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Dec 10, 2024 By Caleb Campbell Photography by Emory Brown

Next month, Nashville-based indie singer/songwriter Josh Gilligan is set to share his forthcoming debut album, Party of One, due out on January 24th. The record follows his 2021 EP, Go Around, and finds Gilligan cultivating a insular and revelatory songwriting style while echoing ‘70s singer/songwriter troubadours like Paul Simon, Todd Rundgren, and James Taylor. This year, Gilligan has already shared a pair of singles, “Tightrope” and “Anytime,” and today he’s back with another new track, “500 Questions,” premiering with Under the Radar.

On its surface, “500 Questions” feels like the kind of breezy fare that could accompany a free-wheeling beach drive or warm springtime walk. Gilligan’s vocal delivery is feather-light, resting easily atop a bed of warm guitars and effortless grooves. However, the lyrics reveal more complex emotional layers running beneath the placid instrumentation. Despite the ambling rhythms and infectious guitar hooks, the track’s lyrics meditate on the unknown, taking a wistful tour through what-ifs and could-have-beens. These all eventually settle into the track’s final words of wisdom: “500 questions and many more / Make your decision and choose a door / One simple answer, some peace of mind / No simple answers / No further questions at this time.” From there, Gilligan takes a backseat, letting the band wind down in a dance of inviting, sun-dappled grooves.

Gilligan says of the track, “‘500 Questions’ is a song about when looking back is no longer nostalgic but is starting to take the life from what’s ahead. There are some answers we might never get, so there’s a time to stop questioning and to just start living again.”

Check out the song below. Party of One is out everywhere on January 24th.