“…the Joni Mitchell the South never had.” – The Bitter Southerner
NASHVILLE, TN – Skylar Gudasz is reimagining the concept of “country.” Not the genre, but the literal and figurative idea of a territory and feeling both of which are defined by borders. This perspective refers more to the planet and the overall human race, not the ongoing political issue that dominates the news cycle. On her new album Country (out August 9th on Perseids Records), the acclaimed indie artist challenges the limits we draw for ourselves, and how meaningless borders really are in face of something much bigger.
Her new single, “Fire Country,” opens the album and is the first song Gudasz wrote for Country. After touring had stopped during the pandemic, she had all but walked away from music, spending significant time by the ocean on the Outer Banks. She began to develop a deeper relationship with her natural surroundings, which became a major influence on the new album. The line from “Fire Country,” “I tune my guitars to the names of old lovers,” came to her as she found herself with fresh inspiration. Gudasz pulled an older, semi-hollow body turquoise guitar from the back of a closet and the stunning “Fire Country” began to take shape. It opened her up to a new creative path to what would become Country. Watch the new Jacki Huntington-directed video for “Fire Country” HERE, starring figure skater Jane Bugaeva.
Of the video, Gudasz says, “I wanted ice imagery to go against the fire of the song, and also the graceful toughness of skating. Jane, Jacki and I all went to school together, and for the shoot I think we became each other’s muses.”
The remaining eight songs that make up Country came together soon after via walks in the woods and spending more time reconnecting with the natural surroundings. “A lot of the songs were written in movement, and then after walking, coming back, and putting them on the piano,” she says. The entire album is an immersive listening experience featuring Gudasz’s poetic lyrics that offer vivid and cinematic imagery and finely tuned detail. Sonically, a number of songs generate an ambiance as heard on the atmospheric and melodic tracks “Atoll”, “Outlaw” and the eye-opening, environmentally concerned “Australia.” “Truck,” “Watercolor,” and “Mother’s Daughter” infuse infectious pop-sensibilities into thoughtful indie-folk that balance the new collection seamlessly.
Country is the follow up to 2020’s acclaimed sophomore release Cinema, which received a four-star review at MOJO, while Pitchfork said, “The fountaining run of her voice recalls Joni Mitchell, while her classic yet chameleonic songwriting suggests Leonard Cohen…”.
Preorder COUNTRY on limited edition “Watercolor” marble or black vinyl and CD today.
For press information about Skylar Gudasz, please contact Jim Flammia jim@alleyesmedia.com or Brittany Kellam brittany@alleyesmedia.com at All Eyes Media