The alternative country scene has exploded in recent years, with various figures pulling the genre in directions ranging from reverent Laurel Canyon homage to blistering shoegaze. As it happens, several of those artists have joined Catskills-based songwriter Mikaela Davis on her latest venture, the cosmic-country voyage Graceland Way. Wednesday’s Karly Hartzman, Felice Brother James Felice, and Cass McCombs are among the names gracing the guestlist, with the release of lead single “(Looking Through) Rose Colored Glasses” today presenting two more prominent collaborators.
“I love Madison [Cunningham],” Davis shares of the folk songwriter, who joins her on the new pop-country single alongside comedian/soft-rock balladeer Tim Heidecker. “She’s one of my favorite songwriters. I feel like I found my Emmylou.” The lilting tune not only sets up the guest-heavy nature of the remaining tracklist, but also sets some of Graceland Way’s themes in motion. “When this record all started to come together lyrically, we kept returning to the delicate balance of the sun and the moon, mountains and valleys, the rose and the thorn,” Davis explains, noting that the lyrics are a blend of personal experience and something more universal. “The struggle is so central to the human experience, a duality to balance itself.”
The track’s music video—directed by Mama Hot Dog—features Davis, Cunningham, and Heidecker in their C&W best, and I’ll bet you can guess which of the three of them is wearing clown makeup. Check it out below. You can also pre-order Graceland Way and find her newly announced summer tour dates here.
