Stewart Eastham – “In the Morning” (audio) (premiere)

Stewart Eastham makes rhythmic country, Americana with an extra hip-swing or two. “In the Morning” couples a walking bassline with peppy horns and a dance-all-night mantra — we’re exhorted to “get some rest in the morning” as Eastham’s band swings us through the hours until then. It’s joyful at its core, a welcome break from Eastham’s other work as well as much of his genre as a whole. Rather than the tortured wanderings of rural America, it’s a brief respite from the trials those entail, an acknowledgment that, no matter what, we can always dance.

“At the time I wrote this song, I’d been writing a lot of heavy, emotional songs, so I really enjoyed working on this song where I got to be more silly with the lyrics,” says Eastham. “Ultimately, it’s best it ended up on this album anyway since the song’s playful lyrics are far more in line with the Dancers in the Mansion songs than the songs of the previous album.”

Dancers in the Mansion releases August 12 on Long Bar Music. Until then, stream “In the Morning” below.