Jack Grelle’s “To Be That Someone” Focuses on Love in the In-Between (premiere)

Folkies often sing tales of the troubadour’s life, but as time goes by, fewer and fewer seem to have really lived it. Jack Grelle is their antithesis, having hopped trains and hitchhiked throughout the US in search of inspiration for idiosyncratic stories to fuel his songwriting. Ultimately, these travels have produced an Americana artist that effortlessly captures the state of the world in his energized music. Never one to shy away from hot button issues that pervade his country today, Grelle has been lauded as a progressive voice in the overarching roots scene. He’s a real folk rambler.

With “To Be That Someone”, Grelle pares things back. The song is produced purely between himself and some plaintive fingerpicking, developing an environment in which one feels naturally inclined to hone-in on the sweet reflections of his lyricism. Here, Grelle is focused on telling a love story that doesn’t focus on love’s sweeping, storybook moments, but in the in-between—in the quieter moments that reinforce the infrastructure of the strongest bonds. Perhaps there’s no bond greater than that between a human and their pet, as the tune’s music video defines.

Grelle says, “Filmmaker, Matt Amato, approached me about shooting and directing a video for the new album. His idea of spending time at our home with my four-legged buddy, Rocco, seemed appropriate for the song. Lyrically, It’s a tune of new love and sharing the simple things with another person. Not really the grandiose moments of romance, but the enjoyment of one’s company and companionship.”

“To Be That Someone” is the latest single from Grelle’s new album, If Not Forever, which is out now.