THE BEST AROUND - Didn't Come Here To Count 'Em
April 1, 2022 - Austin, Tx. band The Best Around have announced a May 4 release for their new single "Didn't Come Here to Count 'em". Self-described as a 'cosmic honky-tonk big band', the new single features country songwriting and instrumentation fused together with a rollicking horn section and synthesizers to create an infectious and refreshing take on rowdy alt-country. The song also features guest drums and percussion work from Ian Romano of Daniel Romano & The Outfit.
"Didn't Come Here to Count 'em" is an adrenaline shot from the first note to the last. Multi-instrumentalist Todd Pruner kicks the song off with a string-bending Telecaster lead that is sure to knock over some tables as people jump to their feet. Pruner also plays the bass, acoustic guitar and microKorg synth on the track. Accompanying Pruner in the rhythm section is guest drummer, Ian Romano (of Daniel Romano & The Outfit). Multi-instrumentalist Jon Merz drives home the chorus with this trumpet and trombone horn section, raising the energy to the roof. All the while, singer and songwriter, Camron Rushin tells the tale of a light-hearted sot on a bender who is secretly burdened by being the "victim of the ages." At each stage of his journey, their hero was to interrogated about how many he's had to drink, to which he replies, "I didn't come here to count 'em / I came here to drink 'em!" The song reaches a climactic ending as the band heads into jazzed-out, wall-of-sound territory.
Rushin discovered the key line in the song years ago while out with his family when his aunt asked his uncle how many beers he had had to drink. "he didn't come here to count 'em. He came here to drink 'em," he replied. Everyone in the groups' ears piqued as they almost said in unison, "that'd be a great line for a country song."
The Best Around formed at the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020. To conform to social distancing measures, they didn't meet to practice and write, but instead recorded each of their parts in their own respective home studios, tool sheds, and closets. Very little instructions were given as tracks were passed back and forth, leading to a sense of freedom in collaboration that can be heard across the recordings.
"Didn't Come Here to Count 'em" was mixed and mastered by Erik Wofford of Cacophony Recorders in Austin, Tx. and has been released exclusively via streaming platforms on May 4, 2022, with a video to follow in the near future. The song is the latest in a series of singles planned for 2022 which will ultimately comprise the band's debut full-length album.
Enjoy!
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