How did stop-you-in-your-tracks vocalist and songwriter Christine Sweeney go from singing along with R&B radio and tapes by Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and Destiny’s Child as a kid; to choice slots at the Connecticut Folk Fest and Falcon Ridge Folk Fest, WFUV DJ John Platt’s tastemaker On Your Radar concert series, on bills with Graham Parker and Jill Sobule, and in a Paste Magazine 2021 session?
She sets the scene: “I had some cassettes and would also tape songs from the radio. I would play them over and over again, focusing in on singing to a small part of the song. Rewind, play, repeat.”
To her, the R&B vocal influence isn’t unnatural in the folk setting. The result of this influence reminds her fans of Susan Tedeschi, Brandi Carlile, Sheryl Crow, KT Tunstall, or Grace Potter with music that grooves and rocks but also tells her story.
Her new album Heart In a Hurry (due out in March) is a culmination of this pairing of folk and soul, with generous dashes of blues, pop, Americana, and yes, R&B, in sharp, open-hearted new songs, some drawn from life lessons learned the hard way and shared with her listeners. “I hope by hearing some of the more personal details or the more raw emotional descriptions in the songs like in ‘Anywhere Anyway’ and ‘Down to the River’ and ‘Denial,’ that the listener will be able to connect with their own experience. I feel like these songs talk a lot about states of feeling, either abandoned or confused or tired of trying. I hope that whoever might need that message, … I hope they take it as a sign that other people feel like this, too. They’re not alone,” she says. She’s had fans approach her after concerts to tell her hearing her song helped with something they were experiencing. Even when telling a deeply personal story, Christine has the ability to tap into universal feelings. Heart In a Hurry tells a tale of perseverance.
Christine crafted Heart In a Hurry with long-time collaborators and that sense of camaraderie and the ease of longstanding band members comes through in the sound. Harmony singer Sam Kantor shadows Christine’s lines beautifully. Guitarist Dave Ferro, longest-tenured member of her band, has a playful touch that accompanies her grooves.
As a result, Christine’s songs can exist in a big, full-band milieu or played solo at a hushed listening room, with equal impact—and the songs were road-tested on both types of stages before taking them into the studio. The folk scene has embraced Christine’s music, with showcases at NERFA and Folk Alliance International Conference. She attests, “It’s like a religious experience in a way because no one’s talking and they’re just really into the song. They want to see how they relate to your story. It’s like they’re breathing with you. It’s almost like you’re telling them a secret sometimes.”
Today Glide is excited to premiere the standout track “Do You Have To Go.” Simple electric guitar riffage provides the backbone for this tune that feels at once rootsy and indie while showcasing Christine’s impassioned vocals and lyrical potency. With the swagger of a jazz singer, she applies a soulful touch to this rock and roll anthem. Flirting with getting into trouble, the song brings to mind those questionable decisions that sometimes lead to a wild time and put regrets on the backburner. Christine lets her vocals soar over the crashing beat and garage rock guitar to make for a catchy tune that beckons repeat listens.
Christine Sweeney describes the inspiration behind the song:
This song is about the feeling of doing something you know maybe you shouldn’t, but it’s going to be very, very fun. That blood rush when you are being pulled magnetically towards someone. The flirty premise is this: wandering soul seeks twin flame for one night only. While spending time on the highway, killing time at a divey watering hole, someone you used to know walks in. They used to be something to you, and you’re both intrigued by a chance meeting in this hole in the wall place. Cue scorpio intensity eye contact, abandon all apprehension due to whatever reason it didn’t work out before, and lay all the cards on the table with an invitation to “get out of here” to a place nearby. There’s no promise of a lasting bond for this pair of star crossed lovers, but just a moment to rekindle what might have been an old flame, or maybe just a spark.
LISTEN:
Photo Credit: Shannyn KT
