Simple black and White line drawings reflect the stripped-down music in the video for Justin Rutledge’s ‘Easy’. The song lilts along as female backing vocals join Rutledge’s voice. Strings soar as the monochrome chromatic images of Toronto’s skyline, a snowstorm and lovers holding hands unfold on the screen. ‘Easy’ is taken from the Juno Award winner’s tenth full-length album ‘Something Easy’, due out 19th May.
Speaking about ‘Easy’, Justin says, “I’ve always had a strange relationship with songwriting. My songs always start out like leaves in a tree – I rarely notice them until the right light hits. Sometimes, it’s a melody falls in front of me and I pick it up. Writing ‘Easy’ was like that. It was the final song I wrote for the album, and I guess you could call it the title track. The melody arrived after I got the kids to bed, happily exhausted. Most songs are trouble, they really do a number on me, but this one was kind. Songs rarely arrive this gently, although I wish they did. Mostly they just wait there, high above my head where I can’t touch them, waiting for the light to hit.”
As is the case with many records in the COVID era, the new album was written, recorded, and produced by Rutledge at home whilst juggling parenthood with two young sons.
Ever since catching Justin at Norwich Arts Centre way back when (2004, I think; he was the support slot for er, can’t remember) I’ve been a massive fan. A consistent flow of outstanding albums … and now this “taster” for the new one. Can’t wait!!