We here at Performer have been big fans of Baxter Hall for a while now, as the Boston-based singer/songwriter/guitarist extraordinaire has been sharing his earnest brand of relatable guitar-fronted alternative music for the past few years. You may have even heard him on our most recent holiday mixtape (listen here).
Now Hall is releasing a brand-new single called “High Road,” which we’re stoked to share. Listen below and keep scrolling after the jump for more info on the song. Enjoy!
Hall’s new single offers some overdue credit to those who often find themselves taking the “High Road.” Throughout the song, he acknowledges the isolation and discomfort that can come with traversing this path, but empowers the listener to continue anyway. Still, he admits to the times he’s failed to take the high road, but affirms that self-compassion is key to staying the course.
During the bridge Baxter declares, “Just forget about the times you slipped and fell. Cuz with regret and doubt it’s like you tripped yourself. You know the lowest roads are still higher than hell.”
Baxter has been known to deliver epic electric guitar riffs, but this song is a stripped back exhibition of his skills as a lyricist and singer/songwriter. He took a deep dive into his folky side with twangy vintage acoustic guitar sounds, haunting harmonies, angsty basslines and a steady beat, sonically encapsulating the uneasy yet hopeful feeling of traveling the high road.
“This song called for a level of vulnerability that I wasn’t able to express while hiding behind my loud electric guitar. I knew it had to be stripped back.” – Baxter, on his creative process for “High Road”