Singled Out: Cut Flowers' Until It's Time

Toronto indie-rockers Cut Flowers just released their new single "Until It's Time", and to celebrate we asked vocalist Kevan Bryne to tell us about the track. Here is the story:

Last winter I had been reading about Curtis Mayfield, whose music I love. He used something called a 'black key' tuning - essentially matching the black keys on the piano So I put my guitar into that tuning (F#-A#-C#-F#-A#-F# for those that want to know) and right away I was struck by some of the unique voicings I could create. I couldn't figure out what he was playing for songs like Move On Up or People Get Ready but it worked really well for some chiming, droning kind of folk chord progressions.

I'd been listening to a bunch of Richard Thompson but also newer guitar players like Jake Xerxes Fussel, so I guess I kind of had an electric folk/ folk blues vibe rolling around in my subconscious. The chords for Until It's Time came quickly and easily. Originally it was very much in that folk world. But when I brought it to the band it got amped up and became a bit more propulsive. Pete added that very bouncing Booker T bass line, adding some Memphis soul and Al Okada used a melodica to get a beautiful mix of dissonance and melody. An unexpected texture for a song like this.

Funny thing about that song is that you can play it in standard tuning with simple cowboy chords. If I had written the chord progression in standard tuning, I would have dismissed it immediately. I had to kind of trick myself into looking at the chord melody from a different angle and that allowed me to consider something that I otherwise would have thrown out as too conventional. That's a good sleight of hand tool for songwriting when you're stuck in your creative habits.

I had been thinking about how at different points in my life I've let down people I care about. How I didn't show up for them or wasn't able to let them into my life more. So, the song is about regret but also the desire to make amends, to let them know - this time I'll be there and I won't let you down and oh yeah, I'm pretty grateful to get another chance. Life is often simultaneously holding those multiple emotions at one time. We're always looking back and applying what we experienced to the present hoping for a better outcome in the future.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen and watch for yourself below and learn more here

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