Sarah Peacock Casts Spell In New Video, “Burn The Witch”

Burning someone at the stake is no longer a literal act of punishment. In modern times, it is a metaphor of harsh, perhaps cruel, online harassment. Americana powerhouse Sarah Peacock assembles her song “Burn the Witch,” paired with a crackling, soul-burning new video, premiering today on American Songwriter, through a historical context and a remarkable lineup of musicians.

The 1692 Salem Witch Trials witnessed more than 200 accused of practicing witchcraft and 20 executed. What is described as the “witchcraft craze,” a time period estimated from the early 1300s to the end of the 1600s, wrought tens of thousands killed. Peacock’s “Burn the Witch” comes at a point in modern history that directly mirrors the past, as thousands of immigrants are being caged along the southern border, and women, people of color, and queer folk continue to be dealt daily blows by the patriarchy.

“In recent years, I have been more conscious than ever to write songs that are deeply and authentically me. Writing authentically might sound like a no brainer, but I’ve spent a lot of years running from who I am,” says Peacock. “I’ve tried to fit in, I’ve tried to write what I thought people wanted to hear. I’ve even tried to project an image that I thought might be more likable. But, the joy in this eighth record for me has been finding myself in these songs.”

“Burn the Witch” snarls and screeches with dramatic strings grinding apart and against one another. The visual, filmed at Nashville’s Welcome to 1979 Studio, drenches in slithering dark-folk flair, and Peacock’s voice calls through a brambly mix of acoustic guitar and cello. “I hope listeners will read between the lines. Sometimes people don’t like what they don’t understand,” says Peacock. “We don’t burn people at the stake anymore, but fear paves the way for people who are ‘different’ to continue being abused. They get cast out like rotten apples.”

The title cut to her new record, “Burn the Witch” stars a band of talented women – Tanya Dmunchowski (lead guitar), Tia Dmunchowski (keys), Maddie Scott (drums), and Yanet Moreira (cello) – and each musician plays a vital role to tell a timely tale. “Unfortunately, we live in a world where community groups are being ostracized, demonized, and even dehumanized for being different,” says Peacock, noting the album’s general social justice framework. “Women have received a fair amount of blunt force trauma in recent decades as well, especially in the male-dominated music industry. Having an all-female backing band is important to me because I like to practice what I preach. I’m for equal pay and equal play, and I’m a pretty loud feminist.”

A 2016 tour bus fire lead not only to personal growth but creative rebirth. Peacock raised $45,000 through a Kickstarter campaign to create Burn the Witch. Her eighth studio album, expected March 27, sprouted from the unruly desire to cleanse herself and the world that would sooner cast her down.

Watch the “Burn the Witch” video below.