After years of performing and writing collaboratively in group settings, Erica Strout wanted to see what she was capable of on her own. Known predominantly for her searing guitar work and boisterous vocals in Athens trio Motherfucker, Strout knew she wanted to pursue a sound that was less strident and aggressive but without resorting to the stark, stripped-down approach common to so many singer-songwriters.
By contrast, her solo debut “Not the Only One” is rich and full, utilizing a sauntering groove to ground a song that is continually offering listeners new details and textures to explore. Strout’s vocals, which so often exude a cheeky surliness in Motherfucker, are more measured here, but it’s clear she still knows how to wrangle a hook. Indeed, the way the track glides through its expansive canvas is a large part of its charm, exceeded only by the moonlit ambiance that seems to reflect off every surface.
To help shape the song, Strout brought in her friend Emileigh Ireland on harmonies and backing vocals, as well as Gene Woolfolk, who lends his talents on guitar and bass, not to mention mixing and mastering the final cut. For Woolfolk, it was an opportunity to return a favor, as Strout recently helped breathe life into his own promising solo venture Dream Tent. Together, the trio combine to craft a spellbinding tune, one made more potent by the song’s intertwining themes of fear and acceptance.
“I didn’t realize it until I was mostly done writing the lyrics, but it’s about the fear that holds us back in our lives, even if we aren’t aware of it,” Strout says. “It’s about seeing other people doing the things that you want to be doing and know that you are fully capable of while being paralyzed with fear. It’s about accepting the ‘bad’ parts of ourselves as much as the good because they are mutually inclusive. A lot of references to bioluminescence have crept into my lyric writing. It has developed into an emerging theme through all of the songs I’ve been working on.”
Listen below.
While Strout is still feeling her way through the process, her goal is to have a record completed by the end of the year. To help make that happen, she is aiming to release a new song every month. That’s a lofty challenge for any musician, much less one still searching for their footing as a solo artist. But Strout says she’s ready to embrace the journey.
“This project is still new, so I don’t know what to expect from it just yet, but I’m 100% in for the ride. My main goal is to keep learning and evolve as a songwriter and musician.”
More Info
Bandcamp: ericastrout.bandcamp.com
Instagram: @stroutocaster