Whether you’re familiar with Jetsam-Flotsam’s latest artist signing Broken Field Runner or not, there’s a pretty good chance you’re very close acquaintances with one of the band’s driving forces – sadness. Not exactly setting out to write a five-track EP of bummer rock geared around life’s unexpected losses and the empathy that follows, that’s exactly what happened when the Albany outfit (made up of Tony Bucci, Laura Murphy, Nick Cavin (of Young Culture), Chris Villeneuve (of Drug Church), and Jo-Jo Rose (of Blind Mice)) sat down to prepare their new somber release Heavy Hanging Fruit.
Exclusively streaming in full via The Noise, Broken Field Runner’s latest EP – which was inspired by “a couple that lost twins so late in their pregnancy that they had to name and bury them as per their Catholic faith” – is pretty, well, heavy to say the least.
“This record feels timely in so many ways,” explains Bucci. “For us, it’s a coming of age; we’ve taken the first steps into sonic adulthood, or at least have modestly designed what that looks like for us. A true evolution in our sound and one that feels as natural as the next breath – and we’ve already Cleared A Heaven So This Earth Can Breathe.”
“Lyrically, Broken Field Runner has always bared an honesty in perspective, but now we’ve incorporated a pacing and a compositional depth as accompaniment, completing the package and strengthening our message. Empathy becomes the focus as each song is not a personal account for any of us, yet, thematically, the loss, mourning, and resolutions of each character and story are deeply relatable. In a socio-political climate such as today’s, empathy is a powerful love-based weapon and this record is a labor of intense love. We sincerely hope you enjoy this offering and we thank you for listening.”
Punching you square in the gut and injecting you with a major dose of heartache, Heavy Hanging Fruit isn’t exactly for the faint of heart. However, in a time of so much hostility and hatred hovering around the news as of late, it might be precisely what we need.
To check out the dazzling EP from Broken Field Runner, be sure to look below. Afterwards, pre-orders are still available before tomorrow’s release date and can be found here.
