks can take this message with them, and maybe, in the end, we can spread a little more unconditional love throughout the world and make tomorrow a little bit better.”

Photo credit: Michael Pegram

WATCH: The Chapin Sisters, “Lost”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: The Chapin Sisters
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York (Abigail), and Hudson Valley, New York (Lily)
Song: “Lost”
Album: Ferry Boat
Label: Loantaka Records

In Their Words: “This song was written as a little finger-picking ditty on the guitar, but when Evan Taylor (producer/bandmate) heard it he visualized the string-like strains of the Mellotron lifting into the solo which creates a dreamlike ambiance. This song was written at the nadir of US political despair — post-election 2016 — right after Trump was elected when we were trying to navigate this fear and uncertainty. It is a meditation on remembering to stay in the now, choose hope over despair. For me regret can arise out of thin air. It can keep me up at night, chewing at my insides. The only way out of it is meditation, gratitude, hope. There is a children’s book* that says, ‘when you are lost it is the easiest place to be found.‘ And it’s true that often my songs come out of late night sleepless rambles. We need hope these days, and togetherness. This song is about that.” — Lily Chapin

Photo credit: Sita Marlier
Video directed by Alec Coiro
*children’s book is Emily Winfield Martin’s The Littlest Family’s Big Day

WATCH: Rachael Kilgour, “Game Changer”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Rachael Kilgour
Hometown: Duluth, Minnesota
Song: “Game Changer”
Album: Game Changer
Release Date: Feb 1, 2019
Label: NewSong Recordings

In Their Words: “After my divorce I took a long time to think about what kind of person I wanted to be and how best to share that self with another human. I obsessively deconstructed our ideas of romance and relationship and tried to pinpoint what exactly made a connection a healthy one. I met my current partner after a few years of living a fulfilling single life and was heartened to find someone who shared my sense of cynicism. With equal portions of self-awareness, hope and caution, we forged a relationship I have grown very fond of.” — Rachael Kilgour

Photo credit: Darin Kamnetz

WATCH: Abigail Lapell, “Down by the Water”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Abigail Lapell
Hometown: Toronto, Canada
Song: “Down by the Water”
Album: Getaway
Release Date: February 1, 2019
Label: Coax Records

In Their Words: “‘Down by the Water’ is a springtime song, so there’s a lot of imagery of renewal or redemption, and even some biblical symbolism, suggesting an escape to a better place — whether literal or metaphorical. The song evokes the idea of getting away somewhere isolated, away from the world, in order to rediscover your voice or calling — something that ultimately deepens your sense of connection to the world. Like a songwriting retreat!

“I love singing with Dana Sipos, who’s featured on this song and is an amazing songwriter — and people often tell us we sound like sisters, which is a bonkers compliment to me because she has one of my favourite voices of all time. We’ve toured together a bunch (including by bike and canoe) so we’ve had a good amount of practice singing on each other’s songs. For this tune we recorded live-off-the-floor in the studio, in a room together; no headphones or isolation, just a guitar and our two voices. So it’s one of the simplest arrangements on the album.

“This was my first time making a music video, and it was a really fun and surprisingly time-intensive process. It was filmed by Brittany Farhat at Union Sound Studios in Toronto, which is such a beautiful (and photogenic!) space, and I edited it very slowly over several months. Also featured in the video is Chris Stringer, my wonderful producer, who was one of a small team that started the studio — they built it literally from the ground up a few years ago. It’s also where I met my fiancé, while working on my last album there. So this video and location are particularly special to me.” — Abigail Lapell

Photo credit: Gaelle Legrand

WATCH: NewTown, “Long Hard Road”

Posted on by Editor

Artist name: NewTown
Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky
Song: “Long Hard Road”
Album: Old World
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “This is one of the coolest tunes Tyler Childers has written. It speaks about the hardship of a long-distance relationship, something I’m sure a lot of folks can connect with. The video for the song was such a joy to make, surrounded by a few close friends and family. We used The Burl in Lexington, Kentucky, for the shoot — a beautiful venue! We hope people will enjoy the labor we put into this; we think it was well worth it. Enjoy!!” — Jr. Williams, NewTown banjo player and vocalist

Photo credit: Sandlin Gaither

WATCH: Si Cliff, “Run”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Si Cliff
Hometown: London, UK
Song: “Run”
Release Date: January 15, 2019

In Their Words: “The track ‘Run’ started out as two separate voice recordings of the chorus melody and bass line. An idea that I arranged on guitar later that week turned into what you hear now. The starting groove of the verse came to me when practicing and it fit so well. The lyrics are about having lots of chances not to face up to things these days, with many apps and endless media sources to preoccupy us. We can find excuses to put real life and decisions on hold when the time to do them is now.” — Si Cliff

Photo credit: John Powell

WATCH: Jonah Tolchin, “The Grateful Song (Thanksgiving)”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Jonah Tolchin
Hometown: Princeton, New Jersey
Song: “The Grateful Song (Thanksgiving)”
Label: Yep Roc Records

In Their Words: “I’ve found that there is a lack of opportunity to express gratitude in our culture. It’s my impression from observation that people may sometimes think that expressing gratitude outwardly is cliché or too ‘New Age-y.’ We live in an age of cynicism, and for understandable reasons. However, without the capacity to be truly grateful for the simple blessings of our life such as clean water, food to eat, friends, family, a roof over our head, love, the beauty of nature, etc., it is my belief that these things (and life in general) can be easily taken for granted.

“It’s a practice to maintain an energy of gratitude. The intention of the ‘sing-along’ style chorus of this song was for people at shows to be given that opportunity to generate the spirit of gratitude within themselves and as a collective. It may sound funny, but I’m grateful for the opportunity to be grateful. This song is a tool for myself to tap into that every time I sing it.” — Jonah Tolchin

WATCH: Sean McConnell, “Here We Go”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Sean McConnell
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Here We Go” (stream the studio version)
Album: Secondhand Smoke
Release Date: February 8, 2019
Label: Big Picnic Records

In Their Words: “I am very taken with, and have spent my life listening for, that voice that speaks to you in the silence. The one that calls you on adventures, that steers you towards your truth, and that reminds you, or at least reminds me, that this universe is so much more than what we can experience with our five senses. I am a firm believer in signs and following them. This is a song about that kind of listening and watching. It was a real thrill to write it with my friend, the supremely talented Ian Fitchuk.

“This live video was made at Pentavarit studios where the ‘Secondhand Smoke’ record was mixed by my friend and sonic wizard Bobby Holland, who also recorded and mixed this live version. Performing alongside me is the amazing Ben Alleman who will be joining me on tour. I love this slowed-down and vibed-out take of this song. I hope you enjoy.”— Sean McConnell

Photo credit: Joshua Black Wilkins

WATCH: Amos Lee, “Louisville”

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist name: Amos Lee
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Song:“Louisville”
Album: My New Moon
Release Date: August 31, 2018
Label: Dualtone Records

In Their Words: “I’ve had some great times in Louisville, and some zany ones, and I wrote a song about someone who wants to get back home after a rough go of it. I love the bridge, and the fellow who mixed the album, Tchad Blake, absolutely took this song to the next level. Very honored that [producer] Tony Berg and Tchad both worked on this album. This video was directed by [filmmaker and photographer] Aaron Farrington at Estouteville Farm outside of Charlottesville, Virginia.” — Amos Lee

Photo credit: Brantley Gutierrez