Today's Song of the Day, as chosen by Cheryl Waters, host of The Midday Show on KEXP, is “Fire” by Waxahatchee, from the 2020 album Saint Cloud on Merge Records.
photo by Molly Matalon
written by Janice Headley

On her forthcoming fifth LP Saint Cloud, singer/songwriter Katie Crutchfield (better known as Waxahatchee) returns to her roots, revisiting the country-tinged acoustic-style songs of her youth. It's also her first new album since getting sober a year and a half ago. “I really feel like I came back to the person I was before I started drinking,” she said in a confessional interview with Rolling Stone. “I’ve become so obsessive about people like Lucinda Williams, Linda Ronstadt, and Emmylou Harris,” she continued. “All these country powerhouse women. I wanted to step into that power a little bit.”

Today's Song of the Day came to her during a drive home with her partner, Kevin Morby. She explains via a press statement:

The idea and melody for 'Fire' was dreamt up while driving over the Mississippi River from Memphis into West Memphis, AR, sun reflecting off the water which literally made West Memphis glow. The song’s written by me, to myself. It’s about the internal dialogue of shame surrounding mistakes you’ve made in the past and how we spiral and beat ourselves up when we slip. It’s meant to be a bit of a personal pep talk. If I can love myself unconditionally, then I can move through the world a little easier. If I can accept that I only have a partial view of the universe, and that I can’t know everything or control much of anything, then I can breathe a little easier, take better care of myself, and be closer to my own truth.

Saint Cloud will be out March 27th via Merge Records, followed by a May 15th performance in Seattle at the Neptune Theatre with Mirah. Check out the full tour dates below, along with a video for today's featured track, co-directed by Crutchfield with Andreina Byrne.

Waxahatchee Spring 2020 Tour Dates:
04/10 – Detroit, MI @ Jam Handy *
04/11 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Rex Theater *
04/14 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer *
04/15 – Holyoke, MA @ Gateway City Arts *
04/16 – Boston, MA @ Royale
04/17 – Providence, RI @ Columbus Theatre *
04/18 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere ^
04/19 – Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere ~
04/23 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club *
04/24 – Saxapahaw, NC @ Haw River Ballroom *
04/25 – Nashville, TN @ Mercy Lounge *
04/26 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West *
04/27 – Birmingham, AL @ Saturn *
04/29 – Baton Rouge, LA @ Mid City Ballroom *
04/30 – Houston, TX @ The Satellite *
05/1 – Dallas, TX @ Sons of Hermann Hall *
05/2 – Austin, TX @ Scholz Garten *
05/4 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress +
05/7 – Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy and Harriet’s +
05/8 – Los Angeles, CA @ First Congregational Church of LA +
05/9 – San Francisco, CA @ The Castro Theatre
05/10 – Sonoma, CA @ Gundlach Bundschu Winery +
05/12 – Portland, OR @ The Old Church +
05/13 – Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater +
05/14 – Vancouver, BC @ Christ Church Cathedral +
05/15 – Seattle, WA @ The Neptune Theatre +
05/20 – Maquoketa, IA @ Codfish Hollow Barn
05/21 – Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line Music Cafe *
05/22 – Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre *

* w/ Ohmme
^ w/ Radiator Hospital
~ w/ Bonny Doon & Shamir
+ w/ Mirah

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In Our Headphones

Finding good new music can be a full time job, so let KEXP help! In Our Headphones brings you five song recommendations every Monday, straight from KEXP’s DJs and Music Directors. Join hosts Janice Headley and Isabel Khalili on this never-ending journey of music discovery.

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