“On the Outside” by Austin-based singer/songwriter William Harries Graham is a dreamy portrayal of not wanting to leave a state of comfort, as well as a further insight into his upcoming fourth album, ‘Annie’s House.’
Stream: “On the Outside” – William Harries Graham
Do you have the habit of waking up early with the sun, your body gaining its energy with the rise of the brightness and your plans and hopes for the day forming optimistically in the your head?
If living in the city, this time of the day can feel solitary and kind of precious, like you have all that’s around you to yourself before the bustle of the everyday kicks in. If waking up early isn’t a habit, those days when it occurs and can feel muddled and bizarre, like you should still be in your bed dreaming. This is especially the case if the sun has not yet made its presence and the darkness and coldness pervades.
Cold as the night, cold as the
cul de sac at the end of your street
Dogs may bark in the yard,
I don’t know if you can hear them
but I hope that you could hear their chords
Well Annie, I don’t wanna go there yet
It’s not even light outside, I haven’t seen the sunrise
Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering “On the Outside” by Austin-based singer/songwriter William Harries Graham (released 18 September), the latest single to be taken from his upcoming album, Annie’s House (out October 25 via Strolling Bones Records).
The song speaks of the period “just as the sun is coming up, hearing the sounds of the world coming to life but not wanting to leave the comfort of the feeling between sleep and waking,” Graham tells Atwood Magazine.
“On the Outside” is easygoing and simply effective, with instrumentation that builds and familiar vocals that trail with gravelly gentleness.
‘Yeah, well Annie, can’t we just lay here in bed’ he sings wistfully, before putting emphasis on the following: ‘I don’t wanna be on the outside, be on the outside/ On the outside, on the outside.’ It ends with a long solo and crash of drums, both giving the impression of the frustration of having to get out of bed and face the harshness that’s not really harsh but can seem that way when still in a slight state of sleep and fulled by exaggerations.
“The recording process was a bit excruciating because I had this weird rhythm that I wanted for the song,” Graham explains to Atwood Magazine in regard to the style of the the song. “We tried a million different alternate versions and wound up back with the original idea. It drove us a bit crazy figuring out where it all sat though. It was all worth it when we got the final take. We’d been trying to work out the solo/outro bit. We had one take of the song that was fine, nothing special. And we thought, why not do one more. Right before we recorded, I whispered to my guitarist, David Goodrich, to play like Neil Young. When the take was over, everyone is the control booth yelled “THAT’S IT!”
In the accompanying video, directed by longtime collaborator Col Elmore, Harris strolls across a beach alone with his acoustic guitar.
The waves crash and there is a grey haziness, the dreaminess being a distinctive aspect of William Harries Graham’s music videos. This haziness intensifies during the solo, as the shots of Harris blending together and his movements deep with expression. The words “on the outside” thus take on an alternative meaning, as though we’d rather rest in our own idealistic bubble than face the realities of the world.
“On The Outside” is another preview of William Harries Graham’s fourth album, Annie’s House, due for release 25 October. Bringing another perceptive to the song, the singer-songwriter tells Atwood Magazine that it’s “about the end of a relationship with someone that you’re still in love with. The feeling of not wanting to let go quite yet. It was one of the first times I really played with a conversational approach to songwriting. Really saying what I mean rather than dancing around it with descriptions. It’s all centered around knowing you need to move on but not yet being able to.”
With this in mind, the idea of waking up and leaving the home for the coolness of the outside appears even more gruelling. It’s about facing the realities and leaving the comfort behind.
Narratives continue to a play a part in the album Annie’s House, as Graham makes references to cities, to personages and the musings that circulate in the head. Each song is like a zoomed-in snapshot, as though eavesdropping on people in the intimacy of their quotidien. “On the Outside” is this during the solitude of the early morning, a period that tends to feel more hidden than others.
Stream the new single exclusively on Atwood Magazine; William Harries Graham’s Annie’s House is out October 25, 2024!
— —
:: pre-order Annie’s House here ::
:: connect with William Harries Graham here ::
Stream: “On the Outside” – William Harries Graham
— — — —
Connect to William Harries Graham on
Facebook, Threads, Instagram
Discover new music on Atwood Magazine
© Col Elmore
© Col Elmore:: Stream William Harries Graham ::
