Video Premiere: Matt Hires, “Signal In The Sky”

Matt Hires isn’t ready to tell us the title of his second album, but he is ready to share some of its songs. Last month, he released a rootsy foot-stomper called “Restless Heart.” Today, the Florida-based songwriter is partnering with American Songwriter to premiere another newbie, “Signal in the Sky.”

Co-written with Jamie Kenney, “Signal in the Sky” reaches out a helping hand to someone who’s at the end of their rope. “I’m running for you now, so don’t let go,” goes a line in the chorus, which Hires sings in a quavering baritone.

“It’s written for someone who needs something to hold on to,” he explains. “Lyrically, the song starts off from a pretty despairing place and gradually builds into a hopeful reassurance that when you struggle, you don’t have to do it by yourself.”

The studio version of “Signal in the Sky” is layered with guitars, piano and background vocals. In this live performance, though, Hires strips the song down to its acoustic roots, a move that brings back memories of his acoustic debut, 2008’s Live from the Hotel Cafe.