Featherburn is a folk-rock band with a distinctive sound. The accordion is a notable feature in the band’s music, and it brings in that timeless folk flavor with an “old world” edge to it. At the same time, the band’s songs are often very groove-driven and playful, driven by a primal stomping rhythm that’s sure to get the audience going. Such is the case of the band’s new single, “Hold My Heart.” Although this track retains the band’s joyful charisma, it actually comes from a deeper and highly personal background.

Featherburn recorded an EP called “One Precious Life” back in 2018. This was the band’s debut and a fantastic introduction to their colorful musical world. However, things suddenly took an unexpected turn. Not long after the release, the band’s drummer, Tim Jenkins, informed the band that he had been diagnosed with a brain tumor and tragically passed away the following year. This was devastating for the band, but it didn’t stop the musicians from pursuing their passion and continuing to honor Tim by keeping the flame alive. Their follow-up album, “Camp,” experienced many challenges and delays. The pandemic stood in the way for obvious reasons, but Featherburn finally came to a huge milestone: releasing a new song from the upcoming full-length! The single is titled “Hold My Heart,” and it was written during the global shutdown related to COVID-19. We all remember what it was like, as the wound is still fresh. It was a time of uncertainty, anxiety, and chaos, and what we really longed for was freedom. This song is a powerful reminder of that, which still holds very true. In addition, it’s an ode to appreciating the future because you may never really know what’s in store for tomorrow. This song, in a way, also relates to the band’s past struggles and their tragic experience with the loss of Tim, their former drummer. “Hold My Heart” also stands out as a powerful message of hope, inviting people to stay resilient in spite of the difficulties encountered along the way. There’s a sense of longing for change and rebellion against the oppression of circumstances as we long to take control and empower ourselves to live the life we want to live. The song contrasts its deep and somewhat heavy-hearted core theme with a sound that’s surprisingly airy and bright. The driving pulse of the track is reminiscent of genres such as funk and ska, but overall, it has a folk-inspired aesthetic. Reminiscent of artists like Beirut, Gogol Bordello, The Lumineers, Yann Tiersen, Francis Moon, or Local Natives, the group combines the intimacy of indie-folk with the impact of a broader range of influences and rhythms, igniting their vision with a very dynamic approach. The vocals soar through the mix, offering a rather distinctive style.

There’s almost a theatrical element to the singing, which is very expressive and powerful. The verses showcase fast and articular phrasing, while the hook has a more iconic and powerful feel, with the singer really driving the point home with touching lines such as “We’ve wasted our time, our one precious life.” This is one of the most powerful segments in the song, which is a true reminder of living in the moment and treasuring every second. The sound of the instrumental, in light of this narrative twist, brings even more of a liberating power to the release, which really feels like letting go of worries and fears. This release stands out due to its high-quality production. Chris DeVitry of Bon Accord Studios created a mix that sounds balanced and detail-oriented, allowing for all the song’s finer nuances to shine.

“Hold My Heart” also serves as a great first taste of what people can expect from the new album, “Camp.” The record, which experienced so many hard stops and challenges, finally came to light in the best possible way, as this song demonstrates. It is not easy to work on music with such perseverance, as ideas and songs can be quite fleeting. When they’re not immediately able to capture something right there at a given moment, artists might be tempted to just move on to the next idea. The track in question serves as a powerful reminder of the significance of staying committed to one’s goals and visions, even in the face of daunting challenges. Life can be unpredictable, and it’s not uncommon to encounter unexpected obstacles and setbacks along the way. However, the key to success lies in unwavering perseverance and determination, as evidenced by the inspiring journey chronicled in this track. It’s a testament to the fact that staying true to one’s path and enduring hardships can ultimately lead to great rewards and success.

To conclude, driven by rapid rhythms, accordion melodies, and inspired vocals, “Hold My Heart” exudes energy and spontaneity each step of the way. Find out more about Featherburn and do not miss out on “Hold My Heart,” which is also going to be featured on the band’s highly anticipated new album, “Camp,” which is lovingly dedicated to the memory of Tim Jenkins.

We also had the opportunity to ask the band a few questions. Keep reading for more!

“Hold My Heart” is a song with a deep, beautiful personal meaning. Was it cathartic to record new material as a way to react to all the setbacks you’ve experienced due to COVID and the tragic loss of your former drummer?

It was cathartic for sure, but not in the Eye of the Tiger-Rocky-calisthenics kind of way. The scope we operated through when producing the song (and the album) was, to me at least, myopic compared to what I typically associate with catharsis. It was indeed a way to react to the setbacks we faced. Pandemic, death, uncertainty, the loss of trajectory. I wish I could say that producing the music felt cathartic in light of those things. But it was probably more how we related with them, in the way people relate with that aspect of life too enormous to really fathom or reckon with, perhaps aside from in prayer or meditation. I think art at its best speaks back to that element of humanness. Not necessarily as a literal conversation (although it can take on some of that), but maybe as a dialogue/trade of action-events. Tim understood that, and I think he would be proud of the music he initiated.

How do you hope this song resonates with your audience, especially given the current global climate?

I hope it gets people off couches. I don’t think it’s entirely possible to place appropriate value on the limited time we have to live fully. Our capacity to act, do, communicate, feel, experience, build – they’re great gifts, but are’t guaranteed. Things like illness and death, things like global shutdowns – they kind of spell that out for us in all caps.

Can you discuss the process of bringing this song to life in the studio, and how do you approach production decisions to ensure that all the song’s nuances shine through?

Owed entirely to bandmate Chris DeVitry (Bon Accord Studios), master recording and mixing engineer with decades of experience and top notch gear. He’s been a tremendous guide into the world of audio recording and mixing, and is the one who made it possible to put the song down articulately. Over the course of the pandemic, Chris showed me how to utilize the DAW, Reaper. I would create song sketches to which we would add tracks by way of cloud sharing. First accordion and lead vocals as an outline, then drums, bass, guitar, fiddle, vocal harmonies, etc. All of the recording was done either at Bon Accord or in the home setup that Chris showed me how to create. All of the mixing was done at his hand (or with his guidance). Lots and lots of replacing old tracks with better developed versions, inching closer to a finished sound with every trade. Fun fact, the only original track from the Hold My Heart song sketch that remains in the finished recording is Chris’ fiddle solo in the second section of the song.

The accordion plays a significant role in Featherburn’s music, adding a distinctive folk flavor. Can you share more about how this instrument shapes your sound and influences your songwriting process?

It’s definitely changed as I’ve grown more comfortable on the instrument. Accordion isn’t as prevalent in One Precious Life because I wasn’t very good at it when we were producing that EP. I had a hard enough time just holding down my parts, and would write all of our songs on guitar before devising the accordion contribution. Since forming the band in 2014, I’ve come a long way. I’m able to express myself on the instrument with much more fluidity than before, which applies to constructing songs more now “according to the accordion”. Hold My Heart is a pretty good example of that development.

Are you planning to perform live in support of the new music?

In September of 2023, we celebrated finishing the album production with a Camp cd release party. We teamed up with our friends at Chiques Rock Outfitters in Marietta Pa to host the first “Camp Featherburn” event. Tent and RV camping, hiking, biking, paddling, nightly music jams, food and drink, which culminated into a multi-band Saturday night show. We’ll celebrate the digital release at Camp Featherburn 2024 this fall. A bit bigger, a bit better, but still a home-grown, DIY feel. We’ve got info up at featherburn.com/camp

Are you going to release more singles before eventually dropping “Camp” as a full album?

We’ll be dropping three or four more songs, each by the month, until Camp Featherburn this fall. Our community has early access to the material now, though. Those who burn can lean in for unreleased and unlisted audio and video footage, for insight and stories on our creative process, and even for opportunities to help shape the coming album release at featherburn.com/gift.