New Rough Trade Records signee Tyler Ballgame has returned with a new single, “Got a New Car.” The track arrives ahead of the songwriter’s homecoming appearance at Newport Folk Festival this Saturday, July 26. The track begins with a simple acoustic guitar melody and some jangly percussion before Ballgame is joined by a full band. His upper register delivery gives the song a fascinating texture, highlighted by mallet percussion and layers of melodic accents.
Regarding the Alan Watts influence on the song’s lyrics, Ballgame shared: “Watts said ‘The ego is an obsolete vehicle for human consciousness.’ So I wondered, what if I bought a new car? It’s about my spiritual awakening. Realizing I’m not this set of stories. I don’t need to attach to stuff around expectations, which is 90 percent of human suffering. There’s so much peace under personality, there’s so much peace in the cessation of the active mind and surrendering to the Now.”
Check out the video for “Got a New Car” below.
