Good luck trying to corral Nicki Bluhm. Her latest single embodies all that’s refreshing about the new Nashville, a place where rules no longer apply and “country” music has been infected with all manner of juicy contaminants, from indie to new wave. With more than 20 years in business and a string of great (if underappreciated) albums to show for it, Bluhm sounds quite comfortable with the prospect of pleasing only herself on the self-released Rancho Deluxe, available October 3.
Tracked live over just five days, the LP takes its name from the Nashville home studio Bluhm assembled with co-writer, producer and partner Jesse Noah Wilson. Other contributors include Kai Welch (Kacey Musgraves), Jess Nolan (Jenny Lewis) and Cameron Neal (Elle King, Shakey Graves).
“I wrote ‘Simple Side Of Me’ in my living room with Cameron, my good friend, neighbor and collaborator,” says Bluhm. “We were drinking coffee and looking out over the yard and the horses, talking about touring and how much we miss home when we’re gone. I thought, ‘I just really love being here. Why would I ever want to leave this place?’”
Just like that, the song became an ode to the homestead she shares with Wilson and a “revolving door” of friends and loved ones. “It’s about being settled in the present moment and having gratitude for exactly where you are and who you’re with,” says Bluhm.
We’re proud to premiere Nicki Bluhm’s “Simple Side Of Me.”
—Hobart Rowland
See Nicki Bluhm live.
