Testing the waters ahead of their streaming launch, Porch Mud’s “Hello, My Name Is …” music video announces the arrival of the Missourian indie folk-rock trio. Everything about them screams “let’s shake things up,” a LGBTQ+ band playing indie folk in a state known best for its traditional Americana and gospel. “Hello, My Name Is …” is aptly titled for their inauguration, which they’ve cheekily decided to launch the song on streaming platforms on Independence Day. And you wouldn’t believe they’re just a trio as the sound is so full, reminiscent of the production work Dave Cobb brought to the table for alt-country types like Amanda Shires, who vocalist Adrian sounds like.
The lyrics, though ambiguous at first, come into focus even if you don’t watch the music video which makes it plain. “Can I sit on the outside of the circle this time / As we swap stories about what we did / When we were dumb,” Adrian sings, and it becomes clear that said circle is inspired by AA. “Trying sober / Missing drunk” is how the song’s chorus goes, although it takes a stark turn by the end of the song when they insert a third line, “Trying sober / Dying sober / Missing drunk.”
Though vocalist Adrian sings, “My turn to stand and say ‘Hello, my name is,’ / Nothing comes to me,” in the song’s emotional climax, we as an audience can fill in the gap. It’s Porch Mud, and hopefully they’re here to stay.
Take a listen to “Hello, My Name Is…” below.
Written by Marshall Gu
