PREMIERE: Rachel Swain is Drivin' and Cryin' Back to "Houston"
Chicago's Rachel Swain faces a painful breakup on the classic country-imbued "Houston."
Chicago-based Rachel Swain faces a painful homecoming on her new song "Houston." Born and raised in Austin, then whisked away to the Windy City, Swain has been performing music since she was a teenager, learning fiddle, guitar, and bass and immersing herself in any musical genre you can think of.
Raised on rodeo and rock and roll, her musical influences span country, bluegrass, Americana, and soul. Swain's music is honest, soulful, and steeped in her Texas roots. Soaring melodies are complimented by her bold and dynamic vocals, with themes that speak to a range of human experience, including loss, love, and redemption. Listeners will notice nods to new and classic country in her eclectic and nuanced music. She performs solo and with her band, The Swains.
"Houston" showcases Swain's plaintive country twang while backed by crackshot artists Ryan Joseph Anderson (Go Long Mule) on guitar and production; bass, keys, and production by Adam Gardner; pedal steel from Gabriel Stutz; and drums by the Grammy-nominated Gerald Dowd (Robbie Fulks), “Houston” is the quintessential break up song.
"'Houston' is my drivin' and cryin' song," Swain explains. "I wrote it when I was thinking back on a particularly painful trip back home to Texas. I tried to reclaim that moment a bit with a song about leaving, because, you know, sometimes you just gotta walk (or drive) away."
