Erin Enderlin Releases Emotionally Charged Song “If I’m Not In Hell “
Erin Enderlin is keeping her promise to share new music with us ahead of an intriguing sounding concept EP which will be based around the different characters who find themselves in the same barroom one evening. In our recent interview, she spilled to Belles and Gals that there would be new monthly single/focus tracks released ahead of the complete project, and true to her word a few weeks after dropping the upbeat and inspirational “Somebody’s Shot of Whiskey” (which she performed at her 14th Opry appearance last week) she has just released the stunning “If I’m Not In Hell“ which fans have been clamouring for her to record for some time now. And I must say the lilting 6/8 ballad is 3 minutes 48 seconds of country music perfection as far as I am concerned.
Even if you haven’t heard Erin perform this tearjerker acoustically during one of her lifestreams, those familiar with the music of the Arkansas native (who of course co-wrote songs including “Last Call” for LeeAnn Womack and Alan Jackson’s “Monday Morning Church” and has released two albums herself ) will not be surprised to find that the single is a return to the heartbreakers we have come to associate with her. Talking about how the song came about, Erin explains “I wrote the song with two of my best friends, Kayla Ray and Kimberly Kelly. They are incredible artists and writers – and we all love old school country music. I had written the title down in my idea book, and I knew they were the perfect people to help bring it to life. It’s honestly one of my favorite songs that I’ve ever been a part of and captures all my favorite elements of a country song – what can I say, sad songs make me happy“.
The release is another well observed and documented study of the human condition from the Nashville based artist, it perfectly encapsulates the pain and helplessness felt when you have lost a loved one and can see no end to the misery and emptiness you are feeling… in fact, quite the opposite, you can only see things getting worse, or as Erin puts it so eloquently “If I’m not in hell, I’m heading that way“. It’s a feeling many of us will have no doubt experienced at some point, be it as a result of the passing of that special person, a relationship breakdown or a marriage that ultimately wasn’t “full of fire like that preacher man said” which is the case here. Whatever the reason, the resulting feelings are just as painful, the situation seemingly just as bleak .
From the outset, the vividly descriptive lyrics transport the listener to Erin’s kitchen, where she sits during the daytime nursing her “two fingers whiskey“. All around her are reminders of what she has lost, the house is up for sale and the bills are mounting up which indicates that her loss is not a recent event, yet she still has her exes’ cup there staring back at her… why do we torture ourselves like that? As the song unfolds, the utter despair she feels is ever-more tangible, friends try to comfort her to no avail and she even questions her faith in God. While this definitely isn’t a song with a happy ending, it hopefully may help others who find themselves in a similar situation realise that their feelings are by no means unique but that it’s human nature and all part of the grieving and moving on process, and by doing so offer at least a small piece of comfort.
The hopelessness she writes about is conveyed with appropriate pain, anguish and resignation vocally, with some haunting harmonies from Melonie Cannon. And of course any country heartbreaker needs lashings of fiddle and pedal steel, which seasoned musicians Jenee Fleenor and Justin Schipper are only too happy to provide including during a short but oh -so- beautiful instrumental break. Erin herself plays acoustic guitar and as with her last single (and Campfire Covers series of CDs) she has produced the track (full credits below), a side of things it’s great to see more female artists getting involved in lately.
And if the pictures the track’s lyrics paint aren’t enough there’s also an official video coming in the next few days… just about time to re-stock on the kleenex beforehand!
Stream/Download ” If I’m Not in Hell ” here https://hypeddit.com/link/qqexqn
Track info:
Artist: Erin Enderlin
Writers : Erin Enderlin, Kayla Ray, Kimberly Kelly
Label: Black Crow Productions, LLC
Release Date: 20th August 2021
Producer: Erin Enderlin
Engineer: Justin Courtelyou
Assistant Engineer: Kyle Blunt
Mixed by: Justin Courtleyou
Mastered by: Amy Brown
Acoustic Guitar: Erin Enderlin
Fiddle: Jenee Fleenor
Drums: Megan Jane
Bass: Rachel Loy
Steel guitar: Justin Schipper
Harmony: Melonie Cannon
More artist information/links to socials at erinenderlin.com
Article written by Lesley Hastins (twitter.com/lesleyhastings)
