Most artists release one new single at a time. Some prolific folks release a double A-side. Then there are the Presley Davis Jrs of this world who drop three singles all at once. But the insanity doesn’t stop there. These songs also couldn’t be more different.
“Crazy” is a cover of the Willie Nelson hit. It’s much jazzier than the original, but delivered with a deference to the song’s roots.
“My father was obsessed with tenor banjos and early jazz,” Presley shared. “The only other music he seemed to enjoy was Willie Nelson. Patsy Cline made this song famous, but Willie Nelson wrote it. One morning I woke up to find a recording of myself playing this country classic in this really old-time jazz style. It had been emailed to me from ‘Friday Night Presley’ if you know what I mean.”
Presley brings out the country with “Petunia,” a bouncy bluegrass number that feels like a delicious throwback.
“Petunia is a slacker’s lament. Or in my case an undiagnosed ADHD lament,” he said. “I never intentionally dragged my feet in life, but I have pancaked a lot and find myself constantly starting anew. Turns out this is common for people with my diagnoses. This song is basically for my partner who has always supported me.”
Then there’s my favourite of the three songs, “How Can I.” It feels like the most modern of the trio, and it delightfully showcases Presley’s soulful, bluesy vocals.
“This song came to mind without much, lyrically, other than a few turns of phrase,” he recalled. “I knew it was about someone who was living a double love life. I used details from a friend’s declining relationship which was a real cheat-fest to fill in the blanks.”
I so often hear that it’s important for artists to tell listeners what their sound is, so releasing three such different songs seems to defy conventional wisdom. But there’s method in the madness. These three songs offer a sneak peek at the three albums Presley plans to release on July 23: Birdlife, Roadside Magnolia, and Torana Americana. Together they’ll form his Eclecta Trifecta project. Is it ambitious? Yes. But it also might be genius.
Image used with permission from On the Map PR