Fox Grin’s new single, “If I Was On Your Mind”—premiering below—shows the Nashville band fixating on a lost love over hypnotic synths and distorted guitar.
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“We recorded ‘If I Was On Your Mind’ during quarantine, and because of this we pieced the track together from several locations,” vocalist / guitarist / keyboardist Thom Chapman tells American Songwriter.
“Much of it was done from the home studio, while the drums were recorded from the drummer’s camper, and the bass was pieced together remotely as well,” he continues. “It’s essentially a breakup song, lamenting the love you lost and touching on the obsessive thoughts that can follow — wondering if someone is thinking of you when you think of them.”
The track opens with a bleary saxophone part that gives way to a foreboding first verse: “Hear it in the wind,” Chapman sings, “As soon as it begins the sound is all around / It’s bending in the light, drifting in the night / Whispering goodbyes / ‘Till everything’s alright.”
Eventually, “If I Was On Your Mind” builds into a gauzy psych-rock number that evokes Currents-era Tame Impala. Written and produced by Chapman, the song also features Nathan Wahlman on drums, Jonny Gleaton and David Bean on bass (Bean additionally lends backing vocals), Mike Cap on keys, and Teddy Jones on saxophone.
“If I Was On Your Mind” is the Nashville band’s first single of 2020, following 2019’s Dusk, 2018’s King of Spades, and 2013’s Animals. According to Chapman, fans can expect more new music from Fox Grin soon.
“We did work on more music [during the pandemic], and we actually have two more singles on the way,” he says. “Much like everyone else I think Fox Grin is navigating the pandemic — trying to stay patient while also staying creative.”
Chapman and Cap have also stayed creative by releasing new music from their instrumental project, A. Co. “While we prep and count down for our next release,” Fox Grin wrote in an Instagram post last month, “we’re proud to announce our instrumental side project @a_co_music_ just released a new song today!”
The song in question is “Night Cap,” a flitting ambient cut that follows the duo’s previous single “Dreamamine,” which sounds exactly like what you’d imagine a song called “Dreamamine” to sound like.
“If I Was On Your Mind” is dreamy in its own way, tinged with unease and obsession. Give the tune a listen below.
“If I Was On Your Mind” is out now.
