Here is the new single from Texan Jack Barksdale and Canadian singer-songwriter Lindi Ortega. GRAMMY-nominated producer and multi-instrumentalist Mike Meadows, a mutual friend, invited Barksdale into the studio to play slide on Ortega’s forthcoming record and the pair bonded over their love of Tom Waits. Ortega says: “Mike noticed a similar thread of commonality in our mutual love of the same artists and the dark subject matter of our songs.” The pair decided to collaborate on covers of Waits’ songs and Ortega chose ‘How’s it Gonna End’ from 2004’s ‘Real Gone’ because: “…it’s super eerie and creepy, and so am I. I honestly think I can’t be friends with people who don’t like Tom Waits.” Barksdale agrees: “Why Tom Waits? The better question is ‘Why not Tom Waits?’. His songs are really fun to cover, and you can’t really play them like Tom Waits does, so you’re pretty much forced to make them your own.”
Ortega’s distinctive voice is perfect for dark storytelling and her melodic narrative unfolds over Barksdale’s hypnotic guitar. The result is an atmospheric rendition of a Tom Waits’ classic, captivating and confident, full of Ortega’s ‘roots noir’ swagger. The artistically-shot George Apodoca-produced video adds to the song’s moody feel. Reflecting on her interest in Waits’ music, Ortega says: “I find his words and music transport me to a place that feels like I’ve been there before, and it’s haunted. It feels like a myriad of ghosts are drunk, dancing in the ache of non-existence.” Barksdale adds: “Discovering each album is like discovering a new artist; every time, it feels just as magical.” For the next cover, Barksdale chose ‘Yesterday is Here’, from the 1987 album, ‘Frank’s Wild Years’, which he thought would complement Ortega’s selection. It’s another fine song that’s also well-worth checking out.
Canadian singer-songwriter Ortega has been nominated for Juno Awards and, in 2014 and 2015, she won the Canadian Country Music Association award for ‘Roots Artist or Group of the Year’ two years in a row. A critically-acclaimed artist, her key release was 2018’s ‘Liberty’, a dark, cinematic concept album inspired by Quentin Tarantino movies and Ennio Morricone. Find out more about Ortega in our ‘A-Z’ feature here. After some time away from music, we’re expecting a new album from Ortega in autumn 2024.
The brilliantly-talented Jack Barksdale is still a teenager. Remarkably, he recorded his first album, ‘Live From Niles City’, at just 11 years old and was only 14 when he released his first studio album in 2022, ‘Death of a Hummingbird’. Take a listen to last year’s EP, ‘Phantom Trails’ to check out what Barksdale is capable of.
Together, Lindi Ortega and Jack Barksdale are due to co-headline a Canadian tour in August. Keep a look out for the dates – they’re sure to be captivating shows. In the meantime, enjoy this moody cover of ‘How’s it Gonna End’.
