Parmalee on ‘Roots': ‘Every Line in That Song Speaks to All of Us’
Parmalee, the four-man group made up of Matt Thomas, Scott Thomas, Barry Knox and Josh McSwain, say releasing the song "Roots" as the first single from their upcoming new album was a no-brainer, because the tune resonated so deeply with all of them.
"I think every line in that song speaks to all of us," lead singer Matt Thomas tells The Boot. "It felt like, if it can connect with people just like it did with us, we need to get it out there. That’s why we wanted to put it out as our first single off this album."
As Thomas explains, the song is about "the things that make you who you are ... All the things that you experienced growing up, all those things you didn’t realize, they stay a part of you. No matter where you end up in life, they’ll always be a part of you. It’s a reflection on that." So it's a bit surprising that Parmalee didn't write the song themselves.
"We were lucky to have it come down the pipeline," Thomas says of the Jared Mullins, Blake Bollinger and Ben Stennis-penned tune. "To find those songs and know it’s for us, it’s in our range and [has] perfect melodies, we don’t have that often. It was amazing to get that song."
Parmalee last released an album, Feels Like Carolina, at the end of 2013. While all four men are eager to share their new set of tunes with their fans, they insist that they won't release it until everything is just right.
"We’ve been working on it, just trying to wrap it up," Thomas notes. "But you know how it is in Nashville: You’re about to finish the album and an amazing song comes down the pike, or you write an amazing song, [and] it’s like, ‘We’ve got to put this song on the record,’ and something gets bumped out of the way."
A list of all of Parmalee's upcoming shows is available on their website. "Roots" is available for download on iTunes.
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