Aaron Burdett – photo © Mike Duncan
Aaron Burdett contemplates the future of a small town on the decline in Can’t Look Back, his latest single from Organic Records. Burdett, the guitarist for the Steep Canyon Rangers and a noted songwriter, penned the song while performing in such a town on a trip to the western United States.
“It was one of those towns where you could clearly see both the decay of the downtown area and also the vitality it once had,” Burdett says. “One of those forgotten Main Street towns that atrophied after the interstate drew all the gas stations and fast food places a mile outside of the original community center. I’d been working on a few lines of Can’t Look Back already, and the rest of the song seemed to write itself as I walked around and visited a couple of the stores that were still in operation.”
The song has a gentle, folk and Americana-inspired vibe that works well with Burdett’s reflective lyrics. Vivid images, such as the “broken squares of sidewalk [that] trace a crooked line right down Main Street, where the people used to be,” and expressive turns of phrase (“it’s a painful place to linger, but it’s the pain I know the best”) show off Burdett’s songwriting prowess.
Burdett is joined by several frequent collaborators for this single: Kristin Scott Benson (banjo), Carley Arrowood (fiddle), Tristan Scroggins (mandolin), and Jon Weisberger (bass). Wendy Hickman and Travis Book contribute harmony vocals.
Can’t Look Back is available now for download and streaming on a number of popular online services.
