County Line

Album: Wit's End (2011)
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Songfacts®:

  • On "County Line" Cass McCombs draws a parallel between revisiting a place and rekindling an old flame, both acts infused with a fragile hope that everything will be just as you left it, and a dread that it won't.
  • The song's mellow, country-soul vibe evokes the hazy charm of 1970s soft rock, prompting comparisons to artists like The Band. As McCombs told Uncut magazine, "People like slow songs - I love slow songs. We need them. We need contemplative songs. We need contemplation, how about that? Whether it's in a song or in life, we just need more of it."
  • When he wrote "County Line," McCombs was listening to a lot of soul music, and he cites Al Green as a major influence on the song.
  • "County Line" leads off McCombs' fifth album, Wit's End, a record he penned largely while living in Chicago with access to a piano. "A lot of the songs came from that piano," he remarked, explaining the album's piano-driven sound.
  • McCombs plays electric piano on "County Lines." He is joined by:

    Will Canzoneri: Hammond B-3 organ
    Chris Cohen: electric guitar
    Garrett Ray: percussion and drums
    Justin Meldal-Johnsen: bass

    Justin Meldal-Johnsen served as Beck's bassist and musical director between 1996 and 2016. He has also worked with numerous high-profile artists, including Nine Inch Nails, M83, Air, and St. Vincent. Meldal-Johnsen later transitioned into production work, producing albums for artists like Paramore and Wolf Alice.
  • McCombs directed the music video for "County Line." The clip is a freewheeling tour diary of sorts, blending shots of Texas with the exuberance of New Orleans during Mardi Gras.

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