DB Edmunds’ gift for guitar-pop alchemy has long been celebrated by fans of his Chapel Hill, NC-based bands Gladhands and The Stars Explode — in 2020, Matthew Sweet dug the latter’s song “Matthew Sweet” so much, he wrote and recorded “Stars Explode” in response. And now, with Life’s Wild Ride, his first-ever solo release, Edmunds further explores the magic that results when winning melodies, killer riffs, thoughtful lyrics and kaleidoscopic instrumental tones collide.
A six-song EP co-produced with John Plymale (Meat Puppets, Superchunk, The dB’s), Life’s Wild Ride finds Edmunds reaching further across the musical spectrum than he ever has before. There’s the hard-rocking romance of “Side By Side,” and the soulful, comfort-in-nature reverie of “Wait for the Rain”. There’s the brooding, Beatle-esque “I Don’t Trust Love,” and the jangly, atmospheric modern pop of “Higher Ground”. On “The One True Thing,” driving chords and an exultant “Woo Hoo!” chorus clash vividly with dystopian lyrics, while the closing “You and I” builds from vulnerable acoustic meditation to cathartic full-band crescendo. Through it all, Edmunds’ winning vocals and ace melodic sensibilities serve as the unifying element.
Today Glide is premiere the video for “I Don’t Trust Love,” the most Beatle-esque track on the record and one that finds Edmunds lyrically examining the elemental and unpredictable nature of amor. The video, directed and edited by Stephen Jablonsky, depicts Edmunds navigating a sunny landscape of elusive love. Musically, Edmunds strives for a dark power pop sound that culminates in a series of dramatic guitar flourishes.
Edmunds describes the inspiration behind the song:
Like most songwriters, I’ve written my fair share of love songs. But this time around I approached it from a different perspective, where love itself is the protagonist, the elusive and unpredictable party in the room, the one who maybe can’t be trusted.
WATCH:
