“Tennessee (live & unplugged)” is a song about feeling you don’t belong and aren’t wanted where you are, and that universal feeling of longing to belong. I wanted to re-release this because I love that song, but also – in “Tennessee “right now – I don’t think that feeling has ever been more palpable, and I wanted to be able to contribute something positive.” – Bonnie Ramone
How does such a song com to be? Well, Brett explains that in this case very easily: “It was a bleak winter during the middle of the pandemic. One night around 4 a.m. Rennie started screaming in her sleep. She screamed, ‘Come into the circle Joseph! There’s no moon tonight.’ Scary as it was, I thought, man, that’s a good chorus!” The rest is musical magic, dark magic no doubt, but magic nonetheless.
“‘Things Don’t Have To Change’ is a meditation on Megan’s past, and is about letting go of pain and heartache. As ever, the story is brought to life through Megan’s emotive vocals, and bright yet melancholic country rock instrumentals. The addition of Mae’s and Taylor’s vocals in the chorus give it a wonderful sense of depth.
Megan and Shane’s Peaks and Valleys LP, engineered by multi-Grammy winner Brandon Bell, is set for release on 14 July.
Heartache can do a number on you. It often leaves open wounds and scars, those markers that serve as constant reminders of what once was. With “Things Don’t Have to Change,” duo Megan and Shane work through Megan’s heartache, sifting through ash to find what’s left of her broken heart. “I don’t want to hold to the heartache or the pain / Yes, some things are different, but some things don’t have to change,” sings Megan. Enlisting Lillie Mae and Brit Taylor, the song flutters away into the stratosphere. It’s the sort of star-studded collaboration we’re not likely to forget anytime soon.
For a long time I felt like I had to say yes to everything. There were a couple times that I was sick and showed up to sing anyway and ended up damaging my voice.
As soon as the first chords of this fine album chime in the listener’s ears, this oozes class and quality. Smith is a prolific songwriter and guitarist with ten previous albums to his name and an amazing roster of acts he’s previously worked with, including Mary Gauthier, Keb Mo, Justin Townes Earle, Griffin House, Rory Block, Dave Moore and Kelly Willis.
His mind was firmly on the Next Generation in the writing of these songs – specifically about his granddaughters and the world he’s leaving for them.