CLARK TWAIN – “TINY WINDOWS”
A Spill Exclusive Music Premiere
Over the past few decades, Austin, Texas as really grown into a music mecca β a necessary stop on any national tour and loads of festivals. But so too does it have a plethora of home-grown talent. Today we present you an indie pop artist from this city β Clark TwainΒ will soon release his debut albumΒ ‘Life is Wonderful’, off of which we have the pleasure of premiering the singleΒ ‘Tiny Windows’.
This track (and the whole album in fact) ought to appeal to fans of Canadaβs own Tal Bachman, as well as celebrated writers like Ben Folds and Elliot Smith, as well as Death Cab for Cutie. Clark Twain offers an upbeat track with a tad of twee mixed in with convincing surfer pop. Impressive guitar riffs and hooks, vocals and song construction as smooth as if Ben Folds himself had written it, albeit with guitar factoring more largely into the balance.
“This song is for the Negative Nancyβs out there who like to ruin a perfect day. Being born in the United States in the 90βs, I donβt have much to be chronically upset about. When I look at history, I realize I’ve hit the ‘genetic jackpot’ in terms of quality of: healthcare, education, entertainment, opportunity, blah blah blah. Itβs hard to stay mad when Iβm so blessed. This is a song critiquing my peers who have the same ‘great hand’ dealt to them, yet seem to find the worst in things regardless,” saysΒ Clark Twain.
Influenced by such artists as Death Cab for Cutie, the Flaming Lips, Ben Kweller and John Mayer, this release comes on the trail of Twain’s first two singles βΒ ‘Try Too Hard’, a serene pop offering, andΒ βFly High (Like Richard Branson)β, an upbeat and infectious track with high positivity that is accompanied by a fun, high-flying video, directed byΒ Vanessa Pla.
Clark Twain is the solo moniker ofΒ Clark Nowlin, who began playing guitar at 10, cutting his teeth on Metallica and Nirvana covers with friends in the attic and starting his first band a few years later. He eventually quit his day job to fully immerse himself in the world of music βbecause the gig money put enough gas in my tankβ. After touring and recording with Tim Halperin and Marshall Young for a few years and supporting various artists, he amassed recording gear, learned the ropes, and began producing various musical projects.
βI think of songs as little spaces. they are created to be visited: like a room in your house, a nook in your hometown, a store on your favorite street. you know where it is, have an experience with it, and can go back to it to wander around as often as youβd like. I hope these little spaces Iβm creating provide some refuge, a place to dance, and maybe even a place to bring a friend and eat tacos,β saysΒ Clark Twain.
Clark dedicated a solid 6-month block of time to working on his new material, beginning in January of this year, and splitting time between Elmwood Studios in Dallas, Clarkβs home studio in Austin, and in Denton, Texas withΒ Brack Cantrell, one of Clark’s all-time favorite producers, who also mixed his new material. Mastering was performed byΒ Jon TΓΆrnblom.
βIf music is to serve any purpose, itβs to remind us that weβre alive and that weβre not alone. For me, making it is a sign that Iβm alive. Connecting with it is a sign that this big mysterious journey called life isnβt new territory and that whatever situation weβre in β someoneβs already been there and has made it through,β saysΒ Clark Twain.
‘Tiny Windows’ is out on November 2 and ‘Life is Wonderful’ will be released on November 16. His album release show takes place the next night at Austin’sΒ Spider House Ballroom, supported by Dayglow, The Oysters and Lainey Gonzales.
Already now, you can find Clark Twainβs ‘Try To Hard’ and debut single βFly High (Like Richard Branson)β via online stores and streaming platforms, includingΒ SpotifyΒ andΒ iTunes, as well asΒ Bandcamp.
Credits
All songs performed by Clark Twain
All songs written by Clark Twain except βGod is Sheβ (co-written with Kyle Lucas) and βNot Fade Awayβ (writtten with Geoff Ice).
Cover artwork by Gary Dorsey atΒ Pixel Peach Studios.
Also check out his previous single βTry Too hardβ and debut video βFly High (Like Richard Branson)β, both off this same album:
Clark Twain
[Single]
(Independent)
Release Date: November 2, 2018
Life Is WonderfulΒ Track Listing
1. Best is Yet To Come
2. Fly High (Like Richard Branson)
3. Try Too Hard
4. A Brief Interlude to Dance in the Elevator (With Strangers)
5. Tiny Windows
6. God is She
7. Made For This
8. Wedding Bells
9. Flower Interlude
10. Dreams
11. Home
12. Black Car
13. Not Fade Away (Saloon Edition)