Jessi Williams & Coyote’s “Hard to Tell” Calls Loyalty Into Question (premiere)

Indiana born and raised, Jessi Williams was never a stranger to country, bluegrass, and folk music. At 14, she was stowed away in her bedroom studying the works of Neil Young on guitar while, in the farmhouse kitchen, her parents hosted picking parties. So, between her inherent knowledge of folk tunes and a penchant for the rock and soul of the 1960s and 1970s, Williams and her band Coyote (pronounced “Kye-Oat”) have a strong cross-section of influences to imbue into their rollicking brand of Americana.

Jessi Williams & Coyote’s self-titled five-track debut EP is set to be released on 24 August. Ahead of time, the band is sharing its latest single from the EP, “Hard to Tell”. Complete with jangly guitar, bass, and mandolin, driving percussion, and sweet vocals to carry an infectious melody, “Hard to Tell” is a fast-paced earworm of a folk-rock tune.

In regards to the song’s themes, Williams tells us, “We can never truly know someone. We can’t know their past experiences or see how their mind sees the world. We tend to allow ourselves to think we do know people though and then get disappointed when they act outside of that persona we’ve made for them. When that inevitably happens, you have to adjust your perception or move on. As time goes on, sometimes it’s surprising to discover the people who remain in your life and those that don’t.”