“I might not make it home, but I’ll make it through the night,” sings Chris Milam on the penultimate track of his new album, Meanwhile (out April 24). It’s a fitting—if ominous—coda for an album that explores the ways we survive periods of transition.
For the Memphis singer-songwriter, and for most of us, the last few years have been a time of seismic transition. Supporting the 2017 release of his critically-acclaimed breakout Kids These Days (“Invites—and earns—the Paul Simon comparisons,” raved American Songwriter), Milam toured across North America and the UK, played festivals and theaters, and collaborated with heroes (e.g. Stax legend William Bell). Musically, things had never been better.
But personally, Milam marked these years by his dad’s losing battle with multiple myeloma (i.e. blood cancer). Diagnosis, remission, relapse, prognosis, hospice, and finally rest. As such, Meanwhile takes death head-on: the personal-as-political anguish of “In the Blood”; the suicidal ideation of “Lonely Living Right”; the playground elegy of “Dogwood Spring.”
More broadly, Meanwhile is an album about loss. Loss of a father, yes, but also a long-term relationship. The album’s first three tracks form an out-of-order love trilogy that establish the album’s themes while breaking the expectation of a simple, linear experience. As he signals: “I can’t steer my story straight.”
Meanwhile offers ten perspectives on that question with a sonic warmth and lyrical intimacy befitting an album from 2020 or 1970. From a darkly gorgeous portrait of substance abuse (“Whiskey In The Morning”), to a crack-up-after-break-up (“Crazy From The Outside In”) to cheeky self-satire (“Girl In Every Town”), this album crucially focuses on the exterior by way of the interior. The result is a warm, deeply intimate, open-hearted portrait of a broken psyche.
To achieve it, Milam again enlisted producer Toby Vest & engineer Pete Matthews (High/Low Recording in Memphis), the same duo Milam found a creative kinship with on Kids These Days. A small but stellar crew filled out the arrangements: keys legend Rick Steff (Lucero), guitar hero Steve Selvidge (The Hold Steady), trumpet ace Marc Franklin (Gregg Allman), and Milam’s longtime touring partner, cellist Elen Wroten. More contributions came from High/Low’s literal-and-figurative family of musicians.
Today Glide is excited to offer an exclusive premiere of “In The Blood.” Featuring a heavy and foreboding drum beat alongside thick and fuzzy guitar lines reminiscent of the Black Keys, the song is a hybrid between personal tragedy and political anger. Milam’s pointed lyrics balance vivid imagery with raw emotion, making for a potent and soulful rock and roll song. The addition of organ, as well as The Hold Steady’s Steve Selvidge shredding guitar inject the song with even more power.
Milam shares the inspiration behind the song:
“Last fall, my dad lost his battle with multiple myeloma (blood cancer). His strain was more rare and aggressive, but occurs in folks who lived near chemical plants. This song starts with his story and keeps expanding. The personal becomes political–I guess it’s about cancer in many forms. I wrote it in 2019 but, unfortunately, it’s fitting for this moment.”
LISTEN:
Meanwhile is out April 24th. For more music and info visit chrismilam.com.
Photo credit: Lisa Hubbard
