There are songs that elicit certain emotions and others that transport you to a particular time or place. Still others remind you of specific artists or lodge themselves within the context of a broader sound or musical tradition. “Front Porch Throne,” the new single from local country quintet Flat Tired manages to balance all of these things at once. Led by a funky bayou groove and steeped in ‘70s analog warmth, the song glides with the sort of homespun naturalism that made The Band so endearing. The songwriting is loose and organic, each passage flowing into the next with a calm assuredness that makes every verse, chorus, and harmony sound almost inevitable.
The song’s most potent trait, however, might be the way it offsets melancholy with joy. This emotional seesaw has become something like the band’s calling card, and here it embeds itself into every note and lyric. Locked out of his home with little left but his lawn chair, the track’s protagonist reflects on his shortcomings while remaining open to the possibilities of change. The overall tone is warm and jocular, but there are stretches of wistfulness—especially during the chorus, which also comes with a pinch of defiance. “Well go ahead,” the protagonist offers cooly. “It ain’t like I’ve spent a good and fair percent of my nights alone.”
It may seem like a contradiction to call something both lively and measured, yet Flat Tired continue to thread that needle. “Front Porch Throne” is, above all, catchy and fun. And yet, you can sense the thoughtfulness and care that went into constructing the song. The band makes it easy to get lost within any single element without ever losing sight of the whole. Like most things in life, it’s the balance that gives it its depth, and Flat Tired have more than found their footing.
Listen below.
More Info
Bandcamp: flattired.bandcamp.com
Facebook: @FlatTiredBand
Instagram: @flat.tired_band
SoundCloud: @flat-tired-demos