New York-based, Irish artist Podge Lane returns with his newest single, “Let Me Ask You”, out August 15th. Following the release of his roots-rocking summer single “Heatwave”, which amassed widespread acclaim from RTE, The Grateful Web and Hot Press, Lane pivots with a fragile, slow-burning ballad about the final moments of a relationship, and the questions that remain.
Blending the intimate harmonies of The Civil Wars with the emotional honesty of Damien Rice, ‘Let Me Ask You’ is a raw ballad of love slipping away. Built sonically on sparse guitar, piano and soft backing vocals, the track builds to a desperate swell as drums, cello, and organ aid the singer's plea before falling back into whispered resignation;
‘Let me ask you, did you ever tell the truth? Let me ask you, did you hurt just like I do? And when I pass through your mind when you’re alone, is there things you want to know, cause I want to know.’
A stark contrast to the summer sun in ‘Heatwave’, ‘Let Me Ask You’ hones in on Lane’s astute lyrical insights and poses a new writing challenge for the songwriter;
“I actually wrote this song without any notion of putting it out on a record. The week I moved to New York I was contacted to submit a song for a small film. It was about a breakup where one of the characters still has a lot of unresolved issues. And that’s not something I usually get to write about. So I threw myself head first into the world of breakup songs. Lots of indie films, tons of old records, and lots of Grey's Anatomy.”
“But when I sent it back for submission for the film, I was told they had already picked someone else, and just forgot to tell me! Selfishly I was kind of glad, because I had built a whole life for these characters, and gotten so attached to this song, I wanted it for myself!”
Etching out his space in the alt-country landscape, Lane has played over 60 shows in just 3 months! Exciting announcements ensue with further tour dates to be announced, including headlining New York’s Big City Folk and Brookyln’s Gallery 198
‘Let Me Ask You’ is out on August 15th, take a listen below!
