Blake Brown and the American Dust Choir’s dream-chasing new single “Between the Lines” captures the internal tug-of-war between the world we have and the one we want.
What do you want to do in life; who do you want to be? Whether you’ve got your whole life ahead of you, or you’re halfway through the journey, we never stop asking ourselves how we fit into the world – and we never stop trying to asking that question, whether by pursuing our dreams and exploring new challenges, or focusing on what we have and nurturing our surroundings. Blake Brown and the American Dust Choir’s dream-chasing new single “Between the Lines” captures the internal tug-of-war between the world we have and the one we want, leaving us to ponder our own place on this big blue sphere.
Atwood Magazine is proud to be premiering “Between the Lines,” the second single off Blake Brown & The American Dust Choir’s debut album Long Way Home, due out March 2018. Formed by Denver, Colorado-based singer/songwriter Blake Brown in 2013, Blake Brown & the American Dust Choir blend rock and soul, folk and roots into a dreamy haze of feel-good warmth and thought-provoking music. The band has transformed over time – its cast of character has included musicians from The Fray, The Films, and Tennis – the lineup of Blake Brown, his wife Tiffany Brown, Adam Blake, Jason Legler and Trent Nelson form the backbone we hear today.
Blake sings “Between the Lines” with his spouse Tiffany Brown, to offer a subtle mystery and sadness that hides in the heart of the song. Their partnered vocals align with each other perfectly, helping to maintain the mystery that keeps the song feeling constantly fresh.
The dreamy rock song draws us in with its slow, electronic introduction and continues as such throughout, allowing us to internalize the conflict Brown is trying to so delicately highlight. The soft beat, echoed by Jason Leglar’s bass guitar, offers a more melancholy sound to support the mood.
Brown addresses the decision-making process that stresses whether or not to give up on our dreams, continue to chase them, or stop and go with the flow of life and see what happens. In the chorus he sings, “We got time, time, time / but I’m stuck between the lines” to highlight the constant battle between moving forward or holding on and enjoying life’s current moments.
“When do we decide to take one path over another? When do we, or should we ever give up on our dreams? It’s a question I’ve been thinking about a lot with lately,” Brown tells Atwood Magazine.
He ends “Between the Lines” with the line, “Dreaming is believing so start / you gotta hold ’em with both hands,” as if to suggest one part of you is itching to chase after your dreams, but the other is holding back.
The song’s mystery keeps it appealing; Blake Brown & the American Dust Choir’s ability to bring the conflict to life leaves the listener hooked and eager to listen to the rest of their songs. Brown’s vocals, mixed with the strum of the guitar, offer the perfect combination of being trapped in your own thoughts – a notion that not only resonates with listeners, but also gets them to think.
Blake Brown & the American Dust Choir’s first full-length album, Long Way Home, will be released in March 2018.