Having previously combined the worlds of country, folk and indie rock as part of Angela Perley & The Howlin’ Moons, the Ohio self-taught musician has stepped out on her own dropping “4:30”, the title track from her first solo album due later this summer.
“4:30” creates a dreamy night-owl atmosphere, with arpeggiated guitars that underpin Angela Perley’s exploration of reflection and seeking self-acceptance. Taking her cues from timeless songwriters like Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Patti Smith, she combines her delicate and dreamy vocals with a knack for emotional storytelling.
Having previously combined the worlds of country, folk and indie rock as part of Angela Perley & The Howlin’ Moons, the Ohio self-taught musician has stepped out on her own dropping “4:30”, the title track from her first solo album due later this summer.
“4:30” creates a dreamy night-owl atmosphere, with arpeggiated guitars that underpin Angela Perley’s exploration of reflection and seeking self-acceptance. Taking her cues from timeless songwriters like Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Patti Smith, she combines her delicate and dreamy vocals with a knack for emotional storytelling.
“’4:30′ is the record’s anthem and mantra in many ways,” says Perley. “It’s about overcoming obstacles, moving forward, and facing adversity head-on. I wrote it during a time in my life where I had started to feel unbalanced for a variety of reasons. There were several life changes I knew I needed to make which were difficult and I kept finding myself in situations where I felt like I had no control. Writing the song was my way of beginning to move forward and regain stability.”
The track’s title and theme, “4:30”, is a significant time of night for Perley: “4:30 is when my body’s natural sleep cycle begins,” she explains, “so if I’m not on a schedule I tend to stay up until then. I often find myself awake at 4:30 a.m. if I’m not on a schedule of some kind and feel very creative at night. I started writing this one at 4:30 a.m., which is usually later than I start writing songs, but that energy gave it an almost lucid dream-like vibe.
“I also remember listening to Lucinda Williams’ ‘Joy’ on repeat around the same time I wrote ‘4:30’ so I think the spirit of that song subconsciously sparked the creative process. I was also revisiting some old Dylan records that I hadn’t listened to in a really long time, which inspired the ‘Tangled Up in Blue’ shoutout in verse three.”
Perley co-produced “4:30”, as well as the entire album, with longtime collaborator Chris Connor, who she took the track to and created arrangements and a subsequent demo with. After tracking the whole album live in Ohio and adding more instrumentation and vocal overdubs at their home studio, Dave Collins (D’Angelo, Bruce Springsteen) mastered the record.
“4:30” is out tomorrow and the album of the same name is released 2 August. Find Angela Perley on Facebook.