Posted: by The Editor
The vulnerability hanging over the sparse, hesitant opening of Convinced Friend’s “Safeway” is intermingled with a sense of acceptance as A.S. Wilson sings “you should have left me / at the Safeway in the back seat / like a dog at the window / leave a crack, let the air flow,” accompanied only by his electric guitar, a touch of reverb helping to create the troubadour feel of the song. Wilson describes the songs as being about “addressing lingering questions of long-term commitment,” and the tune certainly has the feel of reaching a conclusion that seems inevitable once reached, despite the winding route it took to get there.
After about a minute, Wilson is joined by a rhythm section and some warm, tasteful pedal steel provided by Michael Grigoni, helping to shift the feel of the song from a Jeff Buckley-like crooner to a twangy country waltz, evoking barroom floors sticky with beer while a singer pours their heart out to a few regulars.
Check out the track below and keep a look out for Convinced Friend’s self-titled debut, out on cassette 11/11 through Relief Map Records.
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Aaron Eisenreich | @slobboyreject
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