Seattle-born and now Hoover, Alabama-based musician Michael Lawson remembers going to concerts when the only lights found in the audience came from cigarette lighters. The dichotomy between that memory and today’s cell phone-oriented concertgoers was a seed of inspiration for his latest single “Tears And Whiskey” from his album Tennessee River Shakedown. For Lawson it’s a song that speaks to his own grown children finding their way in a world where seas of social media can swallow one’s sense of self-worth.
“Ive been watching my adult kids struggle with issues of identity,” Lawson says. “And I was amazed, especially post-pandemic, that whenever I went to concerts folks seemed to be spending more time taking videos of themselves at the concert than actually watching the band. All of that gave me a real appreciation for how today’s focus on individual ‘brands’ can actually make it hard for folks to discover and assert who they are. And that struggle for identity and individuality can be even harder in small towns that have been hit hard by changing economics.”
“Tears And Whiskey” is a breezy, summer-tinged pop song with sucrose-rich backing harmonies courtesy of both Lawson and Jimbo Hart, the latter who produced the single and plays bass on it. Lawson sings about getting away from the mundane routine that small town America living can impose on someone. In short living it’s about living life to the fullest regardless of your locale.
These lonely streets aren’t what’s breaking you
Everybody’s too hot
Let’s find a place where the water’s blue
I want to feel your grace, cuz I’m not another face in the crowd
“Those kinds of towns can be the life blood of a country,” Lawson says. “But finding yourself and building the kind of future you want is more difficult than ever before in small town and rural North America. So that’s what I am playing with lyrically in the tune — the struggle for identity, meaning making, happiness, and social welfare in small town North America.”
The nearly three-minute single has Lawson in his finest form with a vibe that could give the likes of Big Star, John Mayer or Jason Mraz a run for their money. The guitar work of Lawson as well as Will McFarlane and Gary Nichols is key to guiding the song along while keyboardist Brad Kuhn adds subtle, tender ticklings throughout. Toss in a smidgeon of ’60s era soul emanating from drummer Justin Holder and “Tears And Whiskey” will leave you fully satisfied.
Listen on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/album/71jvYLh9SuEbXQd8OKGe87?si=6IiFhqTQQq-7sZqgXP5ssw&nd=1&dlsi=27227365c1124f84
Lawson, who wrote “Tears And Whiskey,” recorded the single at the iconic FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, a recording space who saw the late greats such as Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding work in its hallowed halls. Currently Lawson joins artists such as Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler, Alan Jackson and Drive-By Truckers who more recently worked there.
Now with “Tears And Whiskey,” the follow-up to his previous single “Not Alone” also from Tennessee River Shakedown, look for Michael Lawson to connect with a wider fan base from this lyrically thoughtful but sonically refreshing, invigorating jewel.