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May 13, 2021 By Caleb Campbell

Louisville Kentucky singer/songwriter Sam Filiatreau got the chance to share his ‘70s-tinged folk with the world through a lucky encounter. After meeting Taylor Meier of Athens folk band Caamp at a house party in 2019 Filiatreau joined them on tour and is now the first signee to Meier’s new label Gjenny Records. His self-titled debut will also be the first release on the label, an intimate meeting of nostalgic storytelling, emotionally wrought folk, and stark instrumentation. Filiatreau has returned, sharing the latest single from the record “El Camino,” premiering early with Under the Radar.

Campfire cowboy fingerpicking introduces the song, accompanying Filiatreau’s sorrowful vocal performance and longing lyrics. Gently building to a subdued walking pace the track ruefully reflects on the wreckage of a broken relationship and Filiatreau’s “heart that was made for scorching.” Altogether, his poetic turns of phrase and open-hearted honesty make for an instantly affecting listen. Few modes better capture heartbreak than the solitary folk ballad and Filiatreau, though likely a new voice to listeners, proves to have a preternatural talent for the craft on “El Camino.”

Filiatreau explains, “El Camino is a song no one ever really wants to write, or I at least wrote it from a place I never wanted to be. There are a few songs throughout this record that deal with heartache, but this one still feels like an open wound. Written at the end of a serious relationship, this song explicitly describes going through the motions of a breakup and whether you’re sure your love is done for good.” Listen to the song below and watch for Sam Filiatreau’s self-titled record, coming June 1st on Gjenny Records.