Its no secret here that I’ve long been a fan of Zach Schmidt‘s songs and live shows. There is something very “heart on the sleeve” honest and open about his words and delivery. Music and records that can move between a slow burning and deeply moving waltz into a shit kicking bar brawl from one track to the next and still feel cohesive and flow with the smooth nature of silk, well those artists are few and far between, but Schmidt commands that rare ability without breaking a sweat.
The new video for the first single off his forthcoming release “Raise a Banner” (out April 16th) just dropped this week and while I’ve heard this tune everywhere from intimate and quiet in a living amongst friends and family to on stage at a rowdy and loud bar, the way they hav managed to encompass the feeling of this tune, in its properly recorded form, takes on a whole new life. Enlisting the likes members of Jason Isbell’s band, the 400 Unit, with guitarist and producer Sadler Vaden at the producer’s helm, well, you’d be hard pressed to find better in the business to support your tunes. But this thing truly moves with layer after layer that just works.
Couple that with some absolutely breathtaking cinematic work for the video courtesy of director/cinematographer Brian Davis and its a hell of a way to introduce this coming release. Seriously, the video clocks in at just over 3 minutes, but the story that is told over absolutely beautiful and clever imagery is poignant and powerful. Playing like some of my favorite films from contemporary film makers like Robert Eggers, it’s truly a gorgeous visual companion to a pensive and self reflective track.
You can pre-order the record here: https://found.ee/RaiseABanner