Trace Mountains – “Friend” [Video]

Trace Mountains, the project of Dave Benton, has shared the second single from his highly anticipated new album Into The Burning Blue, due out September 27th via Lame-O Records. In contrast to the widescreen production and frantic pace of opener “In A Dream,” today’s single “Friend” highlights a core intention of the album – that each song had the integrity to stand alone in a stripped-back setting. Over fingerpicked guitars and spry drumming, Benton reflects on confronting loneliness and finding solace in community.

Written as Benton grappled with the end of an 8-year romantic relationship, songs were pouring out of him in quick succession, often urgently before he had logically processed the emotions himself. The pressure of this period crystallized Benton’s adventurous spirit and self-renewal as he embraced new high-fidelity sounds and conviction. Writing routinely over a Roland CR-68 drum machine and enamored with the dramatic precision of 80s music, Benton enlisted Craig Hendrix (Japanese Breakfast) to bring his indie rock to immersive new heights.

Benton recalls the Tom Petty-inspired “Friend” as his proudest and most honest moment. “I like to joke that I’m a ‘loner in recovery,’” said Benton, “When I wrote “Friend,” I was facing a pretty big transition in my life. I needed to address my own loneliness, and writing the song was like my first step on that path. It was my way of saying, “Yep, I feel lonely sometimes,” and dealing with that good old millennial malaise. I’m just really grateful for the people in my life and trying to tackle the meaning of a word like “Friend” feels impossible, but it’s fun to try.”

Watch the surreal video below, directed by Alyx & Sam Soard. On the video Sam shares “When Dave and I were brainstorming ideas for “Friend,” we found ourselves reflecting on the bizarre nature of the loneliness epidemic. During one of our phone calls, I suggested portraying him as a werewolf. We both laughed at the idea initially but soon realized it was a playful way to capture the surreal social experience we’re all enduring. Dave and his reputation as a well-known cat mom brought a unique perspective to this concept. Exaggerating his personality in this creature-feature felt like a fun way to explore the song’s themes. Our goal was to use humor to emphasize the importance of genuine companionship in a world that often feels chaotic and disconnected.”

You can order the new album HERE.