Nashville’s Aubrie Sellers has just released “Subatomic”, the first single and video from her forthcoming concept album, Attachment Theory. The self-proclaimed “garage country” singer-songwriter has taken her sound into outer space to address issues of love, romance, and dating in the modern world. The shimmering synths, strings, and guitars that accompany her voice suggest the emotional distances we feel as we search for romantic connections.
“Subatomic” addresses a common barrier to intimacy: one partner subconsciously distances themselves from the other by criticizing them under the guise of being honest. You know, I love you, honey, but you know it drives me crazy when you use that kind of communication. The space-age accompaniment suggests the isolationist aspects that follow. While the speaker outwardly pretends to say things to bring two people closer, in essence, it makes the other person feel unworthy and inferior. The song expresses how this type of language makes one’s lover feel small. Indeed, what can be tinier than subatomic in size?
Attachment Theory, due out on 20 March, features 11 tracks that analyze and reflect on the barriers we face when dealing with others as potential life partners. Dating is hard. Sellers has noted, “This record was born out of heartbreak, with the theme of attachment theory running through it in different ways. I’ve always been fascinated by psychology, especially people’s personalities and quirks, and how they function in relationships.” These songs address the issues creatively and thematically, but Sellers takes things one step further by launching a podcast series that explores the psychological theories behind such behavior for each of the 11 songs
The first episode of Attachment Theory: The Podcast, “Villain of the Week”, delves into how dating apps attract emotionally unavailable people and comes out tomorrow. New episodes will be released every two weeks. Every song/podcast is designed to illuminate and advise listeners on how to navigate their own situations better and understand what may be happening beneath the surface.
This is Aubrie Sellers’ third full-length solo release and shows her growth as an artist. It’s been ten years since her first album. The world has changed. While she may be country at the core, this album rocks more than her previous efforts. The electronic atmospherics on “Subatomic” reveal the vast distances between human hearts. It doesn’t matter whether one lives on a farm or in a big city; we are all small compared with the size of the universe. Only love can make us feel connected to something bigger and more important.
