It’s been eight years since The Crane Wives released an album, but the wait is almost over. The group will release their self produced fifth studio album Beyond Beyond Beyond on September 6th, and they have continued to build anticipation for the project with the release of their latest single, “Scars,” in August.
The track is the third single from the album, following the releases of “Arcturus Beaming” and “Bitter Medicine.” These three singles provide a glimpse into an album that explores the mixed emotions brought on by major changes in life, aiming to provide listeners with the momentum to push through them.
Guitarist and vocalist Emilee Petersmark’s experience as an adopted child inspired her to write “Scars.” She offers the song to the audience as an expression of maturation as she learns more about herself and her perspective on her adoption.
“I think we often forget how much trauma is involved in the process of losing a family, even when you gain another, and this song felt like a big step in accepting that trauma, particularly the painful, ugly ways it manifests and follows you into adulthood.”
~ Emilee Petersmark
However, Petersmark notes the difference between recognizing this kind of trauma and working to understand it.
“When you don’t do the work to understand that trauma, it becomes easy to wonder if there’s just something fundamentally wrong with you. Knowing where those feelings come from and accepting all of the good and bad that come with it makes it easier to actually heal.”
~ Emilee Petersmark
The tonal grit of “Scars” is the standout component of the track. Petersmark’s clean, piercing vocals cut through a fog of distorted guitars and steady drums. The combination of these elements lay a musical groundwork that perfectly reflects the emotional turmoil and inner conflict that Petersmark so powerfully illustrates with her writing.
Petersmark’s lyrical delivery demands the listeners attention, but the muddy atmosphere created by the song’s distorted foundation elevates these lyrics to new heights as the song progresses into the chorus. It builds emotional tension through crashing cymbals and pounding chords, leaving the listener rocked by the final line, “tell me it’s inevitable that I’d end up with scars.”
Being able to articulate a traumatic experience through lyrical content is impressive on its own, but these musical elements also reflect the growing understanding of trauma that Petersmark has discussed. Confronting trauma is messy, infuriating, tiring and confusing. These sonic components do justice to the vulnerability of Petersmark’s lyrics, further highlighting the anger and inner turmoil that she so powerfully shares on “Scars.”
With this third single, The Crane Wives are not only closer to the release of Beyond Beyond Beyond, but also a tour to celebrate its release. The group will play an official album release show in their hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan on September 6th, kicking off the album tour just over a week after the conclusion of their summer tour.
Drummer Dan Rickabus said Beyond Beyond Beyond pushed the group to explore new collaborative strategies that ultimately led to the creation of an emotionally exploratory body of work.
“We tried to challenge ourselves to shake loose from our old patterns and explore what is possible between the four of us. Those brave experiments mean even more to me when I think about the lyrical content of the album. The album begins with inner-conflict, and moves through a very human process of growth toward a bold belief in possibility, and an attempt to create change. So, that sense of creative experimentation really resonates.”
~ Dan Rickabus
Check out a full list of The Crane Wives summer tour dates and get tickets here. Beyond Beyond Beyond is currently available for pre-save wherever you get your music, but make sure to check out their newest single “Scars” in preparation for the long awaited album.
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