Poignant songwriters carry a brilliance of capturing heart-piercing stories in real-time while reflecting deep-seated emotions and a lust for life that uplifts. Nick Africano’s poetic storytelling bears unflinching intimacy and releases our imaginations to dream of love’s abundance of emotions. Released in June, Gossip of Flames is a masterpiece featuring Africano in collaboration with Nashville’s rising star Lera Lynn (as seen on HBO’s True Detective); who serves as the producer and co-writer (7 of the 10 songs). Gossip of Flames was recorded by GRAMMY Award-winning engineer Craig Alvin (Kacey Musgraves) at Nashville’s Sound Emporium.
Gossip of Flames culls an identity from Walt Whitman’s “Song of Myself,” though rooted in the life of a performing artist based in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn. In a bout of inspiration to record Gossip of Flames, Africano returned to his Sicilian father’s art studio in the midwestern town of Normal, IL where he grew up playing baseball with lauded artist Pokey LaFarge. The homecoming resulted in a handful of demos sent off to various Nashville producers and co-writers. While on a writing retreat in Music City, Africano met with Lera Lynn and Todd Lombardo as he neared completion of the 10 songs on Gossip of Flames. That chance composing session led to Lynn becoming the producer of Gossip of Flames.
Gossip of Flames spotlights three recording sessions, the first of which includes an array of Nashville musicians. Lera Lynn is in the producer’s chair while co-writing and singing on nearly every track. Craig Alvin engineered the album with Africano performing alongside Todd Lombardo(guitars, keys, slide), Robby Handley (bass), Chris Lippincott (piano, keys, pedal steel), and Jason Cheek (drums). Four songs on Gossip of Flames were engineered by Lombardo and performed/recorded with the trio of him, Africano, and Lynn.
Today Glide is excited to premiere the video for “Don’t Pass Me By,” a song that captures the chemistry between Africana and Lynn. Set to a dreamy folk soundtrack, the song is a beautiful journey into a sentimental moment. Africano’s soft and soothing vocals feel timeless and they are accentuated by the gorgeous harmonies. With its musical simplicity and acoustic treatment, the song conveys a sense of emotional intimacy. The video also adds to this feel with fleeting imagery of returning to home.
Africano describes the inspiration and process behind the song:
“This is the first song Lera Lynn and I worked on for my record, which contains the line of the title, and one of my favorites. Lera really pushed me to trust my voice in this recording. Shooting the video was also a very special experience. It was directed and shot by one of my best friends, Filpe Bessa, in our hometown, Bloomington/Normal, IL. Our approach was sentimental and direct, not choosing to hide behind irony. After a year and half of a global pandemic, and both of us knowing what it’s like to constantly be on the road, the literal and figurative “homecoming” in this video felt significant to capture. I think this last year made us all think even more about what’s most important in each of our lives.”
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