Album · 2015

Orchard Road

Tiny portraits of neighbours, teachers and strangers, one small town at a time.

Tracks

1. Raffle Ticket Number Forty-TwoA church-hall supper with paper plates and fluorescent light, and somehow it was the most romantic night of the year.church-hall country, small-town romance3:34
2. Miss Halloran's ChalkboardMiss Halloran saw something in the kid at the back that nobody else did. I am still trying to deserve it.schoolroom folk, nostalgic americana4:30
3. Two Cups on the Long Distance LineTwo time zones apart and a kettle going cold. I wrote it during a long tour week and called home every night.long-distance folk, hushed ballad4:16
4. Last Plate at the Hawker StallAn uncle wiping counters after the last customer, saying the night is fine. I wanted to put his kindness on a record.street-food country, warm twang4:00
5. Three in the Morning, Kitchen Light OnThree in the morning and the fridge hums a lullaby. Everyone has had this night at least once.insomnia country, dreamy folk4:36
6. Wave to the Man Next DoorEleven years of living side by side and I only know him by his truck and his stride. It is a song about the people we wave at.neighbour portrait, easy country4:25
7. Fog Horn Lullaby for the Fishing FleetA harbour at dusk with the nets mended and the lanterns lit. I wrote it for the people who stay up to watch the boats.harbour lullaby, coastal country4:06
8. Nine Pounds of SunriseA baby born at dawn in a county hospital with rain on the glass. It was my cousin, and I sang it at the christening.birth song, tender americana3:50
9. Honey, the Bakery Lights Are OnThe baker starts kneading at four while the town is still dreaming. This is my love letter to anyone who works before sunrise.early-morning country, bright twang3:41
10. Pier Light, Two A.M. Slow DanceAn empty boardwalk and a winter sea, and two people dancing under one pier light. It is the most romantic thing I have ever seen.boardwalk americana, slow-dance ballad4:38
11. Retired on a TuesdayA retired man wakes up Tuesday with no alarm and the whole day open. I closed the record on his coffee and his freedom.retirement country, gentle twang3:45

Liner notes

Orchard Road is a record about people I never got to know properly: the man next door, a teacher, an uncle wiping down a food stall at closing time. I wrote each song after a single conversation or a single look across a street. We recorded in a farmhouse near Delano and let the quiet stay in the takes. If a song feels like a postcard, that is exactly what I wanted.

Josie Marlowe