Video Premiere | Simon Flory - County Fair

PRE-ORDER SIMON FLORY'S UPCOMING ALBUM, RADIOVILLE, ON VINYL!

Song: County Fair
Artist: Simon Flory
Video Production: Paul Heyduck
Release date: 13 November 2018

       Genres in music are a fickle thing. Over time, they rise and fall in popularity due to changes in technology, culture, and media. Americana music seems to be an exception to that rule. Perhaps because of its timeless simplicity and authenticity. Simon Flory’s song, "County Fair," from his upcoming album, Radioville, embodies that honest approach as it illustrates the complexity of everyday life. In addition to the song, Flory has released a video of this duet with Summer Dean. Unlike most music videos where the video acts as a supplement to the music, Flory intends for the video to be as much a part of the experience as the music. Flory is utilizes this approach throughout the album as he advises, “The strength lies within the entire project as the record is very thematic.” Surrounded by country musicians writing about people and situations they’ve never experienced, Flory is stands out due to his broad perspective. He has travelled the world and has personally lived just about every single classic country song ever written.

       Born in Indiana to a family that owned a feed store, Flory grew up working on ranches and farms. “I grew up without a TV. I lived in the past,” he states. After obtaining a degree in creative writing with a concentration in fiction, Flory moved around and found himself working many different jobs from teaching at the historic Old Town School of Folk Music to working for Americorp. He even worked in Costa Rica under an assumed name. Along the way, Flory played in a multitude of bands and collaborated with a plethora of musicians including legendary artist Donny Catron of the Tennessee Gentlemen, whom he considers his musical mentor.

       Radioville was recorded entirely in analog with Marshall Terry, who Flory describes as “a mad genius”. It will be released along with pen and ink illustrations and lyric sheets made by TW Rushing. “The package is exactly how the record was made. Everything is analog, even the art,” says Flory. The album focuses on the everyday stories of people living in a town called Radioville. It’s a statement for Flory: “We can’t even have a feel-good story about humans anymore. They all have to be comic book Heroes… I want to highlight humans.”

       The first single off the album, "County Fair," is an exchange of letters between two lovers, one an imprisoned man and the other a reminiscent woman. They both long to see each other again despite knowing it will never happen. The man struggles with addiction while the woman loves him and believes in him though she is powerless to help him. This is a very personal song for Flory who has seen friends and loved ones struggle with the same disease. “It’s not something you can just cure… you can be a giant sweetheart and do some fucked up shit." The simple arrangement of the song highlights the lyrics and allows the listener to focus on the most important part of any story – the characters.

       Preceding the album, Flory has released a music video for "County Fair." Shot entirely with a GoPro by Marshall Terry, Summer Dean, and Flory and edited by Paul Haduck at Make Something Beautiful, the video is a perfect summary what Radioville is all about: real, honest people.

You can follow Simon Flory at the links below to keep track of upcoming shows and his new album, Radioville, set to be released February 2019.

Will Latham is a musician from Dallas, Texas. He plays bass for Ottoman Turks and Justin Tipton in addition to his solo work, Billy Law. He enjoys sitting on porch couches, wearing pearl snap shirts, and talking about Twin Peaks. Will is the co-founder and creative director of Wavelength Magazine.

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