Does your pandemic have a soundtrack?
As we’ve all dug deep into things that bring us comfort, a quarantine trend has begun—shouting about that favorite album from high school, or sharing the vinyl chosen as “album of the day.” Needless to say, music has been an important element of quarantine. And as Memphis begins to move toward opening—and as we all try to figure out what that will mean IRL—we think you’ll be happy to add Safe @ Home to your playlist.
Local musicians Jeff Hulett and Jacob Church (known for their work in Snowglobe, The Ammunition, and Me & Leah) came together to record and produce this seven song album that’s just the right mix of melancholy and hope to carry you into whatever comes next. Made entirely over the course of quarantine using a combination of their smartphones, GarageBand, and Pro Tools to record and mix the album, Safe @ Home is a great example of doing the most with the least, a skill many of us have refined over the last 40+ days.
While their methods may have an element of making-do, we think the simple, scratchy, low-fi sounds are a perfect match for the warmth and transparency of the lyrics. “N. Belvedere” is a great example of that warmth, and we’re betting a few elements may sound familiar if you’ve had your share of sheltering in place:
“Family portrait out in the grass – Wave to the neighbors as they go past”
“Life is good, it can be so sweet – It can be fleeting, incomplete…”
“Singing songs, and counting cars – We belong in each others’ arms.”
The open-armed feel of this album doesn’t stop with the lyrics—7 local artists also contributed visuals for the album and 100% of the proceeds benefit Music Export Memphis (MEM) and their COVID-19 Fund for musicians. It’s a truly collaborative piece, all for the benefit of the music community.
