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Sep 09, 2021 By Caleb Campbell Photography by Mike Dunn

Singer/songwriter Matthew Fowler is sharing his new album, The Grief We Gave Our Mother, tomorrow. His long-awaited sophomore record comes seven years after his 2014 self-released debut, Beginning. In the intervening years, his songcraft has only gotten more fervent and earnest, with his latest effort laying bare long-held confessions and stirring meditations amidst the gentle swell of his honeyed vocals. Though the full record releases tomorrow, Fowler has shared one of the record’s highlights, “Blankets,” premiering early with Under the Radar.

“Blankets” might be initially familiar to any fans of Fowler’s 2014 debut, since it appeared in a more stripped-back form on Beginning. However, this latest reinterpretation of the track brings it to another level, adding driving percussion, ethereal backing vocals, and keys, turning the track into a full band production. The result is a lush and fully realized rebirth for the track, adding a surging new arrangement while retaining the original’s emotive melodies and genuine beauty.

Fowler explains of the track, “Blankets is one of two songs that were originally recorded for my first album, Beginning. While on tour with Tana and Addy, we fine-tuned our connection with the song and were all interested in capturing the new arrangement. The decision to include it on this record was a natural one.”

“We took a more experimental approach with the production. Having already recorded a purely acoustic version in the past, I was more comfortable deviating and trying something totally new with this song. Ben performed wizardry on the keys and created a beautiful web for everything to sit in, and Shane made me comfortable with electronic drums for the first time in any of my tunes. It’s one of the songs I’m most proud of on this record, and one of the bolder arrangements.”

Check out the song below, as well as Folwer’s new homespun live version of the track, recorded in his dining room. The Grief We Gave Our Mother is out everywhere tomorrow, September 10th on Signature Sound.