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Aug 11, 2022 By Caleb Campbell Photography by Mike Dunn

Nashville-based singer/songwriter Michael McArthur occupies the center point between indie folk, Americana, and country soul, crafting songs that center on his evocative lyricism and intimate songwriting charms. After self-releasing a string of EPs, he released his first full-length album, Ever Green, in 2018. After writing his sophomore album, Milky Stars, during the insular months of the early pandemic, McArthur turned to producer Jacquire King (Tom Waits, Kings of Leon, James Bay) to helm his follow-up.

The full record is out September 16th via Transoceanic Records, but ahead of the release, McArthur has shared a new single, “Winding River,” premiering with Under the Radar.

Befitting the name, “Winding River” is a blissful dreamy folk tune, gently burnished by subtle synth lines and soulful guitar melodies. McArthur sweeps you away on the titular winding river, leaving you awash in pastoral instrumentation and fervent lyricism. As the track winds onward, it builds into a gently understated climax, one that proves moving and heartfelt without breaking the track’s placid surface. Meanwhile, McArthur’s lyrics trace a gentle tribute to the twists and turns of life’s paths, staying ever hopeful in spite of the unknowns一“Hold fast my love/Eyes on me/Oh, the winding river/Is hard to read/Think of giving up/Don’t you dare/Oh, the winding river/Leads somewhere.”

McArthur says of the track, “If you’ve ever had a day that hasn’t gone your way, you’re not alone. It’s likely not the first time it’s happened and it surely won’t be the last. Like the river that winds in pursuit of an ocean, we will, all of us, get to where we’re going. So long as we bend with the bends and seize the ride. That’s ‘Winding River.’ A gentle reminder that we’re together in this life. Fighting the same fight. Figuring it out as we go along.”

Check out the song below. Milky Stars is out September 16th via Transoceanic Records.