There were hints and rumors that Julien Baker and TORRES were working on something together as far back as 2016, when they first performed together, but it really reached a fever pitch when they released “Sugar in the Tank” late last year, a reflective expression of the intertwining of their country and folk influences, and a gorgeous bit of melodic inclusivity. Today, they’ve finally announced details concerning their debut collaborative album, Send a Prayer My Way, which is due out April 18 via Matador Records.
The album follows in the footsteps of musicians like Jerry Jeff Walker and Kris Kristofferson, artists who embodied the outlaw country aesthetic, and who fought against the constraints of social and economic inequity. They also made goddamn beautiful music. The same can be said for Julien Baker and TORRES, two women fighting against the tyranny of political oppression and societal prejudice. Send a Prayer My Way is their battle cry, their manifesto, their country prayer for understanding.
On new single, Sylvia”, the duo maintain their rural bylines, infusing the track with cinematic pedal steel and spine tingling harmonies. It’s another notch on their belt, another mile marked in their search for likeminded individuals — one more vindication in their ongoing upheaval of country music’s often-exclusory history.
“The morning I went to pick up my dog Sylvia from an upstate shelter, I was at home making my coffee and I turned on WFMU and Dolly Parton’s ‘Cracker Jack’ was on,” says TORRES. “I burst into tears—it felt like the universe was telling me she was going to be mine (Sylvia was only meant to be a foster). I remember thinking that I’d love to write a song like that, a song that people could feel in their chest within five seconds of turning on the radio, because anyone who has ever had the honor of sharing a home with a beloved pet knows that a pet is family—they’re the best friends you could ever have.”
Listen below.
Send a Prayer My Way is due out April 18 via Matador Records. You can pre-order the album here. Follow Julien Baker on Facebook, X, and Instagram — and keep up with TORRES on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
