“Steady” is the name of my new EP, but it’s also something I’ve strived to feel more of in my life. My mom found this picture of me riding my bike as a kid and commented on how self-assured and confident and strong I looked. I was surprised at how foreign those feelings felt to me decades later, and I realized I wanted to get back to that frame of mind. “Steady” is the result. These five songs are about self-love, self-discovery and self-acceptance. They are about family, relationships, friendships and the world around us. I’ve been working on “Steady” for a couple of years and it’s carried me into this next phase of my life, namely, my thirties. I was six years-old when I learned how to ride a bike. I’m about to turn 31, and I’m not embarrased to say that I’m still learning how to live this thing called life.
While recording these songs, I got to work with some wonderful people. I want to thank everyone who helped make these recordings possible. First and foremost, thank you to my producer Tyler Chester. It was so fun working together again and getting to hear how you interpreted these songs; I’ve learned so much about songwriting and arranging from you. A huge thanks to Sara Watkins, who lended her fiddle playing to “Sequoia,” and Mai Bloomfield, who played cello on the title track “Steady.” It was an honor to work with such incredible musicians who I deeply admire. I was so glad to have my friends Leila Milki on piano and John Fatum on drums and percussion. We also had a lot of fun guests like Abe Rounds, Griffin Goldsmith, and Rob Berger.
Abby Litman’s latest single, “Be Ok,” challenges the common refrain, “Oh, you’ll be okay.” Written about a breakup, the song captures all the highs and lows of moving on: adjusting, adapting, and, of course, the relentless second-guessing of one’s choices “I did the right thing,” Litman sings, “but I’m not okay.”
The single features bracingly-honest lyrics (“I wanna call him, say his name / But I don’t want an answer anyways”), shimmering electric guitar, and a driving drum beat. In the song’s breakdown, Litman repeats “I did the right thing,” over minor-sounding, unresolved accompaniment, as if to convince herself. Ultimately, the song resolves and so does the narrator’s self-doubt. With finality, Litman sings, “I did the right thing.”
“Still On My Mind” is a collection of songs from Abby Litman’s previous EP “On My Mind,” produced by Grammy-winner producer Tyler Chester, and new ones which reimagine those songs in a folk, Americana style. Each song tackles specific crossroads in life: a breakup (“Train”), a desire for independence while remembering a former lover (“Alright”), and an overwhelming anxiety about the future (“Troubles”). But, collected together here as an EP, these songs resonate beyond their individual meanings. This point is reinforced by the EP’s cover art: each song’s prior single artwork is fastened into one and turned upside down, a nod to the EP’s new arrangement. “Still On My Mind” takes on the qualities of a physical relic, a wooden chest that, when opened, reveals one artist’s meditations on love, loss, and the pursuit of happiness and one’s creative passion.
The Chester-produced songs tread from the brooding to the boisterous, supported by deep, spirited drums, intricate guitar lines, layered vocals, and Chester!s trademark intimate sound.”Train” includes Madison Cunningham on rhythm guitar, while”Alright” features Kyle Cranes animated drumming. Their re-imaginations, shaped by producer John Fatum, make great use of Nick Drake-like nylon guitars, Joni Mitchell-inspired harmonies, and light, intimate drumming. The minimalist arrangements highlight Litman’s heavy-hitting lyrics, which are at times wistful (“sleeping people dream their days gone, with the birds he sings along,”) biting (“did you find somewhere to go that made you feel alive?”), but always vulnerable (“Sometimes I wake up, feel like someone else … I am happy here, I can disappear.”)
“Still On My Mind” is exactly what it says it is: a portrait of the anxieties and concerns of a burgeoning artist. What’s surprising is how the EP manages to be both deeply personal and reflective of our present times. By offering reimagined arrangements, the EP gives listeners new insights and entryways into three already very good, and very catchy songs.
Check out Abby Litman’s interview on Boomerocity
Abby Litman’s EP “On My Mind” features three sonically-distinct songs that each tackle specific crossroads in life: a breakup (“Train”), a desire for independence while remembering a former lover (“Alright”), and an overwhelming anxiety about the future (“Troubles”). But, collected together here as an EP, these songs resonate beyond their individual meanings. This point is reinforced by the EP’s cover art: each song’s individual single artwork is fastened into one, distinct, textured whole. As a result, “On My Mind” takes on the qualities of a physical relic, a wooden chest that, when opened, reveals one artist’s meditations on love, loss, and the pursuit of happiness and creative passion.
Shaped by Grammy-nominated producer Tyler Chester, “On My Mind” treads from the brooding to the boisterous, supported by deep, spirited drums, intricate guitar lines, layered vocals, and Chester’s trademark intimate sound. “Train” includes Madison Cunningham on rhythm guitar, while “Alright” features Kyle Crane’s animated drumming. Litman soars on the EP, reaching peaks reminiscent of Joni Mitchell with her phrasing and melodic lines. Her lyrics are at times wistful (“sleeping people dream their days gone, with the birds he sings along,”) and biting (“did you find somewhere to go that made you feel alive?”), but always vulnerable (“Sometimes I wake up, feel like someone else … I am happy here, I can disappear.”)
“On My Mind” is exactly what it says it is: a portrait of the anxieties and concerns of a burgeoning artist. What’s surprising is how the EP manages to be both deeply personal and reflective of our present times, yet stunningly universal.