David Starr recently completed a tour of Wales, England, Ireland, and Scotland and his latest video consciously evokes memories of his time in this part of the world. ‘Better Me’ is a rhythmic, melodic song that is both sonically and lyrically uplifting. It’s a song about redemption and striving to be a better person, overcoming fears, taking flight and moving onto an improved future. It was written just before returning to the UK to perform for the first time since 2019. Starr explains: “Ultimately it’s about how to be better and move forward. I think as people we are always striving for that, this is an optimistic take. The verse about castles in a far away land was inspired by my tours in Scotland and I can’t wait to be back! Connecting with people and playing live shows is my favorite part about being an artist. It’s an honour to get to perform for crowds in the UK and Ireland because of how much they love and support songwriters. Even though I’ve never lived in the UK, there’s something about it that feels like coming home every time I’m there.” Featuring fine guitar work from Dan Dugmore and John Prentice and keys from Mark Prentice, who also co-produced the song with Starr, ‘Better Me’ is a feel-good song for your summer play-list.
Starr told AUK about the video: “Since ‘Better Me’ was originally inspired by our tours of the UK, I wanted to include some images that evoked that part of the world. There is a magic to that part of the world and I think video editor Jason Denton really captured it!” Indeed, that magic is there to be found in stunning images of coastlines, gulls, castles and the ever-moving sea. The video is superbly shpt and beautifully edited, effectively capturing the essence of the locations that inspired Starr.
As well as touring internationally, the Colorado singer-songwriter has released ten critically-acclaimed albums, the most recent of which was ‘Touchstones’. Released in December 2021, the record was the culmination of a project that involved Starr releasing a single every month, covering songs by artists who inspired him and influenced his own music. The songs included new versions of ‘Drive’, by The Cars, ‘These Days’ by Jackson Browne and John Prine’s ‘Angel from Montgomery’. The pandemic had allowed Starr the time and space to reflect on what and who had shaped him as an artist.
As well as continuing to tour the new record and original songs, our readers in the USA can look forward to David Starr appearing at an official showcase at Americana Fest in Nashville. Enjoy ‘Better Man’ and feel lifted.
