I love a good cinematic songwriter. I want to be completely transported into the world that you’re creating with your music– include all the minutia of your daily life if that means that you can paint a picture so crystalline that I can’t help but see myself lost in it. I’ve talked ad nauseam about the way I think Jake Ewald has perfected the craft– but where would he be if it weren’t for acts like Billy Joel or Bruce Springsteen? Those two men spared no detail and made sure to include whatever necessary to help the world they were creating come to life. That’s a quality that I’ve come to cherish as I’m getting older, and it’s one that I’m happy to report I’ve found in a band called Pony League.
The band recently announced their new record, A Picture Of Your Family, will be released on March 23rd through hometown-hero record label Break Kids Recordings and I couldn’t be more excited to share the title track with y’all! There’s something about this track that just draws you in– I don’t know if it’s the vulnerable nature of the vocals and piano or if it’s the drawl that helps make the story-telling feel authentic and serene. It’s one of those songs you can’t stop listening to because you love the fact that you feel something when you’re listening to it. You’re taken out of your own head, the negativity of real life slips away, and in a true Walking In Memphis kind of way– you can’t help but feel a little somber but somehow full of joy.
When asked about the song, vocalist Gus Fernandez said: “‘A Picture Of Your Family’ is an attempt to capture the fleeting emotions that come rushing during unexpected moments of quiet or “in-between moments”. You know when you’re at home at a time where you’re usually at work or school, and the light peeks through the window in ways you’ve never noticed? Or if you’ve ever booked a really early flight and found yourself in a cab before the sunrise looking out the window while the world still sleeps. This song is about the buried treasures that pop into your mind (or at least my mind) in that unexpected state of rest. In my case, it started with a glance at an old family photo that I walk by every day. On this particularly quiet day, the photo sent a rush of nostalgia through me and I found myself wondering how I’d gotten here.”
You can stream “A Picture of Your Family” below.
A Picture of Your Family is out March 23rd on Bear Kids Recordings. Pre-orders will be available here.