Lexington-based musician Grayson Jenkins is gearing up for the release of his album Turning Tides, and shared the brand new video for the title track with us. I asked the Muhlenberg County native a few questions about the upcoming album, his new video, and his upcoming Railbird Festival appearance.
On the video: In the music video, we wanted to personify depression and anxiety through different versions of myself. The first half of the video is a dream sequence that symbolizes my internal conflict between good and evil. Eventually, the good wins out and you see the retreat of the negative versions of myself. At the key change, I wake up and we recreate a scene pretty close to how the song was written. A lot of the video was done in one shot and I think it feels pretty genuine because of it.
On the song: Turning Tides" is a song born from my own battles with depression and anxiety. I started writing it at a friend's cabin as I was trying to regroup and sort through my thoughts. I'd been running wide open and drinking pretty heavy, so I needed some time alone. The second morning I was there, I woke up and felt like myself for the first time in a long time. It was that moment of clarity that inspired me to write the first verse. A few months later, I finished the song with my good friend, Ryan Allen (Magnolia Boulevard).
On the album: I was fortunate to record this song and upcoming album with a group of Kentucky all-stars. Jesse Wells (Tyler Childers) co-produced and played electric guitar, Miles Miller (Sturgill Simpson) played drums, and Kenny Miles (Wayne Graham) played bass. They're all monster players and I learned a lot in the five days we spent recording. The album also features some good friends of mine and talented KY artists - Nicholas Jamerson, Abby Hamilton, Brother Smith, and plenty more. It's a great feeling to work with your friends and have it documented on an album like this.
What's next: I'm really excited to get this song and new album out in the world. I've got several shows booked this year to support the record and plan on adding more. I've got a stack of songs tucked away for new projects and can feel myself getting antsy to work on another record. Honestly, Turning Tides may be the "biggest" album I ever have. It's a heavy, rockin' record. I love where it ended up, but now I'm itching for a stripped down, acoustic album. Time will tell if I stick to that or not.
The release of Turning Tides is set for August 27th, and Grayson Jenkins will be celebrating the release at his Railbird Festival performance that weekend. Watch the premiere of the music video for the title track below.
