Kaitlin ButtsĀ takes the directors reins for the new video for ‘Roadrunner‘, the title track from her upcoming new albumĀ Roadrunner!, out June 28Ā via Soundly Music.
Part travelogue, part wink-wink farce, the video depicts life on the road for Butts and her band the Mules (formerly the Ass-tronauts) in adventures both real and delightfully, hilariously embellished. The endearing video plays out like a modern day mash-up ofĀ Hee HawĀ andĀ The Monkees.
ā’Roadrunner’ā is a reflection of my journey to now, it’s the convergence of everything Iāve ever loved: theatre, music, country, and my Oklahoma roots,āĀ explains Butts.Ā āThe version of me depicted in the video is much closer to what Iām like onstage, where thereās real emotion and truth but also humor and a tendency to poke fun. Itās all those different versions of me at once. In making this music video, I wanted to show the highs and lows and chaotic lifestyle that I love so much.”
Produced by Oran Thornton (Brent Cobb, Logan Brill),Ā Roadrunner!Ā marks a major tonal shift from Buttsā 2022 sophomore LPĀ what else can she do, a character-driven exploration of complex matters like addiction, domestic violence, and generational trauma.Ā āWith the last album I wanted to write about the struggles Iād seen people go through or experienced myself, so a lot of the songs had a sadness or darkness to them,āĀ she says.Ā āI feel likeĀ Roadrunner!Ā is much closer to what Iām like onstage, where thereās real emotion and truth but also humor and a tendency to poke fun. Itās all those different versions of me at once.āĀ Made with A-list musicians like multi-instrumentalists Russ Pahl (Sturgill Simpson, Kacey Musgraves) and Lex Price (Miranda Lambert, Parker McCollum),Ā Roadrunner!Ā ultimately matches that multidimensionality with a lush and fiery sound informed by Buttsā eclectic influences (outlaw country, strong-minded country-pop, timeless rock-and-roll, and more).
As Butts reveals, the making ofĀ Roadrunner!Ā served as an essential milestone in her journey as an artist, allowing for the fullest expression yet of the larger-than-life vision sheās long brought to her work (e.g., her cinematic videos, high-wattage stage presence, exquisitely curated costumes reflecting her fondness for sequins and fringe).Ā āSome artists get up onstage in their T-shirts and jeans and do their thing, but what comes naturally to me is the drama and going that extra mile to try to create an immersive experience,āĀ she says.Ā āThe more I pull from my musical-theater background, the more emboldened I am. Making this album showed me that little ideas can grow and take on a life on their own, and itās so exciting to know that sticking with my vision can lead to something bigger than I ever even imagined.ā
Kaitlin Butts ā 2024 UK Tour Dates
Aug 25 – Bottesford, UK – The Long Road Festival
Aug 26 – Brighton, UK – Concorde 2*
Aug 27 – London, UK – Scala*
Aug 29 – Bristol, UK – The Fleece*
Aug 30 – Manchester, UK – Academy 2*
Aug 31 – Paisley, UK – Mill Town Music Fest*
* Supporting Flatland Cavalry