Perhaps ironically, transience is the only constant we face in life; everything moves, changes, and eventually ends. The death of a loved one is the ultimate testament to the fleeting nature of our lives and the inevitability of loss and grief. Californian singer-songwriter Tracy Bryant has beautifully captured that realization with his new single “Widow”, which we are happy to premiere for you today.
Faced with the death of his father and the eerie stillness of pandemic life, Bryant transformed his approach to indie rock, going from the more standard guitar-driven sound that shaped his previous record Hush (2019) to a piano-forward, motorik take that draws from krautrock, post-punk, minimalism, and psychedelia. Especially the return to the piano marks a turning point in Bryant’s career; he credits Arthur Russell and Vince Guaraldi with sparking this quiet reinvention.
This period of disquiet brought forth his upcoming album The Well, which centers around the aftermath of the losses and uncertainties detailed above, but also the birth of his first child. All of this resulted in an album that’s decidedly raw and intimate, but also surprisingly cinematic. “Widow” represents the new direction Bryant is taking with his music quite well – a cool, motorik drive underpins melancholic reflections upon life. Lines like ‘My heart has broke now my dad is gone/My heart has broke now mom’s a widow‘ carry the simple devastation we all face at different points of our lives.
An upbeat rhythm section belies the somber atmosphere set by the lyrics and arrangements, a neat twist on subverting expectations. This push and pull between sound and words is mirrored in the sense of movement that both “Widow” and its video evoke. Says Bryant himself, ‘When writing this song I imagined motion & movement which led to the video which documents my current daily commute. The song is about loss, change, and the reality of having to say goodbye.‘
The Well is due out on May 22 via Taxi Gauche Records; it was produced by Joo-Joo Ashworth and features drummer Carmeron Gartung. “Widow” is an intriguing look at its sound palette, and I’ll be sure to check the album out once it drops. You can pre-order it via Bandcamp, both digitally and on vinyl – past albums by Tracy Bryant can be found there as well. Be sure to follow his social media (Facebook | Instagram) if you liked what you heard above.
Artist picture courtesy of Kimberly Fitzner
