Burr Oak’s Savanna Dickhut isn’t one to shy away from dicey subject matter. The Chicagoan tackles postpartum depression by way of a character study on “No Time To Dream,” the latest single from Annabella, a suite of five sadly beautiful folk-tinged numbers that dig deep into the psyche of a young couple. The EP is out September 20 on Easy Does It Records.
With help from Burr Oak drummer Tony Mest, Dickhut wrote the song at her family’s lake house in northern Wisconsin the day after the two collaborated on Annabella’s title track.
“Through ‘No Time To Dream,’ we aimed to shed light on the often-unspoken pain of postpartum depression,” says Dickhut. “Especially in this political climate with Roe v. Wade being overturned and the upcoming presidential election in November.”
These days, Burr Oak is a quartet that also includes guitarist Kevin Sheppard and bassist Meredith Nesbitt. Four-and-a-half years ago, as COVID made its appearance, Dickhut had envisioned Burr Oak as more of a solo project. Just prior to lockdown, she was set to join Chicago indie rockers Varsity as part of their road band. After tour plans were cancelled, she shifted her focus to Burr Oak’s 2021 debut, Late Bloomer, a painfully personal affair.
Three years later, Annabelle marks the beginning of what looks like a fruitful collaboration between Dickhut and Mest. Leadoff track “Rainclouds” introduces a romance between Annabelle and Adam that quickly becomes all-consuming. Arriving two songs later, “No Time To Dream” represents the numbing sting of reality.
“I wanted to highlight the intensity of her struggle, from the sleepless nights to the moments of feeling utterly lost and disconnected from herself,” says Dickhut.
We’re proud to premiere Burr Oak’s “No Time To Dream” video.
—Hobart Rowland
