My friends!

I released a single called Follow last week. It’s jangly and pretty and sad and I think you’re going to like it.

Take a listen and watch the lyric video here.

Myself and Gideon Klein tracked the acoustic guitars live, and Gid improvised the string arrangement on the spot, a magical thing to behold.

We used a FunkBox drum loop instead of a click track (which I ended up leaving in), Andre Zapata of Allen Stone fame sent over a predictably amazing bass performance and - lovely and brilliant all around - I sent off to mastering what I thought was the folk-y shoegaze-y autumnal anthem of ‘23…only to listen back with a resounding “meh.”

The lead vocal was, to use language I’m sure George Martin would approve of, half-assed, and over the next several months I re-sang each section over and over again, experimenting with my evolving voice - an instrument I’ve grown to truly love - until things felt honest and right.

And overall the song needed something. That something, it turned out, was two somethings, tasty keys and B3 work from my Allen Stone comrade Steve Watkins and inspired background vocals from Rachel Horter, one of the best singers I’ve worked with.

I’m glad I took things back to the drawing board, leaned on my friends, and ended up with a song I’m proud of.

And FYI, the next single’s the first of a collection of tunes I wrote on Ben Folds’ Steinway piano a couple months ago…