Lauren Morrow destroys the bogus imagery of social media on her debut full-length album People Talk, a record full of devastatingly honest and real-life lyrics delivered with a mix of vulnerability and confidence. “Nobody But Me” is the pinnacle, a song inspired by Morrow’s own experiences as a woman in the music business. Like the rest of the album, it boasts hints of Britpop (Morrow is a massive Oasis fan and once recorded a version of “Talk Tonight” with 400 Unit guitarist Sadler Vaden), but stands out for its piano-based structure.
“I had a small idea in my head about a piano-driven song for the record similar to a lot of my influences from Tori Amos to Radiohead, and the lines ‘if you ain’t helping then you’re hurting, it ain’t hard to see/ I don’t need nobody but me’ kept repeating in my head,” says Morrow, who co-wrote “Nobody But Me” with her husband Jason Morrow and producer Parker Cason. “I wrote some very vulnerable things about myself and my experiences in the music industry over the last decade. It became a song about empowerment and standing in your own self, flaws and all. I think you can hear that angst in the vocal performance.”
Morrow pairs the song with a new video, a collection of vintage images of women shattering old societal norms. “I wanted to make something myself using various video clips of women throughout history being strong and beautiful,” she says. “The song is so personal to me, so it just felt right to try to tell that story myself.”
“Nobody But Me” follows the release of People Talk tracks like “Only Nice When I’m High,” which itself arrived with an inventive video: Morrow sings to a Muppet-like joint.
This week, the Atlanta native will launch a co-headlining summer tour with Nashville’s king of the real honky-tonks, Joshua Hedley.
Lauren Morrow & Joshua Hedley Tour Dates:
May 31 – Lexington, KY @ The Burl
June 1 – Indianapolis, IN @ Duke’s
June 2 – St. Louis, MO @ The Golden Record
June 3 – Berwyn, IL @ FitzGerald’s
June 4 – Milwaukee, WI @ The Cooperage
June 7 – Newport, KY @ Southgate House
June 8 – Columbus, OH @ Rumba Cafe
June 9 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern
June 10 – Buffalo, NY @ Sportsmen’s Tavern
June 11 – Boston, MA @ The Porch
June 13 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Club Cafe
June 14 – Vienna, VA @ Jammin Java
June 15 – Lancaster, PA @ Tellus360
June 17 – Philadelphia, PA @ Ortlieb’s
June 20 – Brooklyn, NY @ Skinny Dennis
June 22 – Charlottesville, VA @ The Southern
June 23 – Roanoke, VA @ Spot on Kirk *Solo
June 24 – Richmond, VA @ Get Tight Lounge
June 25 – Abingdon, VA @ Abingdon Vineyards
June 27 – Charleston, SC @ The Pour House
June 28 – Raleigh, NC @ The Pour House
June 29 – Charlotte, NC @ Neighborhood Theatre
June 30 – Atlanta, GA @ Eddie’s Attic