Toronto band Little Kid are releasing their new album Transfiguration Highway in a few weeks, and today they share a third track from the record called “All Night (Golden Ring)”. The idea for the song formed in Kenny Boothby’s mind when he researched the relationship between country singers Tammy Wynette and George Jones, which came to an end when Jones became abusive towards Wynette. When they didn’t find as much success separately, they came back together. Their resulting reunion record Golden Ring went on to become the first number 1 of their careers. Boothby says:
“I was really saddened to read about that, and to picture how that must have felt for Tammy. I can’t relate directly, but as a survivor of abuse, I can only imagine what it would feel like to have to sing with my abuser, much less to have to sing love songs with him and act like everything is OK.”
Little Kid like to inhabit their songs with characters, as we saw on the brilliant “Losing”, and on “All Night” Boothby and bandmate Megan Lunn duet in a way that evokes the spirits of these singers. Little Kid set out a downcast folk style, and Boothby matches the atmosphere by immediately asking “How can I live with myself?” Fully embodying these characters across the track, the two voices intertwine with crackling chemistry, both utterly forlorn, but also reaching moments that sparkle as a reminder of the flame they bring out of one another. A gorgeous character study that plucks the heartstrings like those of an antique banjo, “All Night (Golden Ring)” gives us yet another compelling view of Little Kid’s dimensions.
Little Kid’s new album Transfiguration Highway comes out on July 3 via Solitaire Recordings. Follow the band on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Bandcamp.
