From his homeschooled upbringing on an Alpaca farm in West Virginia, Trae Sheehan has always made the time to focus on crafting songs. From learning the ropes from his musician parents to going on tour as soon as he acquired a driver’s license, Sheehan used his every minute of that time to prepare himself for a busy, fruitful career in music. On September 18th, Sheehan will release his third full-length album, Postcards from the Country, on Half Moon Records.
Recorded at The Building in Marlboro, NY, in the heart of the Hudson River Valley, Postcards from the Country is a step in a more stripped-down direction for Sheehan, whose last two records felt more produced or polished than this new offering. Sheehan tapped old musician friends to fill out his inventive arrangements; Drew Fermo on piano and Fender Rhodes, Rebecca Haviland on B3 organ, Chris Anderson on upright bass , and Angel Lau on percussion.
Today Glide is excited to premiere the video for “Better Off,” a telling-off of self-doubt wrapped in a simple bluegrass feel. Donning just his electric guitar, Sheehan plays alone in the woods while next to a creek. Considering the song’s message about casting away self-doubt, the setting seems to represent finding inner peace. There is definitely a twang in Sheehan’s voice as he lays into a simple Americana soundtrack to complement his reflective lyrics. Indeed, there you can feel a little bit of bluegrass in his vocal styling despite the fact that the song is played with an electric guitar.
Sheehan describes the inspiration behind the song:
“‘Better Off’ is a song for anyone with something to prove. We can hear doubt everywhere we go, holding us hostage when we want nothing more than to be allowed to show our worth. No matter the profession, lifestyle, or personal history, self-doubt exists and this is my way of attempting to tell it off.”
WATCH:
Photo credit: Talia Hayes
