For the last 15 years, Illinois singer-songwriter Dan Hubbard has dedicated his life to music. Four solo albums, a stint with his band the Humadors, and a minimum of 125 touring dates per year later, Hubbard is still going strong with the forthcoming release of his next LP, Attention, just around the corner. Due out on 26 April, Hubbard is sharing a new single, “Run Towards the River”, with PopMatters readers alongside a potent music video directed by Joseph Smith.
“Run Towards the River” marks another evolution in Hubbard’s sound, encapsulating textured riffs, earthen hooks, and gorgeous harmonies in what some might compare to contemporary heartland rock. Explaining the song’s origin and meaning to PopMatters, Hubbard says, “I wrote this song after a really difficult conversation with my wife. She shared some details with me that she never had before of what it’s like to live with abuse. I wanted this song to start out like a really earnest conversation about getting out. The part when the person personified in the song finally leaves is when the music bursts into life—the crescendo near the end when the horns come in (composed and performed by Reginald Chapman) represents a joyful rebirth, and new beginnings—also introducing a sound to this record that I have never experimented with on prior works.”