‘Cutting through the blacktop, peeled treads and livestock
A hundred shades of yellow and brown
He came to his senses, tired and defenceless and decided he could turn it all around
And head back to the coast and bury every single ghost that ever tried to run him down’
The second single from Jeremy Edwards’s upcoming ‘Ghosts’ album release is the four-on-the-floor, Dylan meets a hillbilly AC/DC road song – Hope Highway.
The song tells the story of a restless, regretful man running away from his home out on the New England highway. Ghosts, hard truths, grief and grievances chasing him all the way – some sitting alongside him in the car.
‘Hangin’ on to words she said, stuck in you like lumps of lead
Shot out from an enemy camp’
Edgy, urgent production from Josh Schuberth propels the up tempo track and it’s fast fingerpicked acoustic guitar further ahead, while fuzz bass and tasty slide guitars cascade around scattergun lyrics.
Hope Highway showcases Edwards’ influences crashing together here in modern ‘noir hillbilly’ – a world away from the gentler, more wistful ‘Boy’, the first single released from the album.
Together the two songs give a tantalising indicator into the breadth and depth of the palette Jeremy Edwards has to offer listeners. ‘Ghosts’ is an album discerning music lovers should be on the lookout for when it’s released later in the year.
