SONG PREMIERE: David Serby Faces Harsh Realities On “Flight Path”

One of the most impressive and difficult achievements an artist can reach in their artistic endeavors is longevity. This is not a platinum record to hang on your wall, nor is it a large number sitting nicely next to the title of your song on Spotify; longevity is an intangible dream that can only be achieved through evolution and dedication. Thankfully, West Coast troubadour David Serby has those two things, and more, in spades, enjoying a steady string of rootsy rock releases dating back to 2006. Twenty years later, and that initial spark that drove Serby into the burgeoning Los Angeles singer/songwriter scene in the early aughts is burning brighter than ever, as we inch closer to the latest chapter in his storied discography. 

Broken Heart in a Honky Tonk, the seventh studio album from Serby, is set to arrive on May 29. The Edward Tree-produced outing is set to be another rollicking, toe-tapping outing from the songwriting veteran, another checkpoint in the autobiographical career of a musician still searching for answers, despite holding that gold ring of longevity in their hands. Before the full LP arrives, Serby has a few problems to face, a romantic hurdle that is as confusing as it is raw and palpable. On “Flight Path,” the latest preview from Broken Heart in a Honky Tonk, Serby takes a hard yet necessary look at life, attempting to find the line between solvable issues and the problems our minds can create for ourselves. Glide is proud to present the world premiere of “Flight Path” below. 

“Flight Path” features dark poetry juxtaposed with lively instrumentation, mimicking the age-old practice of pretending everything is right as rain. Serby uses the animated guitars and cascading percussion as a canvas for his harshest realities, as he attempts to decipher whether this romantic relationship is still that. “My wife and I recently moved to Long Beach. We love it here for a lot of reasons, one of which is that the city seems much smaller than you would expect. The one downside is that there is an airport right in the middle of the city, and it seems like, depending on the weather and the directions the planes are flying in and out, almost every neighborhood is in a flight path. I know that’s an exaggeration, but not for our house,” explains Serby when asked about “Flight Path.” 

Even though “Flight Path” is deeply personal to Serby, the record doesn’t play as such. The artist pulls from his many years of performing live, tinting his own story with a level of empathy that allows the listener to see themselves in the narrative, a true testament to Serby’s songwriting prowess. “I was sitting in the backyard with my guitar and the planes were rumbling overhead and I got an idea for a couple who move to a new apartment in the hopes of salvaging a rocky relationship, but the walls keep shaking and at first they hope it’s the planes, but in time they realize that no matter where they go together, the walls are going to shake like they’re living in a flight path,” continues Serby. 

Broken Heart in a Honky Tonk is primed to be another carefully curated, exhilarating chapter in Serby’s storied career. “Flight Path” is a captivating storytelling tune that disguises itself as a dance number, softening the blow of the heartbreaking lyrics by finding solace in the fact that our hero is one step closer to uncovering the truth they’ve been seeking. You can listen to “Flight Path” for the first time right here.