Where do you go after exploring Antarctica? If you’re Have Gun, Will Travel, whose masterful album Science From an Easy Chair chronicled the voyage of Ernest Shackleton, you head right back to the bar. Unfortunately, that voyage took its toll on the band, exhausting their creative energies and contributing to lead singer Matt Burke’s checking into the hospital numerous times with anxiety attacks.
That helps explain the sense of whimsy in the band’s new song “Against the Grain.” The song feels feathertouch-light but is weighted with a subtle sadness. The band adds a layer of synth to this song that gives their music an even more spacious, magical feel. Burke celebrates the strength of his bonds, even if they seem unconventional from an outsider’s point of view. In this video, the old chestnut of calling a loved one your “partner in crime” is taken quite literally — and satisfactorily.
Have Gun, Will Travel’s new album Strange Chemistry will be out on July 12th.