With his new debut, Collecting Trip (due out on January 19, 2018), R. Finn has created a heartfelt album rooted in timeless Americana and colored by subtly lush, alternately haunting and hopeful arrangements. The Southern California songwriter took the long way around on this journey, some of his songs on the record tracing back nearly a decade…
Archives for 2024
Wide Open Country Features Will Payne Harrison
Will Payne Harrison expresses deep gratitude with his song “Simple Truths.” Pulling influence from “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive” and “Humble and Kind,” the Louisiana native penned the ballad as a love letter “about somehow falling lucky in love when you’re born unlucky,” he says.
With such songwriting influences as Darrell Scott, Don Schlitz and Lori McKenna, Harrison demonstrates his own strengths as a thoughtful storyteller. “I got 42 cents in my bank account / Check’s coming tomorrow, bills will clean it out,” he reflects. “The sun is shining, but this weekend it’s gonna rain.”
In ordinary things, Payne uncovers a deeper understanding and appreciation for the beauty in the world. His words are simple, yet profound. He continues, singing, “Last week I caught a nine pound bass / This six pound test nearly snapped in half / I’m just glad you’re not the one that got away.”
The Boot Admires liv.’s New Single
On her debut album Young, Dumb and in Love, breakout singer-songwriter liv. has assembled a Voltron of Americana’s most exciting artists. liv., who hails from the Hudson Valley, worked with Van Plating to produce the album, which processes the five stages of grief after a breakup.
The record includes guest performances from Will Payne Harrison, Adeem the Artist, Nathan Kalish, and Van Plating herself. Mya Byrne joins live on guitar in her latest single, “Red Hoodie,” which The Boot is excited to exclusively premiere today (Oct 13).
Glide Magazine Reviews Grand Canyon’s New Album
On their third album Forevermore, LA-based Grand Canyon manages to mine everything from early Springsteen and E Street band albums to Tom Petty for a remarkably satisfying listen that somehow manages to be both familiar and strikingly original at times. From the opening track, “Heart of Gold,” you can almost hear the crowd cheering on the arena-ready roots rocker, complete with jangly acoustic guitars and harmonica. But it’s Casey Shea’s raspy vocals and the backing chorus that really sell the song.
The band manages to carry that vibe across the entire record. In an era of downloaded singles and shuffled playlists, Grand Canyon is a band that focuses on albums, not singles. “As kids, albums meant something to us,” Shea said recently. “They still mean something to me; I’d rather listen to an album than a playlist. So, I mean, it may be against better judgment, but it was important to us to release these songs together.”
Hear Will Payne Harrison’s New Single on The Amp
We’ve got a fun one for you today from Nashville-based artist, Will Payne Harrison. We’re premiering his latest single, “Don’t Drink Well Whiskey in the Lonestar State.” It rides the line of being equal parts funny and cautionary tale. The single appears on Harrison’s upcoming album, Tioga Titan, out on October 21st. A rollicking tune featuring Meredith Krygowski on fiddle and Gabe Tonon on baritone guitar. It’s a song that would feel right at home being played at any dance hall in the state of Texas. You might be surprised to learn that this honky-tonk vibe isn’t the sound Harrison originally tried to capture in his first couple of albums.