This song was begun on Joseph Turner's phone while he was out on the East Coast, away from home. It is actually a detail that is significant when you hear the song. It's a song that started from a true feeling in the moment, not a studio environment. The integrity of that persisted in the final product. There's something natural and unforced about it, something that many artists spend years trying to get.
Very simple and grounded instrumentation, very beautiful. The acoustic guitar, mandolin, pedal steel and live drums are all very natural. Turner even learned to play mandolin for this release, which is a good indication of how much he wanted to get it right. This is where Keenan Schuck's pedal steel playing becomes one of the best elements of the song. It's flexible and it adapts to the music, but never overpowering.
The song works on a couple of different levels at the same time. At the very least, it's a matter of traveling, moving, and being on the road. Yet, there is a more personal element to it below that. It seems like it helps to release emotions, to make an attempt to reset, to gain clarity when life becomes too much to handle. Turner's concepts are held together in a very natural way. The bridge is gentle and reassuring, and the outro is not trying to push for a perfect ending, but rather is accepting.
The choruses are warmly supported by Petey and Gigi's backing vocals, which help to carry the song without overpowering it. Finally, Nashville mastering engineer Sam Moses does a great job of bringing all of the various elements together in a harmonious way. There are some Willie Nelson and John Denver influences in the music, but they never sound like Turner is imitating either of them. It seems as though it's an individual slowly discovering his voice and settling into it. This should be very comfortable for fans of Noah Kahan and Zach Top.
