Rayland Baxter’s latest single explores what it is like to fall in love too quickly and then deal with the vulnerability, emotional upheaval, and uncertainty afterwards. In The Fool, Baxter takes all these ideas and delivers them in timeless country style, his words direct and full of melody. Produced by Paul Butler (Michael Kiwanuka) and Nick Waterhouse (Lana Del Rey, Jon Batiste), the song benefits from instrumental textures and a relaxed groove.
Baxter explains the song’s themes: “We grow up painting this picture in our minds of what harmony should feel like, what it should look like, and how it can help us get to the next checkpoint. But often, I think it’s completely different from the image we’ve created. Then we’re faced with this epic moment where things don’t work out the way we imagined they would, and this precious idea turns into a very real monster. I think most of us try to force that monster back into the shape of the precious idea and stick with it, but that monster can tear us apart and make us feel like a fool.”
This is the first new music from Baxter since his 2022 album If I Were A Butterfly. His four studio albums so far have displayed Baxter’s storytelling voice and authentic lyricism. Enjoy.
