“So, let me know what I’m feeling, ’cause I’m having trouble breathing.”
With the release of Western White Pines last year, Colby Acuff solidified himself as one of the premier artists in the independent/alt country scene. While it seems like a tough task to follow up a record as good as Western White Pines, it’s looking like he’s doing just that with his new, 16-track album, American Son, which is slated for an August 23rd release.
Today, Acuff called on the fast-rising trio, The Castellows, for the fifth pre-released track off of American Son, “How Do I Feel Alive.”
The “If I Were The Devil” singer first teased an acoustic version of “How Do I Feel Alive” on July 1st before officially announcing the song’s release featuring The Castellows on July 3rd.
In a following Instagram post promoting the track, Acuff noted that it’s one of his favorite songs he’s ever released, “One of my favorite songs on this record and one my favorite songs I’ve ever put out. This song features my good friends @thecastellows and they absolutely crush in this tune.”
Acuff also said, “‘How Do I Feel Alive’ is one of my favorite songs on the entire ‘American Son’ project. I had the pleasure of writing it with The Castellows and when we got done writing the tune, I knew they had to be featured on the record. While the song is catchy, it’s about being stuck in a negative mindset and not knowing how to break out of it. It’s a song that asks a simple question with an answer that can be very complex. I hope people enjoy it, and I hope this song can ultimately help people.”
The Castellows added, “As soon as we got finished writing this song, we felt it was going to be a special one. Not every song is like that, but for this one you could feel it immediately.”
It’s safe to say that Acuff and the three sisters did, in fact, crush the tune. “How Do I Feel Alive” continues Acuff’s well-documented focus on mental health with an incredibly melodic, catchy chorus that laments feelings of apathy. It serves as a stark contrast sonically to his previous releases, “Better Days” and “Scared of the Dark” which had a much more Western feel compared to “How Do I Feel Alive.”
Written by Acuff as well as Eleanor, Lily and Powell Balkcom, “How Do I Feel Alive” is a powerhouse of a track that balances its poignant lyrics with high-energy instrumentation and production. The strong percussion coupled with the inclusion of the dobro makes the song an absolute delight to listen to.
Acuff is currently on tour with Luke Combs while simultaneously headlining shows of his own over the coming months. Upcoming dates include the following:
- 7/17 Medford, MA
- 7/18 New York, NY
- 7/19 Philadelphia, PA
- 7/20 East Rutherford, NJ
- 7/21 York, PA
- 7/27 Landover, MA
- 7/28 Virginia Beach, VA
- 8/1 Lexington, KY
- 8/2 Cleveland, OH
- 8/3 Cincinnati, OH
- 8/4 Columbus, OH
American Son tracklist:
- 1. “Nightmare” (Colby Acuff)
- 2. “Scared of the Dark” (Colby Acuff)
- 3. “How Do I Feel Alive ” (feat. The Castellows) (Colby Acuff / Eleanor Balkcom /Lily Balkcom / Powell Balkcom)
- 4. “Starving” (Colby Acuff)
- 5. “Better Days” (Colby Acuff / Colton Venner)
- 6. “Ain’t So Bad” (Colby Acuff / Colton Venner / Vinnie Paolizzi)
- 7. “Devil That You Know” (Colby Acuff / Erland Wanberg / Teddy Morgan)
- 8. “Plastic Horses” (Colby Acuff / Aaron Raitiere)
- 9. “Bruised” (Colby Acuff)
- 10. “High Noon” (Colby Acuff)
- 11. “Man in the Paper Mask” (Colby Acuff)
- 12. “Suzanne” (Leonard Cohen)
- 13. “Hello Rain” (Colby Acuff)
- 14. “Me” (Colby Acuff)
- 15. “Heavy Hearted Man” (Colby Acuff / Stefan Jarocki)
- 16. “American Son” (Colby Acuff)
Listen here: