Carson McHone has released “Downhill,” a propulsive and dynamic new single accompanied by a self-directed music video. The track is the latest offering from her forthcoming album, Pentimento, set for release on September 12th via Merge Records.
With its fluctuating time signatures and a compelling interplay of distorted electric guitars and distant harmonies, “Downhill” evokes the raw energy of early Velvet Underground and Television. The song’s idiosyncratic bass lines and understated drumming create a captivating push and pull, showcasing McHone’s evolving sound. The accompanying video, directed by McHone herself, was filmed on a beach in Barcelona, Spain, and features the young son of poets Layla Benitez-James and Ian Farnes.
“Pentimento is a quiet conjuring, shuttling one through memory much like pentimento itself,” Benitez-James says. Watching her son in the video, she notes how DNA, too, calls up shadowy traces across generations, and the many layers of meaning assigned through lineage. “We gave our son my grandmother’s middle name, Lee, which means the sheltered side of something, a safe place. I see the knocks on his legs, remembering my first scars, and wanting to catch him always.” Early in life, we find pathways, create habits, methods of learning. Complex decisions often have their origins in our first attempts. Learning to ride a bike, tie our shoes, how to love, these patterns often stay with us, even those from the very beginning. “Maybe all of the best work has its beginnings in childhood,” Farnes suggests, “it’s part of the fabric that makes us. There are layers behind layers in Pentimento, and it makes me feel more deeply the more I listen, revealing the layers also within me.”
In conjunction with the new music, McHone is embarking on a European tour with Daniel Romano’s Outfit, which kicks off this weekend. The tour will see her performing across the continent, bringing the new material to a live audience. “Downhill” serves as a powerful preview of the artistic depth and musical exploration promised on Pentimento.
Pre-Order/Save: https://lnk.to/Pentimento
Carson McHone’s European tour with Daniel Romano’s Outfit kicks off this week:
Live Dates
Jul 18 Deventer, NL – Burgerweeshuis*
Jul 19 Rotterdam, NL – Rotown*
Jul 20 Venlo, NL – Grenswerk
Jul 24 Ermelo, NL – In De Rimboe
Jul 30 Barcelona, ES – Upload*
Aug 01 Madrid, ES – El Sol*
Aug 02 Valencia, ES – Loco Club*
Aug 07 Göteborg, SE – Way Out West
Aug 08 Fredrikstad, NO – Tæps
Aug 12 Uppsala, SE – Katalin
Aug 13 Östersund, SE – Jazzköket
Aug 14 Trondheim, NO – Moskus
Aug 15 Ringebu, NO – Arnemoen Gard
Aug 16 Lidköping, SE – Bustad Brewing
Aug 17 Lund, SE – Merjeriet*
Aug 19 Drammen, NO – Kulturhus
Aug 20 Bergen, NO – Statraden
Aug 22 Vangen, NO – Haugesund Festival
Aug 23 Stockholm, SE – Stockholm Roots
Sep 12 St. Catherines, ON – In the Soil Arts Festival (Pentimento Performance & Listening Party)
*supporting Daniel Romano’s Outfit