Lonesome River Band reminisces on formative years in “Back When”

Listen to it now and in Dolby Atmos spatial audio

After the raucous exuberance of “Pretty Little Widow,” bluegrass hitmakers Lonesome River Band are back with a new original. Written by the group’s guitarist, Jesse Smathers, along with LRB favorite Barry Hutchens and Virginia mandolinist Nick Goad, “Back When” is a laid-back meditation on the power of reminiscence.

“The essence of ‘Back When,’” says Hutchens, “is how the least little thing — a conversation with an old friend or a song you hear — can cause memories to come flooding back. It was a real privilege for me to have the opportunity to write it with Jesse and Nick — they are both such talented writers and musicians. It’s one of those songs that came about simply by the three of us sitting around and reminiscing about when we were kids and growing up playing music.”

Indeed, with its sturdy melody, gently insistent rhythm and homespun imagery, “Back When” communicates its meaning as much by sound as by the actual lyric. Punctuated with a supple fiddle introduction, a mandolin solo from Adam Miller — whose lead singing has exactly the right combination of mournfulness and amusement — and a tastefully virtuosic outro from “Telegrass” guitarist Rod Riley, the song unfolds without hurry, lingering on each phrase before landing on a bridge that drives home its point:

Funny how a memory can sleep in your mind, and then
The simplest thing wakes it up again
Just when you thought it was all left behind back when
Oh, back when

Time’s a thief but it can’t take away
What we gain from the memories made

“I’m so proud to have had a hand in writing ‘Back When’ with my pals,” notes Smathers. “As we had conversation on Barry’s back porch, we reminisced about our youth, the mischief we got into and of course being musicians, our first chords and songs we learned. Looking back, those moments are so sentimental and they made me into who I am today. It’s important to be aware of those subtle reminders that take us to our formative years way ‘back when.’”

“Back When” is streaming in Dolby Atmos spatial audio on Apple Music, Amazon Music and TIDAL. Listen to it here.