Parmalee fans got a glimpse into the band’s highly anticipated second album with the release of their latest single, ‘Sunday Morning,’ which dropped in April. Their debut album, ‘Feels Like Carolina,’ was released back in 2013 and the new single truly showcases how much the band has evolved over the past few years. Their experiences in Nashville, touring with other artists, and collaborating with many different songwriters are just a few of the things that have influenced the band’s progression these past few years. According to Parmalee’s lead singer, Matt Thomas, ‘Sunday Morning’ is the perfect representation of where they are currently. He took some time to speak with us about their new single and upcoming album before the guys head our way for the South Shore Country Festival on May 20th.
Parmalee’s new single, ‘Sunday Morning,’ is very much a reflection of the band’s lifestyle, Thomas explained. “We live a crazy lifestyle, constantly on the go. Whenever we’re done with a tour or done with the week’s shows we’re always coming back home, and we find ourselves coming home a lot on Sundays,” he described. The love song is about that person who gives you a feeling much like winding down on a Sunday. Matt put it simply, “It’s a song about getting back to that one that makes you feel easy.” As one of the co-writers, alongside Ross Copperman and Josh Osborne, Thomas recalled how this song came quite easily to them. “To be honest with you it was one of those songs that happened fairly quickly. The vibe felt really cool, and we were mumbling the melody and spitting out lyrics, and Sunday morning came out,” Matt said, describing how things just clicked and felt right.
‘Sunday Morning’ is undoubtedly a little edgier than what Parmalee has released in the past, but it’s a great look into what’s to come on their forthcoming album. “It’s definitely where we’ve been kind of going with this new material we’re doing, the atmosphere is real moody,” he described. Having spent the past six years in Nashville, the band has been inspired by the highly creative and progressive atmosphere of the city. “Being able to write with A-list songwriters, it makes a difference. We have really great songwriter friends, and just being plugged into the community and having that at your disposal, it’s a whole different thing,” he said, adding that even the technology behind songwriting and putting together a record has changed the game. “Things are going to progress – if they don’t, you’re backing up. I feel like you have to move forward with what’s going on and what feels good.”
Although specific dates aren’t set in stone yet, Parmalee is looking toward mid-summer to release their sophomore album, ‘27816.’ Paying homage to their hometown, the album is named after the zip code to Parmele, NC. “The faster we get to wrapping this thing up, the closer we’ll get to a date,” Matt said, noting that he had “just finalized the album cover two seconds ago.” The guys are getting anxious and can’t wait to share what they’ve been working on with fans, who are understandably eager as well. “We’ve worked on this thing a long time. We’re co-producers on it, so it’s been a nonstop process and we’ll be glad to get it out and get it to the fans,” said Thomas, adding how the band really took the reins on this record. “We wrote songs and we went in and recorded them ourselves. We really did everything on our own and presented it to the label like, ‘Here’s what we’ve been doing the past year and a half.’ It’s really cool to be able to do that.”
The guys have been working on perfecting their new music and introducing some new songs into their setlist. They’re enthusiastic about sharing the new material with fans as the response to ‘Sunday Morning’ has been incredible. The single has already been streamed over one million times on Spotify. “More people are starting to hear it and are starting to know the words which is always a great indication of a song,” Thomas said. Parmalee is looking forward to hearing their New England fans sing along at the South Shore Country Festival in Marshfield, MA this weekend. The fans up here have always surprised the band with their energy and passion for country music. “You don’t typically think of country music being big in the Northeast as much, but it’s always great. I feel like it’s even better up there because everybody doesn’t get it all the time. It’s just always a good time, always a good crowd.” The band also hopes to take advantage of the beautiful spring weather and get in a little fishing, or if Matt has his way, they’ll explore the history of the region. As a self-proclaimed history buff, it’s just one more reason he loves to come up to New England. We have no doubt that Saturday’s festival will be a great time for both the band and fans alike, and can’t wait to hear more of what Parmalee has been working on.
If you want to see Parmalee at the South Shore Country Festival, it’s not too late. You can purchase tickets here.
You can get your copy of ‘Sunday Morning’ on iTunes and Google Play.
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