The Michigan singer and songwriter talks about her ‘surprise record’ with Local Spins, which also debuts music by The Hacky Turtles, Silent Spirit, Billy Strings, Ribbons of Song, Death By Lions and more.
Rachel Brooke: The singer says the new album ‘is the most honest representation of myself.’ (Courtesy Photo)
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Setting aside work on two upcoming, exquisitely produced recording projects, old-school country singer Rachel Brooke found herself compelled by “a very tough” year emotionally to lay down a series of poignant, bare-bones tracks in her basement.
“It kind of was like a surprise record for me,” she said of “Sings Sad Songs,” released independently and quietly at the end of March, with 14 other “more-produced” songs still awaiting final touches.
“I didn’t plan it, really, to be honest. I was going through some hard times emotionally and mentally … but I still have a need to create, so I went into my basement and recorded a bunch of songs and decided I’m just going to release them, and it is what it is.
More Music Ahead: Different than her ‘sad songs.’ (Courtesy Photo)
“I don’t have a big plan for them. I just wanted to do something that was, I guess, real and just put something out into the world that I felt was the most honest representation of myself at that time.”
The raw, unfiltered and spare tracks with titles such as “Lonely Old Bummer,” “Suffering Love,” “Dying on Vacation” and “Bad Habit” represent “all different kinds of sides or facets of my emotions or mental health.”
“They’re all little snippets of what’s going on in my brain. I just felt like these sad, simple songs (were) worth putting out into the world even though they’re not necessarily big produced things,” said Brooke, who now makes her home outside of Saginaw.
“It was just a way for me to take little bits of my life that were hurting or that I was processing and putting them down, getting them out of my system and getting ’em out into the world. It’s sort of a release for me.”
They also show off the striking, throwback, retro-country vocals and gritty lyrics that have turned the heads of critics and Nashville tastemakers since the northern Michigan native of Lovells first plunged into the music scene with her debut album in 2008.
No Depression magazine tabbed her “the queen of honky-tonk” and “country gold,” Parade praised her “down-home twang and powerful lyricism,” Saving Country Music described her as “a national treasure” and Pop Matters wrote that she has produced “some of the purest, direct music you’ll hear from a contemporary artist.”
‘TAKING TIME TO GET BACK OUT THERE’
Behind all of the accolades is a down-to-earth artist who loves Michigan and has no intention of moving to Nashville or embracing the overwhelming, social media-driven music machine.
“It’s actually making me withdraw,” Brooke said of the “draining” pressure of social media obligations. “It’s almost like too much content and oversaturation. … That in itself has been what’s been the hardest part for me – taking a step back and saying, ‘I can’t really do all this stuff by myself,’ or at least, I need a break.”
Taking a mental health break also has meant no performances since last fall, though Brooke does play The Old Miami in Detroit on April 19 (with Winestoned Cowboys and Cory Grinder & The Playboy Scouts) along with an early May show in Cleveland.
The New Album: ‘Sings Sad Songs’
“I’m taking my time getting back out there, figuring out what I want to do,” she said. “I love to perform, but I’m not necessarily in a big hurry to put more pressure on myself.”
What hasn’t changed for Brooke is her affinity for iconic country songwriters – from Hank Williams to Shel Silverstein – a passion developed from a young age.
“My dad was an amazing banjo player and guitar player, and I grew up with bluegrass and country music, and so it was a natural decision to start playing with him, and that’s where I got my start,” said Brooke, who started on piano at age 5, played percussion in jazz and punk bands during high school and took up guitar as as teenager.
“Hank Williams is one of my all-time favorites and his simple country approach kind of is my main inspiration. I like to be simple and direct with my writing.”
As for those more polished, unfinished recording projects, Brooke isn’t entirely sure when those might get released, but stressed that these tracks “are totally different from the sad-song stuff. … On my next two records, there aren’t many sad songs. They are mostly like lyrically driven, funny, sarcastic stories and stuff, so this one (‘Sings Sad Songs’) is for all the sad sacks.”
View the music video for the 2024 Rachel Brooke single, “The Only One,” below.
This week’s edition of Local Spins on WYCE — which focuses on Michigan artists at 11 a.m. Fridays and 5 p.m. Sundays on WYCE (88.1 FM) and online at wyce.org, as well as at 7 p.m. Saturdays on Interlochen Public Radio — spotlighted two tracks from the new album – “Lonely Old Bummer” and “Bad Habit.”
The show also featured music by the following Michigan artists: The Hacky Turtles, Silent Spirit, Billy Strings (with Bryan Sutton), Ribbons of Song, Death By Lions, David Goyette, Jake Allen, Mike Ward, Jack White and The Aquaerials. Listen to the interview and radio show below.
PODCAST: Local Spins Michigan Music Showcase on WYCE/IPR (4/11/25)
VIDEO: Rachel Brooke, “The Only One”
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