Mark Watrous has been an unseen force in indie rock for the better part of a decade. He’s performed as a touring member of both The Raconteurs and The Shins, as well as playing guitar for Loudermilk and Gosling. After years working as a utility player, he’s branching out as a frontman with his new band Earl Burrows.
Teaming up with his brother Joel Watrous and fellow sibling pair Will and Carson Medders, the group has been performing together since 2013. Now, they’re preparing to release their first album, No Love for the Drowning, on September 18th via Thirty Tigers. Produced by fellow Raconteur Brandon Benson, the 10-track effort is now previewed with the band’s latest single “Our Kind”.
“I wrote ‘Our Kind’ about the isolation my wife and I were feeling after leaving New York,” Watrous tells Consequence of Sound. “It was really difficult finding people we felt connected to in Nashville.”
The song plays up to Watrous’ rock roots, indulging in big riffs and clamoring piano tones. There’s a grandiose aesthetic to the track, with everything part played with vigor and volume. Though the instrumentation feels bright and energetic, the lyrics carry a bit more weight with sobering lines like “I promise we won’t be missed next time.” It’s a thrilling mixture of rock excess and sentimental candor.