With a warm, warbly, analogue sound that feels particularly predominant in the short intro, the scene for Sam Hatmaker’s new single “Waiting Room” is effortlessly set (shout out to the producer, who incidentally is also the songwriter and performer.) As the vocal comes in – sweet, sharp, and Southern – it feels a bit like the country equivalent of anti-folk.
Popularised – at least most recently – in the ’00s by singer/songwriters like Jeffrey Lewis, Regina Spektor, and Adam Green, the wonderfully named Hatmaker feels like their spiritual lovechild. There are touches of First Aid Kit here, as well as the lo-fi charm of Boys Age, and maybe even a touch of Arcade Fire and also innumerable lyrical pearls. (“I think if you talk a lot, you say things you don’t mean” is a good example). With tongue-in-cheek phrasing and knowing, wry, and acerbic wit, she dissects social constructs and established norms with a sense of humour and levity that is absolutely refreshing. With lyrics like “I just spent my whole afternoon sitting in a waiting room / For somebody with a degree to say to me there’s nothin’ wrong with me”, she perfectly crystallises the class divide, the roles that fall either side of the line, and the modern obsession with insisting on labelling people, places, and things.
Reportedly raised by a stand-up comedian and an actress, this influence shines undeniably through as Sam comes across as tough, intelligent, and fearless. There’s no modern shit-show scenario that you can come up with that will keep Ms. Hatmaker down. She takes everything in her stride and with a good pinch of salt.
Something that people can sometimes accuse the country music genre of being is derivative and predictable. “Waiting Room” is anything but that and is a bold new reinterpretation of a type of music that is steeped in rich history and heritage. Atypical and brave, Hatmaker is a pioneer and — if there’s any justice — will soon be known around the world for her outspoken and individualistic approach to her art.
Take a listen to “Waiting Room” below:
Written by Kinda Grizzly
