Elliott BROOD Ramps Up For New record With “Stay Out”

Children can inspire all kinds of things, including a song that you never meant to write. And when Casey Laforet of Elliott BROOD sat down to write an epic song, armed with a mandolin and kick drum, a frank and piercing story surfaced. 

“The idea had been in my head since my son was born.  I think I had a rough time adjusting to huge changes in my life,” Laforet told American Songwriter. “I was sort of stuck between two worlds and feeling pretty helpless about the whole thing. One day I sat down with a mandolin and a kick drum with the intention of writing a huge historical BAND type saga like ‘Acadian Driftwood’ and this came out instead.”

“I hope it’s a place that a lot of people can relate to, with the feeling of ‘you can’t go back’ or being sickened with nostalgia,” Laforet added. “The song will probably resonate with people who have trouble with change. I hope the underlying hopefulness is in there somewhere. “ 

Americana, folk beats and instrumentation cement the song but the intimate lyrics reveal an honesty about the struggles of having children, that many parents are too afraid to admit, but Elliott BROOD goes there and in doing so shows their listeners a real-human side to themselves. The animated, lyric video draws on ideas of escapism and avoidance that are outlined in the lyrics, ‘I can’t go home/can I stay out a little while.’  Suggestive images like horse-riding into the sky, gives the listener a visual aspect to pair with the song, that equally represents the themes portrayed in the lyrics.

“Stay Out” also celebrates the trio’s return to Six Shooter Records and the announcement of their new album, Keeper, out September 18.  Keeper lists ongoing themes of navigating through long-term and family relationships, especially on songs “Full of Wires” and “A Month of Sundays.” Much of the new record was brewed during tour writing sessions while on summer festival bills and the band looked to Darryl Neudorf and Ryan Hadlock to engineer some of that rawness for the latest single. 

“Darryl Neudorf did a great job of engineering this track at his home studio and really found some big thunderous sounds for it,” the band said. “And we were lucky to have Ryan Hadlock mix the song, he really took it to a beautiful sonic place. We want you to feel the kick drum long after the song is over.” Elliott BROOD has had a long-standing journey since their 2002 formation, with the breakout album Mountain Meadows, that led to Days Into Years, which landed them a JUNO award. And now, entering new phases of life and career milestones, the group is more excited to show their work to the world with a new album that seals the band’s adventure beyond their tag as an acoustic group, while venturing into new sounds and palettes.