SONG/VIDEO PREMIERE: The Rough & Tumble Drop Melodic Charmer “Ain’t That Way” Off New Album ‘Only This Far’ Out May 12th

Photo by Annie Minicuci Fine Art Photography

You know your ears are safe hands with a band called The Rough & Tumble. Self-described as a blend of dumpster-folk and thrift store Americana, the duo would be daytime festival slot darlings or dive bar warriors, with its contagious harmonies and gritty musical interplay. Comprised of Mallory Graham and Scott Tyler, the band will be releasing their latest LP Only This Far on May 12th and Glide is premiering the song and video for “Ain’t That Way,” a dual harmony feel-good charmer that holds a contagious melody and impeccable musicianship. With sparkling piano and string accompaniment, The Rough & Tumble makes like Nickel Creek meets Head and The Heart with its melodic Americana.

“Ain’t That The Way” is a shining anthem of perseverance; a rousing call to action for those who have been told their best isn’t good enough. With its powerful gang vocals and uplifting message, this song is a triumph of the human spirit, a celebration of the resilience and determination that lies within us all.

Read below for more about the song and its background..

This was the first song we wrote during the pandemic that was not specifically related to the pandemic. It came surprisingly early, and was inspired by eggs. Mallory had learned from a friend that the ‘best way’ to make scrambled eggs was to use a soft spatula to turn them, keeping them fluffy. When she’d told her mother about this (years ago, before the familial split), her mother’s response was ‘Sounds like a good way to burn a perfectly good spatula.’ When Mallory tried this tip again on her sister a couple weeks later, her sister had the same response. Verbatim. This stuck in her craw for a couple of years, and came out in this song – all about doing your best, it not being enough, but showing up anyway.

This song is one of our favorites – mostly because of those gang vocals. It includes almost everyone (excluding our vocally shy drummer) who took part on the record. The effect feels humongous – and somehow, it gives that equalizing effect. We’re all doing the best we can, even when we’re not doing our best.

Making the music video was one of the most unexpected joys we’ve ever experienced. We just moved to the small town of Haverhill, New Hampshire, and were looking for a way to make friends and introduce ourselves to the community, so we booked local filmmaker, Elias Gillen, and invited the community to come be extras in a music video. We made posters, posted on social media and listservs and asked friends to ask their friends to come but we really had no idea whether or not anyone would show up. But on a cold Saturday morning, about 80 people came down to Alumni Hall to be in this little band’s music video! We split the crowd into two teams and had them huddle up and play Rock/Paper/Scissors against each other in a Fight Club kinda way. It was amazing to watch this intergenerational crowd of strangers battle it out in this game we all know from childhood and to see the joy that comes from that. From showing up and taking part in a community. We smiled so hard our heads hurt by the end of the day

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2 Responses

  1. After just rising and seeing The Rough & Tumble on my screen I smiled and tapped onto your wonderful video. Terrific song to start the day with. “Ain’t That the Way” is the way. Bravo. Bravo. BRAVO.

  2. I was Blessed to be invited to join in on the video shoot by my dear friends, Mallory and Scott, so I made the drive from New Gloucester, Maine at zero dark thirty that morning. Navigating my way across the “Kanc,” Kancamagus Highway, in a snow squall, I found my way to Haverill, a town I instantly fell in love with. I am so happy The Rough & Tumble have settled in this friendly community. What a wonderful group of folks who gathered for this event. The drive from Maine was so very worth it.

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