EVERYWHERE I USED TO BE, OUT AUGUST 12, 2022 VIA BIRTHDAY CAKE RECORDS
WATCH / SHARE “SHOOTING AT THE MOON” HERE
BUY / STREAM “SHOOTING AT THE MOON” HERE
PRE-SAVE EVERYWHERE I USED TO BE HERE
"If you're longing for the pensive tearjerkers of classic country music in the modern world, look no further than Mariel Buckley. With the soul of Emmylou and the keen eye of Springsteen, Buckley has been busy making a name for herself.” - Bobbie Jean Sawyer, Wide Open Country
”Buckley’s songwriting is a precision-guided missile aimed of truth. [Driving in the Dark] vividly paints pictures of the existential questions that dog us. It offers simple songs with complex nuance.” - Rachel Cholst, Wide Open Country
Photo Credit : Sebastian Buzzalino // DOWNLOAD HIGH-RES
Unapologetically genuine, wry, and soft-hearted - Mariel Buckley has planted her flag firmly as a songwriter who’s in it for the long haul. She aims to find herself squarely on the fringes and exactly where she belongs: singing and writing songs for the underdog. And that’s exactly where her new album, Everywhere I Used to Be, lives.
Today, she shares the video for album single “Shooting At The Moon”, co-written with Grant Davidson (Slow Leaves). Filmed by Sebastian Buzzalino (Unfolding Creative), with footage from Ron Joe and Heather Saitz, and edited by Mike Linton (Centric Productions), the song is “a fun little ripper about the trials and tribulations of touring as a mid-level Canadian musician and battling with the inevitable ego of being somebody who works on stage,” says Buckley. “Snapshots of life on the road, long-distance romance and the ever-enduring underdog spirit that drives this tune, keeping feet on the ground and eyes on the prize. The video tries to capture that feeling – the fervour and excitement of the road alongside the almost mundane repetition of set-up, tear down, driving and more driving. Aiming to showcase the off-stage, less glamourized part of the touring band.”
WATCH / SHARE “SHOOTING AT THE MOON” HERE
BUY / STREAM “SHOOTING AT THE MOON” HERE
MORE ABOUT EVERYWHERE I USED TO BE
Produced by Marcus Paquin (The Weather Station, The Barr Brothers, Arcade Fire, The National, Julia Jacklin) Everywhere I Used To Be is sonically anchored by the haunting whine of pedal steel, a tastefully weighted, deep groove – rounded out by heavy synth pads and vibrant guitar parts. The resulting collection is a driving, swooning, toe-tapping catharsis; sealed and delivered by Buckley’s signature crooning brand of angst-ridden alt-folk.
“When you grow up as the town freak, you get used to hiding who you are to become more palatable for those around you,” she says. “While I've been great at speaking my mind in person, my music has often remained a vague, if not softer representation of my stuff, until now. All I said about my life in direct detail on my last record was that I was ‘kept a secret’ - and I couldn’t go any deeper.
When I wrote this record, l felt myself becoming clearer in the process. I became softer in my personal life and sharper in my songs. I finally saw the person, musician and songwriter I wanna be coming into focus, all together. Mental illness, addiction, bad choices, and abusive relationships have made that journey really fucking long and really difficult. It felt like coming home. Selfishly, this album gave me something I’d been looking for my whole life. I hope to give people a chance to hear themselves in these stories.
I wrote this album for losers and underdogs. I want every outsider and lost soul to feel seen and safe with these songs. I wrote it for kids who do/did feel underrepresented in the mainstream media, in church, at school or at home. I wrote it for anyone who's ready to make a change, and especially for those who aren't.”
Buckley and Paquin made an intentional move towards contemporary production, and quickly found themselves in a daily rhythm of deconstructing and rebuilding each song to find its full potential. Backed by some of Canada’s finest session musicians, their collective efforts are showcased with abundant heart, and skillful flourishes while respecting the space necessary for the songs to speak. Perhaps her mysterious ambiguity around genre, traditional storytelling, and identity is what gives these new songs such an honest shine.
PRE-SAVE EVERYWHERE I USED TO BE HERE
MORE ABOUT MARIEL BUCKLEY
Born and raised on the prairies in a conservative core, Buckley spent most of her youth playing hockey, getting into trouble and writing it all down. After dabbling in guitar for near a decade, she took up some bar gigs, playing mostly traditional country music. Buckley began writing original music in her early twenties and found a natural comfort in speaking her mind through song. After several years of honing her craft on and off the stage, she began seeing larger support slots – k.d. Lang notably saying: “this kid has a big future.”
Buckley’s first official release, Driving in the Dark (2018), garnered international press and began solidifying her as part of the roots community in North America. With recognition from No Depression, CBC Music, Wide Open Country and PopMatters; she was building momentum quickly. And now after two-years forced hiatus and a new album, she’s ready to continue being a trail in her own right. With a firm grip on the steering wheel and a destination in mind - we’re just happy to be along for the ride.
EVERYWHERE I USED TO BE TRACKLIST
01 Neon Blue
02 Whatever Helps You
03 Going Nowhere
04 Driving Around
05 Hate This Town
06 Love Ain’t Enough
07 Everywhere I Used To Be
08 Shooting At The Moon
09 Hose Named Nothing
10 Let You Down