Check out the recent single from Seattle group Massy Ferguson. “When You’re Not Around” is a catchy, upbeat song that courses along on driving rhythms and jangling guitar. Over the compelling instrumentation, Ethan Anderson’s voice has a great balance between grit and melody. The accompanying video was produced by George Varghese at Verge Studios, Seattle; cartoon footage is interspersed with the band playing the song, performing with high energy.
The band’s singer, Anderson, says of the song: “When I wrote this song, I was listening to Ray Wylie Hubbard ‘Chick Singer Badass Rocking’ and basically wrote it as a piece of fan fiction to Ray’s song. As musicians, it’s like we have a double life, an alter ego or whatever. We are one person at home and another person on stage. If Ray is writing about this chick singer, I’m writing about the singer’s partner who sees both sides. Ray’s singer is one person at home and another person on stage. I think ‘When You’re Not Around’ is a song of appreciation for anyone in a relationship with a musician, both the glory and the misfortune. But in the end you probably prefer the badass rocking person ‘I wish that I could know you like that’ is the key line in this song.”
“When You’re Not Around” features on the band’s forthcoming album, “You Can’t Tell Me I’m Not What I Used To Be”, which has been produced by Damien Jurado. The follow-up album to 2022’s “Joe’s Meat & Grocery” promises to be an ear;y highlight of the new year.
